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If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Haw-Ho-Noo - Records of a Tourist - -Author: Charles Lanman - -Release Date: January 11, 2017 [EBook #53940] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HAW-HO-NOO *** - - - - -Produced by This e-book was generously made available by -FadedPage.com (http://www.fadedpage.com) - - - - - - - - - - HAW-HO-NOO; - OR, - RECORDS OF A TOURIST. - - - BY - CHARLES LANMAN, - AUTHOR OF “LETTERS FROM THE ALLEGHANY MOUNTAINS,” ETC. - - And without registering these things by the pen, - they will slide away unprofitably. - Owen Feltham. - - - PHILADELPHIA: - LIPPINCOTT, GRAMBO AND CO., - SUCCESSORS TO - GRIGG, ELLIOT AND CO., - 14 NORTH FOURTH STREET. - 1850. - - - Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1850, by - LIPPINCOTT, GRAMBO AND CO., - in the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the Eastern District of - Pennsylvania. - - PHILADELPHIA: - T. K. AND P. G. COLLINS, PRINTERS. - - - TO - WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT, ESQ., - IN WHOM ARE BLENDED - ALL THE MORE EXALTED ATTRIBUTES OF - THE POET AND THE MAN, - _This Volume_ - IS AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED, - BY - THE AUTHOR. - - - - - TO THE PUBLIC. - - -The title and table of contents of this volume contain all that I have -to say in regard to its character. My only apology for again appearing -before the public is to be found in the treatment which I have -heretofore experienced from the critics. With _one_ exception, the more -prominent periodicals of England and the United States have spoken of my -former productions in the most kindly manner, and I sincerely thank them -for their friendship. With regard to the exception alluded to—the -“_North American Review_”—I have only to say that its assault upon me -was cruel, prompted by an unworthy motive, and wholly undeserved. I -write from impulse and for the pleasure which the employment affords. -That my books are popular is indeed a matter of rejoicing; but I make no -pretensions whatsoever in the literary line, and only desire the -approbation of those who are willing to believe me a lover of truth, of -nature, and my friends. - -The word Haw-ho-noo was originally applied to America by the Iroquois -Indians, and signifies _the country upheld on the back of a turtle_; and -my reasons for employing it on the present occasion are simply these—a -portion of the volume is devoted to the traditionary lore of the -Aborigines, and the whole has reference to my native land. - - C. L. - -Washington, _Summer of 1850_. - - - - - CONTENTS. - - - The Sugar Camp 13 - The Old Academy 21 - Accomac 27 - Salmon Fishing 34 - The Fur Trappers 46 - The Canadian Recluse 52 - Trout Fishing 57 - Rock Creek 66 - Lilly Larnard 75 - Basse Fishing 83 - A Virginia Barbecue 94 - Death in the Wilderness 98 - Rock Fishing 101 - Rattlesnakes 113 - The Western Pioneer 119 - Pike Fishing 123 - Plantation Customs 139 - Fishing in General 146 - Our Master in Landscape Painting 152 - Poverty in the Empire City 165 - The Fatal Valentine 182 - Indian Legends 187 - - - - - RECORDS OF A TOURIST. - - - - - THE SUGAR CAMP. - - -Among our more agreeable recollections of the wilderness are those -associated with the making of _maple sugar_. Our first taste of this -sweetest of woodland luxuries was received from the hands of an Indian, -into whose wigwam we had wandered from our father’s dwelling on one of -the Saturday afternoons of our boyhood. It was many years ago, and long -before the frontier of Michigan was transformed into a flourishing -member of the national confederacy. Since that time we have not only -eaten our full proportion of the luxury in question, both in wigwam and -cabin, but we have seen it extensively manufactured by the Indian, as -well as the white man; and we now purpose to discourse upon the article -itself, and upon a few incidents connected with its manufacture. - -Maple sugar is made from the sap of a tree, known by the several names -of rock maple, hard maple, and sugar maple, which is found in great -abundance in various portions of the Union, but chiefly in the northern -States. It is a lofty and elegantly proportioned tree, and its foliage -is particularly luxuriant; and, when touched by the frosts of autumn, is -pre-eminently brilliant. The wood is also highly esteemed for the beauty -of its fibre, which consists of concentrical circles, resembling the eye -of a bird; and hence the term _birds_-eye maple. - -Generally speaking, the sugar-making season commences early in April, is -universally considered as one of festivity, and seldom continues more -than about four weeks. The sudden transition of the temperature from -winter to spring is essential to its production, for at this season -alone does the vital principle of the tree pass in large quantities from -the roots into its branches. Hence it is that, while making this -passage, the sap has to be withdrawn; and this is accomplished by making -an incision in the tree some three feet from the ground, and receiving -the liquid in a vessel prepared for the purpose. And it has been -observed that, when a frosty night is followed by a dry and sunny day, -the sap flows abundantly, at which times three or four gallons are -obtained from a single tree in twenty-four hours. The process employed -for converting the sap into sugar is perfectly simple, and consists in -boiling it first into a sirup and then into a more tangible substance. -Of this sugar there are two kinds, viz., the hard or cake sugar, and -that of a friable character, which is produced by constantly stirring -the thick sirup when it is becoming cool. The taste of the sap or juice, -when taken from the tree, is just sweet enough to be noticed; and though -we have never ascertained the quantity commonly obtained from a single -tree, we have been told that a very fruitful tree, in a good season, may -be made to yield five pounds of the best sugar. To the human palate this -juice is not generally agreeable, but wild and domestic animals are said -to be inordinately fond of it, and slake their thirst with it whenever -they can. Although a sufficient quantity of maple sugar has never been -manufactured in this country to rank it among our articles of -exportation, it has, for many years past, been about the only sugar used -by a large number of people—especially those who live in the more -thickly-wooded districts of the States, and those inhabiting the -northern and western frontiers of the United States and Canada. In the -opinion of all who manufacture the article it is held in high -estimation, both as a luxury and on account of its nutrition. In regard -to this last quality, we believe it is superior to all other sugars; for -we know, from personal observations, that when eaten by the Indian -children, during the manufacturing season, they become particularly -hearty, though exclusively confined to it as an article of food for -weeks at a time. - -From the very nature of the business, the making of maple sugar is -commonly carried on in an encampment, and we now purpose to describe the -various kinds with which we are acquainted, beginning, as a matter of -course, with an Indian camp. We are speaking of the remote past, and of -an encampment of Ottawa Indians, in one of the maple forests skirting -the western shore of Green Bay. It is in the month of April, and the -hunting season is at an end. Albeit, the ground is covered with snow, -the noonday sun has become quite powerful, and the annual offering has -been made to the Great Spirit, by the medicine men, of the first product -of one of the earliest trees in the district. This being the preparatory -signal for extensive business, the women of the encampment proceed to -make a large number of wooden troughs (to receive the liquid treasure), -and, after these are finished, the various trees in the neighborhood are -tapped, and the juice begins to run. In the mean time, the men of the -party have built the necessary fires, and suspended over them their -earthen, brass, or iron kettles. The sap is now flowing in copious -streams, and from one end of the camp to the other is at once presented -an animated and romantic scene, which continues, without interruption, -day and night until the end of the sugar season. The principal -employment to which the men devote themselves is that of lounging about -the encampment, shooting at marks, and playing the moccasin game; while -the main part of the labor is performed by the women, who not only -attend to the kettles, but employ all their leisure time in making the -beautiful birchen mocucks, for the preservation and transportation of -the sugar when made; the sap being brought from the troughs to the -kettles by the boys and girls. Less attention than usual is paid by the -Indians at such times to their meals, and, unless game is very easily -obtained, they are quite content to depend upon the sugar alone. If an -Indian happens to return from the river with a fish, he throws it -without any ceremony into the boiling sap, dipping it out, when cooked, -with a ladle or stick; and therefore it is that we often find in the -maple sugar of Indian manufacture the bones of a trout, or some more -unworthy fish. That even a bird, a rabbit, or an opossum, is sometimes -thrown into the kettle instead of a fish is beyond a doubt; and we are -not positively certain that the civilized fashion of eating jelly with -roast lamb may not be traced to the barbarous custom of cooking animals -in hot sap. That this sap itself, when known to be clear and reduced to -the consistency of molasses, is a palatable article, we are ready to -maintain against the world; and we confess that, when not quite so -fastidious as now, we have often eaten it in truly dangerous quantities, -even in the cabin of an Indian. As we have already intimated, the sugar -season is dependent upon the weather; but, even when it is prolonged to -four or five weeks, it continues from beginning to end to be one of -hilarity and gladness. At such times, even the wolfish-looking dogs seem -to consider themselves as entitled to the privilege of sticking their -noses into the vessels of sap not yet placed over the fire. And in this -manner does the poor Indian welcome returning spring. - -It is now about the middle of June, and some fifty birchen canoes have -just been launched upon the waters of Green Bay. They are occupied by -our Ottawa sugar-makers, who have started upon a pilgrimage to Mackinaw. -The distance is near two hundred miles, and as the canoes are heavily -laden, not only with mocucks of sugar, but with furs collected by the -hunters during the past winter, and the Indians are traveling at their -leisure, the party will probably reach their desired haven in the course -of ten days. Well content with their accumulated treasures, both the -women and the men are in a particularly happy mood, and many a wild song -is heard to echo over the placid lake. As the evening approaches, day -after day they seek out some convenient landing-place, and, pitching the -wigwams on the beach, spend a goodly portion of the night carousing and -telling stories around their camp fires, resuming their voyage after a -morning sleep, long after the sun has risen above the blue waters of the -east. Another sunset hour, and the cavalcade of canoes is quietly -gliding into the crescent bay of Mackinaw, and, reaching a beautiful -beach at the foot of a lofty bluff, the Indians again draw up their -canoes, again erect their wigwams. And, as the Indian traders have -assembled on the spot, the more improvident of the party immediately -proceed to exhibit their sugar and furs, which are usually disposed of -for flour and pork, blankets and knives, guns, ammunition, and a great -variety of trinkets, long before the hour of midnight. That the -remainder of this night is devoted to feasting and dancing, and -tumultuous recreation, is a matter of course. But the trader who would -obtain from the Indians their more unique articles of merchandize, -usually visits the encampment on the following morning, when he is -always certain of obtaining from the young women, on the most reasonable -terms, their fancy mocucks of sugar, all worked over with porcupine -quills; and a great variety of beautifully worked moccasins, and fancy -bags, made of the sweet-smelling deer skin. In about a week after their -arrival at Mackinaw, the Ottawa Indians begin to sigh for the freedom of -the wilderness; and, before the trader has left his bed on some pleasant -morning, there is nothing to be seen on the beach at Mackinaw but the -smoking embers of a score or two of watch-fires. - -We would now conduct our readers into the sugar camp of a Frenchman. It -is situated in one of the maple forests of Michigan, on the banks of the -river Raisin, and within half a mile of the rude comfortable dwelling of -the proprietor. Very much the same process is here pursued in making the -sugar that we have already described, only that a large proportion of -the labor is performed by the men and boys, the women participating in -the employment more for the purpose of carefully packing away the sugar -when made, and having a little romantic sport in the way of eating hot -sugar in the aisles of the church-like forest. The season of winter with -our Frenchman has been devoted almost exclusively to the pleasures of -life, and the making of sugar is the first and probably the only really -lucrative business which he ever transacts. By the term lucrative we -mean a business which allows him to lay aside a little spare money, for, -generally speaking (like the class to which he belongs in the -north-west), he is perfectly satisfied if the agricultural products of -his small farm yield him a comfortable living. Maple sugar and maple -molasses are considered by our friend and his family as among their -greatest luxuries; and, while he makes a point of taking a goodly -quantity to market, he never fails to keep a plentiful supply of both -under his own roof. In transporting his sugar (as well as all other -marketable articles) to the neighboring town, he employs a rude -two-wheeled vehicle, made exclusively of wood, and drawn by a Canadian -pony. On his first visit to the town after the sugar season is ended, he -will be accompanied by his entire family, decked in their more tidy -garments; and, before his return home, you may be certain that the -Catholic priest, whose church he regularly attends, will receive a -handsome present of the newly-made sugar, with perhaps a small keg of -the delicious maple sirup or molasses. And thus does the Frenchman of -the frontier welcome the return of spring. - -But we have spent some pleasant days in the sugar camps of the Dutch -yeomanry on the eastern and southern side of the Catskill Mountains, and -we must not omit to pay our respects to them. The very best of sugar is -made in this region, and much of it into solid cakes of various sizes, -from one pound to twenty. It is manufactured here both for home -consumption and the market, and the price which it has usually commanded -during the last ten years has been about one York shilling per pound. -The labor in this region is about equally divided between the women and -the men, and considerable attention is devoted to the cultivation of the -maple-tree. In cooling their sugar, or rather in performing the business -called “sugaring off,” the Dutch employ immense wrought-iron pans, which -are undoubtedly a great improvement upon the Indian and French fashions, -which are simply no fashions at all, since the kettle employed to boil -the sugar are used to cool it off. - -But the Dutch of whom we are speaking, those especially who are more -wealthy than their neighbors, have a very sensible mode of winding up -their sugar-making labors by giving what they term a “_Sugar-bee_,” or -party. The elements which go to make up one of these rustic -entertainments it would be difficult to describe. We may mention, -however, that everybody is invited, old men and their wives, young men -and maidens; that the principal recreation is that of dancing to the -music of a fiddle; that a most sumptuous and excessively miscellaneous -feast is spread before the multitude; that the people assemble in the -afternoon, and generally succeed in getting home an hour or two _after_ -the break of day. That an abundance of maple sugar is met with on these -occasions will be readily imagined, and we may add that, in those -districts where temperance societies are unpopular, the sugar is taken -considerably adulterated in whisky. - -The last sugar-bee to which we ever had the pleasure of being invited, -while once sojourning among the Catskills, was given by an old Dutchman -who resided on the side of a mountain, some _ten_ miles from our -temporary abode. We started for his house about sundown, in a large -lumber-wagon, which was packed by no less than eight buxom damsels and -four young men besides ourself. Although when stepping into the wagon we -were a perfect stranger to nearly all the party, we were received as an -old friend. The damsels were in high glee; we had a reckless driver and -a span of capital horses, and of course the young men were not at all -backwards in their deportment. The first five miles of the road was very -good, and, as we rattled along, the songs, uncouth and shrill, which -were sung awakened many a mountain echo. But while all this was going -on, and other things which we have not time to mention, the sky became -overcast, and in a short time it began to rain, and a most intense -darkness settled upon the world. Our driver became bewildered, and the -first that _we_ knew was that _he_ had lost the road, and that our -horses had halted directly in front of a huge stump. Having thus -unexpectedly been brought to a stand, the male members of the party -proceeded to reconnoitre, and one of them fortunately discovered a light -at the distance of half a mile. Towards this light did the entire party -direct their march, and about twelve o’clock succeeded in reaching a -log-cabin, which was inhabited by an old hunter; and as the guests of -this man did the party, in a very disagreeable mood, spend the remainder -of the night. Long before the mists had left the valleys on the -following morning, the party had worked its way out of the woods, and -for a week afterwards we were frequently complimented for the important -part that we had taken in the last _sugar-bee_. - -We cannot conclude this article without remarking that maple sugar of -rare quality is manufactured in the States of Vermont, New Hampshire, -and Maine; but as we have never visited that section of the Union in the -spring we cannot, from personal observation, speak of the New England -sugar camps. That the maple sugar usually offered for sale in the Boston -and New York markets is chiefly brought from this section of country we -know to be a fact, and it is one which forcibly illustrates the true -idea of Yankee enterprise. - -P. S.—Since writing the above, we have had the pleasure of reading an -interesting description of _a maple sugar camp_, by the eminent -ornithologist Mr. Audubon, from which we gather the following -particulars, viz., that the juice of the sugar maple was to him a most -refreshing and delicious beverage; that it takes ten gallons of this -juice to make one pound of grained sugar; that the best of the sirup is -made at the close of the sugar season; and that the sugar maple is found -in abundance from Maine to Louisiana, invariably growing on rich and -elevated grounds. - - - - - THE OLD ACADEMY. - - - “I feel like one who treads alone - Some banquet hall deserted.” - Moore. - -The iron bolted-door swings and creaks upon its hinges, and we are -standing within the dilapidated walls of “the old academy.” Fifteen -years have elapsed since we last stood here, a wild and happy -school-boy. Then, this building was the chief attraction of a little -village, which was made up of a pretty church, one old store and -post-office, and a cluster of some twenty rural dwellings, situated on a -broad street, canopied with venerable elms. In coming up here this -afternoon, we noticed that the various woodlands on the surrounding -hills were much narrowed by the farmer’s axe, and we thought of the -armies of men which time is continually leveling with the earth. Near a -large pool in which we were wont to bathe many years ago, now stands a -railroad depot, where locomotive engines do congregate, to enjoy a brief -rest from their labors. Upon the walls of the old academy there seemed -to be brooding the spirit of desolation, and we approached it with a -heavy heart. - -What a throng of recollections is rushing upon us as our footsteps now -echo in the silent and abandoned place! The past appears before us like -an open and familiar volume. - -Here we are in the vestibule, where we scholars used to hang our caps -and coats, and which we remember as the scene of many a scrape and -scuffle between hot-headed and unfledged lawyers, doctors and divines! -Oh, how real does everything appear! We could almost believe that not -even a week had elapsed since our own loud laugh resounded here, when -our heart knew not the burden of a care. There is the same old rent in -the ceiling, which was made by a stroke of lightning, during a severe -storm, when the whole school were pale and breathless with mortal fear; -and yonder is the identical peg which Billy Langdon, “the bully,” tried -to usurp from us, and whom it was our good luck to punish with a -flogging, thereby securing to ourself a reputation for possessing -genuine courage. Since then, we have been a dweller in the wilderness -and pent-up city, and have ever found courage to be a valuable quality -in our intercourse with men. But a man may have a stout heart and yet be -poor, unloved and unknown. - -With timid footsteps we move along, peering into each nook and corner -with curious eye. The threshold of another door is passed and we are in -the large general school-room, with its rows of desks for the boys, and -the platform with the large old-fashioned chair in the centre for the -master. There, upon the floor, lies a tattered copy of Virgil, another -of Euclid, a few leaves out of the National Preceptor, and a chapter or -two of Murray’s Grammar. Having fulfilled their office, they have been -thrown aside as of no farther avail, even as some of the _noble-hearted_ -in the world are wont to treat their most faithful friends. Here, at our -side, resting upon its shattered frame, stands the identical globe over -which we once pondered with a wondering heart. It is covered with dust, -through which we can just discover that the uppermost country is -England. True, England is indeed without a rival in her glory, but is -there not a stain of something resting upon her domain? Look at the -condition of her people, who are sorely oppressed by the mean ambition -of her aristocracy.—But to return. How neglected and lonely is this -place! The dust upon the floor is so thick that our footsteps are as -distinctly visible as when we walk upon the snow. A sunbeam stealing -through a western window points us to the wall where hangs the old -forsaken clock. Its song of “Passing away” is ended, and has been for -many a year; but the language of its familiar countenance seems to be, -“They are all gone, the pleasant, old familiar faces!” Yes, they are -gone—but where? We know not the destiny of a single one. The hour-hand -is resting upon the figure four, the hour of all others which we boys -loved. Stop, did we not see the waving hand of our master, and hear the -bustle of dismission? Yes, we have caught our cap—we are the first one -out. Now listen to the loud, clear, hearty shout of half a hundred -boys.—’Tis only the vision of a heated brain, and we are sitting once -again at the same desk and in the same seat which were ours fifteen -years ago. Here is the same fantastic ink-blot which we made when we -indited our first and only poem to the eyebrows of a charming little -girl, with whom we fancied ourself in love; and there is the same square -cavity in the desk, which we cut with our knife, and where we used to -imprison the innocent flies, which remembered fact is a memorial of our -rare genius. But look! are we not a trespasser? for here cometh an -ancient-looking spider with vengeance in his very gait. In moving out of -his way, we notice that his gossamer hammock is in prime order. How like -a nabob liveth that old spider! Around his home, we see the carcasses of -a hundred insects that have afforded him food; he is monarch of all he -surveys; and if he desires to become a traveler, he has but to leap upon -the slender threads leading to the remotest corners of the room, which -are to him safer and better than a railroad. This seat, which hath been -inherited from us by a poor solitary spider, we now look upon perhaps -for the last time. But we cannot take our final leave without dwelling -upon one incident with which it is associated. That is the spot where we -plead our cause, when once arraigned by the masters of the academy for -having been the ringleader of a conspiracy. It was the third day of -July, and on dismissing the school, our master had informed us that we -must celebrate the memorable Fourth by _attending school_. Surprise, and -a shadow of disappointment fell upon every countenance, and we sought -our respective rooms murmuring. That evening our marbles and balls were -idle. At my suggestion, the wink was tipt to a chosen band of patriots. -We met, and after discussing the outrageous conduct of our principal, -unanimously resolved that we would spend the following day at the -neighboring village of Brooklyn, where we knew there was to be a -celebration. We went, had a glorious walk, saw revolutionary soldiers, -enjoyed a sumptuous dinner, heard a smart oration, fired unnumbered -cannon, saw lots of pretty girls, and were at home again a little after -sunset. On the following morning, the patriots were changed into a band -of culprits, standing before our compeers to be tried, condemned and -punished. Having been proved to be the leader, we are the chief speaker, -and, in our boyish estimation, “defender of the constitution.” Then it -was, and in the seat already mentioned, that we delivered our maiden -speech. It was a powerful appeal, no doubt, but was of no avail. We were -condemned, and our punishment was, to be expelled. The next day, -however, the whole of us were readmitted as regular members, and thus -ended the affair of our impeachment. - -Walking in this room and thinking upon this incident has brought before -us a troop of shadows, that have once had a material existence. Our -principal was one H——, who had thin lips, a sharp nose, gray eyes, and a -cold heart. He was a good schoolmaster, but nothing more. He knew not -what it was to be loved, for he could not sympathize with a single one -of his pupils. He seldom smiled, and when he did it seemed to be against -his nature. He was a most cruel man, as a scar upon my poor back might -testify even now. What has become of him we know not, but if he be among -the living, we are sure he is a solitary being and a misanthrope. His -assistant, named W——, we distinctly remember as the ugliest-looking man -we ever saw; but he was a good-hearted soul, and merited the friendly -feelings which were lavished upon him so abundantly. When we last heard -of him he was a much respected and well-established clergyman. And so it -is that time works its changes. - -Dearly do we love the memory of our school-fellows! Charley Snow was a -rattle-headed southerner, who hated books, loved a frolic, and spent his -money, of which he had an abundance, like water. The poet of our academy -was Edward Hunt, the son of a poor woman and a widow, who lived upon a -neighboring farm. He was a beautiful boy, fond of being alone, and when -with his playmates shy as a captured deer. All the manual labor of his -home he performed himself, and yet he had but few superiors as a -student. More than half of his time was spent with his mother, and for -that reason my heart ever yearned towards the noble boy. Our -metaphysical philosopher was one Henry Clare, who had been made -decidedly mad by too much learning. A splendid landscape or a brilliant -sunset he could not understand, but over a piece of gray stone, a homely -little insect or a leaf of sorrel, he would be in perfect raptures. But -the youth who exerted the most salutary influence upon us was William -Vane, whom his Maker had formed a cripple, but gifted with a superb -intellect and the disposition of an angel. How kindly did he endeavor to -cheer up those boys who came out of school with blistered hands, or were -suffering with other troubles! Seldom did we ever hear an oath in the -presence of William Vane, for few could endure his manly frown and -reprimand. Many a soul will enjoy, or is enjoying a happy immortality on -account of that unfortunate—no, that thrice-blessed youth, for from very -childhood he was a Christian. One queer fellow that we had with us was -Joe Leroy. He thought more of performing an odd caper than of anything -else; but his particular passion was for athletic feats, such as -climbing, running, and jumping. Once, with the aid of a rope, we saw him -ascend one side of the academy building, pass over the roof, and descend -upon the opposite side. He could outrun the whole of us, and in the -department of jumping he was equal to a kangaroo. Jack Harmer was -another lad to whom books were a terror. He longed to be a sailor, and -devoted all his leisure time to sailing a little brig on a sheet of -water in a meadow, two hundred feet wide. And so we could go on for -hours, mentioning the names of those who were the playmates of our later -boyhood. Where they are, and what their destiny, we cannot tell. That -our own name has long since been forgotten by them we do not doubt. Is -it not foolish, then, to cherish their memories in our heart as we do? -No, for they are linked with a portion of the past that we would have -immortal—the spring of our existence. The power of recalling the sunny -hours of life, we would not part with for the world; next to our dreams -of heaven, do we value the dreams of our early days. But like a weaver’s -shuttle is our life, and it were unwise for us to forget the future in -thinking of the past. If we are permitted to live, how soon will our -body be like this crumbling edifice, in whose deserted chambers we are -now a pilgrim. Years ago we came here to school our mind; now, we are a -teacher ourself, and of ourself too, but a very poor one, for we cannot -rule the unruly passions of our heart. Our only hope is in the fountain -filled with blood. - -But if we remember rightly, there is a room in this old building that we -have not yet visited. Yes, here is the narrow stairway that led to the -Exhibition Hall in the second story. Cautiously we enter it; but here -also has the spirit of desolation a home. On these mutilated seats once -thronged thousands of spectators; and yonder is the platform where the -youthful orators were wont to “speak in public on the stage.” The only -breathing creature that meets our eye is a little mouse running to his -hole, almost frightened to death by our appearance. When last we stood -in this place, thousands of human hearts beat happily, for parents -listened to the eloquence of their children, and those children gloried -in the realization of their long-cherished hopes. How vivid are our -recollections of that exhibition day! It concluded an exile of three -years from our far distant home in the wilds of Michigan. The period of -return our heart panted after continually, for we were away from the -home of boyhood, from a mother, a father, and sisters; and though we -often visited, and were under the care of kindred, we felt ourself to be -alone and companionless. And with that day, too, are associated events -that flattered our youthful ambition; and though we know them to be idle -as a tale that is told, we cannot but cherish the memory of that day -even for them. But with our last day at school are associated some -clouds and shadows, the most prominent of which were our leave-takings -with our schoolfellows. We parted for our widely separated homes, and -where we all are, or what is our present condition are things known only -to the Father of the world.—It is well—it is well. “Our sorrow voices -itself to the stranger many; and all that in other days were gladdened -by our song—if still living—stray scattered through the world.” It is -well. - -But the hours of day are almost numbered, and it is time for us to be -gone; and besides the glow upon yonder window tells us that “the sun -hath made a glorious set,” and that we should improve the hour to the -gratification of our passion for the poetry of the sky. A few moments -more, and we are on the green in front of the Old Academy. Forgetful of -the unnumbered feelings it has inspired and the pictures it has -recalled, we are wending our way to the home of a kind friend, wholly -absorbed with the gorgeous appearance of the western sky and the solemn -twilight by which we are surrounded. The hour is one that we have ever -dearly loved, for it is the sabbath of the day, when a solemn stillness -is around, and an unutterable joy is wont to take possession of the -soul. - - - - - ACCOMAC. - - -Upwards of two hundred years ago the long peninsula, now divided into -the counties of Accomac and Northamptom, in Virginia, was known by the -Indian name of _Acohawmack_. An extensive tribe of aborigines who -occupied the country bore the same title, and the meaning of the word is -said to be _People who live upon shell fish_. Next to a scanty record -embodied in Captain Smith’s History of Virginia, the earliest printed -account of this region may be found at the conclusion of a pamphlet -written by one Colonel Norwood, of England, wherein he describes “_A -Voyage to Virginia in 1649_.” At the conclusion of his perilous voyage -across the Atlantic, it was the author’s misfortune to be wrecked upon -one of the islands on the eastern shore of Accomac, and that, too, in -the stormy month of January. To comment upon Norwood’s well written and -very interesting pamphlet is not now our object; but we will remark, in -passing, that this document, taken in connection with the county records -of the peninsula, which extend as far back as the year 1632, and also -with the ancient graveyards of the region, would furnish material for an -exceedingly valuable and entertaining volume, and we are surprised that -some enterprising antiquarian of Virginia has not, long before this, -taken the matter in hand. It is our province to speak of _Accomac_ (by -which we mean the ancient dominion known by that name) as it appears to -the traveler of the present day. - -What the distance may be from Washington to the northern line of Accomac -we cannot imagine, but we know that if the morning cars to Baltimore are -punctual, and you are fortunate enough to meet the Whitehaven steamboat -at Baltimore at 8 o’clock, you may enjoy your next breakfast at -Horntown, a few miles south of the Maryland line, and within the limits -of Accomac. On board of the steamer which brought us down the bay, there -was rather a scarcity of passengers but among them were some intelligent -gentlemen, from one of whom we gathered the following items of -information. The entire length of Chesapeake Bay, from Havre de Grace to -Norfolk, is two hundred miles; in width it varies from five to -twenty-six miles, and in depth from four to twenty-four fathoms. Its -shores are low and level, with occasional bluffs, however, and its -waters clear and of a greenish hue. It contains a great number of -islands, some of which are exceedingly fertile, but destitute of all -picturesque beauty. During the autumn and winter its shallower waters -are filled with almost every variety of waterfowl; it is said to yield a -larger quantity of oysters than any other section of the globe of the -same size; and it is also famous for the abundance and quality of its -shad, striped basse or rock-fish, its drum, sheepshead, and a species of -sea-trout. On approaching the Wicomoco river, an island of one thousand -acres was pointed out to us called Bloodsworth Island, which is the -property of two men, who reside upon their domain, a pair of veritable -hermits, who live upon fish and waterfowl instead of cultivating their -soil. Our attention was also directed to a neighboring island, which -seemed to be in a state of high cultivation, and we were told that the -owner thereof had refused the handsome price of one hundred dollars per -acre for the entire island. With regard to Deal’s Island and Dames -Quarter, in this vicinity of the bay, we heard the following anecdote. -The _original_ name of the first was “Devil’s Island,” and that of the -second “Damned Quarter,” as any one may see by referring to some of the -older maps. Once upon a time, as the story goes, a Connecticut skipper -in his smack chanced to make his course up the Chesapeake, and as he was -a stranger in this region, he hailed nearly every vessel or boat he met -with a lot of questions. “What island is that?” inquired the Yankee of a -downward bound brig. “_Devil’s Island_,” was the brief reply; whereupon -the stranger’s conscience was a little disturbed. About an hour -afterwards “What island is that?” again vociferated the skipper; and a -Chesapeake fisherman replied, “_Damned Quarter_.” At this intelligence, -the Yankee was so much alarmed that he immediately made a sudden tack, -and with his helm “hard up” started for the outlet of the bay, and was -never heard of more in southern waters. - -The peninsula of Accomac, as nearly as we can ascertain, varies in width -from eight to twelve miles, and is not far from seventy miles long. -Generally speaking, it is almost as level as the sea, the highest ground -not attaining a greater elevation than some twenty feet. The soil is of -a sandy character, and the forests, which are quite extensive, are -composed chiefly of pine and oak. The country is almost entirely -destitute of running streams, and nearly all the inlets, especially on -the bay side, are lined with extensive marshes, where snakes turtles, -and lizards are particularly abundant. Along the sea side of Accomac lie -a successions of sandy islands, which render the navigation dangerous, -and between which and the main shore the water is shallow and far from -clear. Two of the above islands, Assateague and Chingoteague, are -inhabited by a peculiar people, of whom I shall have something to say in -another place. The only villages in this district, properly so called, -are Drummontown and Eastville; they are the county seats, and though -bearing an ancient appearance, they contain some good houses, and are -well worth visiting. You can hardly travel eight miles in any direction -without coming to a post-office, which glories in a village name, and -therefore appears on paper to much better advantage than in reality. In -some parts of the country, we frequently noticed houses which seemed to -have been abandoned by their owners, as if the soil in the vicinity had -been completely worn out, and could not be profitably cultivated. These -household ruins, together with the apparent want of enterprise which one -notices everywhere, conspire to throw a gloom over the traveler’s mind, -thereby preventing him, perhaps, from fully appreciating the happiness -which really prevails among the people. And these (as is the case, in -fact, with every nook and corner of the world) constitute the principal -attraction of Accomac; for man by nature is a lover of his kind, and “we -have all one human heart by which we live.” - -If we were called upon to classify the Accomacians, we would divide them -into the gentry, the miscellaneous fraternity, and the slave population. -The gentry are a comparatively small class, but the principal -landholders of the district. They come of good old English families, and -are highly intelligent and well educated. The houses they occupy are -homely in appearance, but well supplied with all the substantials that -can add to the pleasures of country life. They seem to think more of -comfort than display, and are distinguished for their hospitality to -strangers. The miscellaneous fraternity to which we have alluded is more -extensive. A very large proportion of them obtain their living from the -sea, annually bringing up from its bed an immense quantity of oysters -and clams, which they sell to the fishermen of Philadelphia and New -York; but these fishermen not only send to market large numbers of fish, -but during the winter and autumn months they make a good deal of money -by killing waterfowl, which abound on all the shores of the peninsula. -The more legitimate fishermen of Accomac, who number between thirty and -forty voters, reside on the neighboring islands of Chingoteague and -Assateague. They are an exceedingly hardy, rude, and simple-hearted -race, and a little more at home on the water than on the land. The -dangers to which they wilfully expose themselves are truly astonishing, -and almost lead one to suppose that they are web-footed. We have been -told of one individual who, for the want of a boat, once swam a distance -of three miles in midwinter merely for the purpose of examining the -wreck of a brig which had been abandoned by its owners; and we have -heard of others who had been upset at sea, a distance of ten miles from -shore, but who have regained their mother earth with the ease and -carelessness of wild geese. In the miscellaneous fraternity may also be -included the mechanics of the country, and all such people as -stage-drivers, dram-shop keepers, peddlers, and other kindred birds. - -The slave population of this district is decidedly the most extensive, -and, if we are to judge by their general deportment and by what they -say, they are undoubtedly by far the happiest class on the peninsula. We -questioned them occasionally with regard to what we have been educated -to look upon as a hard lot, but we never saw but one individual who -succeeded in rousing our sympathies, and before he finished talking to -us we discovered that he was a scamp of the first water, and therefore -not worthy of credit. Every negro in this section of country has the -evening hours to himself, as well as the entire Sabbath, and, instead of -being “lashed” into obedience, is constantly treated with the utmost -kindness. Many of them, who choose to labor for themselves, have free -permission to follow any employment they please; and we know of several -individuals who earn thirty dollars per month by voluntary labor, and -whose services are valued by their masters at only ten or fifteen -dollars; so that the servant pockets fifty per cent. of his monthly -earnings. But what proves more conclusively than anything else that the -black man’s bondage is not unbearable, is the fact that they are the -most moral and religious people of the country. They are, at the same -time, the most polite and the most kindly spoken people that we have met -with in our wanderings; and we verily believe that they would not break -the imaginary chain which now binds them to their masters. We confess -that we have a natural repugnance to the word _bondage_, but our dread -of a mere idea cannot make us deaf to the eloquence of what we have -_seen_. It is true that our experience has not been extensive, but we -cannot see that the slaves so called of this region are any more to be -pitied than the children of any careful and affectionate parent. A -goodly number of the blacks in this region are free; and we know of one -individual who is not only free, but the owner of no less than three -farms. - -And now, with regard to those traits which the Accomacians possess in -common. In religion they are Methodists and Baptists, and in politics -they belong to the rank and file of the unterrified Democracy. Those who -are at all educated are highly educated; but of the twenty-five thousand -souls who inhabit the peninsula, we suppose that not more than one -thousand could distinguish the difference between the English and the -Chippewa alphabet. In the two counties of Accomac and Northamptom, the -idea of even a weekly newspaper was never dreamed of. The people are -fond of amusements, which consist principally of dancing and -card-playing parties, and the Saturday of each week is usually -appropriated as a holiday. Any event which can bring together a crowd is -gladly welcomed, so that court days, training days, election days, the -Fourth of July, Christimas day, New Year’s day, and Thanksgiving day are -among the white days of the unwritten calendar of the Accomacians. The -roads of the country are all by nature very good, and the people -exceedingly fond of going through the world as pleasantly as possible; -so that each man who can own a horse is sure of owning a gig, and many -of them are particularly unique and tottleish, something like a -scow-boat in a gale of wind. - -But the crowning peculiarity of this nook of the great world has -reference to the custom of raising and taming wild horses. Like -everything poetical connected with the habits of our people, this custom -is rapidly becoming obsolete, and will soon be remembered merely as an -idle and romantic tale. The very idea of having to do with wild horses -excited our fancy the very moment we heard the custom alluded to; and we -made every effort to collect reliable information upon it, as it existed -half a century ago. As good fortune would have it, we found out an -intelligent and venerable gentleman, who supplied us with many -interesting particulars. The “oldest inhabitant” to whom we allude is -the Rev. David Watts, of Horntown, who is now in the 82d year of his -age, and the substance of his information is as follows:— - -In the Atlantic Ocean, off the north-eastern shore of Accomac, lies a -long and sandy island known by the name of Assateague. The distance from -one extremity to the other is perhaps ten miles, and in reaching it you -have to cross a bay that is perhaps eight miles wide. At the present -time, there are only four families residing upon the island, one of them -having charge of the lighthouse, the remaining three being devoted to -the fishing business. From time immemorial it has been famous for its -luxuriant grass, and from the period of the Revolution down to the year -1800 supplied an immense number of wild horses with food. When these -animals were first introduced upon the island has not been ascertained, -but it is said that they were the most abundant about half a century -ago. At that period there was a kind of stock company in existence, -composed principally of the wealthier planters residing on the main -shore. The animals were of the pony breed, but generally beautifully -formed and very fleet; of a deep black color, and with remarkably long -tails and manes. They lived and multiplied upon the island without the -least care from the hand of man, and, though feeding entirely on the -grass of the salt meadows, they were in good condition throughout the -year. They were employed by their owners, to a considerable extent, for -purposes of agriculture, but the finer specimens were kept or disposed -of as pets for the use of ladies and children. The prices which they -commanded on the island varied from ten to twenty dollars, but by the -time a handsome animal could reach New York or New Orleans, he was -likely to command one hundred and fifty or two hundred dollars. - -But by far the most interesting circumstance connected with the wild -horses of Assateague had reference to the annual festival of penning the -animals, for the purpose, not only of bringing them under subjection, -but of selling them to any who might desire to purchase. The day in -question was the 10th of June, on which occasion there was always an -immense concourse of people assembled on the island from all parts of -the surrounding country; not only men, but women and children; planters -who came to make money, strangers who wished to purchase a beautiful -animal for a present, together with the grooms or horse-tamers, who were -noted at the time for their wonderful feats of horsemanship. But a large -proportion of the multitude came together for the purpose of having a -regular frolic; and feasting and dancing were carried on to a great -extent, and that too upon the open sandy shore of the ocean, the people -being exposed during the day to the scorching sunshine, and the scene -being enlivened at night by immense bonfires, made of wrecked vessels or -drift wood, and the light of the moon and stars. The staple business of -these anniversaries, however, was to tame and brand the horses; but to -give an account of all the particulars attending these exciting scenes -would require more time than I can spare at the present moment. Suffice -it to say that the horses were usually cornered in a pen, perhaps a -hundred at a time, when, in the presence of the immense concourse of -people, the tamers would rush into the midst of the herd, and not only -noose and halter the wild and untamed creatures, but, mounting them, at -times even without a bridle, would rush from the pen and perform a -thousand fantastic and daring feats upon the sand. Few, if any, of these -horsemen were ever killed or wounded while performing these exploits, -though it is said that they frequently came in such close contact with -the horses as to be compelled to wrestle with them, as man with man. -But, what was still more remarkable, these men were never known to fail -in completely subduing the horses they attempted to tame; and it was -often the case that an animal which was as wild as a hawk in the morning -could be safely ridden by a child at the sunset hour. But enough, until -some future day, on this interesting theme. - - - - - SALMON FISHING. - - - I like the society of fish, and as they cannot with any convenience to - themselves visit me on dry land, it becomes me in point of courtesy to - pay my respects to them in their own element. - William Scrope. - -Of the genuine salmon, we believe there is but one distinct species in -the world; we are sure there is not in the United States. From its lithe -beauty, its wonderful activity, and its value as an article of food, it -unquestionably takes precedence of all the fish which swim in our -waters. It is an ocean-born fish, but so constituted that it has to -perform an annual pilgrimage into our fresh-water rivers for the purpose -of depositing its spawn. Their running time usually occupies about two -months, and that is the period when they are in season, and of course -the only period when they are taken in great numbers. - -The variety of which we speak is a slender fish, particularly solid in -texture, and has a small head and delicate fins. The upper jaw is the -larger, while the tip of the under jaw in the female has an upward turn. -The back is usually of a bluish color, the sides of a silvery hue, and -the belly pure white, while along the centre of its body runs a narrow -black stripe. The scales are small, and the mouth is covered with small, -but stout and pointed teeth. A few dark spots are dispersed over that -part of the body above the lateral line, and the females usually exhibit -a larger number of these spots than the males. The tail of the young -salmon is commonly forked, while in the adult fish it is quite square. -To speak of the salmon as a bold biter and a handsome fish, or of his -wonderful leaping powers, would be but to repeat a thrice-told tale. - -And now for a few words on some of the habits of the salmon. He is -unquestionably the most active of all the finny tribes, but the -wonderful leaps which he is reported to have made are all moonshine. We -have seen them perform some superb somersets, but we never yet saw one -which could scale a perpendicular waterfall of ten feet. That they have -been taken above waterfalls three or four times as high we do not deny; -but the wonder may be dispensed with, when we remember that a waterfall -seldom occurs, which does not contain a number of resting-places for the -salmon to take advantage of while on his upward journey. - -Contrary to the prevailing opinion, we contend that the salmon is -possessed of a short memory. While fishing in a small river on a certain -occasion, owing to the bad position in which we were placed, we lost a -favorite fly, and it so happened that in about one hour afterwards a -fish was taken by a brother angler, in whose mouth was found the -identical fly that we had lost. - -This fish is a voracious feeder, and an epicure in his tastes, for his -food is composed principally of small and delicate fish, and the -sea-sand eel; but it is a fact that the _surest_ bait to capture him -with is the common red worm. - -The salmon is a shy fish, and as he invariably inhabits the clearest of -water, it is always important that the angler’s movements should be -particularly cautious; and in throwing the fly, he should throw it clear -across the stream, if possible; and after letting it float down for a -few yards he should gradually draw it back again, with an upward -tendency. - -Like all other fish that swim near the surface of the water, the salmon -cannot be eaten in too fresh a condition; and, judging from our own -experience, they may be eaten three times a-day, for a whole season, and -at the end of their running time they will gratify the palate more -effectually than when first brought upon the table. - -The process of spawning has been described by various writers, and the -general conclusion is as follows. On reaching a suitable spot for that -purpose, the loving pair manage to dig a furrow some six feet long, in -the sand or gravel, into which the male ejects his milt, and the female -her spawn; this they cover with their tails, and leaving this deposit to -the tender mercies of the liquid elements, betake themselves to the sea -whence they came. This spawning operation usually occupies about ten -days, and takes place in the autumn; and when the spring-time comes the -salmon are born, and, under “their Creator’s protection,” are swept into -the sea, where they come to their natural estate by the following -spring, and ascend their native rivers to revisit the haunts of their -minnowhood. And it is a singular fact, that the salmon leaves the sea in -an emaciated condition, acquires his fatness while going up a river, and -subsequently returns to the sea for the purpose of recruiting his wonted -health and beauty. - -The salmon is a restless fish, and seldom found a second time in exactly -the same spot; but his principal traveling time is in the night, when -the stars are shining brightly and all the world is wrapt in silence. - -The salmon come up from the sea during a flood or a freshet, and in -ascending a river, they invariably tarry for a short time in all the -pools of the same. Their object in doing this has not been clearly -defined; but is it unreasonable to suppose that they are influenced by -the same motives which induce a human traveler to tarry in a pleasant -valley? The only difference is, that when the man would resume his -journey he waits for a sunny day, while the salmon prefers a rainy day -to start upon his pilgrimage. The best places to fish for salmon are the -shallows above the deep pools; and it is a settled fact, that after you -have killed a fish, you are always sure to find in the course of a few -hours another individual in the same place. It would thus seem that they -are partial to certain localities. Another thing that should be -remembered is, that salmon never take the natural fly while it is in a -stationary position, or when floating down stream; hence the great -importance of carrying the artificial fly directly across the stream, or -in an upward oblique direction. When you have hooked a salmon, it is a -bad plan to strain upon him in any degree, unless he is swimming towards -a dangerous ground, and even then this is an unsafe experiment. The -better plan is to throw a pebble in front of him, for the purpose of -frightening him back, and you should manage to keep as near his royal -person as practicable. Another peculiarity of the salmon is the fact -that (excepting the shad) it is the only fish which seems to be -perfectly at home in the salt sea, as well as in the fresh springs among -the mountains. It is also singular in the color of its flesh, which is a -deep pink, and the texture of its flesh is remarkably solid: the latter -circumstance is proved by the fact that you cannot carry a salmon by the -gills, as you can other fish, without tearing and mutilating him to an -uncommon degree. - -In olden times there was hardly a river on the eastern coast of the -United States, north of Virginia, which was not annually visited by the -salmon; but those days are for ever departed, and it is but seldom that -we now hear of their being taken in any river south of Boston. They -frequented, in considerable numbers, the Susquehanna, the Delaware, and -North rivers, but were eminently abundant in the Connecticut and the -Thames. On the former stream it used to be stipulated by the -day-laborer, that he should have salmon placed upon his table only four -times in the week; and we have been told by an old man residing on the -latter stream, that the value of three salmon, forty years ago, was -equal to one shad—the former were so much more abundant than the latter. -But steamboats, and the din of cities, have long since frightened the -salmon from their ancient haunts, and the beautiful aborigines of our -rivers now seek for undisturbed homes in more northern waters. Once in a -while, even at the present time, the shad fishermen of the Merrimac and -Saco succeed in netting a small salmon; but in the Androscoggin, -Kennebec, and Penobscot, they are yet somewhat abundant, and these are -the rivers which chiefly supply our city markets with the fresh article. - -As the ice melts away in the spring, says Dr. J. V. C. Smith, in his -interesting little book on the Fishes of Massachusetts, they rush to the -rivers from the ocean; and it is an undeniable fact, confirmed by -successful experiments, that they visit, as far as possible, the very -streams in which they were born. When undisturbed, they swim slowly in -large schools near the surface; yet they are so timid, that if suddenly -frightened, the whole column will turn directly back towards the sea. It -has also been proven that a salmon can scud at the surprising velocity -of thirty miles an hour. The young are about a foot long when they visit -the rivers for the first time; and at the end of two years, according to -Mr. Smith, they weigh five or six pounds, and attain their full growth -in about six years. When running up the rivers they are in a fat -condition; after that period, having deposited their spawn, they return -to the sea, lean and emaciated. In extremely warm weather, and while yet -in the salt water, they are often greatly annoyed by a black and -flat-looking insect, which is apt to endanger their lives. As soon, -however, as the salmon reaches the fresh water, this insect drops off, -and the fish rapidly improves. - -The streams which these fish ascend are invariably distinguished for -their rocky and gravelly bottoms, for the coldness and purity of their -water, and for their rapid currents. Those which afford the angler the -most sport, are rather small and shallow, and empty into tide-water -rivers; while in these they are chiefly taken with the net. The -tributaries of the Androscoggin, Kennebec, and Penobscot, having all -been blocked up with mill-dams, the salmon is only found in the -principal estuaries; and as these are large and deep, they are of no -value to the angler, and will not be many years longer even to the -fishermen who capture them for the purpose of making money. So far as -our own experience goes, we only know of one river, within the limits of -the Union, which affords the angler good salmon fishing, and that is the -Aroostook, in Maine. We have been informed, however, that the regular -salmon is taken in many of those rivers, in the northern part of New -York, which empty into Lake Ontario and the upper St. Lawrence, but we -are compelled to doubt the truth of the statement. Such may have been -the case in former times, but we think it is not so now. Salmon are not -taken at Montreal, and it is therefore unreasonable to suppose that they -ever reach the fountain-head of the St. Lawrence; this portion of the -great river is too far from the ocean, and too extensively navigated, -and the water is not sufficiently clear. That they once ascended to the -Ottawa river and Lake Ontario we have not a doubt, but those were in the -times of the days of old. Another prevailing opinion with regard to -salmon, we have it in our power decidedly to contradict. Mr. John J. -Brown, in his useful little book entitled the “American Angler’s Guide,” -makes the remark, that salmon are found in great abundance in the -Mississippi and its magnificent tributaries. Such is not the fact, and -we are sure that if “our brother” had ever caught a glimpse of the muddy -Mississippi, he would have known by intuition that such _could_ not be -the case. Nor is the salmon partial to any of the rivers of the far -South, as many people suppose, not being known in any river emptying -into the Gulf of Mexico; so that the conclusion of the whole matter is -just this, that the salmon fisheries of the United States proper are of -but little consequence when compared with many other countries on the -globe. When we come to speak of our territories, however, we have a very -different story to relate, for a finer river for salmon does not water -any country than the mighty Columbia—that same Columbia where a certain -navigator once purchased a ton of salmon for a jack-knife. But that -river is somewhat too far off to expect an introduction in our present -essay, and we will therefore take our reader, by his permission, into -the neighboring Provinces of Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. - -Before proceeding another step, however, we must insert a paragraph -about the various methods employed to capture the salmon. The Indians, -and many white barbarians, spear them by torch-light; and the thousands -sent to market in a smoked condition are taken in nets and seines of -various kinds. But the only instruments used by the scientific angler -are a rod and reel, three hundred feet of hair or silk line, and an -assortment of artificial flies. Our books tell us that a gaudy fly is -commonly the best killer, but our own experience inclines us to the -belief that a large brown or black hackle, or any neatly-made gray fly, -is much preferable to the finest fancy specimens. As to bait-fishing for -salmon, we have never tried it—we care less about it than we know, and -we know but precious little. Next to a delicately made fly, the most -important thing to consider is the leader of the line, which should be -made of the best material (a twisted gut), and at least five feet in -length. But if the angler is afraid of wading in a cold and even a deep -stream, the very best of tackle will avail him nothing. It is but seldom -that a large salmon can be taken, without costing the captor a good deal -of hard labor, and a number of duckings. And when the character of the -fish is remembered, this assertion will not appear strange. Not only is -the salmon a large fish, but he is remarkable for his strength and -lightning quickness. Owing to his extreme carefulness in meddling with -matters that may injure him, it is necessary to use the most delicate -tackle, in the most cautious and expert manner. To pull a salmon in -shore, immediately after he has been hooked, will never do; the expert -way is to give him all the line he wants, never forgetting in the mean -time that it must be kept perfectly taut. And this must be done -continually, in spite of every obstacle, not only when the fish performs -his splendid leaps out of the water, but also when he is stemming the -current of the stream, trying to break the naughty hook against a rock, -or when he has made a sudden wheel, and is gliding down the stream with -the swiftness of a falling star. The last effort to get away, which I -have mentioned, is usually the last that the salmon makes, and it is -therefore of the highest importance that the angler should manage him -correctly when going down. Narrow rifts, and even waterfalls, do not -stop the salmon; and bushes, deep holes, slippery bottoms, and rocky -shores must not impede the course of the angler who would secure a -prize. And though the salmon is a powerful fish, he is not long-winded, -and by his great impatience is apt to drown himself much sooner than one -would suppose. The times most favorable for taking this fish are early -in the morning and late in the afternoon; and when the angler reaches -his fishing ground, and discovers the salmon leaping out of the water, -as if too happy to remain quiet, he may then calculate upon rare sport. -As to the pleasure of capturing a fine salmon, we conceive it to be more -exquisite than any other sport in the world. We have killed a buffalo on -the head waters of the St. Peter’s river, but we had every advantage -over the pursued, for we rode a well-trained horse, and carried a -double-barreled gun. We have seen John Cheney bring to the earth a -mighty bull moose, among the Adirondac mountains, but he was assisted by -a pair of terrible dogs, and carried a heavy rifle. But neither of these -exploits is to be compared with that of capturing a twenty pound salmon, -with a line almost as fine as the flowing hair of a beautiful woman. -When we offer a fly to a salmon, we take no undue advantage of him, but -allow him to follow his own free will; and when he has hooked himself, -we give him permission to match his strength against our skill. Does not -this fact prove that salmon fishing is distinguished for its humanity, -if not for its _fishanity_? We have set in a cariole and driven a -Canadian pacer, at the rate of a mile in two minutes and a half, on the -icy plains of Lake Erie, and as we held the reins, have thought we could -not enjoy a more exquisite pleasure. That experience, however, was ours -long before we had ever seen a genuine salmon; we are somewhat wiser -now, for we have acquired the art of driving through the pure white foam -even a superb salmon, and that, too, with only a silken line some -hundred yards in length. - -One of the most fruitful salmon regions for the angler to visit lies on -the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, between the Saguenay and -the North-west river in Labrador. A few years ago, however, there was -good fishing to be had in Mal Bay River, above the Saguenay, and also in -the Jacques Cartier, above Quebec, but good sport is seldom found in -either of those streams at the present time. But the principal -tributaries of the Saguenay itself (particularly the River St. -Margaret), afford the rarest of sport, even now. The streams of this -coast are rather small, but very numerous, and without a single -exception, we believe, are rapid, cold, and clear. They abound in -waterfalls, and though exceedingly wild, are usually quite convenient to -angle in, for the reason that the spring freshets are apt to leave a -gravelly margin on either side. The conveniences for getting to this -out-of-the-way region are somewhat rude, but quite comfortable and very -romantic. The angler has to go in a Quebec fishing smack, or if he is in -the habit of trusting to fortune when he gets into a scrape, he can -always obtain a passage down the St. Lawrence in a brig or ship, which -will land him at any stated point. If he goes in a smack, he can always -make use of her tiny cabin for his temporary home; but if he takes a -ship, after she has spread her sails for Europe, he will have to depend -upon the hospitality of the Esquimaux Indians. At the mouths of a few of -the streams alluded to, he may chance to find the newly-built cabin of a -lumberman, who will treat him with marked politeness; but he must not -lay the “flattering unction” to his soul that he will receive any -civilities from the agents of the Hudson’s Bay Company whom he may -happen to meet in that northern wilderness. - -A large proportion of these streams run through an unknown mountain -land, and are yet nameless; so that we cannot designate the precise -localities where we have been particularly successful; and we might add -that the few which have been named by the Jesuit Missionaries can never -be remembered without a feeling of disgust. Not to attempt a pun, it can -safely be remarked that those names are decidedly _beastly_; for they -celebrate such creatures as the hog, the sheep, and the cow. The salmon -taken on this coast vary from ten to forty pounds, though the average -weight is perhaps fifteen pounds. They constitute an important article -of commerce, and it is sometimes the case that a single fisherman will -secure at least four hundred at one tide, in a single net. The cities of -Montreal and Quebec are supplied with fresh salmon from this portion of -the St. Lawrence, and the entire valley of that river, as well as -portions of the Union, are supplied with smoked salmon from the same -region. The rivers on the southern coast of the Gulf of St. Lawrence are -generally well supplied with salmon, but those streams are few and far -between, and difficult of access. But a visit to any portion of this -great northern valley, during the pleasant summer time, is attended with -many interesting circumstances. Generally speaking, the scenery is -mountainous, and though the people are not very numerous, they are -somewhat unique in their manners and customs, and always take pleasure -in lavishing their attentions upon the stranger. The weeks that we spent -voyaging upon the St. Lawrence we always remember with unalloyed -pleasure; and if we thought that fortune would never again permit us to -revisit those delightful scenes, we should indeed be quite unhappy. - -The most agreeable of our pilgrimages were performed in a small -sail-boat, commanded by an experienced and very intelligent pilot of -Tadousac, named Ovington, and our companions were Charles Pentland, -Esq., of Launce au Leau on the Saguenay, and George Price, Jr., Esq., of -Quebec. We had everything we wanted in the way of “creature comforts;” -and we went everywhere, saw everybody, caught lots of salmon, killed an -occasional seal, and tried to harpoon an occasional white porpoise; now -enjoying a glorious sunset, and then watching the stars and the strange -aurora, as we lay becalmed at midnight far out upon the deep; at one -time gazing with wonder upon a terrible storm, and then again happy, -fearless, and free, dashing over the billows before a stiff gale. - -Some of the peculiar charms of fly-fishing in this region are owing to -the fact that you are not always sure of the genus of your fish even -after you have hooked him, for it may be a forty or a twenty pound -salmon, and then again it may be a salmon-trout or a four pound specimen -of the common trout. The consequence is, that the expectations of the -angler are always particularly excited. Another pleasure which might be -mentioned is derived from the queer antics and laughable yells of the -Indians, who are always hanging about your skirts for the express -purpose of making themselves merry over any mishap which may befall you. -The only drawback which we have found in fishing in these waters is -caused by the immense number of musquitoes and sand-flies. Every new -guest is received by them with particular and constant attention: their -only desire, by night or day, seems to be to gorge themselves to death -with the life-blood of those who “happen among them.” It actually makes -our blood run cold to think of the misery we endured from these winged -tormentors. - -Even with the Gulf of St. Lawrence before our mind, we are disposed to -consider the Bay of Chaleur the most interesting salmon region in the -British Possessions. This estuary divides Lower Canada from New -Brunswick, and as the streams emptying into it are numerous and always -clear, they are resorted to by the salmon in great numbers. The scenery -of the bay is remarkably beautiful: the northern shore, being rugged and -mountainous, presents an agreeable contrast to the southern shore, which -is an extensive lowland, fertile, and somewhat cultivated. The principal -inhabitants of this region are Scotch farmers, and the simplicity of -their lives is only equaled by their hospitality; and upon this bay, -also, reside the few survivors of a once powerful aboriginal nation, the -Micmac Indians. But of all the rivers which empty into the Bay of -Chaleur, there is not one that can be compared to the Restigouche, which -is its principal tributary. It is a winding stream, unequal in width, -and after running through a hilly country, it forces its way through a -superb mountain gorge, and then begins to expand in width until it falls -into its parent bay. The scenery is beautiful beyond compare, the eye -being occasionally refreshed by the appearance of a neat farm, or a -little Indian hamlet. The river is particularly famous for its salmon, -which are very abundant and of a good size. But this is a region which -the anglers of our country or the Provinces, with two or three -exceptions, have not yet taken the trouble to visit, and many of the -resident inhabitants are not even aware of the fact that the salmon may -be taken with the fly. The regular fishermen catch them altogether with -the net, and the Indians with the spear; and it is a singular fact that -the Indians are already complaining of the whites for destroying their -fisheries, when it is known that a single individual will frequently -capture in a single day a hundred splendid fellows, and that, too, with -a spear of only one tine. It is reported of a Scotch clergyman who once -angled in “these parts,” that he killed three hundred salmon in one -season, and with a single rod and reel. A pilgrimage to the Restigouche -would afford the salmon fisher sufficient material to keep his thinkers -busy for at least one year. The angler and lover of scenery who could -spare a couple of months, would find it a glorious trip to go to the Bay -of Chaleur in a vessel around Nova Scotia, returning in a canoe by the -Restigouche, and the Spring River, which empties into the St. John. His -most tedious portage would be only about three miles long (a mere -nothing to the genuine angler), and soon after touching the latter river -he could ship himself on board of a steamboat, and come home in less -than a week, even if that home happened to be west of the Alleghany -mountains. - -Of all the large rivers of New Brunswick, we know not a single one which -will not afford the fly fisherman an abundance of sport. Foremost among -our favorites, we would mention the St. John, with the numerous -beautiful tributaries which come into it below the Great Falls, not -forgetting the magnificent pool below those falls, nor Salmon River and -the Aroostook. The scenery of this valley is charming beyond compare, -but the man who would spend a summer therein must have a remarkably long -purse, for the half-civilized Indians, and the less than half-civilized -white people, of the region, have a particular passion for imposing upon -travelers and charging them the most exorbitant prices for the simple -necessaries they may need. The salmon of the St. John are numerous, but -rather small, seldom weighing more than fifteen pounds. The fisheries of -the bay of Fundy, near the mouth of the St. John, constitute an -important interest, in a commercial point of view. The fishermen here -take the salmon with drag-nets, just before high water: the nets are -about sixty fathoms long, and require three or four boats to manage -them. The fish are all purchased, at this particular point, by one man, -at the rate of eighty cents a-piece, large and small, during the entire -season. The other New Brunswick rivers to which we have alluded are the -Mirimichi and the St. Croix; but as we have never angled in either, we -will leave them to their several reputations. - -We now come to say a few words of Nova Scotia, which is not only famous -for its salmon, but also for its scientific anglers. In this province -the old English feeling for the “gentle art” is kept up, and we know of -fly fisherman there, a record of whose piscatorial exploits would have -overwhelmed even the renowned Walton and Davy with astonishment. The -rivers of Nova Scotia are quite numerous, and usually well supplied with -salmon. The great favorite among the Halifax anglers is Gold River, a -cold and beautiful stream, which is about sixty miles distant from that -city, in a westerly direction. The valley of the stream is somewhat -settled, and by a frugal and hard-working Swiss and German population, -who pitched their tents there in 1760. It is fifteen years since it was -discovered by a strolling angler, and at the present time there is -hardly a man residing on its banks who does not consider himself a -faithful disciple of Walton. Even among the Micmac Indians, who pay the -river an annual visit, may be occasionally found an expert fly fisher. -But, after all, Nova Scotia is not exactly the province to which a -Yankee angler would enjoy a visit, for cockney fishermen are a little -too abundant, and the ways of the people in some ridiculous particulars -smack too much of the mother country. - -Having finished our geographical history of the salmon and his American -haunts, we will take our leave of him by simply remarking (for the -benefit of those who like to preserve what they capture), that there are -three modes for preserving the salmon:—first, by putting them in salt -for three days, and then smoking, which takes about twelve days; -secondly, by regularly salting them down, as you would mackerel; and -thirdly, by boiling and then pickling them in vinegar. The latter method -is unquestionably the most troublesome, but at the same time the most -expeditious; and what can tickle the palate more exquisitely than a -choice bit of pickled salmon, with a bottle of Burgundy to float it to -its legitimate home? - - - - - THE FUR TRAPPERS. - - -The unique brotherhood of men to whom we now direct the attention of our -readers have always depended upon the fur trade alone for their support, -and as the various fur companies of North America have flourished and -declined, so have the trappers multiplied or decreased in numbers. The -French, who were the founders of the fur trade on this continent, -established themselves here in 1606, and the trapping fraternity may -therefore claim the honor of having existed nearly two centuries and a -half. To estimate the precise number of individuals composing this class -at the present time would be an impossibility, occupying as they do a -section of country extending from the Pacific Ocean to Hudson’s Bay. - -By the laws of our country they have ever been looked upon as aliens -from the commonwealth of civilization, and by the Indian tribes as -trespassers upon their natural and inherited privileges. The blood of -the white man, though frequently considerably adulterated, invariably -runs through their veins, and the great majority trace their origin to a -French, Scottish, or Irish ancestry, it being an established and -singular fact that trappers of pure American blood are exceedingly rare. -Those of the far north commonly have the dark eyes and hair of the -Canadian Frenchman, and those of the south-west the flaxen hair and -broad brogue of the Scotchman or Irishman. The motives generally found -to have influenced them in entering upon their peculiar life are of -course exceedingly various, but among the more common ones may be -mentioned a deeply-rooted love for the works of Nature in their primeval -luxuriance, want of sufficient intelligence to prosecute a more -respectable business, and a desire to keep out of the way of certain -laws which they may have transgressed in their earlier days. They are -usually men with families, their wives being pure Indian, and their -children, as a matter of course, half breeds. They have what may be -termed fixed habitations, but they are rude log cabins, located on the -extreme frontiers of the civilized world. In religion, as a class, they -are behind their red brethren of the wilderness, and their knowledge of -books is quite as limited. Generally speaking, they spend about nine -months roaming alone through the solitude of the forests and prairies, -and the remaining three months of the year with their families or at the -trading posts of the fur companies. As their harvest time is the winter, -they are necessarily men of iron constitutions, and frequently endure -the severest hardships and privations. Understanding as they do the -science of trapping and the use of the gun more thoroughly than the -Indian, they eclipse him in the business of acquiring furs, and from -their superior knowledge of the civilized world, limited though it be, -they realize much greater profits, and hence it is that they are not -only hated by the Indian but also by the traders. Their manner of -dressing is ordinarily about half civilized, their buckskin hunting -shirts and fur caps, of their own manufacture, appearing almost as -picturesque as the blankets and plumes of the Indian himself. Like the -Indians, too, they prefer richly-fringed leggins to pantaloons, and -embroidered moccasins to shoes. To be perfectly free from every -restraint both of body and mind, is their chief ambition, and to enjoy -the freedom of the wilderness is their utmost happiness. Those who -follow their trade among the mountains are commonly banded together in -parties of half a dozen. They perform their long journey altogether upon -horseback, and when among the mountains are as expert in scaling -precipices, surmounting waterfalls, and buffeting snow-storms as the -more hardy of the Indian tribes. They are expert horsemen, ride the best -of animals, and take great pleasure not only in decking themselves with -ornaments, but also in caparisoning their horses in the most grotesque -yet picturesque manner. As to the animals which all of them make it -their business to capture, it may be mentioned that chiefest among them -all is the beaver; but a goodly portion of their income is derived from -the furs and peltries of the martin, otter, muskrat, bear, fox, mink, -lynx, wolverine, raccoon, wolf, elk, and deer, and the robes of the huge -buffalo. - -But let us describe the life of the trapping fraternity somewhat more -minutely, in doing which we shall give an illustrative sketch of the -career of a single individual, describing his departure from home, his -sojourn in the wilderness, his return home, and his manner of spending -his brief summer furlough. - -It is a bright October morning, and about the threshold of the trapper’s -cabin there is an unusual stir. While the trapper himself is busily -engaged in examining and putting in order his traps, packing away his -powder and lead, with a number of good flints, giving the lock of his -old rifle a thorough oiling, and sharpening his knives, his wife is -stowing away in his knapsack a few simple cooking utensils, a small bag -of tea and a little sugar, several pairs of moccasins and coarse woolen -socks, and a goodly quantity of the sinewy material used in making -snow-shoes. The fact that our friend is about to separate from his -family for the most part of a year, makes him particularly kind to those -about him; and, by way of manifesting his feelings, he gives into his -wife’s possession what little spare money he may have left in his pocket -out of his earnings of the previous year, and allows his children to -make as much noise as they please, even refraining from scolding them -when they kick and abuse his favorite hunting dogs. All things being -ready, night comes, and the trapper permits himself to enjoy another -sleep in the midst of his household, but long before the break of day he -has whistled to his dogs, and, with his knapsack on his back, has taken -his departure for a stream that rises among the Rocky Mountains. If his -course lies through a forest land he continues to travel on foot, taking -his own leisure, killing a sufficient quantity of game to satisfy his -wants, and sleeping at night upon his skins, under a canopy of leaves. -If extensive water courses lie within his range, he purchases a canoe of -some wandering Indians and plays the part of a navigator; and if he -finds it necessary to cross extensive prairies, he obtains a pony, and, -packing himself and plunder upon the animal, plays the part of an -equestrian. When the first blast of December, accompanied by a shower of -snow, sweeps over the land, it finds our trapper friend snugly domiciled -in a log shanty at the mouth of the river where he purposes to spend the -winter trapping for beaver. - -And now all things are ready, and the trapper has actually entered upon -his winter avocation. He has reconnoitered the valley in which he finds -himself, and, having ascertained the localities of the beaver, with -their houses and dams, he forthwith manages to shoot a single male -beaver, and having obtained from his glandulous pouch a substance called -_castoreum_, he mixes it with a number of aromatics, and in three or -four days he is supplied with a suitable bait and proceeds to set his -traps. As the senses of the beaver are exceedingly keen, the business of -the trapper requires experience and great caution, and he glides through -the forests almost with the silence of a ghost; but, when a master of -his calling, he seldom leaves a beaver village until, by his cunning -arts, it has become depopulated. The war of extermination, as already -intimated, begins at the mouth of the river, and with our friend will -only cease when he has reached the fountain-head, or the season for -trapping comes to an end. The coldest of winds may blow and the woods -may be completely blocked with snow, but the trapper has mounted his -snow-shoes, and day after day does he revisit and rearrange his traps. -If night overtake him when far removed from his shanty (which may be the -case more than half the time), he digs himself a hole in some sheltered -snow bank, and, wrapped up in his blanket by the side of his solitary -fire, spends a strangely comfortable night. When not engaged with his -traps, he employs his time in drying and dressing his furs; or, as fancy -may dictate, he shoulders his gun and starts out for the purpose of -capturing a deer, a bear, or some of the beasts which are wont to howl -him to sleep at the midnight hour. Venison and bear meat constitute his -principal food, but he is particularly partial to the tail of his -favorite beaver. The only human beings with which he has any social -intercourse during the long winter are the poor wandering Indians who -chance to visit him in his cabin; and at such times many are the wild -adventures and strange legends which they relate to each other around -the huge fire of the trapper. And he now enjoys to perfection the -companionship of his dogs. Companions, it is true, of another sort -sometimes gather around his lonely habitation to relieve his solitude, -for the snowy owl hoots and screams at night from the huge pine branch -that reaches over his cabin, or perhaps an unmolested deer manifests its -love of companionship by browsing the twigs in broad daylight almost at -his very threshold. But now fair weather cometh out of the north, and -the trapper begins to think that he has secured such a supply of furs as -will guarantee him a comfortable support during the coming summer, and -one by one he gathers in his traps. The crack of his rifle is now heard -more frequently echoing through the woods, for he cares not to obtain -more beaver skins even if he could, and he would obtain a sufficient -number of miscellaneous furs to render his assortment complete. Heavy -spring rains have set in, the water courses are nearly released from -their icy fetters, and on issuing from his cabin, after a night of -conflicting dreams, he finds that the neighboring stream has become -unusually full. A single glance at its turbid waters is enough. He cuts -down a suitable tree and builds him a canoe, and in this does he stow -away his furs and all his other plunder; and, seizing his paddle, he -jumps into his seat, and with a light heart starts for his distant home. - -The rains are over and gone, and although our voyager has already been -ten days upon the waters, he has yet at least a thousand additional -miles to travel. Rapids without number are to be passed, many a -laborious portage must be made around huge waterfalls, and at least two -months must elapse before he can moor his little barge in the haven -where he would be. Day follows day, and his course is onward. All along -his route the forest trees are bursting their buds and decking -themselves with the livery of the vernal season, while the grasses and -flowers of the prairies are striving to overreach each other as they -loom into the pleasant sunshine. And then, too, the heart of our voyager -is cheered by the singing of birds. When night comes, and he has lain -himself down by his watchfire on the shore, in some little cove, he is -lulled to sleep by the murmuring music of the stream. If, on a pleasant -day when he is fatigued, he happen upon an Indian encampment and finds -that an extensive ball-play or an Indian horse-race, or any important -medicine ceremony is about to occur, he tarries there for a few hours, -and then, as his mind dwells upon the grotesque and laughable scenes he -has witnessed, resumes his voyage in a more cheerful mood. Day follows -day, and the stream upon which he is now floating is broad and deep, and -sweeps onward as if rejoicing with pride for having triumphed over the -obstacles of the wilderness, and is rapidly approaching the fields and -the abodes of civilization. It is now the close of a day in the leafy -month of June, and our voyager is gliding noiselessly into the quiet -cove beside his cabin, and, uttering a loud whistle or whoop and firing -his gun, his wife and children hasten to the shore, and—the trapper is -at home! - -The summer time, in the opinion of our trapper friend, is the season of -unalloyed enjoyment, for it is then that he gives himself up to the -gratification of all his desires. Having disposed of his furs and -peltries at the nearest trading post for a few hundred dollars in cash, -or its equivalent in merchandise, he deems himself independently rich, -and conducts himself accordingly. In a fit of liberality, he orders his -wife and children into his canoe and takes them upon a visit to the -nearest frontier village or city, where he loads them with gewgaws, and -the family spend a few days. The novelty of this visit soon passes away, -and our trapper with his family are once more domiciled in their cabin. -A week of inactivity then follows, and the trapper becomes as restless -as a fish out of water. He is troubled with a kind of itching palm, and -away he goes upon a vagabondizing tour among the hangers-on about the -trading establishments, recounting to all who will listen to him his -adventures in the wilderness, and spending the remainder of the summer -after the manner of the idle and the dissipated. But the first frost -brings him to his senses, and the trapper is himself again—for he is -thinking of the wilderness. - - - - - THE CANADIAN RECLUSE. - - -Of the many singular characters which we have met with in our various -travels, we remember none with more pleasure, and even wonder, than the -hero of this chapter. In company with three friends, we were upon a -fishing cruise along the northern shore of the river St. Lawrence, above -the Saguenay, and having on a certain afternoon steered our little craft -into a cove at the mouth of a brook, for the purpose of obtaining fresh -water, we were surprised to find ourselves in the immediate neighborhood -of a rude but comfortable log cabin. Curiosity, as a matter of course, -led us to visit the cabin, and introduce ourselves to the proprietor. We -did so, and were not only warmly welcomed, but were invited to tarry -with our new acquaintance until the next day, and had we not accepted -the invitation, the following particulars would not now be made known to -the public. - -The individual under consideration was a Frenchman, and a native of -Quebec. He was above the medium height, about forty years of age, -graceful in his manners, active in mind and body, and altogether just -the character to rivet the attention of the most casual observer. He was -wholly ignorant of the world, having never been out of his native city, -excepting when he took up his abode in this out-of-the-way corner of the -country, where, at the time we met with him, he had been secluded for -nearly twenty years. He had a wife (but no children) who was as much -like himself in appearance and character as nature could well allow her -to be. He was totally illiterate, and yet possessed an attachment to the -unwritten science of botany which was truly remarkable. His cabin had -only two lower rooms and one garret, and yet the best of the three was -exclusively appropriated to a collection of plants, gathered from the -neighboring hills and mountains, and numbering several hundred -varieties, together with large moose horns, furs, and other forest -curiosities. He knew not the generic name of a single specimen, and yet -he would expatiate upon their beauty in the most interesting manner, -showing that he loved them with intense affection. To the hunting and -cultivation of plants he told us he was in the habit of devoting more -than half of his time, whereupon we asked him from what source he -obtained his living. He informed us that having inherited the large -tract of land upon which he resided, he had come here for the purpose of -getting a living out of _that_. On casting our eyes about, and finding -nothing for them to rest upon but mountains of solid rock, where even -pine trees hardly had the courage to grow, we thought his reply somewhat -mysterious. He smiled at our perplexity, and then told us that he had -two or three profitable salmon fishing grounds within a mile of his -house, which were rented out to Quebec fishermen, and yielded him all -the necessaries of life, and that he obtained his fresh meats with his -own hands from the forest. - -Had we been inclined to doubt any of the assertions of our friend in -regard to his good living, all such doubts would have been most -assuredly dispelled by what we witnessed and enjoyed before closing our -eyes on the night in question. Having taken us to the fishing ground -lying nearest to his cabin, for the purpose of letting us see how the -salmon were taken in the circular set nets (into which they swam on -their way up stream when the tide was high, and from which they were -taken by the hundred when the tide was low), he picked out a splendid -twenty pound fish, and piloted us back again to his dwelling. He then -excused himself from further waiting upon us, and, begging us to amuse -ourselves by _examining his plants_, or doing anything else we pleased, -he informed us that he must assist his wife in preparing our supper. We -bowed our most willing assent, and as the sun was near his setting, we -ascended a neighboring knoll for the purpose of enjoying the extensive -prospect which presented itself to view. - -We were looking towards the south, and across that portion of the noble -St. Lawrence where it is without an island, and its shores are -twenty-five miles apart. The retinue of clouds around the setting sun -were brilliant to a marvelous degree, and were distinctly mirrored on -the tranquil bosom of the superb river. In the distance we could barely -discover the southern shore, forming a long narrow line of purple; about -a dozen miles to the eastward one solitary ship lay floating at the -mercy of the tide, and in the foreground was the cabin of our -entertainer, partly hidden from our view by a few stunted trees, and -apparently hemmed in by inaccessible mountains, while before the cabin -lay extended some half dozen immense mongrel dogs, which were the only -living creatures, besides ourselves, tending to animate the lonely -scene. Silently communing with our own hearts, we watched with peculiar -interest the coming forth, one after another, of the beautiful stars, -and we could not but think of our distant homes, and of the ties which -bound us to the absent and loved. One moment more, and we heard a loud -hallo, which came from the lungs of our Canadian friend, who informed us -that supper was ready, whereupon we descended to the cabin at a pace -bordering upon a run. - -And such a supper! Our host presided, and while two of his guests were -seated on either side, the hostess occupied the opposite end of the -table from her husband. She could not speak a word of English, and of -course uttered all her apologies in French; and though the husband -pretended to talk English, we begged him to remember that his guests all -understood French, and that he had better converse as nature dictated. -No objections were made, and we proceeded to business. The table was -literally loaded; and, whilst the matron poured out a capital cup of -coffee, the host overwhelmed the plates of his guests with various kinds -of meat, most of which were fried or broiled almost to a crisp. We gave -vent to our curiosity by inquiring the names of the dishes we were -eating. From this moment, until the truly delicious feast was ended, the -talking was all performed by the Canadian botanist, and the substance of -his remarks may be stated as follows: - -“That meat in the blue platter, gentlemen, was cut from the hind -quarters of the biggest _black bear_ ever seen among the mountains. He -weighed over four hundred pounds, and was as savage as he was fat and -big. I was climbing along the edge of a hill, about a week ago, for the -purpose of securing a small yellow flower that I had discovered hanging -from a rock, when the bear in question came running out of the mouth of -his den, and saluting me with a long scratch on the back, I gave him a -stab in the belly, and tumbled myself down the offset in the most hasty -manner imaginable. I always take my gun with me when I go into the -woods, and when I reached the bottom of the hill I looked out for the -bear, and, discovering him on a stump some twenty yards off, I gave him -a shot, and he made at me with the fires of revenge and rage in his eye. -I climbed up a small tree, and while the rascal made an unsuccessful -attempt to follow me, I reloaded my gun and sent another charge directly -into his mouth, which gave him a bad cough, and in a short time he -staggered a few paces from the tree and fell to the ground quite dead. -_I then went back to the cliff to secure my yellow flower_, and during -that afternoon, by the aid of my pony, dragged the bear to my cabin. - -“In that dish, with a piece broken from the edge, gentlemen, you have a -mixture of _moose tongue_, _moose lip_, and _moose brains_. I spent -nearly a month moose-hunting, last winter, in company with a couple of -Indians, and though the snow was deep, the crust hard, our snowshoes in -good order, our dogs brave and strong, and moose were numerous, we only -killed about sixteen. I only brought home the heads (while the Indians -were satisfied with the skins and haunches), but I was more than paid -for all my trouble, in the way of hard traveling and cold sleeping, for -in one of the moose-yards that we visited _I found a specimen of pine -which I had never seen before_. It was very soft and beautiful, and I -think the book-men of England would give a good deal of money if they -could have it in their great gardens. - -“As to that meat in the white dish, which you all seem to eat with such -a relish, I think you will be surprised to learn that it is nothing but -_beaver’s tail_. To my taste it is the sweetest meat in the world, and I -am only sorry that this valuable animal is becoming so very scarce in -this section of country. My present stock of beaver’s tail came from the -shore of Hudson’s Bay, and, though I bought it of an Indian, I had to -pay him as much for the tails as the fur company paid him for the skins -of his animals. I never trapped for beaver myself, but I have for otter, -and often have great sport in killing seals, which are very abundant in -the St. Lawrence, and afford to the Indians pretty good food during the -hard winters. The only thing that I have against the beaver is, that he -has a fashion, I am told, _of cutting down for his house such beautiful -trees as the birch, mulberry, willow, and poplar before they are half -grown_. - -“As to the salmon upon which you have been feasting, gentlemen, you know -as much about that particular individual as I do, since you saw him -while yet in his native element. The men who hire my fishing grounds pay -me so much for every fish they take, and sell them at a great profit in -Quebec and even in Montreal. From the fisheries on this shore are the -people of Canada exclusively supplied with the salmon, and when we have -a good season our merchants manage to send over to the United States, in -a smoked condition, a good many thousand. As to taking them with those -pretty little flies, which you, gentlemen, always carry in your -pocket-books, I never could understand how you manage to deceive so -sensible a fish as the salmon. Of one thing I am certain: if you expect -to take any of the salmon in this region with those little lines and -hooks, you will be much mistaken. You will have to go down to the -Saguenay, where I am told the fish do not know any better than to be -deceived by your cunning arts. But, if I was ever to follow fishing as -you do, it seems to me that instead of red, yellow, and blue feathers, I -should cover my hooks _with the bright berries and buds which you may -find upon some trees even during the fishing season_.” - -This last remark of our host convinced us that he was indeed possessed -with a ruling passion, and we of course gratified ourselves by humoring -him to the length of our patience. He not only monopolized the -conversation during supper, but he did most of the talking until -bed-time. We spent the night under his roof, sleeping upon bear skins, -spread on the floor; and, after an early breakfast, we bade him adieu, -and pursued our course down the St. Lawrence. - - - - - TROUT FISHING. - - - It carries us into the most wild and beautiful scenery of nature; - amongst the mountain lakes and the clear and lovely streams that gush - from the higher ranges of elevated hills, or make their way through - the cavities of calcareous rocks. - Sir Humphrey Davy. - -Were it not for the salmon, we should pronounce the trout the most -superb game-fish in the world. As the case now stands, however, we are -inclined to believe that he has delighted a greater number of anglers -than any other inhabitant of the “liquid plain.” The characteristics of -this charming fish are so well known that we shall not, on this -occasion, enter upon a scientific description, either of his person or -habits. In all the particulars of beauty, of color and form, of grace, -of activity, of intelligence and flavor, as before intimated, he has but -one rival. He always glories in the coldest and purest of water, and the -regions of country to which he is partial are commonly distinguished for -the wildness of their scenery; and therefore it is that to the lover of -nature this imperial fish has ever been exceedingly dear. Their period -of spawning is in the autumn, and they recover as early as February, -thereby remaining in season a part of the winter, as well as the entire -spring and summer—though the trouting months, _par excellence_, are May -and June. - -In weight, even when fully grown, the different varieties of trout run -from four ounces to sixty pounds, and of the different distinct species -found in the United States and Canada, we are acquainted only with the -following: - -_The Common or Brook and River Trout._—There is hardly a cold and rocky -stream in any of the New England or Northern States, or among the -mountains of the Middle and Southern States, where this species is not -found in abundance. In regard to weight, they ordinarily vary from three -or four ounces to two pounds; and in color, according to the character -of the brook or river which they inhabit. So apparent is the difference -of color in this family, that, in the several sections of the country -where they are found, they are designated by the names of Silver or Fall -trout, as in Lake George; and the Black trout, as in many of the smaller -lakes or ponds of New England. The only _civilized_ mode employed by our -people for taking them is with the hook; but, while the scientific -angler prefers the artificial fly (with an appropriate reel), large -numbers are annually destroyed by the farmers’ boys with the common hook -and red worm. As to the heathenish mode of netting this beautiful fish, -we can only say that it merits the most earnest condemnation of every -gentleman. The common trout is proverbially one of the most skittish of -all the finny tribes; but, when he happens to be a little hungry, he is -fearless as the hawk, and at such times often leaps into the air as if -for the purpose of defying the cunning of his human enemies. According -to our experience, the best bait for early spring fishing is the common -worm, but for June, July, and August we prefer the fly. Sometimes, -however, a minnow is preferable to either. The great charm of -fly-fishing for trout is derived from the fact that you then see the -movement of your fish, and if you are not an expert hand, the chances -are that you will capture but one out of the hundred that may rise to -your hook. You can seldom save a trout unless you strike the very -instant that he leaps. But, even after this, a deal of care is required -to land him in safety. If he is a half-pounder, you may pull him out -directly; but if larger than that, after fairly hooking him, you should -play him with your whole line, which, when well done, is a feat full of -poetry. The swiftness with which a trout can dart from his hiding-place -after a fly is truly astonishing; and we never see one perform this -operation without feeling an indescribable thrill quivering through our -frame. The fact that this is the only fish in the world which nature has -designated by a row of scarlet spots along the sides, would seem to -imply that she deemed it the perfection of her finny creations, and had, -therefore, fixed upon it this distinguishing mark of her skill. - -_The Salmon Trout._—Under this head we include all those fish of the -trout genus which are found only in those lakes of our country having no -connection whatever with the sea. The fish now under consideration -resembles, in its general appearance, the legitimate salmon, but is -totally unlike it in several particulars. The salmon trout, for example, -varies in weight from three to sixty pounds; and, if everybody is to be -believed, they have been taken in some of our waters weighing upwards of -one hundred pounds. They are also of much less value than the real -salmon as an article of food, there being nothing at all delicate in the -texture or flavor of a mammoth fish. As sporting fish, too, they are of -little value, for they love the gloom of deep water, and are not -distinguished for their activity. The names besides its own by which -this fish is recognized, are the lake trout and the Mackinaw trout; and, -by many people who ought to know better, they are often confounded with -the genuine salmon. As is the case with the salmon, they are seldom or -never found in any of our rivers, but chiefly in the lakes of the -northern and northwestern States of the Union, being found in the -greatest numbers at the Straits of Mackinaw, in Lake Superior, Lake -George, and the other lakes of the Empire State, and in Moosehead Lake. - -_The Sea Trout._—Our idea of this fish is that it is quite at home in -the “deep, deep sea,” but rather partial to the brackish waters of large -rivers and the inland bays of the American coast. And also that they -vary in weight from three to fifteen pounds, and ought to be highly -prized as a game-fish, their flesh being of a rosy hue, and excellent, -and their courage and strength allied to those of their more -aristocratic cousin—the salmon. Like the salmon and common trout, too, -they scorn the more common baits of the fisherman, and possess a decided -taste for the fly, albeit thousands of them are taken with the shrimp -and minnow. The waters where they mostly abound are those of the lower -St. Lawrence and its tributaries, the bay of Cape Cod, all along the -southern shore of Barnstable, the entire shore of Martha’s Vineyard, and -the bays Delaware and Chesapeake. So much for the varieties of trout -with which we are personally acquainted. - -It now behooves us to record some of our experience in trout fishing, -but we have already published in our books of travel, and elsewhere, -quite as many _fish stories_ as will be readily believed. We shall, -therefore, content ourselves, on this occasion, with a brief description -of our favorite localities. - -As a matter of course, the first place that we mention in this -connection is Saut St. Marie, which, for many reasons, is an exceedingly -attractive place. In the first place, it is the outlet to Lake Superior, -the largest body of fresh water on the globe. It is also the western -terminating point of the lake navigation of the north. From the earliest -periods of our history to the present time, it has been, as it were, the -starting place for all the fur expeditions by land which have ever -penetrated the immense wilderness bordering on Hudson’s Bay and the -Arctic ocean. The fall of the river St. Mary, at the spot called the -Saut, is nearly twenty-five feet within the space of half a mile, so -that from a canoe at the foot of the rapid it presents the appearance of -a wall of foam. The width of it is reputed to be one mile, and on the -British side are several beautiful islands, covered with hemlock, -spruce, and pine, pleasingly intermingled with birch. The bed of the -river at this point consists chiefly of colored sand-stones, the depth -varies from ten to perhaps one hundred feet, and the water is -perpetually cold, and as clear as it is possible for any element to be. -But what makes the Saut particularly attractive to the angler, is the -fact that the common trout is found here in good condition throughout -the year. They are taken with the fly, and from boats anchored in the -more shallow places of the river, as well as from the shore. We have -known two fishermen to spend an entire day in a single reef, or at one -anchorage, and, in spite of sunlight and east winds, have known them to -capture more than a cart load of the spotted beauties, varying in weight -from half a pound to three and four. How it is that the fish of this -region always appear to be in season has never been explained, but we -should imagine that either they have no particular time for spawning, or -that each season brings with it a variety peculiar to itself. Those of -the present day who visit Saut St. Marie for the purpose of throwing the -fly, ought to be fully prepared with tackle, and that of the best -quality. With regard to the _creature comforts_ obtainable in the -village of Saut St. Marie, they will be as well supplied as in any other -place of the same size equally remote from the civilized centre of the -world. And when the pleasures of trout fishing begin to subside they can -relieve the monotony of a sojourn here by visiting the Indians in their -wigwams, and seeing them capture (with nets, in the pure white foam) the -beautiful white fish; they may also with little difficulty visit the -copper mines of Lake Superior, or, if they would do their country -service (provided they are Americans), they may indite long letters to -members of Congress on the great necessity of a ship canal around the -falls or rapids of St. Mary. - -And now for the island of Mackinaw. For an elaborate description of this -spot we refer our readers to any of the numerous travelers who have -published its praises, not forgetting, by way of being _impartial_, an -account from our own pen already before the public. The time is rapidly -approaching, we believe, when this island will be universally considered -one of the most healthful, interesting, convenient, and fashionable -watering-places in the whole country. And the naturalists, not to say -the angler, will find here the celebrated Mackinaw trout in its greatest -perfection. And when the Detroit and Chicago steamer runs into the -little crescent harbor of the island for the purpose of landing the -traveler, and he discovers among the people on the dock some half-dozen -wheelbarrows laden with fish four feet long and weighing fifty or sixty -pounds, he must not be alarmed at finding those fish to be Mackinaw -trout, and not sturgeon, as he might at first have imagined. The truth -is, the very size of these fish is an objection to them, for, as they -have to be taken in deep water, and with a large cord, there is far more -of manual labor than sport in taking them. But when one of these -monsters happens to stray towards the shore where the water is not over -fifty feet, it is then, through the marvellously clear water, -exceedingly pleasant to watch their movements as they swim about over -the beds of pure white sand. As before intimated, the Mackinaw trout is -far inferior to the common trout as an article of food, and to the white -fish almost infinitely so. - -The Mackinaw trout (as is the case with all salmon trout) is in fine -condition throughout the winter months; and the Indians are very fond of -taking them through the ice. Their manner of proceeding is to make a -large hole in the ice, over which they erect a kind of wigwam, so as to -keep out the light; and, stationing themselves above the hole, they lure -the trout from the bottom by an artificial bait, and when he comes -sufficiently near pick him out with a spear: and they are also taken -with a hook. The voraciousness of the Mackinaw trout at this season is -said to be astonishing; and it is recorded of a Canadian fisherman that, -having lost all his artificial bait, by their being bitten to pieces, he -finally resorted to a large jackknife attached to a hook which he had in -his pocket, and which was swallowed by a thirty pound fish. Another -anecdote that we have heard touching this mode of winter fishing is as -follows, and shows the danger with which it is sometimes attended. An -Indian fisherman, of renown among the tribes of Lake Superior, while -fishing on this lake in the manner above mentioned, at a considerable -distance from the shore, was once detached with a cake of ice from the -shore and carried into the lake by the wind, and was never heard of -more. Such a death as he must have met with it would be difficult to -describe. - -But we cannot leave Mackinaw without making a passing allusion to the -fish whose Indian name is _ciscovet_. It is a beautiful fish, -unquestionably of the trout family, a bold biter, richly flavored, and -quite beautiful both in symmetry and color. They are not very abundant, -and are altogether the greatest fishy delicacy in this region, excepting -the white fish. They weigh from five to ten pounds, and are remarkable -for their fatness. At the Island of Mackinaw the common trout are not -found at all, but in all the streams upon the main shore of Lake -Michigan, which is only a short distance off, they are very abundant and -very large. - -Another trouting region whose praises we are disposed to sing is that of -northern New York, lying between Lake George and Long Lake. All the -running waters of this section of country are abundantly supplied with -common trout, and all the lakes (which are quite numerous) with salmon -trout. The scenery everywhere is of the wildest and most imposing -character. The two branches of the noble Hudson here take their rise, -and almost every rood of their serpentine courses abounds in rapid and -deep pools, yielding common trout of the largest size. But the angler -who visits this region must not expect to be feasted with the -fashionable delicacies of the land, or spend his nights in luxuriantly -furnished rooms; he must be a lover of salt pork, and well acquainted -with the yielding qualities of a pine floor. To those of our readers who -would become better acquainted with the region alluded to, we would -recommend the interesting descriptions of Charles F. Hoffman, Esq., and -the spirited though somewhat fantastic ones of J. T. Headley, Esq. - -In the “times of old” we have enjoyed ourselves exceedingly in making -piscatorial pilgrimages among the Catskill and Sharidaken Mountains, but -their wilderness glory is rapidly departing. We can now only recommend -this region as abounding in beautiful as well as magnificent scenery. -Now, while we think of it, however, we have one little incident to -record connected with Shaw’s Lake, which beautifies the summit of one of -the Catskills. Having once caught a large number of small common trout -in a stream that ran out of this lake, we conceived the idea that the -lake itself must of necessity contain a large number of full grown fish -of the same species. With this idea in view, we obtained the services of -a mountaineer named Hammel, and tried our luck at the lake, by the light -of the moon, with set lines and live minnows. During the night we caught -no less than forty-two trout, averaging in weight over a pound apiece. -We were of course greatly elated at this success; and, having enjoyed -quite a romantic expedition, we subsequently published an account of the -particulars. A few days after this, a party of anglers residing in the -town of Catskill saw what we had written, and immediately posted off to -Shaw’s Lake, for the purpose of spending a night there. They did so, and -also fished after the same manner that we did, and yet did not capture a -single trout. They of course returned home considerably disgusted, and -reported that the lake in question was covered with dead eels, that the -water was alive with lizards, that they saw the glaring eyes of a -panther near their watch-fire, and that _we_ had been guilty of -publishing a falsehood. It now becomes us to deny, and in the most -expressive tone, this rough impeachment, although we fully confess that -there still hangs a mystery over our piscatorial good fortune. - -If the anglers of New York city are to be believed, there is no region -in the world like Long Island for common trout. We are informed, -however, that the fish are here penned up in ponds, and that a -stipulated sum per head has to be paid for all the fish captured. With -this kind of business we have never had any patience, and we shall -therefore refrain from commenting upon the exploits or trespassing upon -the exclusive privileges of the cockney anglers of the empire city. - -But another trouting region, of which we can safely speak in the most -flattering terms, is that watered by the two principal tributaries of -the river Thames, in Connecticut, viz., the Yantic and the Quinnebaug. -It is, in our opinion, more nearly allied to that portion of England -made famous by Walton in his _Complete Angler_, than any other in the -United States. The country is generally highly cultivated, but along -nearly all its very beautiful streams Nature has been permitted to have -her own way, and the dark pools are everywhere overshadowed by the -foliage of overhanging trees. Excepting in the immediate vicinity of the -factories, trout are quite abundant, and the anglers are generally -worthy members of the gentle brotherhood. When the angler is overtaken -by night, he never finds himself at a loss for a place to sleep; and it -has always seemed to us that the beds of this region have a “smell of -lavender.” The husbandmen whom you meet here are intelligent, and their -wives neat, affable, and polite, understanding the art of preparing a -frugal meal to perfection. Our trouting recollections of this section of -New England are manifold, and we would part with them most unwillingly. -Dearly do we cherish, not only recollections of scenery and fishing, but -of wild legends and strange characters, bright skies, poetic -conceptions, and soul-instructing lessons from the lips of Nature. Yes, -and the secret of our attachment to the above-mentioned streams may be -found in the character of these very associations. What intense -enjoyment would not Father Walton have derived from their wild and -superb scenery! The streams of England are mostly famous for the bloody -battles and sieges which they witnessed for many centuries, and the -turreted castles which they have only tell us eventful stories of a race -of earth-born kings. But many of the streams of our country, even in -these days, water a virgin wilderness, whose only human denizens are the -poor but noble Indian tribes, who live, and love, and die in their -peaceful valleys; and the unshorn forests, with the luxuriantly -magnificent mountains, sing a perpetual hymn of praise to One who is -above the sky and the King of kings. - -Of all the New England States, however (albeit much might be written in -praise of Vermont and New Hampshire, with their glorious Green and White -Mountains), we believe that Maine is altogether the best supplied. In -the head waters of the Penobscot and Kennebec, the common trout may be -found by the thousand; and in Moosehead Lake, as before stated, salmon -trout of the largest size and in great numbers. This is even a more -perfect wilderness than that in the northern part of New York, and it is -distinguished not only for its superb scenery, but its fine forests -afford an abundance of large game, such as moose, deer, bears, and -wolves, which constitute a most decided attraction to those disciples of -the gentle art who have a little of the fire of Nimrod in their natures. - -Another, and the last region towards which we would direct the attention -of our readers, is that portion of Canada lying on the north shore of -the St. Lawrence. At the mouth of all the streams here emptying into the -great river, and especially at the mouth of the Saguenay, the sea trout -is found in its greatest perfection. They vary from five to fifteen -pounds, and are taken with the fly. But what makes the fishing for them -particularly interesting, is the fact that when the angler strikes a -fish it is impossible for him to tell, before he has seen his prize, -whether he has captured a salmon trout, a mammoth trout, common trout -(which are here found in brackish or salt water), or a magnificent -salmon, glistening in his silver mail. - - - - - ROCK CREEK. - - -It was a delightful autumnal morning, and we had called upon a friend -(who, like ourself, is a lover of nature), and proposed that we should -spend a day in the woods; whereupon he whistled for his handsome -greyhound, and with our sketch-books in hand, we departed. We turned our -faces towards _Rock Creek_, which rises in the central portion of -Montgomery county, Maryland, and after running a distance of some -fifteen miles, finally empties into the Potomac, between Washington and -Georgetown. And now, before going one step further, we wish to inform -the reader that it is not our intention to give a complete description -of this charming stream: to accomplish that task faithfully it would be -necessary for us to write a thousand poems and paint at least a thousand -pictures, every one of which should be a gem. We purpose only to record -the more prominent impressions which have been left upon our mind by the -excursions to which we allude. - -We struck the creek just without the limits of the city, and the first -object that attracted our attention was “Decatur’s tomb.” This memorial -of a departed naval hero occupies the summit of a picturesque hill, and -is shaded from the sun by a brotherhood of handsome oak trees. It is -built of bricks (which are painted white), and resembles in shape a -small Grecian temple without its columns, and is without any -inscription. The remains of the commodore were originally deposited -here, but his ashes have subsequently been removed to Philadelphia and -deposited in his family vault. The land upon which this tomb is located -is called Kalorama, and belongs to an estate originally owned by Joel -Barlow, which fact is alone sufficient to give it a reputation; but it -is somewhat more interesting to know that it was upon this spot of earth -that Robert Fulton first tried his experiments while studying out the -science of steam navigation. This was at the time when Barlow and Fulton -were on the most intimate terms of friendship, and Kalorama was Fulton’s -principal home. A gentleman residing in Georgetown informs us that he -can remember the time when an old wooden shed was standing in the -vicinity of Rock Creek, where Fulton tried many of his experiments; and -we are also informed that the parlor walls of Kalorama were once -ornamented with fresco paintings executed by Fulton at the request of -his friend Barlow. Subsequently to that period and while yet a member of -Barlow’s family, Fulton kept an account-book, in which he recorded all -his business transactions, and that curious and valuable relic of the -departed engineer is now in the possession of a citizen of Washington, -by whose politeness we are privileged to gratify our antiquarian readers -with a brief description of the account-book in question. It is of the -size of an ordinary mercantile cash-book, and although only half filled -with writing, it contains a record of business transactions occurring -during the years 1809,-’10,-’11,-’12,-’13, and ’14. It seems to have -been kept with little regard to method, but nevertheless contains a -great variety of items which are quite valuable in a historical point of -view. On a fly leaf, for example, we have the following record:— - - “1813. The dry-dock finished at the steamboat works in Jersey City on - the 14th October. On that day, at 1 o’clock, the original North River - steamboat entered for the first time, and I believe is the first - vessel that has been in a dry-dock in the United States.”:— - -With regard to the name of the “original North River steamboat,” I am -not certain; but on the same leaf with the above, I find the following -memorandum:— - - “_Car of Neptune_—length of her bottom 157 feet; do. on deck 171 feet - 6 inches; extreme width of the bottom 22 feet; do. on deck 26 feet.” - -With a view of showing the profitableness of the steam-boating business -in the olden times, I append the following:— - - “Total number of passengers in the Raritan for 1809: - - 202 to Elizabethtown Point, at 4s. each 101 00 - 1,480 to Amboy, at 8 do 1,480 50 - 692 to Brunswick, at 12 do 1,038 75 - 90 way 55 20 - Total receipts 2,675 45 - “Of this sum one-sixth, equal 445 90, to patentees.” - -Of the various persons with whom Fulton seems to have had extensive -dealings, the principal one was Robert R. Livingston, from whom large -sums of money were frequently received. The principal items under the -head of 1813 (which seems to have been a very busy year), give one an -idea of the extent of Fulton’s business, and is as follows:— - - “Steamboats building and engaged: - 2 from New Orleans to Louisville and St Louis, Mississippi $60,000 - 1 “ Pittsburg to Louisville, Ohio 25,000 - 1 “ Richmond to Norfolk, James River 35,000 - 1 “ Washington to Malbourg, Potomac 20,000 - 1 on Long Island Sound, from New York to Hartford 40,000 - 1 “ East River ferry boat to Brooklyn 20,000 - 1, Petersburg 25,000 - 1, Elizabeth 30,000 - 1, Robert Fulton 25,000 - 1, Charleston 30,000 - 1, Cape Fear 22,000 - Total $332,000” - -Another record which I find under the same head is this:— - - “Waters under the direction of B. H. Latrobe, or such of them as he - shall have a steamboat on and in actual operation by January, 1815. - Such as shall not have the funds raised for one boat within one year - from May 1, 1813, shall be at the disposal of Livingston and Fulton. - - “1st, Potomac, from Georgetown to Potomac Creek. - - “2d, for the sounds from Charleston to Savannah. - - “3d, from Pittsburg to Louisville. - - “4th, the Cumberland from Nashville to Louisville. - - “5th, the Tennessee to Louisville. - - “For raising companies, funds, and establishing these, he has to have - of each one-third of the patentee’s rights.” - -Under the head of 1812, we find a statement giving the expenses of a -North River steamboat (what one we know not), which amounted to $610 per -month, the boat making seventy-six trips. And as to wages, we gather -that the captain received $50 per month; pilot, $35; engineer, $35; -seamen and firemen, $20 each; cook, $16; servants, $14; and chambermaid, -$8. - -Another record readeth as follows:— - - “_Gentlemen of influence in Cincinnati, Ohio._—Jacob Burnet, Esq., - Martin Baum, Esq., Jesse Hunt, General Findley, General Gano, Mr. - Stanly.” - -The following I find under the head of “Notes on Steamboats:”— - - “The Comet constructed at Pittsburg in the spring of 1813, for Mr. - Smith, is 52 feet long and 8 feet beam, cylinder 6¼ inches diameter, - 18 inches stroke, vibrating motion, no condenser or air-pump. The - water wheel in the stern, 6 feet diameter, 8 paddles 2 feet 6 inches - long and 11 inches wide. The boiler 14 feet long, 2 feet 6 inches - wide, with a flue high, steam from 50 to 60 pounds to the inch square, - 20 to 30 double stroke a minute. _This is Evans’s idea of steam power - by high steam. It was the Marquis of Worcester’s 120 years ago; and - Mr. Watts 30 years ago tried and abandoned it._” - -Another curious memorandum, which is without a caption, is as follows:— - - “10,000 acres of pine land on Egg Harbor River, the property of - Ebenezer Tucker, of Tuckerton, Burlington county, known by the name of - Judge Tucker. Should this land produce only ten cords to an acre, it - will be 1,000 to 100 acres, or 100,000 cords. The steam-boats from New - York will use 1,500 cords a year, or, for New York and Albany, 3,000 - cords; thence 20 years would consume the wood of 6,000 acres, in which - time, the first cut would grow up, and thus this 10,000 acres would - perpetually supply the steamboats.” - -The longest record in this account book (like all the others) is in -Fulton’s own handwriting, and entitled “_Livingston and Fulton vs. Lake -Champlain boat_.” It occupies four closely written pages, is dated -October 12, 1810, and signed by Robert R. Livingston. It is an -interesting document, but as the volume in question is about to be -presented to the New York Historical Society, I will leave it with that -honorable body to give it to the public in some of their interesting -publications. - -But enough of this episode. Though Rock Creek may have been the -birthplace of Fulton’s steamboat idea, yet it is certain that, with all -his fiery monsters at our command, we could never ascend this beautiful -stream without the use of our legs, and we will therefore rejoin our -companion and continue our pedestrian pilgrimage. - -Our next halting-place, after we left Kalorama, was at an old mill, -located in the centre of a secluded glen. With the humming music of its -wheels, with the polite attentions of the _floury_ miller, and the -rustic beauty of his cottage and children, we were well pleased, but -with the natural loveliness of the place we were delighted. A greater -variety of luxuriant foliage I never before witnessed in so limited a -nook of the country. From one point of view a scene presented itself -which was indeed exquisite. We were completely hemmed in from the great -world, and, in addition to the mill and the cottage, we had a full view -of the stream, which was spanned by a rustic foot bridge, upon which a -couple of children were standing and throwing pebbles in the water, -while a few paces beyond a man was pulling to the shore a small boat -laden with wood. On either hand, a number of proud-looking oaks towered -against the sky, and by the water’s edge in the distance stood a -stupendous silver willow, literally white with age; and, to complete the -picture, we had in one place a mysterious brick ruin, and in the -foreground a variety of mossy rocks, upon which, in a superb attitude, -stood our beautiful greyhound, watching a little army of minnows -sporting in a neighboring pool. And with what great name does our reader -imagine this beautiful place is associated? None other than that of the -late John Quincy Adams, who became its purchaser many years ago, and to -whose estate (as I believe) it now belongs. And many a time, in other -days, has that distinguished statesman spent his morning under the dome -of the capitol in political debate, and the afternoon of the same day in -this romantic glen, listening to the singing of a thousand birds, which -had built their nests in the branches of his own trees. - -The roads which cross the channel of Rock Creek, and frequently run for -a long distance along its winding vale, are distinguished for their -loneliness, and of course well adapted to please the poetic mind. Along -many of them you might walk for miles without meeting a human being, but -then you would be sure to frighten many a rabbit, and destroy the -gossamery hammocks of unnumbered spiders. While passing along the road -which took us from Adams’ Mill further up the stream, we chanced to -overtake a small negro boy (who was almost without any rags on his back, -and whose straw hat looked as if the cows had feasted upon its brim), -with whom our companion held the following dialogue:— - -“Boy, where are you going?” - -“I’m gwine down to Mr. Pierce’s.” - -And here—taking out his pencil, holding up his sketch-book, and looking -very fiercely at the darkie—our friend exclaimed, “I’ll sketch you, you -rascal.” - -Whereupon the poor boy uttered a most frightful yell, and ran away in -the greatest consternation, as if we had been a pair of murderers. - -Our next stopping-place was at a cider mill, where an old negro, with -the assistance of a mule, was grinding apples, and another man was -pressing the sweet juice into a mammoth tub. A lot of boys, who were out -on a chestnut gathering excursion, had discovered the mill, and having -initiated themselves into the good graces of the darkies, were evidently -enjoying a portion of Mr. Horace Greeley’s celebrated “good time.” - -But it is now about noon, and we have reached that spot upon Rock Creek -known as Pierce’s Plantation. Here we found the ruins of an old -saw-mill, and while transferring a portrait of it to our sketch-book, -with its half decayed dam, and two or three hoary sycamores and elms, we -discovered a boy in the act of fishing. We bowed to him as to a brother -angler, and looking into his basket, we found snugly lying there no less -than half a dozen handsome fall[1] fish, weighing from six ounces to a -pound each. These we of course purchased, and then inquired of the boy -if he knew of a house in that vicinity where we could likely have the -fish cooked. He replied in the affirmative, whereupon we sent him to the -dwelling he mentioned for the purpose of warning the inmates of our -approach. On our arrival there we were warmly welcomed, and in due time -we had the satisfaction of enjoying as finely cooked fish as ever -tickled the palate of Izaak Walton or Sir Humphrey Davy. Not only were -we waited upon with marked politeness, but were treated with an -abundance of delicious currant wine and new cider, and for all this -truly southern hospitality we could make no return, excepting in the way -of gratitude. - -But, pleasant as was our reception and repast at this Rock Creek -cottage, our own mind was more deeply impressed with the exquisitely -charming appearance of the cottage itself and surrounding buildings. It -struck us as one of the most comfortable and poetical nooks that we ever -beheld. It seemed to have everything about it calculated to win the -heart of a lover of nature and rural life. Though situated on the side -of a hill and embowered in trees, it commands a pleasing landscape; and -as it was built upwards of one hundred years ago, it is interesting for -its antiquity. Surmounted as it is with a pointed roof, green with the -moss of years, and flanked by a vine-covered porch, the vegetation which -clusters around it is so abundant that you can hardly discover its real -proportions. And all the out-buildings are in strict keeping with the -cottage itself. It is, upon the whole, one of the most interesting nooks -to be found anywhere within an hour’s ride of the capitol; and we can -fully understand what a certain wealthy gentleman _felt_ when he made -the remark that this Rock Creek cottage was the only place he had ever -seen which he would prefer to his own, albeit his own residence is one -of the most costly and beautiful in the District of Columbia. - -The scenery of Rock Creek for several miles above the Pierce Plantation -is chiefly distinguished for its simple and quiet beauty. The whole vale -in fact is remarkably luxuriant, and probably contains as great a -variety of foliage as can be found in the same space in any section of -the country. For miles and miles do the trees come together as if for -the purpose of protecting the murmuring stream from the kisses of the -sunlight, and even in September birds and flowers are quite abundant; -for here it is (it would seem) that summer lingers longest in the lap of -autumn. And such vines, too, as cluster along the margin of this stream! -The graceful net-work which they have formed over the tiny waterfalls -and the deep dark pools, with all their tendrils, are graceful beyond -compare; and while happy children go there at times to gather the -luscious grapes, we are certain that the little people of fairyland are -well content with their allotted privilege of using the swing of the -vine, while in the enjoyment of their midnight revels. - -But we find that we are getting to be decidedly too poetical for our own -safety and the comfort of our readers, and as the sun has long since -passed the meridian, it is time that we should think of returning home. -And, besides, as we shall return to the city by a different route from -the one we came, we purpose to introduce to our readers one or two more -“places of note” which are identified with Rock Creek. - -And first as to the Rock Creek church, which lies somewhere between one -and two miles eastward of the stream from which it derives its name. The -original Rock Creek chapel was founded in the year 1719, and the bricks -employed in its construction were brought from England. It became a -parish church in 1726, at which time the glebe land (as at the present -time, I believe) amounted to one hundred acres. It was rebuilt in the -year 1768, and many improvements added in the year 1808. The first -rector of the church was the Rev. George Murdock, who officiated for -thirty-four years; his successors were Rev. Alexander Williamson, Rev. -Thomas Read, Rev. Alfred Henry Dashields, Rev. Thomas G. Allen, Rev. -Henry C. Knight, Rev. Levin I. Gills, Rev. Edward Waylen, and the -present incumbent, Rev. William A. Harris. Of Mr. Read it is recorded -that he presided over the church for forty years, during the whole of -which time he was absent only _thirty_ months; and with regard to Mr. -Waylen, it may be stated that he compiled an interesting history of the -Parish, which was published in 1845. - -The appearance of Rock Creek church as it now stands is simply that of -an old-fashioned but very comfortable brick church. It occupies the -summit of a gentle hill, and is completely surrounded with a brotherhood -of fine oak and chestnut-trees. On every side of it tombs and -grave-stones are quite abundant, and some of them are so very old as to -be almost entirely hidden in the earth. Although we spent nearly an hour -in this city of the dead deciphering the various epitaphs, we only -stumbled upon one which attracted our particular attention; it was a -simple stone slab, covered with moss, upon which was this touching -record:— - - “_Grant, Lord, when I from death do wake, - I may of endless life partake. - J. R._ - 1802.” - -And now, by way of variety, suppose our readers tarry with us for a few -moments at the residence of a certain retired banker, which lies only a -short distance from the Rock Creek church. With the elegant mansion and -highly cultivated grounds, everybody must of necessity be pleased, for -we believe that a more tasteful and superb place is not to be found in -the country. It caps the summit of the loftiest hill in the vicinity of -Washington, and while in one direction it commands a view of the -Allegheny Mountains, in another lies spread out a complete panoramic -view of the metropolis of the land, with a magnificent reach of the -Potomac extending a distance of at least forty miles. To comment upon -the spirits who preside over the mansion to which we have alluded is not -our purpose, but we may mention in passing that among the numerous -productions of art which adorn the interior are two capital pictures by -Morland, and a very fine landscape by Gainsborough. But enough. The sun -is already near the horizon, and even now the latter half of our walk -home must be by the light of the moon. And so much for a vagabondizing -day on Rock Creek. - - - - - LILLY LARNARD. - - - All that life can rate - Worth name of life, in her hath estimate; - Youth, beauty, wisdom, courage, virtue, all - That happiness and prime can happy call. - Shakspeare. - -Lilly Larnard is an only child, the pride of her mother, and the delight -of her father, who is the clergyman of a secluded and beautiful New -England village. We desire to make our reader acquainted with this dear -girl, but what can we find to say which hath not been anticipated by the -poet? Her character is already revealed. Well, then, since we happen to -be an intimate acquaintance and are in the mood, we will say something -about her by way of illustration. - -As we passed by her cottage this afternoon, which stands on the southern -extremity of the green, about a hundred paces from the meeting-house, we -noticed an almost startling stillness about the premises, as if the -place were deserted; but this was owing to the heat and natural silence -of the hour. The closed window-blinds, half hidden by woodbine and -honeysuckle; the open doors, with a kitten sunning itself upon the sill -of one of them, bespoke it not only inhabited, but the abode of peace -and contentment. In a green grape-vine arbor beside the house sat our -little heroine, engaged in drawing some curious flowers, which she had -gathered in the meadow during her morning walk. At this moment two of -her female cousins stopped at the front gate, and called her to go with -them on a ramble through the woodlands. We had just time to change from -one hand to the other our heavy string of trout, for we were returning -home from angling, when out she came, bounding like a fawn, robed in -white muslin, her gipsy bonnet awry, and a crimson scarf thrown -carelessly over her shoulders. This simple dress is a specimen of her -taste in such matters, and the very thing to correspond with her -dark-brown curling hair, regular pearly teeth, blue, Madonna-like eyes, -and blooming cheeks. A snow-white terrier, her constant playmate and -companion, soon came following after, and having licked the hands of the -two friends, as a token of recognition, leaped a neighboring fence, and -led the way across a clover-field. When we turned to look again, the -happy group were crossing a rude bridge at the foot of a hill; and -following the path a short distance, they were lost to view. - -Lilly Larnard is now in her sixteenth year. She is passionately fond of -the country; and we do believe, could she obtain permission, would spend -half her time in the open air. If she has but one summer hour to spare, -she goes no farther than her favorite brook, half a mile from home, -where she will angle away her time, wandering up the stream to where the -overhanging trees throw a soft twilight upon her path; and, if -_necessity_ requires it, will off with her slippers, and wade in after a -bunch of lilies or some golden pebbles. The neighboring farmer, as he -comes to the post-office early in the morning, if he chances to pass the -parsonage, will most likely be saluted by a sweet smile and bow. And -from whom, do you think? From Lilly Larnard, to be sure, who is airing -the parlor, dusting the furniture, or arranging some creeping flowers -beside the door with her pretty face almost hidden in a “kerchief -white.” And it may be, when mowing in one of his fields in the -afternoon, he will be surprised by a hearty laugh in an adjoining copse, -and on looking around behold a party of girls returning from the -strawberry hills, with Lilly as their leader. She is a pure-hearted -lover of nature, and everything, from the nameless flower to the -cloud-capt mountain, hath a language which causes her to feel that the -attributes of God are infinite. For her gayer hours, Nature “hath a tale -of gladness, and a smile and eloquence of beauty, and glides into her -darker musings, with a mild and gentle sympathy, which steals away their -sharpness ere she is aware.” - -But how does she busy herself at home? it will be asked. She is an early -riser; and the first thing she does in the morning, after she has left -her room, is to put everything in its place which is out of place. She -kindly directs and helps Betty, the servant, to perform those numerous -little household duties, such as feeding the chickens and straining the -milk, not forgetting to give pussy a saucer full of the warm, sweet -liquid. She sets the breakfast table, prepares the toast, and all those -kindred delicacies, and pours out the coffee, sitting like a fairy queen -in the old high-backed chair, with her parents on either side. And when -her father clasps his hands to implore a blessing, she meekly bows her -head, sweetly responding to the solemn Amen. If anything is wanted from -the kitchen, she is up and away, and back again almost in a minute, so -sprightly is she in all her movements. During the forenoon, she is -generally helping her mother to sew or knit, or do anything else which -is required to be done; or, if her father wants her to read one of his -chaste and deeply religious sermons, the sweetness of her eloquent voice -makes it doubly impressive. In the afternoon, she is generally engaged -in some benevolent duty. Not one in a hundred is so well acquainted with -the poor of the parish. - -She enters the abode of the poor widow, and, besides administering to -her temporal wants, gives her the overflowing sympathy of her own warm -heart, administering at the same time the consolations of religion. It -is a common sight to see her tripping along the street, with a basket on -her arm; and the clerk, or more stately merchant, as he sees her pass -his door, takes particular pains to make a bow, inwardly exclaiming—“Who -now is to become the debtor of Lilly Larnard?” And the stranger who may -have met her in his walk, fails not to inquire of his host, at evening, -the name of the lovely creature who wears a white dress and gipsy -bonnet. - -Lilly is a Christian, not only a church-going Christian, but her life is -one continued round of charitable deeds and pious duties, almost worthy -of an angel. She has a class of little boys in the Sabbath school, and -they are all so fond of their amiable teacher that I do believe they -would undergo almost any trial for her sake. She _loves_ her Bible too, -and would be unhappy were she deprived of the privilege of reading it -every day. When she rises from her pillow at dawn, she kneels beside her -couch, and breathes her offering of prayer; and so, too, when the day is -closed and she retires to repose. - -Her father is a clergyman of easy fortune. The prayer of his youth seems -to have been kindly answered by the Most High. About one year ago he -bought a beautiful chestnut pony, and, all saddled and bridled, -presented it to Lilly on her fifteenth birthday. As might be expected, -she was perfectly transported with the gift. “Oh! father,” she -exclaimed, “how I will try to merit your approbation in every action of -my life.” - -A colored boy, named Tommy, is Lilly’s groom and page, and he seems to -love the pony and his mistress above everything else in the world. A -smarter and better-hearted page did not follow a high-born lady of the -feudal times. Lilly has now become a first-rate rider; and often, when -with her friends, takes pleasure in boasting of her noble -accomplishment, and the speed of her horse. When she has been out -riding, she almost always manages to canter through the middle street of -the village on her return. Sometimes she is alone with her dog, and -sometimes with a female friend; but the forelock of her pony is always -surmounted by a few flowers, or a cluster of green leaves, for she has a -queer notion of ransacking the most secluded corners of the field and -wood. Only a week ago (the very day we caught that two-pound trout), -while standing upon a hill, we saw her trying to leap a narrow but deep -brook, and she did not give up trying until she had accomplished the -deed. We thought that if her pony had been gifted with the power of -speech, he would have exclaimed, “Well done, you courageous girl, you -possess a wonderful deal of spunk!” - -Lilly left school about two years ago, because her father chose to -superintend her education himself. She is a good scholar in everything -requisite for a lady. You could hardly puzzle her with questions in -history, geography, or mathematics. Her modesty and simplicity of -character are so great that you would be surprised at the extent of her -book-information and practical knowledge. She has a wonderful talent for -making herself agreeable under all circumstances. If she meets a beggar -woman in the street, she will talk, familiarly with her about her -sorrows, instructing her to bear up under every trial. She is the -universal favorite of the whole village. All who know her, the poor and -the rich, from the child of three years to the hoary head, all love her -with the affection felt toward a sister or daughter. She smiles with -those who smile, and weeps with those who weep. Servant-girls consult -with her about purchasing a new dress, and little children invite her to -participate with them in their pastimes. - -Lilly Larnard is a lover of poetry. Yes, whether she sees it in the -primrose and the evening cloud; or hears it in the laughing rivulet and -the song of birds; or reads it in the pages of Spenser, Milton, -Shakspeare, Wordsworth, or Coleridge. And she is a _writer_, too, of -sweet and soothing poetry, just such as should always emanate from the -pure-hearted. To give the reader an idea of her poetic powers, we will -here quote her last effort, which was written with a pencil on a -fly-leaf of Dana’s Poems while walking on the sea-shore; for, be it -known that the village of her birth is within sound of the never-ceasing -roar of the Atlantic. The title of it is— - - - A SEA-SHORE ECHO. - - “Alone! and on the smooth, hard, sandy shore of the boundless sea! A - lovelier morning never dawned upon the world of waters. O! how balmy, - how clear, how soul-subduing, how invigorating is the air! Calmness - sits throned upon the unmoving clouds, whose colors are like the sky, - only of a brighter hue. One of them, more ambitious than its fellows, - is swimming onward, a wanderer, and companionless. O that I could rest - upon its ‘unrolling skirts,’ and take an aerial pilgrimage around the - globe—now looking down upon its humming cities, and fruitful and - cultivated plains; and again, upon some unpeopled wilderness or ocean - solitude! But alas! the peerless beauty of that light cloud will be - extinguished, when the sun shall have withdrawn his influence, and, if - not entirely dispersed, will take another shape, and make its home in - darkness. And so have I seen a man, when wandering from the heavenly - sunshine of religion, passing from his cradle to the grave. - - “As I gaze upward into yon blue dome, the anxieties of life are all - forgotten, and my heart throbs with a quicker pulse, and beats with an - increasing thrill of joy. How holy and serene those azure depths of - air! Strange, that aught so beautiful should canopy a world of tears, - decay, and death! Yonder sky is the everlasting home of countless - worlds; the vast ethereal chamber, where are displayed the wonders of - the thunder, and lightning, and rainbow; and a mirror, too, reflecting - the glorious majesty, the wisdom and power of the Omnipotent. Lo! - across my vision there is floating another cloud, whiter than the - driven snow! Rearward, there trails along another, and still another, - until pile on pile they reach upward to the very zenith; and oh, how - gorgeous the scenes which my fancy conjures up, delighted with their - changing loveliness! One moment, I behold a group of angels reclining - at ease upon the summit of a pearly battlement; and now, summoned by a - celestial strain of melody, they spread their pinions for a higher - flight—a flight into the diamond portals of the New Jerusalem. Again, - a river of pure white foam rolls swift but noiseless through unpeopled - valleys, hemmed in by airy mountains of wondrous height, until its - waters empty into a tranquil sea, boundless and ‘beautiful - exceedingly;’ and on this, a myriad of swanlike barges are gliding to - and fro, without a breeze, while the voyagers are striking their - golden harps, and singing hymns of sweetest strain and holiest import, - whose echoes die away on the shadowy waves. There! all these, like the - dreams of youth, are melting into nothingness; and my eyes now rest - only upon the dark blue ocean. - - “The green waves of the Atlantic, with their undulating swell, come - rolling in upon the sand, making a plaintive music, sweeter than the - blended harmonies of a thousand instruments. Would that I might leap - in and wrestle with them, and, when overcome by fatigue, lay my heated - brow upon those cool watery pillows, rocked to sleep as in a cradle, - while my lullaby would be the moaning of the sea. The mists of morning - are all dispelled, and the glorious sunshine, emblem of God’s love, is - bathing with effulgent light the ocean before me, and behind me the - mountains and valleys of my own loved country. Look! how the white - caps chase each other along the watery plain, like the milk-white - steeds, striving in their freedom to outstrip the breeze. Whence comes - this breeze, and whither is it going? Three days ago, at set of sun, - it spread its wing near to a sandy desert of Africa, where a caravan - of camels, and horses, and men, had halted for the night; and at the - dawning of to-morrow, it will be sporting with the forest-trees of the - western wilderness! - - “Far as the eye can reach, the sea is ‘sprinkled o’er with ships,’ - their white sails gleaming in the sunlight. One of them has just - returned from India, another from the Pacific, and another from the - Arctic Sea. Years have elapsed since they departed hence. They have - been exposed to a thousand dangers; but the great God, who holds the - ocean in the hollow of his hand, has conducted them back to their - desired homes. How many silent prayers of thanksgiving, and what a - thrilling and joyous shout, will echo to the shore, as those - storm-beaten mariners drop anchor in their native waters! Yonder, too, - are other ships, bound to the remotest corners of the earth. They seem - to rejoice in their beauty and speed, and proud is their bearing; but - will they ever return? Alas! the shadowy future alone can answer. - Farewell, a long farewell, ye snowy daughters of the ocean.” - -But to return. Lilly Larnard is fond of music, too, and plays -delightfully on the harp. Her voice is sweeter than the fall of waters -when heard at a distance in the stillness of the twilight hour. She -knows nothing of fashion; and if she did, would consider it beneath her -dignity to be incommoded or swayed by it. Instead of decking herself -with gew-gaws for a brilliant appearance in the gay saloon, within sound -of the rude jest and foolish flattery, she strives by watchfulness and -care to purify her daily conduct; for hers is not less prone to sin than -all other human hearts. “Necklaces does she sometimes wear, in her -playful glee, made of the purple fruit that feeds the small birds in the -moors, and beautiful is the gentle stain then visible over the blue -veins of her swan-like bosom.” Beautiful as she is, a feeling of vanity -never yet entered the heart of the rector’s daughter. She feels too -deeply the truth, that personal charms, which are the only pride of -weak-minded persons, time will eventually transform into wrinkled -homeliness; and that an affectionate heart and good understanding will -endure, and become more perfect, until the pilgrimage of life is ended. - -Never has Lilly Larnard been more than thirty miles away from the -village of her birth. She has read of cities, and the busy multitudes -that throng them; of armies and navies; of politics and war; but all -these things to her are but as the visions of a dream. She is ignorant -of the real condition and character of the great world, for naught but -the echo of its din has ever fallen upon her ear. She listens with -wonder to the deeds of which we sometimes tell her we have been an -unwilling witness in the wilderness of men. She thinks it strange, that -the inhabitants of cities think so much of the present life, and so -little of the future. Her days have been spent in innocence beneath the -blue dome of the illimitable sky, inhaling the pure unadulterated air of -the country, now sporting in the sunshine, and now sprinkled by a -refreshing shower; while the loveliest of flowers and birds, and holy -and tender affections, have been her hourly companions; and her nights -have passed away in pleasant dreams of that bright world beyond the -stars. - - - - - BASSE FISHING. - - - “We delight, as all the world has long well known, in every kind of - fishing, from the whale to the minnow.” - Christopher North. - -The beautiful fish now chosen for our “subject theme” is a genuine -_native American_, and ranks high among the game fish of the country. -When fully grown, he is commonly about fifteen inches long, two inches -in thickness, and some five inches broad, weighing perhaps five or six -pounds. He belongs to the perch family, has a thick oval head, a swallow -tail, sharp teeth, and small scales. In color, he is deep black along -the back and sides, growing lighter and somewhat yellowish towards the -belly. He has a large mouth and is a bold biter, feeds upon minnows and -insects, is strong and active, and when in season possesses a fine -flavor. He spawns in the spring, recovers in July, and is in his prime -in September. - -The black basse is peculiarly a Western fish, and is not known in any of -the rivers which connect immediately with the Atlantic Ocean. They are -found in great abundance in the upper Mississippi and its tributaries, -in all the great lakes excepting Superior, in the upper St. Lawrence, in -Lake Champlain and Lake George, and nearly all the smaller lakes of New -York. In portions of the last-named State they are called the Oswego -basse, in the southwest the black perch, and in the northwest, where -they are most abundant, the black basse. In nearly all the waters where -they abound has it been our good fortune to angle for the fish, and his -very name is associated with much of the most beautiful scenery in the -land. Our own experience, however, in basse fishing is chiefly -identified with Lake George, Lake Erie, Lake Michigan, and the upper -Mississippi, and to these waters alone is it our purpose to devote a few -paragraphs. - -And, first, as to the beautiful “Horicon” of the North. Embosomed as it -is among the wildest of mountains, and rivaling, as do its waters, the -blue of heaven, it is indeed all that could be desired, and in every -particular worthy of its fame. Although this lake is distinguished for -the number and variety of its trout, I am inclined to believe that the -black basse found here afford the angler the greatest amount of sport. -They are taken during the entire summer, and by almost as great a -variety of methods as there are anglers; trolling with a minnow, -however, and fishing with a gaudy fly from the numerous islands in the -lake, are unquestionably the two most successful methods. As before -intimated, the basse is a very active fish, and, excepting the salmon, -we know of none that perform, when hooked, such desperate leaps out of -the water. They commonly frequent the immediate vicinity of the shores, -especially those that are rocky, and are seldom taken where the water is -more than twenty feet deep. They commonly lie close to the bottom, rise -to the minnow or fly quite as quickly as the trout, and are not as -easily frightened by the human form. - -The late William Caldwell, who owned an extensive estate at the southern -extremity of Lake George, was the gentleman who first introduced us to -the basse of said lake, and we shall ever remember him as one of the -most accomplished and gentlemanly anglers we have ever known. He was -partial to the trolling method of fishing, however, and the manner in -which he performed a piscatorial expedition was somewhat unique and -romantic. His right hand man on all occasions was a worthy mountaineer, -who lived in the vicinity of his mansion, and whose principal business -was to take care of the angler’s boat, and row him over the lake. For -many years did this agreeable connection exist between Mr. Caldwell and -his boatman, and, when their fishing days were over, was happily -terminated by the deeding of a handsome farm to the latter by his -munificent employer. But we intended to describe one of Mr. Caldwell’s -excursions. - -It is a July morning, and our venerable angler, with his boatman, has -embarked in his feathery skiff. The lake is thirty-three miles long, and -it is his intention to perform its entire circuit, thereby voyaging at -least seventy miles. He purposes to be absent about a week, and, having -no less than half a dozen places on the lake shore where he can find a -night’s lodging, he is in no danger of being compelled to camp out. His -little vessel is abundantly supplied with fishing tackle, as well as the -substantials of life, and some of its liquid luxuries. He and _Care_ -have parted company, and his heart is now wholly open to the influences -of nature, and therefore buoyant as the boat which bears him over the -translucent waters. The first day his luck is bad, and he tarries at a -certain point for the purpose of witnessing the concluding scene of a -deer hunt, and hearing the successful hunter expatiate upon his exploits -and the quality of his hounds. On the second day the wind is from the -south, and he secures no less than twenty of the finest basse in the -lake. On the third day he also has good luck, but is greatly annoyed by -thunder showers, and must content himself with one of the late magazines -which he has brought along for such emergencies. The fifth and sixth -days he has some good fishing, and spends them at Garfield’s Landing -(for the reader must know that there is a tiny steamboat on Lake -George), where he has an opportunity of meeting a brotherhood of -anglers, who are baiting for the salmon trout; and the seventh day he -probably spends quietly at Lyman’s Tavern, in the companionship of an -intelligent landscape painter (spending the summer there), arriving at -home on the following morning. - -As to our own experience in regard to basse fishing in Lake George, we -remember one incident in particular which illustrates an interesting -truth in natural history. We were on a trouting expedition, and happened -to reach the lake early in June, before the basse were in season, and we -were stopping with our friend Mr. Lyman, of Lyman’s Point. The idea -having occurred to us of spearing a few fish by torchlight, we secured -the services of an experienced fisherman, and with a boat well supplied -with _fat pine_, we launched ourselves on the quiet waters of the lake -about an hour after sundown. Basse were very abundant, and we succeeded -in killing some half dozen of a large size. We found them exceedingly -tame, and noticed, when we approached, that they were invariably alone, -occupying the centre of a circular and sandy place among the rocks and -stones. We inquired the cause of this, and were told that the basse were -casting their spawn, and that the circular places were the beds where -the young were protected. On hearing this our conscience was somewhat -troubled for what we had been doing, but we resolved to take one more -fish and then go home. We now came to a large bed, around the edge of -which we discovered a number of very small fish, and over the centre of -the bed a very large and handsome basse was hovering. We darted our -spear, and only wounded the poor fish. Our companion then told us that -if we would go away for fifteen minutes, and then return to the same -spot, we should have another chance at the same fish. We did so, and the -prediction was realized. We threw the spear again, and again missed our -game, though we succeeded in nearly cutting the fish in two pieces. “You -will have the creature yet; let us go away again,” said my companion. We -did so, and lo! to our utter astonishment, we again saw the fish, all -mutilated and torn, still hovering over its tender offspring! To relieve -it of its pain we darted the spear once more, and the basse lay in our -boat quite dead; and we returned to our lodgings on that night a -decidedly unhappy man. We felt, with the _ancient mariner_, that we -“_had done a hellish deed_” and most bitterly did we repent our folly. -Ever since that time have we felt a desire to atone for our wickedness, -and we trust that the shade of Izaak Walton will receive our humble -confession as an atonement. The basse that we took on the night in -question, owing to their being out of season, were not fit to eat, and -we had not even the plea of palatable food to offer. The maternal -affection of that black basse for its helpless offspring, which it -protected even unto death, has ever seemed to us in strict keeping with -the loveliness and holiness of universal nature. - -And now with regard to Lake Erie. We know not of a single prominent -river emptying into this lake in which the black basse is not found in -considerable numbers. The sport which they yield to the disciples of -Walton at the eastern extremity of the lake has been described by George -W. Clinton, Esq., of Buffalo, in a series of piscatorial letters -published in the journals of that city; and, as we would not interfere -with him while throwing the fly in his company on the same stream, -neither will we trespass upon that literary ground which he has so -handsomely made his own. When, however, we hear the green waves of Lake -Erie washing its western shores, we feel that we have a right to be -heard, for in that region, when it was for the most a lonely wilderness, -did we first behold the light of this beautiful world. With the windings -of the Sandusky, the Maumee, the Huron, and the Detroit rivers we are -quite familiar, and we know that they all yield an abundance of black -basse; but with the river Raisin we are as well acquainted as a child -could be with its mother’s bosom. Upon this stream was the home of our -boyhood, and at the bare mention of its name unnumbered recollections -flit across the mind, which to our hearts are inexpressibly dear. - -Even when a mere boy we esteemed the black basse as a peer among his -fellows, and never can we forget our first prize. We had seated ourself -at the foot of an old sycamore, directly on the margin of the river -Raisin, and among its serpent-like roots we were fishing for a number of -tiny rock basse that we had chanced to discover there. We baited with a -worm, and while doing our utmost to capture a two-ounce fish, we were -suddenly frightened by the appearance of a black basse, which took our -hook and was soon dangling in the top of a neighboring bush. Our delight -at this unexpected exploit was unbounded, and, after bothering our -friends with an account of it until the night was far spent, we retired -to bed, and in our dreams caught the same poor fish over and over again -until morning. From that day to this, rivers and fish have haunted us -like a passion. - -Like the trout, the black basse seems to be partial to the more romantic -and poetical places in the rivers which they frequent. On the river -Raisin, for example, we used to enjoy the rarest of sport at an old and -partly dilapidated mill-dam, which was covered with moss, and at the -foot of which were some of the nicest “deep holes” imaginable. Wherever -the timbers of the dam formed a “loop-hole of retreat,” there we were -always sure of finding a basse. And we also remember an old mill, in -whose shadowy recesses, far down among the foundation timbers, the basse -delighted to congregate, and where we were wont to spend many of our -Saturday afternoons; but our favorite expeditions were those which -occupied entire days, and led us along the banks of the Raisin, in the -vicinity of its mouth, and far beyond the hearing of the mill-wheel or -the clink of the blacksmith’s anvil. At such times the discovery of old -sunken logs was all that we cared for, for we knew that the basse -delighted to spend the noontide hours in their shadow. And when we could -borrow a canoe, and obtain a foothold on the extreme point of a wooded -island, so as to angle in the deep and dark holes, we seldom failed in -realizing all the enjoyment that we anticipated. And, if we chanced to -come across a party of fishermen drawing the seine, we were sure to -forget our promise to our parents to return home before sundown, and, -far too often for a good boy, did we remain with them even until the -moon had taken her station in the sky. To count the fish thus captured, -and to hear the strange adventures and exploits talked over by these -fishermen, was indeed a delightful species of vagabondizing; and we -usually avoided a very severe scolding by returning home “with one of -the largest basse ever caught in the river,” which we may have taken -with the hook or purchased of the fishermen. But we are talking of the -“times of the days of old,” and as we remember that the glories of the -River Raisin, in regard to its scenery and its fish, are for ever -departed, we hasten to other waters. - -In fancy we have now crossed the peninsula of Michigan, or rather -compassed it by means of the splendid steamers which navigate the waters -of Huron and Michigan, and we are now on the banks of the river St. -Joseph. This is a small river, and unquestionably one of the most -beautiful in the western world. It runs through an exceedingly fertile -country, abounds in luxuriant islands, is invariably as clear as -crystal, and in its course winding to an uncommon degree. It is -navigable for small steamboats to the village of Niles, fifty miles from -its mouth, and for batteaux somewhere about fifty miles further, towards -its source. Early in the spring it abounds in the more common varieties -of fresh-water fish, but throughout the summer and autumn it yields the -black basse in the greatest abundance. - -Our piscatorial experience upon the St. Joseph has not been very -extensive, but we deem it worthy of a passing notice. We were on our way -to the “Far West,” and had been waylaid in the beautiful village of -Niles by one of the fevers of the country. The physician who attended us -was a genuine angler, and we believe that our speedy recovery was owing -almost entirely to the capital fish stories with which he regaled us -during that uncomfortable period. Be that as it may, one thing we very -clearly remember, which is this: that we enjoyed some of the most -remarkable basse fishing in his company that we have ever experienced. -It was in September, and we commenced fishing at three o’clock in the -afternoon. We baited with live minnows, fished with hand lines, and from -a boat which was firmly anchored at a bend of the river, and just above -a long and very deep hole, two miles above the village of Niles. Our -lines were upwards of a hundred feet long, and, as the current was very -rapid, the pulling in of our minnows was performed with very little -trouble. The sun was shining brightly, and the only sounds which floated -in the air were the singing of birds, the rustling of the forest leaves, -and the gentle murmuring of the waters as they glided swiftly along the -luxuriant banks of the stream. We fished a little more than two hours, -but in that time we caught no less than ninety-two basse, a dozen of -which weighed over five pounds, and the great majority not less than two -pounds. Such remarkable luck had never been heard of before in that -vicinity, and of course for several days thereafter the river was -covered with boats; but, strange to say, nearly all the anglers returned -home disappointed. On a subsequent occasion, the doctor and his patient -made another trial at their favorite spot, but succeeded in taking only -a single fish, from which circumstance we came to the conclusion that we -had actually cleared that portion of the river of its fishy inhabitants. - -Before quitting the St. Joseph, we ought to state that its beautiful -tributaries, the Pipe Stone and the Paw-Paw, afford a superior quality -of basse, and that no pleasanter fishing-ground can anywhere be found -than at the mouth of the parent river itself. With regard to the other -principal rivers of western Michigan, we can only say that the Kalamazoo -and the Grand River are not one whit behind the St. Joseph in any of -those charms which win the affections of the angler and the lover of -nature. - -We come now to speak of the Upper Mississippi, in whose translucent -waters, as before stated, the black basse is found in “numbers -numberless.” Not only do they abound in the river itself and its noble -tributaries, but also in the lakes of the entire region. The only people -who angle for them, however, are the travelers who occasionally -penetrate into this beautiful wilderness of the Northwest. Generally -speaking, the basse, as well as all other kinds of fish, are taken by -the Indians with a wooden spear, and more to satisfy hunger than to -enjoy the sport. The angler who would cast a fly above Fort Snelling -must expect to spend his nights in an Indian lodge instead of a -white-washed cottage, to repose upon a bear-skin instead of a bed (such -as Walton loved) which “smells of lavender,” and to hear the howl of the -wolf instead of a “milk-maid’s song.” - -As our piscatorial recollections of the section of country just named -are not particularly interesting, and as it is attracting much attention -at the present time (1849), under the new name of _Minesota_, or _Turbid -Water_, we shall conclude our essay with the following general -description. - -According to the final provisions of the act of Congress which has -lately transferred this extensive wilderness into a Territory of the -United States, it is bounded on the north by the British possessions, on -the east by Lake Superior and the State of Wisconsin, on the south by -the State of Iowa, and on the west by the Missouri river and the -extensive possessions of the Indians. The surface of the country is -generally level, and it has been estimated that at least two-thirds of -its area consists of prairie land, the remainder being forest. Much of -the soil is fertile, and easy of cultivation. It is watered by no less -than six of the most superb rivers on the face of the earth—the -Mississippi and Missouri, River Au Jacques, the St. Peters, or Minesota -River, the Red River, emptying into Hudson’s Bay, and the St. Louis, -emptying into Lake Superior. Were it not for the Falls of St. Mary (a -canal having been built around those of Niagara), a vessel sailing from -the city of New York, by the St. Lawrence and the great lakes, might -deposit her merchandise almost within its very heart; while it is a -well-known fact that a New Orleans steamer may, by the Mississippi and -Missouri rivers, transport the products of the South to its more remote -extremities. The two facts, that Minesota is laved by the waters of the -largest lake in the world, and that in its very centre are located at -least a thousand lesser lakes, which constitute the fountainhead of the -Father of Waters, are in themselves sufficient to give it a world-wide -reputation. In addition to all this, the climate of this territory is -all that could be desired. The winters are indeed somewhat long and -cold, but they are regular; and, as to the summers, we have never -witnessed any that were to us so bracing and delightful. The dreaded -ague is a stranger in this region, and the very night-airs seem to -increase the strength of the voyagers and Indian traders, who, for the -most part, are the only civilized inhabitants of the domain. Game is -found in the greatest abundance, from the buffalo to the deer and the -grouse, and there is no region in the world where can be found a greater -variety of fresh-water fish. - -The Indian population is by far the most extensive now existing within -its limits, but the nations are only two in number, the Chippeways and -the Sioux. The wrongs which these unfortunate children of the wilderness -have for many years past endured from the more unprincipled traders are -among the blackest crimes of the white man, and it is to be most -sincerely hoped that a new order of things will now be brought about -which may in some slight degree atone for those wrongs. To us, who have -been a devoted lover of the red man, even from childhood, the fact that -the race is literally withering from the land of their fathers is indeed -depressing and sickening. With all his faults, we dearly love the poor -neglected and deeply-wronged Indian, and we verily believe that our -beloved country can never prosper, as it might, until we have done -something to atone for the unnumbered outrages committed against the -race by our more unworthy citizens. But we are wandering. - -With regard to the towns or villages existing at the present time in -Minesota, we can offer but little. So far as we now remember, they -consist of only three: Fond du Lac, on the St. Louis, a mere trading -post; St. Peters, at the mouth of the river of that name, distinguished -as the site of Fort Snelling, as being within five or six miles of the -Falls of St. Anthony, and at the head of steamboat navigation; and the -hamlet of St. Paul, which is on the west side of the Mississippi, only -about six miles below the mouth of the St. Peter’s. The fact that the -last-named place has been selected as the seat of government of the new -Territory renders it of some interest. It is situated on a bluff which -rises some fifty feet above the Mississippi, and, though flanked by a -thinly-wooded, or rather prairie country, the soil is fertile, and the -scenery both up and down the Mississippi is exceedingly beautiful. -Unlike that portion running south of the Missouri, this portion of the -great river is invariably translucent, and for many reasons is -interesting to an uncommon degree. Steamboats drawing only a few inches -of water navigate this portion of the river during the whole summer. -When we visited St. Paul (1846) the majority of its dwellings, if not -all (numbering not more than half a dozen), were built of logs, and, -though very comfortable, were not particularly showy. At that time, too, -the only business carried on there was that of trading with the Indians. -Our most vivid recollections of the place are associated with a supper -that we enjoyed in the cabin of the principal trader. We had lost -ourself in traveling by land from Lake St. Croix to the village, and for -many hours before our arrival we had been in a particularly hungry mood. -We entered St. Paul just as the sun was setting; and it so happened -that, on the very outskirts of the place, we chanced to kill a couple of -young coons. A portion of one of these animals, fried in its own fat, -with a dish of tea, constituted our supper, and a more truly -satisfactory supper we have hardly ever enjoyed, albeit we have been -quite an extensive traveler in the wilderness. If the citizens of St. -Paul only welcomed their newly-appointed governor by giving him a coon -supper, we feel confident that he was well pleased with the reception. - -With regard to the agricultural products, we cannot speak with much -confidence. Wild rice, we know, grows in great abundance, and is the -staple article of food with the Indians. For corn, the climate is -considered rather cold; but potatoes and the more common vegetables grow -to perfection. In many parts the maple-tree predominates, and a fine -sugar is produced in considerable quantities. The principal timbers are -pine and a dwarfish oak. The only Alpine region of Minesota is that -which lies upon Lake Superior, and the beautiful mountains which here -kiss the blue of heaven are invariably covered with a miscellaneous -forest; and, if half the stories we have heard are true, they must -abound in the valuable minerals of copper and silver. - -Those of our readers who may desire further information in regard to the -Territory of Minesota would do well to consult the following -authorities, viz., Gen. Pike, who traveled through the region in 1806; -Henry R. Schoolcraft’s Travels, both in 1820 and 1832; Major Long, who -visited Leech Lake in 1823; and M. Nicolet, whose map of the region is -exceedingly valuable; an occasional item of information may also be -obtained from a little work entitled “A Summer in the Wilderness,” -published in 1846. - - - - - A VIRGINIA BARBECUE. - - -The word _barbecue_ is said to be derived from a combination of two -French words, signifying _from the head to the tail_, or rather, -“according to the moderns,” _the whole figure, or the whole hog_. By -some, this species of entertainment is thought to have originated in the -West India Islands. However this may be, it is quite certain that it was -first introduced into this country by the early settlers of Virginia; -and though well known throughout all the Southern States, it is commonly -looked upon as a “pleasant invention” of the Old Dominion. The idea was -evidently conceived by a rural population, and in a district where -villages and the ordinary public buildings of the present time were few -and far between. For purposes of business or pleasure, the people found -it necessary, or advisable, to meet together in masses, at stated -periods; and as these meetings were made a kind of rural festival, and -as the animals served up on such occasions were commonly roasted entire, -it was not unnatural that the feast should eventually have become known -as a barbecue. - -Of the genus barbecue, as it exists at the present time, we believe -there are only two varieties known to the people of Virginia, and these -may be denominated as social and political. The social barbecue is -sometimes given at the expense of a single individual, but more commonly -by a party of gentleman, who desire to gratify their friends and -neighbors by a social entertainment. At times, the ceremony of issuing -written invitations is attended to; but, generally speaking, it is -understood that all the yeomanry of the immediate neighborhood, with -their wives and children, will be heartily welcomed, and a spirit of -perfect equality invariably prevails. The spot ordinarily selected for -the meeting is an oaken grove in some pleasant vale, and the first -movement is to dispatch to the selected place a crowd of faithful -negroes, for the purpose of making all the necessary arrangements. If -the barbecue is given at the expense of half a dozen gentlemen, you may -safely calculate that at least thirty servants will be employed in -bringing together the good things. Those belonging to one of the -entertainers will probably make their appearance on the ground with a -wagon load of fine young pigs: others will bring two or three lambs, -others some fine old whisky and a supply of wine, others the necessary -table-cloths, plates, knives, and forks, others an abundance of bread, -and others will make their appearance in the capacity of musicians. When -the necessaries are thus collected, the servants all join hands and -proceed with their important duties. They first dig a pit, four feet -wide, two or three deep, and as long as they require, into which they -throw a quantity of wood, for the purpose of obtaining therefrom a bed -of burning coals. This done, the more expert kitchen negroes proceed to -roast (by laying them upon sticks across the fires) the various animals -prepared for the occasion. In the mean time, all the other arrangements -are progressing, such as spreading the white cloths upon the temporary -board tables, and clearing a place for dancing. The guests begin to -assemble about ten o’clock, and by noon there is hardly a tree within -hailing distance of the centre of attraction to which a horse is not -fastened. The assembly is quite large; and white dresses and scarlet -shawls are as numerous as the summer flowers upon the neighboring hills. -Old men are here with their wives and daughters, in whose veins floweth -the best of aristocratic blood; young husbands with their wives; -unmarried gentlemen with a bevy of laughing girls under their charge; -and children of every age, from the wild and boisterous boy to little -girls just old enough to totter after a butterfly. One, or perhaps two -hours, are then spent by the multitude in playing rural games, in social -converse, in telling stories, or in discussing the news of the day. -Finally, the pigs and lambs have all been roasted, and the feast is -ready; whereupon there followeth as busy and satisfactory a scene as can -well be imagined. After it is ended, the negroes come into rightful -possession of all the tables and the abundance of good things left over; -and, having quietly invited a number of their friends, with their -families, they proceed to enjoy their portion of the entertainment, -which is generally concluded by a regular negro frolic, with banjo and -fiddle, in a neighboring grove. In due time, after the more substantial -feature of the barbecue has been enjoyed, the musicians are summoned to -their allotted places, and the entire party of ladies and gentlemen -proceed to trip the light fantastic toe. The exercise continues for -whole hours, and white-haired men and little girls are seen wending -their way through the intricate mazes of the country dance and the -Virginia reel. As the sun nears the horizon, the more advanced members -of the party quietly take their departure, leaving a cloud of dust -behind them on the road. By the time the last day-flower has closed its -petal, the young men and maidens have entire possession of the barbecue -ground; and having wound up the last reel by the light of the newly -risen moon, they dismiss the musicians, gather together their hats and -shawls, and with many a song and jest return to their several homes. - -With regard to the political barbecue, we have to remark that it differs -from the one already described only in the following particulars: It is -generally gotten up by the leaders of one of the political parties, and -speeches take the place of dancing, although ladies in considerable -numbers are invariably in attendance. Previous to the appointed day for -the political barbecue, a placard is nailed to all the barn doors and -blacksmith shops in the district or county where it occurs, to the -effect that “several distinguished speakers will be present on the -occasion,” and that the people of all parties are invited to be present. -If the entertainers on this occasion are of the Whig party, the first -speech, as a matter of course, is delivered by a Whig orator, and it is -no uncommon sight to see this gentleman standing literally _on the -stump_. After he has taken his seat, he is usually followed by a brother -orator of the Democratic party; and so, alternately, are the principles -of the prevailing parties fully discussed. Generally speaking, the -greatest decorum exists, not only among the speakers but among the -listeners; and if severe remarks are dropped in the heat of debate, they -are not commonly considered of sufficient consequence to create a breach -between personal friends. There are times, however, when even the -political barbecue is concluded by a dance; but as the crowd is then -particularly miscellaneous, the hilarity which usually prevails is apt -to be a little too boisterous. When given in the autumn, new cider -usually takes the place of more stimulating drinks (so far as the -multitude are concerned, at any rate), and when this is the case, it is -very seldom that any improprieties occur. But, generally speaking, a -genuine Virginia barbecue, whether of a political or social character, -is a rural entertainment which deserves far more praise than censure, -and we know of none which affords the stranger a better opportunity of -studying the character of the yeomanry of the Southern States. - - - - - DEATH IN THE WILDERNESS. - - -Midway between the St. Louis River and Sandy Lake, in the Territory of -Minesota, is to be found one of the largest and most forbidding of -tamarack swamps. From time immemorial it has been a thing of dread, not -only to the Indians, but also to the traders and voyagers, for directly -across its centre runs the portage train leading from the waters of Lake -Superior to those of the Upper Mississippi. For a goodly portion of the -year it is blocked up with snow, and during the summer is usually so far -covered with water as only occasionally to afford a little island of -coarse vegetation. It is so desolate a place as to be uninhabited even -by wild animals, and hence the pleasures of traveling over it are far -from being manifold. In fact, the only way in which it can be overcome -during the vernal months is by employing a rude causeway of logs for the -more dangerous places; and as it happens to be directly on the route of -a portage over which canoes and packs of furs are annually transported -to a considerable extent, we cannot wonder that it should frequently be -the scene of mishaps and accidents. Evidences to prove this, we -distinctly remember to have seen, when once crossing the swamp, for all -along the trail were the skeletons of canoes, which had been abandoned -by their owners, together with broken paddles and remnants of camp -furniture. But the most interesting object that we witnessed in this -remote corner of the wilderness was a rude wooden cross, surmounting a -solitary grave. And connected with this grave is the following story, -obtained from one who assisted at the burial. - -It was a summer day, and many years ago, when a stranger made his -appearance at the Sault St. Marie. He reported himself as coming from -Montreal and anxious to obtain a canoe passage to the head waters of the -Mississippi. He was a Frenchman, of elegant address, and in easy -circumstances, so far as one could judge from his stock of traveling -comforts. His name and business, however, were alike unknown, and hence -a mystery attended his every word and movement. Having purchased a new -canoe and a comfortable tent, he secured the services of four stalwart -Chippeways and started upon his western pilgrimage. He sailed along the -southern shore of Lake Superior, and as its unique features developed -themselves to his view one after another, he frequently manifested the -gratification he experienced in the most enthusiastic manner, thereby -increasing the mystery which surrounded him. Wholly unacquainted with -the language spoken by his companions, he could only converse with them -by signs; but though they could not relate to him the traditions -associated with the sandstone cliffs, mountains, and beautiful islands -which they witnessed, they did everything in their power to make him -comfortable. They entered his tent and built his watch-fire at night, -supplied him with game and fish, and during the long pleasant days, when -skimming over the blue waters, entertained him with their romantic but -uncouth songs. In due time, they reached the superb and most picturesque -St. Louis River, surmounted by means of many portages its waterfalls, -entered and ascended one of its tributaries, and finally drew up their -canoe at the eastern extremity of the portage leading over the tamarack -swamp. - -The spot where the voyagers landed was distinguished for its beauty, and -as they arrived there in the afternoon, they concluded that a better -place could not be found to spend the night. The tent of the stranger -was therefore erected, and while the Indians busied themselves in -preparing the evening meal, the former amused himself by exploring the -immediate vicinity of the encampment. He wandered into a neighboring -swamp for the purpose of obtaining a few roots of the _sweet flag_ of -which he was particularly fond, and on his return to the tent ate an -unreasonable quantity of what he had collected. On that night he was -taken sick, and while endeavoring to account for heart-burning and -severe pains that he experienced, he pulled out of his pocket a specimen -of the root he had eaten and handed it to the Indians. They were -surprised at this movement, but on examining the root they found it to -be a deadly poison, whereupon they managed to inform the stranger that -he had made a great mistake, and would probably lose his life. This -intelligence was of course received with amazement and horror, and the -unhappy man spent a most agonizing night. At daybreak he was a little -better, and insisted upon immediately continuing his journey. The -voyagers obeyed, and packing up their plunder, started across the -portage in single file. The excitement which filled the mind of the -stranger seemed to give new energy to his sinews, and he traveled for -about an hour with great rapidity; but by the time he reached the centre -of the tamarack swamp his strength failed him, and he was compelled to -call a halt. Upon one of the green islands, already mentioned the -Indians erected his tent, and, with all the blankets and robes belonging -to the company, made him as comfortable as possible. The hours of the -day were nearly numbered: the stranger had endured the severest agony, -and he knew that he was about to die! He divested himself of his -clothes, and with all his papers and other personal property, motioned -that they should be placed in a heap a few paces from the door of his -tent. His request was obeyed. He then handed them all the money he had, -and dispatched all his attendants upon imaginary errands into the -neighboring woods, and when they returned they found the heap of clothes -and other property changed into heaps of ashes. They supposed the sick -man had lost his reason, and therefore did not deem his conduct -inexplicable. They only increased their kind attentions, for they felt -that the stream of life was almost dry. Again did the stranger summon -the Indians to his side, and pulling from his breast a small silver -crucifix, motioned to them that they should plant upon his grave a -similar memento; and hiding it again in the folds of his shirt, cast a -lingering and agonizing look upon the setting sun, and in this manner -breathed his last. - -By the light of the moon did the Indians dig a grave on the spot where -the stranger died, into which they deposited his remains, with the -crucifix upon his breast. At the head of the grave, they planted a rude -cross made of the knotty tamarack wood, and after a night of troubled -repose, started upon their return to the Sault St. Marie, where they -finally recounted the catastrophe of their pilgrimage. And such is the -story that we heard of the lonely cross on the northern wilderness -surmounting the remains of the nameless exile. - - - - - ROCK FISHING. - - - Of recreations, there is none - So fine as fishing is alone; - All other pastimes do no less - Than mind and body both possess: - My hands alone my work can do, - So I can fish and study too. - Isaak Walton. - - - THE STRIPED BASSE, OR ROCK-FISH. - -We consider the rock-fish, striped basse, one of the finest game fish to -be found in American waters. From all that we can learn, it is peculiar -to this country, and to particular sections, not being found farther -north than Maine, nor farther south than the Carolinas, where it is -known as the Rock-Fish. It varies in weight from six ounces to one -hundred pounds; and though a native of the ocean, it spends a portion of -every year in the fresh water rivers—yet it seems to be partial to the -mouths of our larger estuaries. Our naturalists have pronounced it a -member of the perch family, and doubtless with scientific propriety; but -we have seen a basse that would outweigh at least four score of the -largest perch found in the country. The rock is a thick-set and solid -fish, having a strong bony mouth, and sharp teeth. In color, it varies -from a deep green on the back to a rich silvery hue on the belly, and -its scales are large and of a metallic lustre. But the distinguishing -feature of this fish consists in the striped appearance of its body. -Running from the head nearly to the tail, there are no less than eight -regularly marked lines, which in the healthy fish are of a deep black. -Its eyes are white, head rather long, and the under jaw protrudes beyond -the upper one, somewhat after the manner of the pike. The strength of -the basse is equal to that of the salmon, but in activity it is -undoubtedly inferior. As an article of food, it is highly valued, and in -all the Atlantic cities invariably commands a good price. - -The spawning time of this fish we have not positively ascertained, -though we believe it to be in the spring or early summer. The New York -markets are supplied with them throughout the year, but it is -unquestionably true that they are in their prime in the autumn. The -smaller individuals frequent the eddies of our rivers, while those of a -larger growth seem to have a fancy for the reefs along the coast. On the -approach of winter, they do not strike for the deep water, but find a -residence in the bays and still arms of the sea, where they remain until -the following spring. They begin to take the hook in April, and, -generally speaking, afford the angler any quantity of sport until the -middle of November. For the smaller fish at the North, the shrimp and -minnow are the most successful baits; and for the larger individuals -nothing can be better than the skin of an eel, neatly fastened upon a -squid. The river fisherman requires a regular fit out of salmon tackle, -while he who would capture the monsters of the ocean only needs a couple -of stout Kirby hooks, a small sinker, a very long and heavy line, a gaff -hook, and a surf boat. But those who capture the basse for lucrative -purposes resort to the following more effectual methods—first by using -set lines, and secondly by the employment of gill-nets and the seine. -The sport of taking a twenty-pound basse in a convenient river is allied -to that of capturing a salmon, but as the former is not a very skittish -fish, the difficulties are not so great. As before intimated, all our -Atlantic rivers, from the Penobscot to the Savannah, are regularly -visited by the basse; but we are inclined to believe that they are found -in the greatest abundance and perfection along the shores of -Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Maine. At any rate, our -own experience has been confined to this region; and though we remember -with unfeigned pleasure our success in taking the larger varieties along -the shores of Martha’s Vineyard, at Montauk Point, and in the vicinity -of Watch Hill, yet we are disposed to yield the palm to Block Island. -This out-of-the-way spot of the green earth belongs to Rhode Island, -comprises a whole county of that State, and lies about forty miles from -the main shore. It is nine miles in length, and varies in width from -three to four miles. It is quite hilly, with an occasional rocky shore, -contains a number of salt water ponds, and is covered with a scanty -growth of trees and other vegetation. The male inhabitants, numbering -only a few hundred souls, are devoted exclusively to the fishing -business, and they are as amiable and honest at heart, as they are rude -and isolated in their manner of life. Block Island sailors frequently -find their way to the remotest quarters of the globe, though few who -were born upon the island ever become entirely weaned from its -ocean-girt shores. The Block Island fishermen build their own smacks, -and as these are about the only things they do manufacture, they have -acquired remarkable skill in building swift vessels, which are also -distinguished for their strength and safety. - -The pleasantest time to kill basse at Block Island is in the month of -October, and immediately after a severe blow, for then it is that the -larger fish seek a sheltering place between the reefs and the shore. And -if the angler would be certain of success, he ought to be upon the water -before sunrise, or at the break of day. He must have only one companion, -a stalwart Block Islander, whose duty it shall be to steady the boat, as -she dashes along upon the restless bosom of the ground swell, so that, -with his legs carefully braced, he can throw his squid to a great -distance, instead of being thrown himself into the sea. And if an -occasional shark should stray into the vicinity of his boat, he must not -suffer himself to be alarmed, for a single discharge from the -fisherman’s pistol (which he usually carries for that purpose) will be -sure to frighten the monster out of his way. Gulls without number, large -and small, of a dark gray and a pure white, will be sure to fly -screaming above his head, and their wild chorus will mingle well with -the monotonous war of the waves as they sweep upon the shore. The -fatigue attendant upon this mode of fishing is uncommonly great; and if -the angler should happen to strike a forty-pounder, he will be perfectly -satisfied with that single prize; but if his luck should lie among the -smaller varieties, he ought to be content with about half a dozen -specimens, weighing from ten to fifteen pounds, which would probably be -the result of the morning’s expedition. On returning to the shore, the -angler will find himself in a most impatient mood for breakfast; but -with a view of enhancing the anticipated enjoyment, he should first -throw aside his clothes and make a number of plunges in the pure white -surf, which will cause him to feel as strong and supple as a leopard. - -We did think of commenting upon Block Island as a most fitting place to -study the mighty ocean, for the waves which wash its shores come from -the four quarters of the globe. It so happens, however, that we have -just been reading a passage in an admirable little volume entitled “_The -Owl Creek Letters_” (the author is a man after our own heart), which was -written at Block Island, and we are sure the passage in question would -“take the wind out of any sail” that our pen might produce. The passage -alluded to is as follows:— - -“Men speak of our ‘mother the earth.’ But I never could appreciate the -metaphor. A hard mother is old Terra. She refuses us food, save when -compelled by hard struggling with her, and then yields it reluctantly. -She deceives us too often, and finally takes us, when worn and weary, -only by the difficult digging of a grave. - -“But the ocean is mother-like, singing songs to us continually, and -telling a thousand legends to our baby ears. She casts up toys to us on -every shore, bright shells and pebbles. (What else do we live for?) -True, maniac as she is, she sometimes raves madly and hurls her children -from her arms, but see how instantly she clasps them again close, close -to her heaving bosom, and how calmly and quietly they sleep there—as she -sings to them—nor wake again to sorrow.” - -As to basse fishing in the vicinity of New York, where scientific -anglers are quite abundant, it affords us pleasure to give our readers -the following account, written at our request by G. C. Scott, Esq., who -is quite distinguished for his love and practical knowledge of the -gentle art. - -“The weather and the tide are in our favor, and the moon all right, for -this planet, you must know, always gives the basse an excellent appetite -and great activity. Speaking of its influence upon the appetite of fish, -reminds me that those in the waters near the ocean bite best in the new -of the moon; whilst salt water fish which are up the creeks and near to -fresh water, are killed in the greatest number during high tides, and -immediately after a hard ‘nor’easter,’ when the wind has shifted to the -north-west. You may prove these facts without going half a dozen miles -from old Gotham, and I have always noticed that it is better fishing in -‘the Kills’ and at the hedges of Newark Bay, as well as at those in the -lower part of the Bay of New York, when the tide is high; while the -fishing at King’s Bridge and the mouth of Spiting Devil is always best -at extreme low tides. - -“As we are out after basse, suppose we ‘make a day of it,’ and first try -the bridge at Haerlem Dam. Being an angler yourself, you know of course -that much depends upon bait, and we will want to use the best. As it is -the month of August, we will purchase a few shedder crabs in the market; -and if we find shrimp necessary, we can procure enough of them at either -of the fishing-grounds. During the spring, I use shad roes for basse -bait; but in summer, and until the first of October, I prefer shedder -crabs; after that, I use shrimp and soft-shell clams. Some anglers -prefer shrimp at all seasons, as it is well known that small basse are -more generally taken with them; but for my part, give me shedder crabs -enough, and I will agree to forego the use of all other kinds of bait -for basse. Next, you may want to know how to rig your tackle? Where we -are going to-day, you want nothing but a good basse rod, reel and float, -with a single gut leader, to which you fasten a hook and attach it to -the line one-third of its length from the hook. Use your float only when -the tide runs slowly, for bottom fishing is the best for large fish, -unless you troll for them, when you use a squid and fish in the Bronx -with a regular trolling tackle, of sufficient strength to land a fish -weighing one hundred and fifty pounds, for they are sometimes caught -there of that weight, but generally from thirty to eighty pounds. - -“Well, having arrived at King’s Bridge, and as it is about ebb tide, we -will first see what we can kill from the east bridge. I like bridge -fishing, for it is so fine to pay out line from; and then in striking a -fish thirty yards off, there is so much sport in playing him, and your -being such a distance above the water, you generally fasten him at the -first bite. Reel off! reel off! you have struck him! There! give him -play, but feel his weight and let him contend for every inch of line -that you give him, or he will take the whole of it without exhausting -himself, and you will lose him. Keep him in slack water, and after -playing him until you kill him, land him on the shore, for he is too -heavy to risk your tackle in raising him to the bridge. And now, having -fished out the last of the ebb, and the turn until the tide runs too -fast to use a float, just step into this punt and we will anchor out -near the edge of the current, by the first island below the mill, and -fish in the current without the float, until the tide turns, when we -will make for the mouth of the Spiting Devil, and fish fifty rods below -it in the Hudson. - -“Now, my friend, this day’s sport may be considered a fair criterion for -these grounds. We have taken between twenty and thirty basse, but there -is only one that weighs over five pounds, and their average weight will -not vary much from half that. To-night we will troll in the Bronx, for -if the sky be clear, the basse will bite sooner at a squid ‘by the light -of the moon’ than in the day time; and there is very little use in -stopping to try McComb’s Dam, as the sport will not be first-rate there -until the Croton Aqueduct is finished and the coffer dam is torn away, -so that the fish may have a clear run and unobstructed passage between -the East and Hudson rivers. It is supposed that this will be effected -next year, when McComb’s Dam will retrieve its lost honors and furnish -one of the best places for sport in this vicinity, to those who prefer -bridge fishing. - -“Having given you a taste of the sport on the waters bounding this -island on the north and east, let us to-day fasten our punt to the lower -hedges of New York bay, and try the difference between ‘bottom fishing,’ -and that ‘with the float.’ I will remark, in passing, that it is better -to anchor your punt about a rod above the hedge and fish towards the -hedge without a float, than to fasten your boat to the hedge, as -commonly practiced, and fish with a float; for you will notice that -while you, in the old way, are continually reeling up and making casts, -I am feeling for them with a moving bait toward the bottom, and as near -the hedge as I can venture without getting fast. And then when I strike, -I am sure to fasten them as they turn from me for the shelter of the -hedge. I can also better play my bait without the danger of too much -slack. You will see also that I kill the largest fish. - -“Let us now up anchor and away for the Kills and to the reef opposite -Port Richmond. Here the fish are about as large as those at the hedges -we just left. The tide is nearly full, and we will fish without the -float until it is about to turn, when we will move over to the Jersey -shore about fifty rods below the mouth of Newark Bay. Here, as the tide -is just in the turn, we can fish an hour of the ebb with floats, when it -will be best to try bottom-fishing again. Well, if you are tired of -killing younglings varying from one to three pounds, let us put the punt -about and prepare for a beautiful row up to the third, fourth, and fifth -hedges in Newark Bay—trying each one—and we may strike some fish that -will try our tackle. Change your leader for a heavier one and let go the -anchor, for we are three rods above the hedge. The water is quite slack, -and we will try the float until the tide ebbs a little more and the -current becomes more rapid. There, sir, what think you of that? He feels -heavy—see him spin! take care of your line or he’ll get foul, as I -cannot govern him, and it will be with great difficulty that I keep him -out of the hedge. What a splendid leap! I’ll see if I can turn him—here -he comes—take the landing net—there! there, we have him, and I will bet -the champagne that he weighs nearer twenty pounds than ten! - -“Thus, my friend, having shown you the principal grounds and informed -you of the bait and tackle to be used in killing basse in this vicinity, -I hope that you will not be at loss for piscatorial sport when trying -your skill in the waters of old Gotham.” - -It is now time that we should say something about basse or rock fishing -in the South. The only streams frequented by this fish, of which we have -any personal knowledge, are the Potomac, and Roanoke, though we have -heard many wonderful stories related of the James River and the Great -Pedee. In speaking of the Potomac we are sorely tempted to indite an -episode upon the beautiful and magnificent sweeps which this river makes -after it leaves the gorge of Harper’s Ferry until it loses itself in -Chesapeake Bay, and also upon its historical associations, among which -the genius of Washington reigns supreme—but it is our duty to forbear, -for we should occupy too much time. - -Unquestionably, the finest rock-ground on the Potomac is the place known -as the Little Falls, about four miles above Georgetown. At this point -the river is only fifty yards wide, and as the water descends not more -than about ten feet in running three hundred yards, the place might be -more appropriately termed a schute than a fall. The banks on either side -are quite abrupt and picturesque; the bed of the stream is of solid -rock, and below the rapids are a number of inviting pools, where the -water varies from forty to sixty feet in depth. The tides of the ocean -reach no further up the Potomac than this spot, and though the rock-fish -are caught in considerable numbers at the Great Falls (which are ten -miles further up the river, and exceedingly romantic), yet they seem to -be partial to the Little Falls, where they are frequently found in very -great numbers. They follow the shad and the herring in the spring, but -afford an abundance of sport from the 1st of May until the 4th of July, -though they are caught in certain portions of the Potomac through the -year, but never above the Great Falls. The rock of this portion of the -Potomac vary in weight from two to eighteen or twenty pounds, and it is -recorded of the anglers and business fishermen that they frequently kill -no less than five hundred fish in a single day. The favorite bait in -this region is the belly part of the common herring, as well as the -shiner and smelt; but it is frequently the case that a common yellow -flannel fly will commit sad havoc among the striped beauties. A stout -rod, a large reel, and a long line are important requisites to the -better enjoyment of rock-fishing at this point; but as the good standing -places are few in number, many anglers resort to boat-fishing, which is -here practiced with pleasure and profit. Of the many scientific anglers -who visit the Little Falls during the spring and summer, the more expert -ones come from Washington; and of one of these the story is related that -he once killed no less than eighty handsome rock-fish in a single -afternoon. He occupied a dangerous position upon two pointed rocks in -the river (one foot upon each rock and elevated some five feet above the -water), and fished in a pool that was some seventy feet down the stream, -while the fish were landed by an expert servant stationed on the shore -about thirty feet below the spot occupied by the angler. The gentleman -alluded to is acknowledged to be the most successful angler in this -region, and in an occasional conversation with him, we have obtained a -goodly number of piscatorial anecdotes. One or two of them are as -follows:— - -On one occasion, while playing a good-sized rock-fish, it unfortunately -ran around a sharp rock, and by cutting the line made its escape, -carrying off the angler’s float, and a favorite fly. On the third day -after this event a boy who was playing on the river about half a mile -below the Falls, happened to see a cork darting hither and thither -across the surface of the water, and immediately went in pursuit of the -life-like piece of wood. After many twistings and turnings and a long -row, he finally overtook it, and to his utter astonishment he landed in -his boat a very handsome five pound Basse. He recognized the fly as the -one commonly employed by our angler, to whom the fly, the float and the -fish were promptly delivered by the honest boy. - -Another and a similar incident was as follows: - -Our angling friend had lost another float, by the obstinacy of another -fish. About a week after the mishap a fisherman who had a “trot line” -set across the river at Georgetown, for the purpose of taking cat-fish, -discovered a great splashing in the water near the middle of his line, -and on hastening to the spot he had the pleasure of pulling up a very -handsome twelve pound Basse. After faring sumptuously upon the fish, the -fortunate individual took it into his head that the tackle belonged to -_the_ angler of the Falls, whereupon he delivered it to our friend, -accompanied with a statement of the manner in which he made the -discovery. The distance traveled by that fish, with a hook in his mouth, -was four miles, and it was by the merest accident that his leading -string had become entangled with the “trot line.” - -The angling ground at the Little Falls is annually rented by the -proprietors to a couple of men named Joe Paine and Jim Collins, who are -the presiding geniuses of the place, and have been such for upwards of -twenty years. They pay a rent of seventy dollars per annum, and as they -receive from fifty cents to five dollars from every angler who visits -them, and as they are occasionally troubled with as many as thirty -individuals per day, it may readily be imagined that their income is -quite respectable. Some of Collins’ friends allege that he has several -thousand dollars stowed away in an old pocket book, which it is his -intention to bequeath to a favorite nephew, he himself being a bachelor. -The reputation of Jim Collins in this section of country is very -extensive, and that this should be the case is not at all strange, for -he is a decided original. He is about fifty years of age, measures six -feet five inches in height, and the offshoots from the four prongs of -his body number _twenty-four_ instead of twenty as in ordinary mortals; -I mean by this, that his fingers and toes number no less than -twenty-four. Notwithstanding this bountiful supply of fingers and toes, -Jim Collins has a great antipathy to useful labor, and is as averse to -walking as any other web-footed animal. Fishing and sleeping are his two -principal employments; and that he is a judge of good whisky, none of -his acquaintance would have the hardihood to doubt. The taking of small -fish he considers a business beneath his dignity, and the consequence is -that his tackle consists of a miniature bed cord, with a hook and cedar -pole to match, and his bait a whole herring. He commonly fishes in a -boat, and the dexterity with which he “_Kawallups_” the fish upon his -lap is truly astonishing. But if you would see Jim Collins in his glory, -wait until about the middle of a June afternoon, after he has pocketed -some fifteen dollars, and he is sunning himself, with pipe in mouth, -upon the rocks, absorbed in _fishy contemplations_. His appearance at -such times is allied to that of a mammoth crane, watching (as he does -his cockney brethren of the craft) the movements of a lot of -half-fledged water birds. - -During the fishing season he is generally actively employed, but the -remainder of his time he spends about the Little Falls, as if his -presence were indispensable to the safe passage of the waters of the -Potomac through this narrow gorge. That Jim Collins should have met with -many queer mishaps, during a residence of twenty years on the Potomac, -may be readily imagined; but we believe, the most unique adventure of -which he has ever been the victim, happened on this wise. The substance -of the story is as follows:— - -Our hero is a great lover of “sturgeon meat,” and for many years past it -has been a habit with him to fish for that huge leather mouthed monster -with a large cord and sharp graffling hooks, sinking them to the bottom -with a heavy weight and then dragging them across the bed of the stream; -his sense of touch being so exquisite, that he can always tell the -instant that his hooks have struck the body of a sturgeon, and when this -occurs it is almost certain that the fish becomes a victim to the cruel -art. In practising this mode of fishing, Jim Collins invariably occupies -a boat alone, which he first anchors in the stream. On one occasion he -had been fishing in this manner for a long time without success, and for -the want of something more exciting, he had resorted more frequently -than usual to his junk bottle. In process of time, however, he found the -exercise of fishing decidedly a bore, but as he was determined not to -give up the sport and at the same time was determined to enjoy a quiet -nap, he tied the cord to his right arm, and lounged over on his back for -the purpose of taking a snooze. There was an unusual calmness in the air -and upon the neighboring hills, and even the few anglers who were -throwing the fly at the Falls, did so in the laziest manner imaginable. -While matters were in this condition, a sudden splash broke the -surrounding stillness, which was immediately followed by a deafening -shout, for it was discovered that a sturgeon had pulled poor Collins out -of his boat into the swift stream, and was in great danger of leading -him off to the residence of _David Jones_. At one moment the fisherman -seemed to have the upper hand, for he pulled upon his rope, and swore -loudly, sprawling about the water like a huge devil fish; but in another -instant the poor fellow would suddenly disappear, and an occasional -bubble rising to the surface of the stream, was all the evidence that -the fellow was not quite drowned. This contest lasted for some fifteen -minutes, and had not the sturgeon finally made his escape, Jim Collins -would have been no more. As it happened, however, he finally reached the -shore, about two hundred yards below the Falls, and as he sat upon a -rock, quite as near the river Styx as he was to the Potomac, he lavished -some heavy curses upon the escaped sturgeon, and insisted upon it, that -the best hooks that man ever made were now forever lost. Years have -elapsed since this occurrence took place, and when the ancient Fisherman -“hath his will,” he recounts the story of this catastrophe with as -brilliant a fire in his eye as that which distinguished the countenance -of Coleridge’s particular friend, the “Ancient Mariner.” - -Before closing this essay, it is “right and proper” that we should -allude to the beautiful scenery that the angler will enjoy in going to -and returning from the Little Falls. The entire region, in fact, known -by the name of Cooney, and comprehending some fifteen miles of the -Potomac, is particularly picturesque, but is at the same time said to be -the most barren and useless portion of Virginia. In visiting the Falls -you have to pass over a kind of wooded and rocky interval, and by an -exceedingly rough road, which is annually submerged by the spring -freshets. The water here sometimes rises to the height of fifty feet, -and often makes a terrible display of its power; on one occasion the -water came down the valley with such impetuosity that a certain wall -composed of rocks six or eight feet square, and united together with -iron, was removed to a distance of many rods from its original position. -To the stranger who may visit the Little Falls, we would say forget not -on your return to Washington, the superb prospect which may be seen from -the Signal Tree on the Heights of Georgetown. From that point the eye -comprehends at one glance, the church spires and elegant residences of -Georgetown, the Metropolis of the land, with its capitol and numerous -public buildings, and the more remote city of Alexandria, with a reach -of the magnificent Potomac, extending a distance of at least thirty -miles. The better time to look upon this prospect, is at the sunset -hour, when the only sounds that fill the air are the shrieking of the -swallows, and the faintly heard song of a lazy sailor far away upon the -river, where perhaps a score or two of vessels are lying becalmed, while -on the placid stream a retinue of crimson clouds are clearly and -beautifully reflected. Scenes of more perfect loveliness are seldom -found in any land. - - - - - RATTLESNAKES. - - -We believe that we have seen a greater number of these reptiles, in our -various journeyings, and been more intensely frightened by them than any -other scenery-loving tourist or angler in the country, and hence the -idea of our present essay. We shall record our stock of information for -the benefit of the general reader, rather than for the learned and -scientific, beginning our remarks with what we know of the character of -that really beautiful and magnanimous, but most deadly animal, which was -adopted as the Revolutionary emblem of our country, as the eagle is now -the emblem of the Republic. - -The rattlesnake derives its name from an instrument attached to its -tail, consisting of a series of hollow scaly pieces which, when shaken, -make a rattling or rustling noise. The number of these pieces or rattles -are said to correspond with the number of years which the animal has -attained, and some travelers assert that they have been discovered with -thirty rattles, though thirteen is a much more common number. It is one -of the most venomous of serpents, and yet one that we cannot but -respect, since it habitually makes the most honorable use of the -singular appendage with which it is gifted. It never strikes a foe -without first warning him of his danger. In form it is somewhat -corpulent, has a flat heart-shaped head, and is supplied with fangs, -varying from a half-inch to an inch in length, which lie hidden -horizontally in the flesh of the upper jaw, and are capable of being -thrown out like the blade of a knife. The venom emitted by it is so -deadly that it has been known to cause the death of a human being in a -very few hours, and to destroy a dog or cat in less than twenty minutes, -and yet we have met with some half-dozen individuals in our travels who -have been bitten by the rattlesnake without being seriously injured. -Horses and cattle are known to become exceedingly terrified at its -appearance, and generally speaking, when bitten, die in a short time, -and yet we once saw a horse, which was only troubled in consequence of -its bite, by a disease resembling the scurvy. The hair dropped from the -skin of the quadruped, and he looked horribly if he did not feel so. As -to the effect of this poison upon hogs, it has frequently been proven to -be perfectly harmless, and we know it to be the custom in certain -portions of the country for farmers to employ their swine for the -express purpose of destroying the rattlesnakes infesting their land. The -effect of the rattlesnake’s bite upon itself is said to be generally -fatal. In regard to the antidote of this poison we are acquainted with -only one, which is the plant commonly called the rattlesnake weed. Both -the leaf and the root are employed, and applied internally as well as -externally. This plant grows to the height of six or eight inches, has -one stock and a leaf resembling in shape the head of the rattlesnake, -and is almost invariably found in those sections of the country where -the reptile abounds. - -The courage of the rattlesnake is by no means remarkable, and it is but -seldom that they will dispute the right of way with a man who is not -afraid of them. They are sluggish in their movements, and accomplish the -most of their traveling during the nocturnal hours. They feed upon -almost every variety of living creatures which they can overpower. They -are not partial to water, but when compelled to cross a river or lake, -they perform the feat in a most beautiful manner, holding their heads -about one foot from the surface, and gliding along at a rapid rate. They -are affectionate creatures, and it is alleged that when their offspring -are very young, and they are disturbed by the presence of man, the -mothers swallow their little ones until the danger is past, and then -disgorge them alive and writhing. - -Another of their peculiarities consists in the fact, that they may be -entirely disarmed by brandishing over their heads the leaves of the -white ash, which are so obnoxious to their nervous system as to produce -the most painful contortions of the body. When traveling at night in -search of food, or for purposes of recreation, as it may be, they have a -fashion of visiting the encampments of hunters, and it has been -ascertained that the only way of keeping them at a respectable distance -is to encircle the camp with a rope, over which they are afraid to -crawl;—and it has frequently happened to hunters, in a snake country, -that on awaking after a night of repose, they have discovered on the -outside of their magic circle as many as a dozen of the charming -creatures, carefully coiled up and sound asleep. It is also related of -this snake that it has the power of throwing off or suppressing a -disagreeable effluvium, which is quite sickening to those who come -within its range. If this be true it occurs chiefly in the month of -August, when the weather is sultry and the snake is particularly fat. -That this snake has the power of _charming_, as some writers maintain, -may be true, but we know not of an authenticated instance. That it may -have a very quiet way of stealing upon its prey seems to us much more -plausible—but upon this fact we are non-committal. As to their power of -_hissing_—that also is an undecided question. In regard to their manner -of biting we can speak with more confidence. They never attack a man -without first coiling themselves in a graceful manner, and instead of -jumping they merely extend their bodies, with the quickness of thought, -towards their mark, and if they do not reach it, they have to coil -themselves again for a second effort, and when they hit a man at all, it -is generally on his heel, for the bruising of which they have the -authority of the Scriptures. - -The rattlesnake is peculiar to the American continent. Four varieties -alone are known to naturalists, three of which are found in the United -States, and one in South America. In the States bordering on the Gulf of -Mexico they attain the length of seven and eight feet and a diameter of -three to four inches—the males having four fangs, and the females only -two. These are characterized by a kind of diamond figure on the skin, -and are partial to the low or bottom lands of the country. Those found -in the Middle and Northern States are called the common or banded -rattlesnakes, and are altogether the most abundant in the Union. They -vary in length from two and a half to four feet, and are partial to -mountainous and rocky districts. There is also a very small, but most -dangerous variety, called the ground rattlesnakes, which are found on -the sterile and sandy prairies of the West, and to a limited extent in -the barren districts of the South. In Canada they are almost unknown, -and even in the more thickly settled States of the Union they are -rapidly becoming extinct. As to their value, it may be stated that their -oil and gall are highly prized in all sections of the Union for -medicinal purposes, and by the Indians and slave population of the -South, their flesh is frequently employed as an article of food, and -really considered sweet and nourishing. - -The attachment of the Aborigines to this famous reptile is proverbial: -among nearly all the tribes, even at the present day, it is seldom -disturbed, but is designated by the endearing epithet of _grandfather_. -It is recorded, however, by the early historians, that when one tribe -desired to challenge another to combat, they were in the habit of -sending into the midst of their enemy the skin of a rattlesnake, whereby -it would appear to have been employed as an emblem of revenge. And as to -the origin of the rattlesnake, the old men among the Cherokees relate a -legend to the following effect, which, the reader will notice, bears a -striking analogy to the history of our Saviour. A very beautiful young -man, with a white face and wrapped in a white robe, once made his -appearance in their nation, and commanded them to abandon all their old -customs and festivals, and to adopt a new religion. He made use of the -softest language, and everything that he did proved him to be a good -man. It so happened, however, that he could make no friends among them, -and the medicine men of the nation conspired to take away his life. In -many ways did they try to do this—by lashing him with serpents and by -giving him poison, but were always unsuccessful. But in process of time -the deed was accomplished and in the following manner. It was known that -the good stranger was in the habit of daily visiting a certain spring -for the purpose of quenching his thirst, and bathing his body. In view -of this fact, the magicians made a very beautiful war-club, inlaid with -bone and shells, and decorated with rattles, and this club they offered -to the Great Spirit, with the prayer that he would teach them how to -destroy the stranger. In answer to the prayer, a venomous snake was -created and carefully hidden under a leaf by the side of the spring. The -stranger, as usual, came there to drink, was bitten by the snake, and -perished. The Cherokee nation then fell in love with the snake, and -having asked the Great Spirit to distinguish it, by some peculiar mark, -from all the other snakes in the world, he complied by transferring to -its body the rattles which had made the club of sacrifice so musical to -the ear, and so beautiful to the eye. And from that rattlesnake are -descended all the poisonous snakes now scattered through the world. - -We commenced this article with the determination of not writing a single -paragraph (for the above legend, after a fashion, is historical) which -could be classed with the unbelievable things called “Snake Stories,” -but the following matter-of-fact, though disconnected anecdotes, may not -be unacceptable to our readers. - -We were once upon a fishing expedition among the mountains of North -Carolina, with two other gentlemen, when it so happened that we -concluded to spend the night in a deserted log cabin, belonging to one -of the party. By the light of a large fire, we partook of a cold but -comfortable supper, and after talking ourselves into a drowsy mood, we -huddled together on the floor, directly in front of the fireplace, and -were soon in a sound sleep. About midnight, when the fire was out, one -of the party was awakened by a singular rattling noise, and having -roused his companions, it was ascertained beyond a doubt that there were -two rattlesnakes within the room where they were lying. We arose, of -course, horrified at the idea, and as we were in total darkness, we were -afraid even to move for fear of being bitten. We soon managed, however, -to strike a light, and when we did so, we found one of our visitors on -the hearth, and one in the remotest corner of the room. We killed them, -as a matter of course, with a most hearty relish, and in the morning -another of the same race, just without the threshold of the cabin. The -reptiles had probably left the cabin just before our arrival, and on -returning at midnight, had expressed their displeasure at our intrusion -upon their abode, by sounding their rattles. - -On another occasion we were of a party of anglers who killed a -rattlesnake on one of the mountains overlooking Lake George (where this -reptile is very abundant), and after its head had been cut off and -buried, one of the party affirmed that there was not a person present -who could take the dead snake in his hand, hold it out at arm’s length, -and give it a sudden squeeze, without dropping it to the ground. A wager -was offered, and by the most curious and courageous of the party was -accepted. He took the snake in his hand and obeyed the instructions, -when the serpentine body suddenly sprang as if endowed with life, and -the headless trunk struck the person holding it, with considerable force -upon the arm. To add that the snake fell to the ground most suddenly is -hardly necessary. We enjoyed a laugh at the expense of our ambitious -friend, but the phenomenon which he made known, remains to this day -entirely unexplained. Since that time we have been led to believe that -there is not one man in a thousand who would have the fortitude to -succeed in the experiment above mentioned. - - - - - A WESTERN PIONEER. - - -It was about twenty years ago, on a bright November morning, that a -large covered wagon, drawn by four horses, came to a halt in front of -the office of the Receiver of Money for the Public Lands in the village -of Monroe, territory of Michigan. The wagon in question contained -implements of husbandry, a plentiful stock of provisions, and all the -household furniture of a family consisting of an old man and his wife, -three sons, and two daughters; and their outside possessions were -comprised in a small but miscellaneous herd of cows, oxen, sheep, and -hogs. The head of this family was a New York farmer in indigent -circumstances, who had conceived the idea of making himself a home in -what was then the wilderness of Michigan. All the money he had in the -world was one hundred dollars, and with this he purchased at the -land-office a tract of eighty acres of uncultivated land, which he had -never seen, but upon which he was about to locate with his family. The -honest and independent deportment of this emigrant enlisted the feelings -of the Receiver, and he accordingly extended an invitation to him and -his party to spend the night under his roof. The invitation was -accepted, and after a “lucid interval” of comfortable repose, and -cheered by a warm breakfast, the emigrating party respectfully took -their leave of their entertainer, and started upon their dreary -pilgrimage. - -The distance they had to travel was some hundred and eighty miles. As -the roads were new and rough, they plodded along, day after day, at a -slow rate, and with much difficulty; took their meals in the open air, -and spent their nights under a tent, with only a few heavy quilts to -protect them from the dampness of the ground. While upon this journey -they were overtaken by cold weather, and, in fording one of the many -streams which crossed their route, the venerable emigrant had one of his -legs frost-bitten, which resulted, after much delay and trouble in -sending for a physician, in its amputation. His life was spared, -however, and in due time, in spite of the calamity which had befallen -them, the emigrants were encamped upon their “land of promise.” - -Having thus reached the end of their journey, the first thing to be done -was to erect a suitable dwelling wherein to spend the winter; and, the -father of the family having been rendered almost helpless by his -misfortune, the labor of building it devolved exclusively upon his sons, -the youngest of whom was a mere boy. Animated by a most noble spirit, -they fell to work without any delay, and in the course of ten days had -accomplished their first task, and were the masters of a comfortable -log-cabin. It stood on the sandy knoll of an “oak opening,” and in the -immediate vicinity of a sparkling rivulet. The only evidences of -civilization which surrounded them were the stumps, and chips, and -decaying branches which covered the site of their labors; but the -emigrants had a home, and though a rude and apparently comfortless one, -they were satisfied, if not happy. - -The winter days passed rapidly away; and, while the disabled emigrant -did little else than keep himself warm by his huge wood-fire, his sons -were felling the trees on every side, and doing their utmost to enclose -their domain. And at night, when gathered at the evening meal, or in a -circle around their hearth, and the newly-cut wood was hissing under the -influence of the bright flame, they would talk over the pleasures of -other days, experienced in a distant portion of the land, and cherish -the hope that the future had even more happiness in store. Within their -cabin was to be found the spirit of genuine religion, and, as the -hopeful music of woman’s voice was there, and their hearts were bound -together by the chords of a holy family love, they were indeed happy. - -It was now the spring-time of the year, a warmer tint was in the sky, -and all around the wilderness was beginning to blossom like the rose. -The birds were building their nests, and their sweet minstrelsy was -heard throughout the air; and there, too, was the tinkling of bells, for -the cattle sought their food in the remote dells, and returned at the -sunset hour, with their udders teeming full. The brush and waste wood of -the “girdled clearings” were gathered into heaps and burnt—in the -daytime forming fantastic columns of smoke, and at night making the -midnight darkness, save where the flame was particularly brilliant, more -profound. And then the plough was brought forth, and made to try its -strength in turning up the virgin soil. Our emigrant friend has now -entirely recovered from his late disaster, and, having manufactured for -himself an artificial leg, he begins to think it time for him to lend a -helping hand towards accelerating the improvements of his “farm.” The -smell of the ploughed field has given him a thrill of pleasure, and he -determines to try what he can accomplish in the way of planting corn. -This effort proves successful, and, as he becomes accustomed to the use -of his new member, he takes the lead in most of the farming operations, -and thinks no more of his past sufferings than of the fact that he is -what many people are pleased to term a poor man. - -As industry and virtue are almost invariably followed by prosperity, we -must not wonder at the future career of our Western pioneer. Five years -have passed away, and, as his crops have been abundant, we find him the -possessor of half a thousand acres of valuable land instead of one -hundred. He has also gathered the means to build himself a new frame -house; and, as the “harvest is past and the summer ended,” his barns are -filled to overflowing. On every side are spread out extensive fields, -and his hired men may be counted by the dozen. They have gathered in the -crops, and, after a brief furlough, a portion of them will take -possession of the barns, and devote themselves to the flail, while the -remainder will enter some neighboring woodland with their axes, and -proceed in their laborious work of destruction. Winter comes, and still -the sounds of the flail and the axe are heard in the barn and in the -forest. The coldest of winds may blow, and the snow may fall so as to -bury the fences, but what matter? The genius of health reigns supreme. -All the day long, and at night, huge fires are blazing in the dwelling -of the pioneer; his larder is filled with an abundance of the good -things of life, and his numerous cattle are more comfortably housed than -himself when first he came into the wilderness. Spring has returned once -more, and a new life has been instilled not only into the earth, but -also into the blood of man. - -It is now the delightful season of midsummer, and we see before us, -basking in the sunshine, a domain of two thousand acres of land, in the -highest state of cultivation. Capping the summit of a hill stands a -spacious and elegant mansion, surrounded with outhouses, and bespeaking -the possessor to be a man of opulence and taste. In one direction, -fading away to a great distance, lie a succession of fields waving with -golden grain; in another, hill beyond hill of the deep green and -graceful corn; in another we see a magnificent meadow, with hundreds of -cattle and horses and sheep quietly grazing or sporting in their glee; -and in another direction an almost impenetrable forest, where the -black-walnut, the white-wood, the oak, and the hickory strive to excel -each other in the respective attributes of beauty and might. And this is -the home and the domain of the Western pioneer. Less than a mile distant -from his mansion stands a charming village, from which arises a single -spire, pointing to the Christian’s home. The pastor of that church is -the youngest son of our friend the pioneer. Within said village, too, -may be seen an “Eagle Hotel,” and a “New York Store,” which are both the -property of his two elder sons. At their expense a public school has -been established within the village. The country around is intersected -with the best of roads, along which the heavily-laden wain pursues its -snail-like course, and the mail coach rattles along with its panting -horses, nine passengers on the inside, and a deep coating of dust on the -boot and everything outside. Plenty and peace have taken possession of -the land, and the pioneer of other days has become the nabob of the -present time. - - - - - PIKE FISHING. - - - If so be the angler catch no fish yet hath he a wholesome walk to the - brook-side, and pleasant shade by the sweet silver streams. - Robert Burton. - -The Pike is a common fish in all the temperate, and some of the northern -regions of the world; but in no country does he arrive at greater -perfection than in the United States. For some unaccountable reason he -is generally known in this country as the pickerel; and we would -therefore intimate to our readers that our present discourse is to be of -the legitimate pike. In England, he is known under the several names of -pike, jack, pickerel and luce. His body is elongated and nearly of a -uniform depth from the head to the tail; the head is also elongated, and -resembles that of the duck; his mouth is very large and abundantly -supplied with sharp teeth, and his scales are small and particularly -adhesive; the color of his back is a dark brown, sides a mottled green -or yellow, and belly a silvery white. The reputation of this fish for -amiability is far from being enviable, for he is called not only the -shark of the fresh waters, but also the tyrant of the liquid plain. He -is a cunning and savage creature, and for these reasons even the most -humane of fishermen are seldom troubled with conscientious scruples when -they succeed in making him a captive. Pliny and Sir Francis Bacon both -considered the pike to be the longest lived of any fresh water fish, and -Gesner mentions a pike which he thought to be two hundred years old. Of -these ancient fellows, Walton remarks, that they have more in them of -state than goodness, the middle sized individuals being considered the -best eating. The prominent peculiarity of this fish is his -voraciousness. Edward Jesse relates that five large pike once devoured -about eight hundred gudgeons in the course of three weeks. He swallows -every animal he can subdue, and is so much of a cannibal that he will -devour his own kind full as soon as a common minnow. Young ducks and -even kittens have been found in his stomach, and it is said that he -often contends with the otter for his prey. Gesner relates the story -that a pike once attacked a mule while it was drinking on the margin of -a pond, and his teeth having become fastened in the snout of the -astonished beast, he was safely landed on the shore. James Wilson once -killed a pike weighing seven pounds, in whose stomach was found another -pike weighing over a pound, and in the mouth of the youthful fish was -yet discovered a respectable perch. Even men, while wading in a pond, -have been attacked by this fresh water wolf. He is so much of an -exterminator, that when placed in a small lake with other fish, it is -not long before he becomes “master of all he surveys,” having -depopulated his watery world of every species but his own. The following -story, illustrating the savage propensity of this fish, is related by J. -V. C. Smith. A gentleman was angling for pike, and having captured one, -subsequently met a shepherd and his dog, and presented the former with -his prize. While engaged in clearing his tackle, the dog seated himself -unsuspectingly in the immediate vicinity of the pike, and as fate would -have it, his tail was ferociously snapped at by the gasping fish. The -dog was of course much terrified, ran in every direction to free -himself, and at last plunged into the stream. The hair had become so -entangled in the fish’s teeth, however, that it could not release its -hold. The dog again sought the land, and made for his master’s cottage, -where he was finally freed from his unwilling persecutor; but -notwithstanding the unnatural adventure of the fish, he actually sunk -his teeth into the stick which was used to force open his jaws. - -The pike of this country does not differ essentially from the pike of -Europe. His food usually consists of fish and frogs, though he is far -from being particular in this matter. He loves a still, shady water, in -river or pond, and usually lies in the vicinity of flags, bulrushes and -water-lilies, though he often shoots out into the clear stream, and on -such occasions frequently affords the rifleman a deal of sport. In -summer he is taken at the top and in the middle, but in winter at the -bottom. His time for spawning is March, and he is in season about eight -months in the year. In speaking of the size of this fish, the anglers of -Europe have recorded some marvelous stories, of which we know nothing, -and care less. In this country they vary from two to four feet in -length, and in weight from two to forty pounds; when weighing less than -two pounds, he is called a jack. As an article of food he seems to be in -good repute; but since we once found a large water-snake in the stomach -of a monster fish, we have never touched him when upon the table. He -suits not our palate, but as an object of sport we esteem him highly, -and can never mention his name without a thrill of pleasure. - -In this place we desire to record our opinion against the idea that the -pike and maskalunge are one and the same fish. For many years we -entertained the opinion that there was no difference between them, only -that the latter was merely an overgrown pike. We have more recently had -many opportunities of comparing the two species together, and we know -that to the careful and scientific observer, there is a marked -difference. The head of a maskalunge is the smallest; he is the stoutest -fish, is more silvery in color, grows to a much larger size, and is with -difficulty tempted to heed the lures of the angler. They are so -precisely similar in their general habits, however, that they must be -considered as belonging to the pike family. They are possibly the -independent, eccentric and self satisfied nabobs of the race to which -they belong; always managing to keep the world ignorant of their true -character, until after their days are numbered. - -We will now mention one or two additional traits, which we had nearly -forgotten. The first is, that the pike is as distinguished for his -abstinence as for his voracity. During the summer months, his digestive -organs seem to be somewhat torpid, and this is the time that he is out -of season. During this period he is particularly listless in his -movements, spending nearly all the sunny hours basking near the surface -of the water; and as this is the period when the smaller fry are usually -commencing their active existence, we cannot but distinguish in this -arrangement of nature the wisdom of Providence. Another habit peculiar -to this fish, is as follows:—During the autumn, he spends the day-time -in deep water, and the nights in the shallowest water he can find along -the shores of river or lake. We have frequently seen them so very near -the dry land as to display their fins. What their object can be in thus -spending the dark hours, it is hard to determine: is it to enjoy the -warmer temperature of the shallow water, or for the purpose of watching -and capturing any small land animals that may come to the water to -satisfy their thirst? We have heard it alleged that they seek the shore -for the purpose of spawning, but it is an established fact that they -cast their spawn in the spring; and, besides, the months during which -they seek the shore as above stated, are the very ones in which they are -in the best condition, and afford the angler the finest sport. Autumn is -the time, too, when they are more frequently and more easily taken with -the spear, than during any other season. And as to this spearing -business, generally speaking, we consider it an abominable practice, but -in the case of the savage and obstinate pike, it ought to be -countenanced even by the legitimate angler. - -We have angled for pike in nearly all the waters of this country where -they abound. The immense quantity of book lore that we have read -respecting the character of pike tackle, has always seemed to us an -intelligent species of nonsense—a kind of literature originally invented -by tackle manufacturers. Our own equipment for pike fishing we consider -first-rate, and yet it consists only of a heavy rod and reel, a stout -linen line, a brass snell, a sharp Kirby hook, and a landing net. For -bait we prefer a live minnow, though a small shiner, or the belly of a -yellow perch, is nearly as sure to attract notice. We have taken a pike -with a gaudy fly, and also with an artificial minnow, but you cannot -depend upon these allurements. Sinkers we seldom use, and the -fashionable thing called a float we utterly abominate. We have fished -for pike in almost every manner, but our favorite method has ever been -from an anchored boat, when our only companion was a personal friend, -and a lover of the written and unwritten poetry of nature. This is the -most quiet and contemplative method, and unquestionably one of the most -successful ones; for though the pike is not easily frightened, it takes -but a single splash of an oar when trolling, to set him a-thinking, -which is quite as unfortunate for the angler’s success as if he were -actually alarmed. Another advantage is, that while swinging to an anchor -you may fish at the bottom, if you please, or try the stationary -trolling fashion. To make our meaning understood, we would add, that an -expert angler can throw his hook in any direction from his boat, to the -distance of at least a hundred feet, and in pulling it in, he secures -all the advantages that result from the common mode of trolling. The -pike is a fish which calls forth a deal of patience, and must be -humored; for he will sometimes scorn the handsomest bait, apparently out -of mere spite; but the surest time to take him is when there is a cloudy -sky and a southerly breeze. Live fish are the best bait, as we have -before remarked, though the leg of a frog is good, and in winter a piece -of pork, but nothing can be better than a shiner or a little perch; and -it might here be remarked, that as the pike is an epicure in the manner -of his eating, it is invariably a good plan to let him have his own -time, after he has seized the bait. As to torchlight fishing for pike, -though unquestionably out of the pale of the regular angler’s sporting, -it is attended with much that we must deem poetical and interesting. Who -can doubt this proposition, when we consider the picturesque effect of a -boat and lighted torch, gliding along the wild shores of a lake, on a -still, dark night, with one figure noiselessly plying an oar, and the -animated attitude of another relieved against the fire-light, and -looking into the water like Orpheus into hell. And remember, too, the -thousand inhabitants of the liquid element that we see, and almost fancy -to be endowed with human sympathies? What a pleasure to behold the -various finny tribes amid their own chosen haunts, leading, as Leigh -Hunt has exquisitely written, - - “A cold, sweet, silver life, wrapped in round waves, - Quickened with touches of transporting fear!” - -In some of the Northern States fishing for pike with set lines through -the ice, is practiced to a great extent. The lines are commonly attached -to a figure four, by which the fisherman is informed that he has a bite, -and if he has many lines out and the fish are in a humor to be captured, -this mode of fishing is really very exciting. Especially so, if the ice -is smooth and the fisherman can attend to his hooks with a pair of sharp -skates attached to his feet. - -Another mode for catching pike in the winter, and which we have seen -practiced in the lakes and rivers of Michigan, is as follows. You cut a -large hole in the ice, over which you erect a tent or small portable -house; and after taking a seat therein, you let down a bait for the -purpose of alluring the fish, and as they follow the hook, even to your -feet, you pick them out with a sharp spear. - -But it is time that we should change the tone of our discourse and -mention the favorite waters of the American pike. The largest we have -ever seen were taken in the Upper Mississippi, and on the St. Joseph and -Raisin rivers of Michigan, where they are very abundant. They are also -found in nearly all the streams emptying into Lakes Michigan, Erie, and -Ontario;—also, in the Ohio and its tributaries. We have heard of them in -the Upper St. Lawrence, and know them to abound in Lake Champlain, and -in a large proportion of the lakes and rivers of New England. A very -pretty lady once told us that she had seen a pike taken from Lake -Champlain, which was as long as the sofa upon which we were seated -together, and conversing upon the gentle art of fishing, and the tender -one of love. Pike fishing with the hook we have not practiced to a very -great extent. Our angling experience has been chiefly confined to the -smaller lakes of Connecticut, particularly those in the vicinity of -Norwich. Our favorite resort has been Gardner’s Lake, whose shores are -surrounded with pleasant wood-crowned hills, teeming with partridge and -wood-cock, and the Sabbath stillness which usually reigns about it is -seldom broken, save by the dipping oar or the laugh of the light-hearted -fisherman. Dearly indeed do we cherish the memory of the pleasant days -spent upon this picturesque lake; and we hope it may never be used for -any other purpose than to mirror the glories of heaven, and never be -visited by any but genuine sportsmen and true-hearted lovers of nature. -Preston Lake is another beautiful sheet of water near Norwich, which -reminds us of a night adventure. A couple of us had visited it for the -purpose of taking pike by torch-light, having brought our spears and -dry-pine all the way from Norwich in a one-horse wagon. It was a cold -but still autumnal night, and as we tied our horse to a tree in an open -field, we had every reason to anticipate a “glorious time.” So far as -the fish were concerned we enjoyed fine sport, for we caught about a -dozen pike, varying from one to four pounds in weight; but the miseries -we subsequently endured were positively intolerable. Not only did we -work an everlasting while to make our boat seaworthy, but in our -impatience to reach the fishing grounds, we misplaced our brandy bottle -in the tall grass, and were therefore deprived of its warming -companionship. About midnight a heavy fog began to arise, which not only -prevented us from distinguishing a pike from a log of wood, but caused -us to become frequently entangled in the top of a dry tree, lying on the -water. Our next step, therefore, was to go home, but then came the -trouble of finding our “desired haven.” This we did happen to find, for -a wonder, and having gathered up our plunder started on our course over -the frosty grass after our vehicle and horse. We found them, but it was -in a most melancholy plight indeed. Like a couple of large fools, we had -omitted to release the horse from the wagon as we should have done, and -the consequence was that he had released himself by breaking the fills -and tearing off the harness, and we discovered him quietly feeding a few -paces from the tree to which we had fastened him. What next to do, we -could not in our utter despair possibly determine; but after a long -consultation we both concluded to mount the miserable horse, and with -our fish in hand we actually started upon our miserable journey home. -Our fish were so heavy that we were compelled at the end of the first -mile to throw them away, and as the day was breaking we entered the -silent streets of Norwich, pondering upon the pleasures of pike fishing -by torch-light, and solemnly counting the cost of our nocturnal -expedition. - -But the most successful pike fishing we ever enjoyed was at Crow Wing, -on the Upper Mississippi. We were spending a few days with an isolated -Indian trader of the wilderness, around whose cabin were encamped about -three hundred Chippewa Indians. Seldom was it that we allowed a night to -pass away, without trying our luck with the spear, and as a dozen canoes -were often engaged in the same sport, the bosom of the river often -presented a most romantic and beautiful appearance. Each canoe usually -contained two or three individuals, and our torches, which were made of -dried birch bark, threw such a flood of light upon the translucent -water, that we could see every object in the bed of the river with the -utmost distinctness. Beautiful indeed were those fishing scenes, and -when the canoes had floated down the river for a mile or two, the -homeward bound races that followed between the shouting Indians were -exciting in the extreme. And what added to _our_ enjoyment of this -sporting was the idea that to grasp the hand of a white man (besides -that of our host), we should have to travel one hundred miles through a -pathless wilderness. We seldom took any note of time, and sometimes were -throwing the spear even when the day was breaking. The largest fish that -we saw taken at Crow Wing weighed upwards of forty pounds, and we have -known five spearmen to take seventy pike and maskalunge in a single -night. - -But we must curtail our pike stories, for we purpose to append to our -remarks a few interesting observations upon that and a kindred fish -which have been kindly furnished to us by an accomplished scholar, a -genuine angler and a valued friend, John R. Bartlett, Esq. - -The pike bears the same relation to the finny tribes that the hyena and -jackall do to animals, the vulture to birds, or the spider to -insects—one of the most voracious of fishes. He feeds alike on the -living or dead; and even those of his own brethren which are protected -by nature against the attacks of other fish, find no protection against -him. It is remarkable in the economy of animals, that while nature -provides her weaker and smaller creatures with the means of defence -against the stronger ones, she has, at the same time, furnished some of -the latter with weapons, apparently for the very purpose of overcoming -the feeble, however well they may be guarded. Thus, the pike, with its -immense jaws, armed with innumerable teeth, is able to seize and crush -every kind of fish. Its own kind do not escape, for instances are -frequent when a pike of three or four pounds is found in the stomach of -one of twelve or fifteen pounds weight. - -It is interesting to notice the habits of the pike, which an angler may -easily do in still, clear water. They have been characterized as a -solitary, melancholy, and bold fish. Never are they found in schools, or -even in pairs, as most other fish are, nor are they often seen in open -water, where other fish would discover them and avoid their grasp. When -in open water they lie very near the bottom, quite motionless, appearing -like a sunken stick. Their usual and favorite place of resort is among -the tall weeds where they cannot be seen. Here they lie, as it were, in -ambush, waiting the approach of some innocent, unsuspecting fish, when -they dart forth with a swiftness which none of the finny tribe can -attain, seize their harmless victim, and slowly bear it away to some -secluded spot. Here they crush their prey with their immense jaws, and -leisurely force it into their capacious stomachs. Often, when angling -for the pike with a live perch, from a wharf so far raised above the -water that I could see every object for twenty feet on either side, a -pike has so suddenly darted from a cluster of weeds, beyond the range of -my vision, that the first intimation I had of his presence was, that he -had seized my bait. - -On one occasion, when angling in the St. Lawrence, where pike are very -abundant, I put a minnow on my hook, and threw my line towards a mass of -weeds, in the hope of tempting a perch to take it. Not many minutes had -elapsed before my silvery minnow had tempted the appetite of one, which -soon conveyed him to his maw. Knowing that my game was sure, I let him -play about, first allowing him to run to the extent of my line and then -drawing him towards me, when on a sudden a pike shot from his hiding -place and seized my perch. I was obliged to let the fellow have his own -way, and give him all the time he wanted to swallow the perch, when with -a good deal of difficulty, I succeeded in disabling him and towed him in -triumph to the shore. The perch weighed a pound and a half; the pike ten -pounds. - -The long and slender form of the pike, tapering towards the head and -tail, enables him to move with great rapidity through the water, while -his smooth and finless back facilitates his movements through the weeds -or marine plants. Thus has nature provided this fish with a form adapted -to its habits, and with large and well-armed jaws, to give it a -pre-eminence among the finny tribes which inhabit the same waters. I -have often thought why so great an enemy, so great a devourer of his -race, should be placed among them, favored by so many advantages. May it -not, nay, must it not be for some wise purpose? It is known how very -prolific fishes are, and unless some way was provided to lessen the -number, our inland waters could not contain the vast numbers which a few -years would produce. Most fish live on each other, others on decomposing -substances floating about. It is not always the largest that prey on -each other, for the sturgeon is one of the largest fresh water fish, and -he subsists on decomposing matter, or minute fish. A few pike placed in -a lake, would very effectually prevent an over-population. May it not, -then, be so ordered that the inhabitants of the seas, which are not so -favored as those who dwell on the earth’s surface, and who have a great -variety of food to supply their wants, may have the means of providing -their own sustenance by an immense increase of their own species? - -Blaine observes that “the abstinence of the pike and jack is no less -singular than their voracity; during the summer months their digestive -faculties are somewhat torpid, which appears a remarkable peculiarity in -pike economy, seeing it must be in inverse ratio to the wants of the -fish, for they must be at this time in a state of emaciation from the -effects of spawning. During the summer they are listless, and affect the -surface of the water, where in warm sunny weather they seem to bask in a -sleepy state for hours together. It is not a little remarkable, that -smaller fish appear to be aware when this abstinent state of their foe -is upon him; for they who at other times are evidently impressed with an -instinctive dread of his presence, are now swimming around him with -total unconcern. At these periods, no baits, however tempting, can -allure him; but on the contrary, he retreats from everything of the -kind. Windy weather is alone capable of exciting his dormant powers. -This inaptitude to receive food with the usual keenness, continues from -the time they spawn, until the time of their recovery from the effects -of it.” - -The peculiarity above noticed does not entirely apply to the pike of the -Northern States, and particularly of the great lakes and rivers, whose -waters are not so sensibly affected by the heat of summer as shallow -water is. In the smaller streams he lies in the listless state described -by Mr. Blaine, but when he can reach the deep water he always does so. - -Pike are found in all the lakes and inland waters of the Northern and -Middle States of the Union. In the great lakes they grow to an enormous -size. No fish is better known throughout Europe and the northern parts -of Asia. In colder climes he attains the largest size, and is said by -Walkenburg to disappear in geographical distribution with the fir. In -our waters they are taken of all sizes, from four or five pounds to -fifty or sixty. Their haunts are generally among the weeds or marine -plants near the shore, or in deep bays where the water is not made rough -by winds, and in all parts of rivers. They are rarely found on rocky -bottoms or bars. A high wind and rough sea often drives them from their -weedy haunts into deeper water. I have noticed this particularly on Lake -Ontario. From wharves where basse are only taken on ordinary occasions, -pike will bite with avidity when a severe gale is blowing and the water -is in a disturbed state. - -This fish, according to Donovan, attains a larger size in a shorter -time, in proportion to most others. In the course of the first year it -grows eight or ten inches; the second, twelve or fourteen; the third, -eighteen or twenty inches. Some pike were turned into a pond in England, -the largest of which weighed two and a half pounds. Four years after, -the water was let off, when one pike of nineteen pounds, and others of -from eleven to fifteen, were found. Mr. Jesse, in his Gleanings of -Natural History, relates certain experiments by which he shows that the -growth of pike is about four pounds a year, which corresponds with the -growth of those before stated. - -The various books on sporting give numerous instances of pike weighing -from thirty to forty pounds, taken in England, though an instance is -mentioned in Dodsley’s Register for 1765, of an enormous pike weighing -170 pounds, which was taken from a pool near Newport, England, which had -not been fished in for ages. In Ireland and Scotland, they are found -larger than in England. In the Shannon and Lough Corrib, they have been -found from seventy to ninety-two pounds in weight. At Broadford, near -Limerick, one was taken weighing ninety-six pounds. Another was caught -by trolling in Loch Pentluliche, of fifty pounds; and another in Loch -Spey, that weighed 146 pounds. But these are small in comparison with a -pike, which is stated by Gesner (and from him quoted by most writers on -fish) to have been taken in a pool near the capital of Sweden, in the -year 1497, which was fifteen feet in length, and weighed 350 pounds. -Under the skin of this enormous fish was discovered a ring of cypress -brass, having a Greek inscription round the rim, which was interpreted -by Dalburgus, Bishop of Worms, to signify: “I am the fish first of all -placed in this pond, by the hands of Frederic the Second, on the 5th of -October, in the year of grace 1230;” which would make its age 267 years. -The ring about his neck was made with springs, so as to enlarge as the -fish grew. His skeleton was for a long time preserved at Manheim. - -During the past summer, which I spent on the banks of the St. Lawrence, -I had frequently tried the spool trolling, and always with success. -Sometimes I would use two lines, one 70, the other 120 feet in length. -On the larger one I had the best success, and my bait would be seized -three times, when on the shorter one it would be but once; it being -farther from the boat, the movements of which through the water, and the -noise of the oars, drove the fish off. From experience I am satisfied -that long trolling lines are the best. Basse will seize a fly or spoon -at a few feet distance, but a pike will not. I have tried the -experiment, when trolling for pike, to attach to one hook a bait of pork -and red flannel, a very common bait, and to the other a brass spoon. The -latter was invariably seized first, for the only reason, I suppose, that -it made more show in the water. Neither resembled a fish, fly, or any -living creature, but curiosity or hunger attracted the fish to the -strange bait gliding through the water, which they seized, paying with -their lives the penalty for so doing. - -There is a large fish of the pike species commonly called the Maskinonge -or Maskalunge before spoken of, of what specific character is not well -understood by naturalists. Their habits and their haunts are the same as -those of the pike, and they attain a larger size than any fish of our -inland waters. I have seen them carried by two men of ordinary height, -with a pole running through the gills and supported on the shoulders of -the men. In this position the tail of the fish dragged on the ground. -Forty or fifty pounds is not an unusual weight for them, and instances -are known when much larger ones have been caught. Maskinonge are -generally taken in seines, seldom with the hook. Their size is so large -that the ordinary baits of anglers would be no temptation for them. In -the several opportunities which I have had to examine the stomachs of -these fish I have invariably found within them, fish of very large size, -such as no angler would ever think of putting on his line. The largest -perch I ever saw, about fifteen inches in length, was taken from the -paunch of a Maskinonge, and I have often seen catfish, perch, and other -fish, weighing from one to two pounds, taken from them; but in no -instance small fish; and hence anglers have not taken them, as few would -angle with live bait of that size, where there are no fish but these -which would take it. - -The most exciting sport I ever had on the St. Lawrence, or anywhere -else, was in taking a maskinonge. It was a regular battle, such only as -the salmon anglers enjoy when they hook a twenty-pounder. As the method -was quite different, I will send you all the particulars. - -A friend and myself took a small skiff, with one trolling line, -intending to take turns at the oars, and proceeded at once to a favorite -spot among the “Thousand Islands.” - -I held the trolling line with a spoon hook attached, while my companion -pulled the oars. We sailed among the secluded places, wherever weeds -were seen below the surface of the water, and were rewarded with good -sport by taking several fine pike, weighing from six to fifteen pounds, -which we managed to secure with ease, save the largest, which gave us -some trouble. We then thought we would try deeper water, in the hope of -tempting larger fish. A few windings among the clusters of small islands -brought us to the channel of the river, when I directed my companion to -increase the speed of our skiff, determined that the curiosity of no -fish should be satisfied, without first tasting my gilded spoon. We -pulled for half a mile, when the river wound suddenly round an island, -which presented a bold shore, from the rushing of the river’s current. -The tall forest trees extended to the very brink of the river, over -which they hung, throwing a deep shadow on the water. This quiet spot -looked as though it might be an attractive one for some solitary fish, -and we accordingly took a sweep around the foot of the island.—Scarcely -had we entered the deep shade spoken of, when I felt a tug at my line, -which was so strong that I supposed my hook had come in contact with a -floating log or fallen tree. My companion backed water with his oars to -relieve my hook, when another violent pull at my line convinced me that -it was no log, but some living creature of great weight. My line was -already out its full length of 150 feet; no alternative was therefore -left but to give my fish more line by rowing after him. - -This we did for a few minutes, when I began to pull in the slack of my -line, some fifty feet or more, when I felt my fish. The check was no -sooner felt by him than he started forward with a velocity scarcely -conceivable in the water, bringing my line taut, and the next moment our -skiff was moving off stern foremost towards the river’s channel. We soon -perceived that our fish had turned his head up stream, and as the water -was deep, there was no danger of his coming in contact with weeds or -protruding rocks. We therefore allowed him to tow us for about five -minutes, when he stopped. Then quickly backing water with our oars, and -taking in our line, we carefully laid it over the skiff’s side, until we -had approached within twenty feet of our fish. I then gave him another -check, which probably turned his head, for he again darted off in a -contrary direction down stream. We pulled our skiff in the same -direction as fast as possible to give the fish a good run before -checking him again, but he soon had the line out its full length, and -was again towing our skiff after him with more rapidity than before. -This did not last long, however, for I then took the line and hauled -towards him to lessen our distance. He made another slap, when I managed -to keep my line taut, and with our oars moved towards him. Our victim -now lay on the surface of the water with his belly upward, apparently -exhausted, when we found him to be a maskinonge, between five and eight -feet in length. We had no sooner got him alongside than he gave a slap -with his tail and again darted off the whole length of the line, taking -us once more in tow. His run was now short, and it was evident he was -getting tired of the business. Again the line slacked and we drew the -skiff up to the spot where he lay turned up on his back. - -He now seemed so far gone that I thought we might draw him into our -skiff, so I reached out my gaff and hooked him under the jaw, while my -companion passed his oar under him. In this way we contrived to raise -him over the gunwale of the skiff, when he slid to its bottom. I then -placed my foot back of his head to hold him down, in order to disengage -my hook, which passed through his upper jaw. No sooner had I attempted -this than he began to flap about, compelling us to give him room to -avoid his immense jaws. Every moment seemed to increase his strength, -when my companion seized an oar in order to dispatch him, while I took -out my knife for the same purpose. The first blow with the oar had only -the effect to awaken our fish, which taking another and more powerful -somerset, threw himself over the gunwale of our skiff, which was but a -few inches above the water, and with a plunge disappeared in the deep -water at our side. We had scarcely recovered from our surprise, when I -found my line drawn out again to its full length, save a few tangles and -twists, which had got into it in the struggle between us and our fish. -We determined to trifle no longer with the fellow, with our small skiff, -but to make for the shore and there land him. A small island, a short -distance from us, seemed to present a convenient place, and here without -further ceremony we pulled, towing our fish after us. I leaped into the -water about ten feet from the shore, and tugged away at my victim, who -floated like a log upon the water, while my companion stood by with an -oar to make the capture more sure this time. In this way we landed him -in safety just one hour and a quarter after he was first hooked. This -maskinonge weighed 49 pounds, and had within him a pike of three pounds -weight, a chub, partially decomposed, of four pounds, and a perch of one -and a half pounds, which appeared to have been but recently swallowed; -yet this fish’s appetite was not satisfied, and he lost his life in -grasping at a glittering bauble. Any person who has ever killed a pike -of ten pounds or upwards, can readily imagine the strength of one five -times its weight. - -The great strength of these fish was shown in a sporting adventure which -happened to a friend of mine when out a few evenings since, spearing by -torch light. The person alluded to had never before tried his hand with -the spear, although he was a skillful angler. On this occasion he had -killed several fish, which he secured without trouble. He was then in -about six or eight feet of water, when he discovered a large fish, -either a very large pike or maskinonge. He planted himself with one foot -below the flaming torch, the other a little behind, when he plunged his -spear into the huge fish that lay so quietly before him; but whether he -was so deceived in the depth of the water, or whether he had not braced -himself properly in the boat is not known, at any rate he struck the -fish, which darted off like lightning, taking the spear with him, as -well as him who threw it. For the gentleman, probably deceived by the -depth of the water, had reached forward too far and thereby lost his -balance. So over he went head foremost, holding on to the spear. But he -was satisfied without following the fish further, which escaped with the -long spear, neither of which could be again seen. The gentleman made the -best of his way into the skiff. Two days after a large maskinonge -floated ashore several miles below the spot where the event took place, -with the spear still clinging to him, just before the dorsal fin. - - - - - PLANTATION CUSTOMS. - - -We profess to be neither a defender nor an advocate of slavery, but -circumstances having brought us into frequent communication with the -colored population of the Southern States, we have the satisfaction of -knowing that our opinions, concerning their condition, whether correct -or not, are the result of personal observation. We do indeed consider -the institution as an evil, but we consider the fanaticism of the North -to be a much greater evil. By birth and education are we a Northern man, -and we willingly acknowledge that we started upon our first journey -through the Southern States, harboring in our breast an unreasonable -number of prejudices against the institution already mentioned. The -tables, however, are now completely turned. Aside from the abstract idea -which has ever and will ever trouble us, we have seen but little to -mourn over and regret, but rather observed much, as touching the -happiness of the negro and especially his customs, which we cannot but -commend and admire. Instead of commenting upon these customs in a -general manner, we propose to give an idea of them by describing two -specimens—the negro manner of spending the Christmas Holidays, and the -prominent features of one of their Corn Huskings. - -The scene of our first description is a plantation in the interior of -South Carolina. Within hailing distance of the planter’s mansion is a -collection of picturesque cabins, where are domiciled his negroes, -numbering in all about one hundred souls. It is early morning and the -day before Christmas. The slaves have obtained their accustomed -furlough, which is to last until the close of the year, and they are now -on the point of carrying to the market of some neighboring town the -products they may have obtained from their allotted plots of ground -during the bygone season. All the means of conveyance belonging to the -plantation have been placed at their disposal, and the day has arrived -when they are to receive in hard money, or merchandise, the fruit of -their own industry, irrespective of their obligations to their masters. -As a matter of course, the excitement among them is unusual, and is -participated in by all—men, women, and children. All things being ready, -the sable fraternity are upon the move, and as they enter upon a road -winding through a succession of picturesque woods, we will glance at -some of the characters belonging to the cavalcade. The leader thereof is -probably the most industrious and frugal of the whole brotherhood, and -he is taking to market, in a double wagon drawn by two horses, some two -or three bales of cotton, which he will dispose of for one hundred and -fifty dollars. The next vehicle is also a wagon, and in it are two or -three old women, who have under their especial protection an assortment -of poultry which it is their intention to exchange with the village -merchant for any little conveniences that they may need, or any fancy -articles that they may desire. Directly behind these we have a noisy -party of girls and boys, who are footing their way to market more for -the frolic or freedom of the thing than any desire to obtain money, -albeit we doubt not but some of the boys may have stowed away in one of -the wagons an occasional fox or coon skin which have accidentally come -into their possession by means of their cunningly devised traps. In -another wagon, drawn by a pair of mules, we notice a load of -miscellaneous articles, including a supply of rudely wrought -agricultural implements, a few bags of corn and other grain, and a -neatly dressed hog, with his hoofs pointing to the sky. We now have a -venerable negro, mounted upon an equally venerable horse, his only -saddle consisting of a large bag of choice seeds, which he has been -permitted to glean from his master’s fields at the end of the harvest. -And coming up in the rear, is the excessively miscellaneous portion of -the procession, who ramble along, so far as their appearance is -concerned, somewhat after the manner of a party of bedlamites, but as -joyous and light-hearted as if they were the lords instead of the serfs -of creation. And so much for the appearance of our friends on their way -to market. - -The thousand and one incidents which occur at the town, interesting and -unique as they are, we will leave to the imagination of our readers. -Towards the close of the day the party return to their cabins upon the -plantation, and albeit some of the more indiscreet may have imbibed an -undue quantity of the intoxicating beverage, the majority of them are as -circumspect in their deportment as could be expected. And then, on their -arrival home, commences the long-anticipated frolic of Christmas Eve. -The banjos and fiddles are brought forth, and devoting themselves most -heartily to the pleasures of dancing, singing, and comparing notes as to -the acquisitions made during the day, the hours of night are soon -numbered, and the revelry is only concluded by the approach of day. - -Two hours after sunrise on Christmas morning the sable fraternity are -all out of their beds and moving about with considerable activity, -considering their loss of sleep, and a new order of things is about to -occur. The house servants, and such of the field hands as think their -services may be needed, place themselves in the way of the master and -mistress of the plantation, and cheerfully perform any necessary work -which may be allotted to them. This done, they return to their cabins, -and plan the various means of enjoying themselves. Those old women, and -others who are religiously disposed, jump into a wagon and drive to some -neighboring church to hear the story of the Saviour. Others, who have -relatives belonging to another plantation, start off upon a friendly -visitation. Some, who have a passion for shooting, and have either -borrowed or purchased the necessary fusees, depart upon a vagabondizing -excursion into the woods; while others, who are particularly covetous, -and have already experienced the satisfaction of owning a little -property, remain about the premises for the purpose of accomplishing -some newly-conceived scheme, which will most likely result at no distant -day in his purchasing his freedom. As Christmas is passed, so are the -remaining days of the week, an arrangement having been made among the -negroes, that a portion of them should take turns with another portion, -so that the necessary labor of the plantation might not be neglected. At -the commencement of the year, the regular order of business is resumed -upon the plantation, and so continues with occasional interruption until -another Christmas arrives, to the entire satisfaction, both of master -and slave. - -The rural custom denominated _corn husking_ or _corn shucking_ is -peculiar to the Southern States. It occurs at night, in the autumn of -the year, is participated in by negroes alone, and has for its main -object the husking and the gathering into barns of the yellow maize or -corn. And the locality of our present description is a plantation in the -State of Georgia. - -Intelligence having previously been circulated throughout the district, -that a husking is to occur on a certain night, at a certain plantation, -the first step, as a matter of course, is to prepare for the -contemplated meeting. The corn yielded by the present harvest is hauled -in from the surrounding fields, and deposited in huge heaps, immediately -around the crib or barn into which it is eventually to be deposited. The -roof of the crib having been built so as to be easily removed, and for -the purpose of allowing the corn to be thrown into the building from a -considerable distance, it is accordingly transferred to some -out-of-the-way place, there to remain until reappropriated to its -legitimate use after the husking is ended. The next step is to bring -together at convenient points around the barn and the stacks of corn, -huge quantities of light wood, which is to be employed for the several -purposes of tempering the night air, affording necessary light, and -rendering the approaching scene as cheerful as possible. And while all -these preparations are being made by the men, others of quite as much -importance are occupying the attention of all the women belonging to the -plantation, whose business it is to prepare the feast which necessarily -follows the actual business of husking; while the children are probably -spending their time in clearing away the rubbish from a level spot of -ground in the vicinity of the bonfires, where it is more than probable -we may yet have the pleasure of witnessing a negro dance. - -Night has settled upon the world, and the whole space enclosed by the -planter’s mansion and his almost innumerable outhouses, is filled with a -hum of talking and laughing voices—the loud talking and the hoarse -laughing of perhaps two hundred negroes, exclusive of woman and -children. The torch is now applied to the piles of dry wood, and by the -brilliant light of the several fires the _huskers_ move to their -allotted places around the corn house and seat themselves upon the -ground. They are divided into what might be termed four divisions -(occupying or flanking the several sides of the house), each one of -which is “_headed_” by one of the smartest men in the company, whose -province it is not only to superintend his division, and with the -assistance of several boys to throw the corn, as it is husked, into the -crib, but to take the lead in the singing which, among the blacks, -invariably, and we believe necessarily, accompanies the business of -husking corn. All things being ready, a signal is given, and the whole -party fall to work as if their very lives depended upon their handling a -specified quantity of the white and yellow grain. At the same instant -commences a mingled sound of shouting and singing voices, which -presently swell into a loud and truly harmonious chorus, and the husking -scene is in its prime. The very fires seem elated with the singular but -interesting prospect which they illumine, and shoot their broad sheets -of flame high into the air. Song follows song, in quick succession, and -in every direction piles of beautiful corn seem to spring out of the -earth as if by magic, and with the quickness of magic are transferred -into the great receptacle, which is itself rapidly becoming filled. Rude -indeed are the songs they sing, but harmonious and plaintive. The words -are improvised and the ideas are simple, but there is invariably a -pathos and harmony in the chorus which fails not to delight the ear. -Amusing stories are occasionally told, and then resoundeth far over the -quiet fields sleeping in moonlight, even as did the songs, boisterous -peals of laughter. One, two, three, and perhaps four hours have elapsed, -and it is now midnight, when the announcement is made by some patriarch -of the company that the corn is all husked, and the crib is nearly full. -One more song is called for, during the singing of which the roof is -replaced upon the corn house, and after congregating around the fires, -partly with a view of comparing notes as to the amount of labor -performed, but more especially for the purpose of drying the sweat from -their sable faces, the entire party of huskers move to the spacious -kitchen attached to the planter’s mansion. - -And here an entirely new scene presents itself to our view. Board tables -have been spread in every available corner, and even in the more -sheltered portions of the adjoining yard, and everywhere is displayed a -most sumptuous entertainment, consisting not only of the substantials of -life, strangely served up in the form of a thick soup, but abounding -even in luxuries. Good whisky and perhaps peach brandy is supplied in -reasonable quantities, and the women, having finished their allotted -duties, now mingle with the men, and the feasting company presents as -merry and happy a picture of rural life as can well be imagined. Each -negro devotes himself to his particular mess, and somewhat after the -manner of the aborigines. Jokes of questionable elegance and delicacy -are uttered to a considerable extent, and many compliments paid to the -“_lib’ral and magnan’mous massa ob dis plantation_.” On such occasions, -as might not be supposed, acts of decided impropriety but seldom occur, -and it is not often that a sufficient quantity of spirit is imbibed, -either materially to injure the health or produce intoxication. In this -particular, even the “_down-trodden_” slaves, as they are called, may -often set a worthy example for the imitation of those who occupy a more -elevated rank in society. - -We now come to describe the concluding scene of the corn-husking -entertainment, which consists of a dance upon the spot cleared away by -the boys in the vicinity of the late fires, which are replenished for -further use. The scraping of fiddles and the thumping of banjos having -been heard above the clatter of _spoons_, _soup-plates_, and _gourds_, -at the various supper tables, a new _stampede_ takes place, and the -musicians are hurried off to the dancing ground, as if to trip the light -fantastic toe were deemed the climax of earthly happiness. “On with the -dance, let joy be unconfined.” But there seemeth no need of the poet’s -advice on the present occasion, for the sable congregation now -assembled, seem animated with an almost frantic excitement. The dance, -as a matter of course, is the famous “_Virginia Reel_,” and at least a -hundred individuals have formed themselves in their proper places. No -sooner do the instruments attain the necessary pitch, than the head -couples dash into the arena, now slowly and disdainfully, now swiftly -and ferociously, and now performing the _double shuffle_ or the -_pigeon-wing_. Anon they come to a stand, while others follow, and go -through the same fantastic performances, with the addition perhaps of an -occasional leap or whirl. The excitement is becoming more intense than -ever, and it is evident that those whose business it is to stand still, -are actually dancing in their shoes. Louder than ever wails the -music—order is followed by confusion—and in the madness of the dance -there is no method. The brilliant watch-fires cast a ruddy glow upon the -faces of the dancers, and when, as it sometimes happens, an individual -chances to wander without the circle, his leaping and uncouth figure -pictured against the sky, resembles more the form of a lost spirit than -a human being. Music, dancing, shouting, leaping, and laughing, with -other indescribable matters, are mingled together in a most unique -manner, constituting a spectacle only equaled by the midnight dances of -painted savages. For hours does this frolic continue, and perhaps is -only brought to an end by the crowing of a cock, or the first glimpse -over the eastern hills, of the coming day. And then comes the breaking -up of the assembly, so that by the usual breakfast hour, the negroes -have reached the several plantations to which they belong, and after -spending rather an idle day, are ready for any other _husking_ to which -they may be invited, and which their masters will permit them to attend. - - - - - FISHING IN GENERAL. - - - “We have, indeed, often thought that angling alone offers to man the - degree of half business, half idleness, which the fair sex find in - their needle-work or knitting, which, employing the hands, leaves the - mind at liberty, and occupying the attention, so far as is necessary - to remove the painful sense of a vacuity, yet yields room for - contemplation, whether upon things heavenly or earthly, cheerful or - melancholy.” - Sir Walter Scott. - -In the preceding articles we have given the public the substance of our -experience in regard to our five favorite fish, the salmon, trout, pike, -rock, and black basse. On the present occasion we purpose to embody -within the limits of a single article, our stock of information upon the -remaining fish of the United States, which properly come under the -jurisdiction of the angler. We shall proceed in our remarks after the -manner of the dictionary-makers, and shall take up each variety without -any regard to their order, but as they may happen to come into our mind. - -_The Perch._—With two members of this family alone are we personally -acquainted, viz. the yellow perch and the white perch. The first is a -beautiful fish, and found in nearly all the waters of the Northern and -Middle States, and probably as well known throughout the world as any of -the finny tribes. Its predominating color is yellow; it has an elegant -form, is a bold biter, varies in weight from four ounces to a pound -(although occasionally found in New England weighing two pounds); has a -dry and sweet flesh, but ill adapted to satisfy the cravings of a hungry -man on account of its bones, which are particularly numerous, hard, and -pointed. They generally swim about in _schools_, and yet at the same -time are not at all distinguished for their intelligence, being -invariably allured to destruction by the most bungling anglers, and the -more common kinds of bait. They spawn in the autumn, and recover, so as -to be in fine condition, early in the spring. They delight in clear -rivers or lakes, with pebbly bottoms, though sometimes found on sandy or -clayey soils. They love a moderately deep water, and frequent holes at -the mouth of small streams or the hollows under the banks. With regard -to the white perch we have only to say that it is well described by its -name, is a migratory fish, found in nearly all the rivers of the -Atlantic coast, from Boston to Norfolk; and they weigh from six ounces -to one pound, are in season during the spring and summer, are capital as -an article of food, and afford the entire brotherhood of anglers an -abundance of sport. As touching the name of the fish now before us, we -desire to chronicle our opinion respecting an important instance in -which it has been misapplied. Many years ago, while reading the -remarkable and intensely interesting work of Audubon on the birds of -America, we chanced upon the description of a fish, found in the Ohio, -to which he gave the name of white perch. Subsequently to that period, -while sojourning in the city of Cincinnati, we happened to remember Mr. -Audubon’s description, and one morning visited the market for the -purpose of examining the fish. We found them very abundant, and were -informed that they commanded a high price. On examining the fish, -however, in view of certain doubts that we had previously entertained -(for we knew that the white perch of the book was a native of salt -water), we found it to be not a legitimate white perch, but simply the -fish known on Lake Erie as the fresh water sheepshead. But this -misapplication of the term perch is not peculiar to the residents on the -Ohio, for we know that, throughout the Southern States where the black -basse is found, it is universally called the black perch; and that in -the vicinity of Boston and Nahant the miserable little fish called the -conner is there designated as a black perch. That there are several -varieties of the real perch besides those which we have mentioned we do -not deny, but we feel confident that the above correction cannot be -refuted. - -_The Maskalunge and Pickerel._—Both of these fish are peculiar to the -United States, and especially to the Great Lakes, and the waters of the -St. Lawrence and Mississippi. The former belongs unquestionably to the -pike family, although commonly weighing from twenty to forty pounds, -while many people affirm that it is only an overgrown pike. They are -valued as an article of food, and by those who are fond of killing the -most savage of game at the expense of much labor, they are highly -appreciated. The best and about the only valuable account of this fish -that we have ever seen, was written by George W. Clinton, Esq., and -published in the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser. As to the fish which we -call the pickerel, we have to say that it occupies a position somewhere -between the trout and perch; that it is a favorite with the anglers of -Lake Champlain, Lake Erie, and Lake Michigan, and with those also who -practice the gentle art along the borders of the Ohio and the Tennessee. -It is an active fish, of a roundish form, with large mouth and sharp -teeth, and covered with small scales, the predominating colors being a -dark green and yellowish white. The name which it bears is the one so -generally applied, but erroneously, to the legitimate pike. It is also -the same fish known in the Southwest as the salmon, but as unlike the -peerless creature of the far North as a gray wolf is unlike a deer. As -is the case with the maskalunge, the pickerel is among the first of the -finny tribes that run up our Western rivers early in the spring; and in -the waters of Lake Champlain and the St. Lawrence they are found herding -with the yellow perch, and we believe that in some districts they are -considered as belonging to the perch family. - -_The Catfish._—This fish is distinguished for its many deformities, and -is a great favorite with all persons who have a fancy for muddy waters. -In the Mississippi they are frequently taken weighing upwards of one -hundred pounds; and while they are taken in all the tributaries of that -river, it has been ascertained that they decrease in size as you ascend -towards the north. They are also found in the tributaries of Lake Erie. -They are taken with any kind of bait; and as they are very strong the -best of tackle is invariably necessary. This fish is also found in many -of the lakes of New England, where they seldom weigh more than two -pounds, being there known as the horn or bull pout, owing to a peculiar -pictorial thorn with which they are adorned. Their flesh, though not -particularly sweet, is said to be easily digested, and they are often -sought for by people with weak stomachs. But it has always seemed to us -that it required a very _powerful_ stomach to eat a piece from one of -the mammoths of the Western waters. - -As to the remaining fresh-water fish of the country, we will content -ourself by merely mentioning the names of those which are known to our -anglers, to wit: the chub, dace, white basse, sunfish, roach, bream, and -rock basse. The fish called in Virginia and Maryland the fall fish is -identical with the dace. In the waters of the West the mullet, fresh -water sheepshead, and sucker, are found in immense numbers, but they are -all exceedingly poor eating, and as sporting fish are of no account. The -sturgeon, we believe, is found almost everywhere, and known to almost -everybody. - -There is a fish found in Florida which we have never seen, but which, -from all the descriptions that we have heard, belongs either to the -trout or basse families. It abounds in all the rivers, lakes and springs -of this State, is a bold biter, reaches the weight of fifteen pounds, -has a white and sweet flesh, and is taken in very much the manner -employed by northern anglers in capturing the pike, and with similar -artificial baits. - -We now come to our favorites of the ocean and tide-water rivers; and the -first fish that we mention is the _black fish_, or _tautog_, as it was -called by the Mohegan Indians. It is a stationary inhabitant of the salt -water, and usually found upon reefs and along rocky shores. It is taken -all along the Atlantic coast between New York and Boston, but it has -been known north of Cape Cod only within a few years; its legitimate -home is Long Island Sound. It is an active, bold, strong, and tough -fish, highly esteemed as an article of food, and, like the cod, is -brought to the principal markets in floating cars, in which confinement -they are said to fatten. They are by no means a handsome fish, and their -scales are so adhesive as to be taken off only with the skin. They are a -summer fish, being taken as early as April, and no later than October. A -three-pounder is considered a good fish, but we have often taken them -weighing ten pounds, and have seen them weighing fifteen pounds. They -are generally taken with the hand line, and no better bait can be -employed than the lobster or soft crab. - -_The Sheepshead._—This is a thick set but rather handsome fish, and, for -the sweetness of its flesh, highly esteemed. They are seldom seen in the -New York market, but very common in the Charleston and Mobile markets, -from which we infer that they are partial to southern waters. They vary -in weight from three pounds to fourteen; live exclusively upon shell -fish, and invariably command a high price. They are popular with the -anglers, for they swim in shoals and are captured with but little -trouble. - -_The Blue Fish._—The name of this glorious fish reminds us of the ground -swell, and sends through our whole frame a thrill of pleasure. They are -a species of mackerel, attaining in certain places the weight of a dozen -pounds. They swim in shoals, and are taken with a trolling line and an -ivory squid. Our favorite mode for taking them has ever been from a -small boat with a hand line, though many people prefer taking them from -a sailboat when running before a breeze. They are quite as active a fish -as we have ever seen, and the strength of their jaws is so great that we -have known them to bite off a man’s finger. When fresh and fat we -consider them quite as delicate as the real mackerel, and much better -than the black fish. They are found on the sea coast as far south as -Norfolk (where they are called tailors), but they are particularly -abundant along the shores of Connecticut and Rhode Island. In some -places we have often found them so numerous that we have seen a dozen of -them darting after our squid at the same instant. They are in season -during the whole of summer and autumn. - -Another capital fish that we have caught “all along shore” between New -York and Cape Cod, is the _weak fish_, or _squeteague_. It never comes -into the fresh water rivers, and usually makes its appearance about -harvest time. Its habits are similar to those of the striped basse, and -in appearance it closely resembles the _ciscovet_, of Lake Superior. -They commonly weigh from three to five pounds, though they have been -taken weighing nearly ten. They are bold biters, and highly esteemed for -their sweetness. - -With regard to the remaining fish found on our seaboard we are disposed -to be quite brief. The _mackerel_ we esteem, and have had rare sport in -taking them, but we look upon them as the exclusive property of our -merchants. The _halibut_ we admire, but fear, for he reminds us of one -of the most fatiguing piscatorial adventures we ever experienced, when -we hooked a thirty-pounder in the Atlantic, one hundred miles off -Nantucket. As to the _cod_, we have only to say that we have caught them -off Nahant by the hundred, and never wish to catch any more; like the -_mackerel_, we consider them the exclusive property of the mercantile -fraternity. With the _king fish_ and _drum_ we are wholly unacquainted. -The _tom cod_ and _conner_ or _blue perch_ we despise, and our antipathy -to snakes has always caused us to avoid the eel. Of the _sea basse_ and -_paugee_, if we knew what to say, we would indite a long paragraph, for -we esteem them both. As to the _shad_ and _sea sturgeon_, we shall -dismiss them with an angler’s scorn, for they know not what it is to -take the hook. And now that we have reached the bottom of our last page -(devoted to the finny tribes), we are reminded of the very peculiar but -sweet and valuable fish, which are ever found only at the bottom of the -sea—the _flounder and flat-fish_. Many a time and oft have we taken them -both with the hook and spear, and we can pay them no higher compliment -than by mentioning the fact that they are particular favorites with the -distinguished painter, _William S. Mount, Esq._, of Long Island. - - - - - OUR MASTER IN LANDSCAPE. - - - “His departure has left a vacuity which amazes and alarms us. It is as - if the voyager on the Hudson were to look to the great range of the - Catskills, at the foot of which Cole, with a reverential fondness, had - fixed his abode, and were to see that the grandest of its summits had - disappeared, had sunk into the plain from our sight. I might use a - bolder similitude; it is as if we were to look over the heavens on a - starlight evening and find that one of the greater planets, Hesperus - or Jupiter, had been blotted from the sky.” - Funeral Oration by William Cullen Bryant. - -Upon the romantic life of the greatest of American landscape painters it -is not our province to discourse, for that task has been assigned to a -gifted poet and friend of the departed—the Reverend Louis L. Noble;—nor -do we purpose to expatiate upon his beautiful character as a man, and -his genius as an artist; for that labor of love has already been -accomplished by the eminent poet from whom we have borrowed our motto. -The only idea that we have in view, is simply to describe the truly Epic -productions of the late Thomas Cole (in whose studio, which looked out -upon the Catskill Mountains, we have spent many pleasant hours), for the -edification of those of our readers who have never had an opportunity of -examining them. - -In the first place, then, we will turn our attention to the series of -five pictures, entitled “_The Course of Empire_.” This work is an -epitome of the life of man, and is conceived and executed in a manner -which must convince the beholder that the artist possessed many of the -attributes of the philosopher, the poet, and the Christian. - -In the first picture we have a perfectly wild scene of rocks, mountains, -woods, and a bay of the ocean, reposing in the luxuriance of a ripe -spring. The clouds of night are being dissipated by the beams of the -rising sun. On the opposite side of the bay rises a lofty promontory, -crowned by a singular, isolated rock, which would ever be a conspicuous -landmark to the mariner. As the same locality is preserved in each -picture of the series, this rock identifies it, although the position of -the spectator changes in the several pictures. The chase being the most -characteristic occupation of savage life, in the foreground we see an -Indian clothed in skins, pursuing a wounded deer, which is bounding down -a narrow ravine. On a rock, in the middle ground, are other Indians, -with their dogs surrounding another deer. On the bosom of a little river -below are a number of canoes passing down the stream, while many more -are drawn up on the shore. On an elevation beyond these is a cluster of -wigwams, and a number of Indians dancing round a fire. In this picture -we have the first rudiments of society. Men are already banded together -for mutual aid in the chase. In the canoes, huts, and weapons, we -perceive that the useful arts have commenced, and in the singing, which -usually accompanies the dance of savages, we behold the germs of music -and poetry. The Empire is asserted, to a limited degree, over sea, land, -and the animal kingdom. - -Ages have passed away, and in the second picture we have the Simple or -Arcadian State of Society. The time of day is a little before noon, and -the season early summer. The “untracked and rude” has been tamed and -softened. Shepherds are tending their flocks; a solitary ploughman, with -his oxen, is turning up the soil; and in the rude vessels passing into -the haven of a growing village, and in the skeleton of a barque building -on the shore, we perceive the commencement of Commerce. From a rude -temple on a hill the smoke of sacrifice is ascending to the sky, -symbolizing the spirit of Religion. In the foreground, on the left hand, -is seated an old man, who, by describing strange figures in the sand, -seems to have made some geometrical discovery, demonstrating the infancy -of Science. On the right hand is a woman with a distaff, about crossing -a stone bridge; beside her, a boy is drawing on a stone the figure of a -man with a sword; and beyond these, ascending the road, a soldier is -partly seen. Under some noble trees, in the middle distance, are a -number of peasants dancing to the music of pipe and timbrel. All these -things show us that society is steadily progressing in its march of -usefulness and power. - -Ages have again passed away, and in the third picture we have a -magnificent city. It is now mid-day, and early autumn. The bay is now -surrounded by piles of architecture, temples, colonnades, and domes. It -is a day of rejoicing. The spacious harbor is crowded with vessels, -war-galleys, ships, and barques, their silken sails glistening in the -sunshine. Moving over a massive stone bridge, in the foreground, is a -triumphal procession. The conqueror, robed in purple, is mounted on a -car drawn by an elephant, and surrounded by captives and a numerous -train of guards and servants, many of them bearing pictures and golden -treasures. As he is about to pass the triumphal arch, beautiful girls -strew flowers in his path; gay festoons of drapery hang from the -clustered columns; golden trophies glitter in the sun, and incense rises -from silver censers. Before a Doric temple, on the left, a multitude of -white-robed priests are standing on the marble steps, while near them a -religious ceremony is being performed before a number of altars. The -statue of Minerva, with a Victory in her hand, stands above the building -of the Caryatides, on a columned pedestal, near which is a company of -musicians, with cymbals, “trumpets also, and shawms.” From the lofty -portico of a palace, an imperial personage is watching the procession, -surrounded by her children, attendants, and guards. Nations have been -subjugated, man has reached the summit of human glory. Wealth, power, -knowledge, and taste have worked together and accomplished the highest -meed of human achievement and Empire. - -Another change—and lo! in the fourth picture, the Vicious State, or -State of Destruction. Behold the consequences of luxury, in the weakened -and debased condition of mankind. A savage enemy has entered the once -proud and happy city; a fierce tempest is raging; walls and colonnades -are lying in the dust, and temples and palaces are being consumed by the -torch of the incendiary. The fire of vengeance is swallowing up the -devoted city. An arch of the bridge over which the triumphal procession -had before passed, has been battered down, and broken pillars, ruins of -war-engines, and the temporary bridge which had been thrown over, -indicate that this has been the scene of direst contention. Now there is -a terrible conflict on the bridge, whose insecurity accelerates the -horror of the conflict. Horses, and men, and chariots, are precipitated -into the raging waves. War-galleys are contending; others in flames; and -others still, sinking beneath the prow of a superior foe. Smoke and -flames are issuing from the falling and prostrate edifices; and along -the battlements and in the blocked-up streets the conflict is dreadful -indeed. The foreground is strewed with the bodies of the dead and dying. -Some have fallen into the basin of a fountain, tinging the water with -blood. One female is sitting in mute despair over the dead body of her -son; another leaping over a battlement, to escape the grasp of a ruffian -soldier; and other soldiers drag a woman by the hair down the steps, -that form the pedestal of a mutilated colossal statue, whose shattered -head lies on the pavement below. A barbarous enemy has conquered the -city; Carnage and Destruction have asserted their frightful Empire. - -The last and most impressive picture of this series is the scene of -Desolation. The sun has just departed, and the moon is ascending the -twilight sky over the ocean, near the place where the sun rose in the -first picture. The shades of evening are gradually stealing over the -shattered and ivy-grown ruins of that once great city. A lonely column -rises in the foreground, on whose capital a solitary heron has built her -nest, and at the foot of it her mate is standing in the water, both of -them apparently conscious of being a living mockery. The Doric temple -and triumphal bridge may still be identified among the ruins, which are -laved by the waters of the tranquil sea. But though man and his works -have perished, the steep promontory with its isolated rock, still rears -itself against the sky, unmoved, unchanged. Time has consumed the works -of man, and art is resolving into its elemental nature. The gorgeous -pageant has passed, the roar of battle has ceased, the multitude has -mingled with the dust, the Empire is extinct. - -The first, second, and last of these paintings are the best of the -series, not only in the poetry they portray, but in their execution. The -style is more varied and natural, and has less the appearance of paint -than many of the artist’s later productions. As to the third and fourth -paintings, the conception of both is exceedingly fine and poetical, but -they are deficient in execution. The architecture is admirably done, but -the numerous figures which it was necessary to introduce, are poorly -drawn and arranged; and there is a feebleness in the effect. It would -be, perhaps, too much to ask that an artist should be a great painter of -scenery, and also a master of the human figure. As a whole, however, the -Course of Empire is a work of art worthy of any nation or any painter. -These pictures were painted for the late Luman Reed, at a cost of eight -thousand dollars, but are now the property of the New York Gallery, -which institution owes its existence to Mr. Reed, whose collection of -pictures formed the foundation thereof. - -The next work to which we would call the attention of our readers is -called “_The Voyage of Life_.” It is a series of four pictures, -allegorically portraying the prominent features of man’s life, viz: -childhood, youth, manhood, and old age. The subject is one of such -universal interest, that it were almost impossible to treat it in an -entirely original manner, but no one can deny that the conception of the -painter displays a high and rare order of poetic power. - -In the first, we behold the dawn of a summer morning. A translucent -stream is issuing from an unknown source, out of a deep cavern in the -side of a mountain. Floating gently down the stream, is a golden boat, -made of the sculptured figures of the Hours, while the prow is formed by -the present hour holding forth an emblem of Time. It is filled with -flowers, and on these a little child is seated, tossing them with his -upraised hands, and smiling with new-born joy, as he looks upon the -unnumbered beauties and glories of this bright world around him; while a -guardian angel is at the helm, with his wings lovingly and protectingly -extended over the child. Love, purity, and beauty emanate like incense -from the sky, the earth, and water, so that the heart of the gazer seems -to forget the world, and lose itself in a dream of heaven. - -A few fleeting years are gone, and behold the change! The Stream of Life -is widened, and its current strong and irresistible, but it flows -through a country of surpassing loveliness. The voyager, who is now a -youth, has taken the helm into his own hands, and the dismissed angel -stands upon the shore looking at him with “a look made of all sweet -accord,” as if he said in his heart, “God be with thee, thoughtless -mortal!” But the youth heeds not his angel, for his eyes are now riveted -by an airy castle pictured against the sky, dome above dome, reaching to -the very zenith. The phantom of worldly happiness and worldly ambition -has absorbed the imagination and eager gaze of the wayward voyager, and -as he urges his frail bark onward, he dreams not of the dangers which -may await him in his way. To the boat, only a few flowers are now -clinging, and on closer observation we perceive that the castle in the -air, apparently so real, has only a white cloud for its foundation, and -that ere long the stream makes a sudden turn, rushing with the fury of a -maddened steed down a terrible ravine. The moral of the picture it is -needless to elucidate. - -Another change, and lo! the verge of a cataract and a fearful storm. The -rudderless bark is just about to plunge into the abyss below, while the -voyager (now in the prime of manhood) is imploring the only aid that can -avail him in the trying hour, that of heaven. Demoniacal images are -holding forth their temptations in the clouds around him, but he heeds -them not. His confidence in God supports him, the previous agony of his -soul is dispelled or subdued, by a reflection of immortal light stealing -through the storm, and by the smiles of his guardian angel, visibly -stationed in the far-off sky. - -The Voyage of Life is ended, and our voyager, now white with hoary -hairs, has reached that point where the waters of time and eternity -mingle together—a bold conception, which is finely embodied by the -daring genius of the painter. The hour-glass is gone, and the shattered -bark is ready to dissolve into the fathomless waters beneath. The old -man is on his knees, with clasped hands and his eyes turned heavenward, -for the greenness of earth is forever departed, and a gloom is upon the -ocean of eternity. But just above the form of our good voyager is -hovering his angel, who is about to transport him to his home; and, as -the eye wanders upward, an infinite host of heavenly ministers are seen -ascending and descending the cloudy steps which lead to the bosom of -God. Death is swallowed up in life, the glory of heaven has eclipsed -that of the earth, and our voyager is safe in the haven of eternal rest. -And thus endeth the allegory of Human Life. - -With regard to the mechanical execution of these paintings, we consider -them not equal to some of the earlier efforts of the same pencil. They -are deficient in atmosphere, and have too much the appearance of paint. -The water in the first, second, and third pictures is superior, but the -perspective and atmosphere in the second are masterly. In all of them -the figures are very fine, considering the difficulty of managing such -peculiar characters. In the first we are pleased with the simplicity of -the composition: in the second, with the variety, there being portrayed -the elm of England, the plains of Tuscany, the palm of tropic climes, -the mountains of Switzerland, and the oak of America; in the third, with -the genius displayed in using the very storm to tell a story; and in the -fourth, with the management of the shadows, and the apparent reality of -the light from heaven. These pictures were painted for the late Samuel -Ward of New York city, and the price received for them was six thousand -dollars. During the last year, however, they were purchased by the -American Art Union, and distributed among the prizes at their annual -lottery in December. - -Duplicates of the above paintings were executed by Cole, and sold to a -gentleman in Cincinnati in the year 1846. - -The last, and in many respects the most impressive, of Cole’s more -ambitious productions, is a series of five pictures entitled _The Cross -and the World_. The designs or studies for these pictures were all -executed, but owing to the untimely death of the artist, only two out of -the five were ever finished on a large scale. This series of pictures -constitutes a Christian poem of a high order, and in describing them, we -shall employ the language of the artist’s friend Noble, who has probably -studied the entire work more thoroughly than any other man. The idea is -that two youths enter upon a pilgrimage—one to the cross and the other -to the world. - -In the first picture the eye of the beholder first strikes the bold -termination of a chain of mountains, with craggy peaks lost in the -clouds. - -The same lofty range is seen through the entire series. - -To the left, a straight and narrow path takes its way up a rugged gorge, -down which there beams a silvery light from a bright cross in the sky. -The path at first leads off through fields of real flowers, betokening -the early part of the Christian life, neither difficult nor uninviting. -In the distance a dark mist, hovering over the track, conceals from the -advancing wayfarer the real difficulties of his journey, and betokens -the sorrows which of necessity befall him. To the right, a gracefully -winding way leads down into a gently undulating and pleasant vale. -Stretching forward through delightful landscapes, it finally fades away, -and leaves the eye to wander on to the dim pinnacles and domes of a -great city. A golden light falls through an atmosphere of repose, and -lends warmth, softness, and beauty, as well to crag and precipice as to -the rich valley. By-paths, serpent-like, steal up upon the sunny slopes -of the mountain, inviting the traveler to the enjoyment of the prospect -and the coolness of the waterfall. - -Vegetation of unnatural growth, and gorgeous and unreal flowers skirt -the borders of the way. - -At the foot of the mountain stands Evangelist with the open Gospel. A -little in advance are the waters, symbolical of Baptism. - -Two youths, companions in the travel of life, having come to the parting -of their road, are affectionately and earnestly directed to the shining -cross. While one, through the power of truth, enters with timid steps -upon his holy pilgrimage, the other, caught by the enchantment of the -earthly prospect, turns his back upon Evangelist and the Cross, and -speeds forward upon the pathway of the world. - -In the second picture we have a wild mountain region now opening upon -the beholder. It is an hour of tempest. Black clouds envelop the -surrounding summits. A swollen torrent rushes by, and plunges into the -abyss. The storm, sweeping down through terrific chasms, flings aside -the angry cataract, and deepens the horror of the scene below. The -pilgrim, now in the vigor of manhood, pursues his way on the edge of a -frightful precipice. It is a moment of imminent danger. But gleams of -light from the shining cross break through the storm, and shed fresh -brightness along his perilous and narrow path. With steadfast look, and -renewed courage, the lone traveler holds on his heavenly pilgrimage. - -The whole symbolizes the trials of faith. - -In the third picture the beholder looks off upon an expanse of tranquil -water. On the right are the gardens of pleasure, where the devotees of -sensual delights revel in all that satiates and amuses. Near a fountain, -whose falling waters lull with perpetual murmurs, stands a statue of the -goddess of Love. An interminable arcade, with odorous airs and delicious -shade, invites to the quiet depths of a wilderness of greenery and -flowers. A gay throng dances upon the yielding turf, around a tree, to -the sound of lively music. Near an image of Bacchus, a company enjoys a -luxurious banquet. - -On the left is the Temple of Mammon, a superb and costly structure, -surmounted by the wheel of Fortune. Beneath its dome, a -curiously-wrought fountain throws out showers of gold, which is eagerly -caught up by the votaries below. - -From the great censers, rising here and there above the heads of the -multitude, clouds of incense roll up and wreath the columns of the -temple—a grateful odor to the God. The trees and shrubbery of the -adjacent grounds are laden with golden fruit. - -Far distant, in the middle of the picture, a vision of earthly power and -glory rises upon the view. Splendid trophies of conquest adorn the -imposing gateway; suits of armor, gorgeous banners, and the victor’s -wreath. Colonnades and piles of architecture stretch away in the vast -perspective. At the summit of a lofty flight of steps stand conspicuous -the throne and the sceptre. Suspended in the air, at the highest point -of human reach, is that glittering symbol of royalty, the crown. Between -the beholder and this grand spectacle are the armies in conflict, and a -city in flames, indicating that the path to glory lies through ruin and -the battle-field. To the contemplation of this alluring scene the -Pilgrim of the World, now in the morning of manhood, is introduced. -Which of the fascinating objects before him is the one of his choice, is -left to the imagination of the spectator. The picture symbolizes the -pleasure, the fortune, and the glory of the world. - -In the fourth picture, the pilgrim, now an old man on the verge of -existence, catches a first view of the boundless and eternal. The -tempests of life are behind him; the world is beneath his feet. Its -rocky pinnacles, just rising through the gloom, reach not up into his -brightness; its sudden mists, pausing in the dark obscurity, ascend no -more into his serene atmosphere. He looks out upon the infinite. -Clouds—embodiments of glory, threading immensity in countless lines, -rolling up from everlasting depths—carry the vision forward toward the -unapproachable light. The Cross, now fully revealed, pours its -effulgence over the illimitable scene. Angels from the presence, with -palm and crown of immortality, appear in the distance, and advance to -meet him. Lost in rapture at the sight, the pilgrim drops his staff, and -with uplifted hands, sinks upon his knees. - -In the last picture, desolate and broken, the pilgrim, descending a -gloomy vale, pauses at last on the horrid brink that overhangs the outer -darkness. Columns of the Temple of Mammon crumble; trees of the gardens -of pleasure moulder on his path. Gold is as valueless as the dust with -which it mingles. The phantom of glory—a baseless, hollow fabric—flits -under the wing of death to vanish in a dark eternity. Demon forms are -gathering around him. Horror-struck, the pilgrim lets fall his staff, -and turns in despair to the long-neglected and forgotten Cross. Veiled -in melancholy night, behind a peak of the mountain, it is lost to his -view forever. - -The above pictures are in the possession of the artist’s family. We did -think of describing at length _all_ the imaginative productions of our -great master in landscape, but upon further reflection we have concluded -merely to record their titles, by way of giving our readers an idea of -the versatility of Cole’s genius. They are as follows:—_The Departure -and Return_, which is a poetical representation of the Feudal Times, -_The Cross in the Wilderness_, _Il Penseroso_, _L’Allegro_, _The Past -and Present_, _The Architect’s Dream_, _Dream of Arcadia_, _The -Expulsion of Adam and Eve_, and _Prometheus Bound_. As the last -mentioned picture is owned in England, and is unquestionably one of the -wildest and most splendid efforts of the painter’s pencil, we cannot -refrain from a brief description. The scene represented is among the -snow-covered peaks of a savage mountain land, and to the loftiest peak -of all, is chained the being who gives the picture a name. Immediately -in the foreground, is a pile of rocks and broken trees, which give a -fine effect to the distant landscape, while, just above this foreground, -is a solitary vulture slowly ascending to the upper air, to feast upon -its victim. The idea of leaving the devouring scene to the imagination, -could only have been conceived by the mind of the most accomplished -artist. The time represented is early morning—and the cold blue ocean of -the sky is studded with one brilliant star, which represents Jupiter, by -whose order Prometheus was chained to the everlasting rock. - -This is one of the most truly sublime pictures we have ever seen, and -possesses all the qualities which constitute an epic production. The -unity of the design is admirable—one figure, one prominent mountain, a -cloudless sky, one lonely star, one representative of the feathery -tribes, and one cluster of rocks for the foreground—and it is also -completely covered with an atmosphere which gives every object before us -a dreamy appearance. In point of execution we cannot possibly find a -fault with this glorious picture, and we do not believe that the idea of -the poet was ever better illustrated by any landscape painter. - -With regard to the actual views and other less ambitious productions of -Cole, we can only say that the entire number might be estimated at about -one hundred. The majority of them are illustrative of European scenery, -but of those which are truly American, it may be said that they give a -more correct and comprehensive idea of our glorious scenery, than do the -productions of any other American artist. In looking upon his better -pictures of American scenery we forget the pent-up city, and our hearts -flutter with a joy allied to that which we may suppose animates the -woodland bird, when listening in its solitude to the hum of the -wilderness. Perpetual freedom, perpetual and unalloyed happiness, seem -to breathe from every object which he portrays, and as the eye wanders -along the mountain declivities, or mounts still farther up on the -chariot-looking clouds, as we peer into the translucent waters of his -lakes and streams, or witness the solemn grandeur and gloom of his -forests, we cannot but wonder at the marvelous power of genius. The -style of our artist is bold and masterly. While he did not condescend to -delineate every leaf and sprig which may be found in nature, yet he gave -you the spirit of the scene. To do this is the province of genius, and -an attainment beyond the reach of mere talent. The productions of Cole -appeal to the intellect more than to the heart, and we should imagine -that Milton was his favorite poet. He loved the uncommon efforts in -nature, and was constantly giving birth to new ideas. He had a passion -for the wild and tempestuous, and possessed an imagination of the -highest order. He was also a lover of the beautiful, and occasionally -executed a picture full of quiet summer-like sentiment: but his joy was -to depict the scenery of our mountain land, when clothed in the rich -garniture of autumn. He was the originator of a new style, and is now a -most worthy member of that famous brotherhood of immortals whom we -remember by the names of Lorraine, Poussin, Rosa, Wilson, and -Gainsborough. - -The name of Cole is one which his countrymen should not willingly let -die. A man of fine, exalted genius, by his pencil he has accomplished -much good, not only to his chosen art, by becoming one of its masters, -but eminently so in a moral point of view. And this reminds us of the -influences which may be exerted by the landscape painter. That these are -of importance no one can deny. Is not painting as well the expression of -thought as writing? With his pencil, if he is a wise and good man, the -artist may portray, to every eye that rests upon his canvass, the -loveliness of virtue and religion, or the deformity and wretchedness of -a vicious life. He may warn the worldling of his folly and impending -doom, and encourage the Christian in his pilgrimage to heaven. He may -delineate the marvelous beauty of nature, so as to lead the mind upward -to its Creator, or proclaim the ravages of time, that we may take heed -to our ways and prepare ourselves for a safe departure from this world, -into that beyond the Valley of the Shadow of Death. A goodly portion of -all these things have been accomplished by Thomas Cole. As yet, he is -the only landscape painter in this country who has attempted imaginative -painting, and the success which has followed him in his career, even in -a pecuniary point of view, affords great encouragement to our younger -painters in this department of the art. He has set a noble example, -which ought to be extensively followed. Observe, we do not mean by this -that his subjects ought to be imitated. Far from it; because they are -not stamped with as decided a national character, as the productions of -all painters should be. Excepting his actual views of American scenery, -the paintings of Cole might have been produced had he never set foot -upon our soil. Let our young artists aspire to something above a mere -copy of nature, or even a picture of the fancy; let them paint the -visions of their imagination. No other country ever offered such -advantages as our own. Let our young painters use their pencils to -illustrate the thousand scenes, strange, wild, and beautiful, of our -early history. Let them aim high, and their achievements will be -distinguished. Let them remember that theirs is a noble destiny. What -though ancient wisdom and modern poetry have told us that “art is long -and time is fleeting!”—let them toil and persevere with nature as their -guide, and they will assuredly have their reward. - - - - - POVERTY.[2] - - - And wherefore do the poor complain? - The rich man asked of me: - Come walk abroad with me, I said, - And I will answer thee. - Southey. - -Attended by police officers, we once paid a visit to a building called -the Old Brewery, which infests the city of New York as does a cancer the -bosom of a splendid woman. At the time in question, it was a very large -and rickety affair, and the _home_ of about _eighty pauper families_; -and we verily believe contained more unalloyed suffering than could have -been found in any other building in the United States. It belonged to -the city, and was rented by a woman, who, in her turn, rented it out by -piecemeal to the paupers. For many years it was a dram shop or a college -for the education of drunkards, and it is now the comfortless hospital -or dying-place of those drunkards and their descendants. We visited this -spot at midnight, and were lighted on our way by torches which we -carried in our hands. - -Having passed through a place called Murderer’s Alley (on account of the -many murders committed there), our leading officer bolted into a room, -where was presented the following spectacle. The room itself was more -filthy than a sty. In the fireplace were a few burning embers, above -which hung a kettle, tended by a woman and her daughter. It contained a -single cabbage, and was all they had to eat, and the woman told us she -had not tasted food for twenty-four hours. The wretched being, it -appears, had been engaged in a fight with some brute of a man, who had -so severely bruised her face that one whole side was literally black and -blue. We asked her some questions and alluded to her young daughter. She -replied to our inquiries, and then burst into tears, and wept as if her -heart was broken. The only comment which the daughter made was, “Mother, -what are you crying about? Don’t make a fool of yourself. Tears will not -wipe away God’s curse.” The couch to which this pair of women were to -retire after their midnight meal, was a pallet of straw, wet with liquid -mud that came oozing through the stone walls of the subterranean room. -This woman told us that her husband was in the State prison, and that -she was the mother of seven daughters, all of whom but the one present -had died in girlhood, utterly abandoned to every vice. “Yes,” added the -woman, “and I hope that me and my Mary will soon join them; there can be -no worse hell than the one we are enduring.” She mourned over her -unhappy fate, and looked upon vice as a matter of necessity—for they -could not starve. - -In the next room that we entered, on a litter of straw, and with hardly -any covering upon them, lay a man and his wife, the former suffering -with asthma and the latter in the last stages of consumption. Covered as -they were with the most filthy rags, they looked more like reptiles than -human beings. In another corner of the same room, upon a wooden box, sat -a young woman with a child on her lap; the former possessing a pale and -intellectual countenance, while the latter was a mere skeleton. The -woman uttered not a word while we were present, but seemed to be musing -in silent despair. Her history and very name were unknown, but her -silence and the vacant stare of her passionless eyes spoke of -unutterable sorrow. She was the “queen of a fantastic realm.” - -Another room that we entered contained no less than five families, and -in one corner was a woman in the agonies of death, while at her side sat -a miserable dog, howling a requiem over the dying wretch. In another -corner lay the helpless form of a boy, about ten years of age, who was -afflicted with the small-pox, and had been abandoned to his miserable -fate. He had rolled off the straw, and his cheek rested upon the wet -floor, which was black with filth. All the rooms we visited were pretty -much alike, crowded with human beings, but there were particular ones -which attracted our attention. The faded beauty and yet brilliant eye of -one woman attracted our notice, and we were informed that it was only -about two years ago that she was performing Juliet at one of the -principal theatres to the delight of thousands. She is now an outcast, -and her only possession is a ragged calico gown. In another room we -noticed the living remains of a German philosopher, who was once a -preacher, then a professor in the Berlin and Halle Universities, an -author, a rationalist, a doctor of philosophy, and now a—pauper. He came -to this country about three years ago, supposing that his learning would -here find a ready market. This man is master of the Hebrew, Greek, -Latin, French, and German languages, and yet a bitter reviler of the -Christian religion! He was brought to his present state by the united -influences of his infidel principles and the wine cup. - -In one room we saw a husband and his wife with three children, sound -asleep on a bed of shavings, and the furniture thereof consisted of only -a pine box, a wooden bowl (partly filled with meal), and a teacup, while -on the hearth of the empty fireplace were scattered a few meatless -bones. In another we saw a woman in a state of gross intoxication, whose -child, wrapped in rags, was lying on a bed of _warm ashes_ in one corner -of the fireplace. In one room a lot of half-clothed negroes were -fighting like hyenas; and in another a forlorn old man was suffering -with delirium tremens. In another, still, the fireplace was destitute of -fire and the hearth of wood. On the floor were three litters of straw; -on one lay the corpse of a woman and a dead infant, and another child -about three years of age, which had no covering upon its shivering body -except the fragments of an old cloak. On one pile of straw lay a -middle-aged man apparently breathing his last; and in the opposite -corner was seated a drunken woman, a stranger to the dead and dying, who -was calling down curses upon the head of her husband, who had abandoned -her to her misery. As we rambled about the old building, peering into -the dark rooms of poverty and infamy, we were forcibly reminded of -Dante’s description of hell. The majority of women that we saw were -widows, and we were informed that the rent they paid varied from two to -six shillings per week. Our guide, before leaving, directed our -attention to the back yard, where, within the last two years, twenty -people had been found dead. Their histories yet remain in mystery, and -we were told of the singular fact that a funeral had not been known to -occur at the Old Brewery for many years, as it has ever been a -market-place for anatomists and their menials. - -On giving the readers of the Express some of the above facts, a number -of benevolent individuals remitted to us quite a large amount of money -for the inmates of the Brewery. One lady (God bless the Christian!) sent -us no less than ten dollars. In fulfilling our obligations to these -charitable friends, we purchased clothing, bread, pork, fish, and -vegetables, and, assisted by a couple of servants, took another walk -over the mansion of suffering. As we went in the day time, we expected -to see less misery than we did on our former visits, but were sadly -disappointed. We entered several new rooms and saw new pictures of -distress. In one was a very old negro, sitting in his desolate chimney -corner, with no clothing on his person but a pair of pantaloons; he was -afflicted with the asthma and shivering with cold, while his poor wife -was weeping over their wretched condition. When we supplied the latter -with food, we thought the overjoyed being would actually clasp me in her -arms. On entering another room, we discovered a mass of rags in one -corner, where lay an elderly woman who had lost the use of her limbs, -and had not been able to move from her couch of shavings for upwards of -two months. She was evidently the victim of consumption, and not far -from the gateway to the grave. Her only attendant was a kindly-disposed -woman who had the dropsy. When we gave her some food, she actually wept -tears of gratitude, and begged me to _accept a rug_, which she had made -of rags, probably picked up in the street. In another room, before an -expiring fire, sat a sickly-looking girl, about ten years of age, -holding in her arms a little babe, and the countenances of both were -deeply furrowed by premature suffering. Her story was that her mother -had been dead about a month, and she knew not the fate of her father, -who had been arrested for stealing some two weeks before. She obtained -her living by begging, and when too feeble to carry her infant sister in -the street, was in the habit of leaving it in her room under the -protection of a miserable dog, to which she directed my attention. We -gave this sadly unfortunate girl a large supply of food, and was sorely -grieved that it was not in our power to take her from her cheerless -dwelling place to some other home, where she might be fed, clothed, and -instructed. The act of adopting such a child would cover a multitude of -sins. The condition of Mr. Dickens’s fancy child “Little Nell” was real -happiness compared to the condition of this living and yet dying orphan. -God have mercy upon the _innocent_ poor! - -Another room into which we entered was completely crowded with human -beings. On one bed of rags and straw lay a woman who was so very ill -that she could not speak, and her only covering, strange as it may seem, -was a tattered _American flag_. She was a stranger to all her -companions, but supposed to be the wife of a sailor, who had died some -months before. Immediately in front of the fireplace, lying on her side, -was a colored woman moaning with the rheumatism, and in her immediate -vicinity was her husband, suffering intensely with a cold. Here sat an -Irish woman on a chest, holding an infant in her arms; she was _singing_ -a lullaby, and yet she told me that she had not eaten a hearty meal for -many weeks. There, lying in his corner, was a middle aged man, confined -to the floor by an ulcerated knee, and he had in charge a feeble babe, -which had never been blessed with even a calico dress—it was not only -naked, but a cripple from its birth. The wife of this man was dead, and -those were her dying groans which chilled my blood with horror when we -made a nocturnal visit to this miserable abode. His only helper in his -hour of great need was a puny boy, about seven years old, who seemed to -be an idiot. The appearance of this child we cannot possibly describe. -The _happiest_ individual in this room was a colored man, who appeared -to be in good health, but he crawled about on crutches, for he had lost -both his legs. He seemed to be an exceedingly worthy and amiable man, -and we were lavish in our gifts to him and those in whom he was -interested. - -But enough, enough. There can be no use in continuing this painful -record. We would assure our readers, however, that we have only sketched -a small portion of the unimagined misery which lately existed and still -exists in the Old Brewery. The spectacles we have witnessed there excel -the most extravagant flights of fancy; we have never read the book which -contained pictures of such complete and hopeless misery. We have told a -simple tale of truth, contributed our pittance, and it now remains for -the opulent of the great metropolis and the rulers thereof to do their -duty. Is it right that such a building as the Old Brewery should be -suffered to exist within a stone’s throw of the City Hall? Is it right -that the “hell hounds” (we now allude to a fact) should be permitted by -the authorities to sell their poisons _under the same roof_ where -hundreds of people are dying from starvation, brought upon them by their -own folly and those very dram shops? We would not make an issue upon the -license question; but, we ask, is it right, is it humane, to allow this -state of things? If the aged in iniquity cannot be reclaimed, ought not -something to be done to save the children of the Old Brewery—the -innocent, laughter-loving children, from spending their days in misery? -If nothing else can be done, it would be a mercy to fire that abode of -suffering, even though every soul within its walls should perish in the -flames; the wail of agony would indeed be dreadful, but it would be of -short duration. Why will not the superb city of New York wipe from her -bosom this lump of leprosy, which is now preying upon her vitals? Can -the rich now understand why it is that the poor complain? - - -An Irishman, his wife, and two children were brought to the alms-house -in a complete state of starvation. They landed in the city from an -emigrant ship, and had not tasted food for several days. The mother was -wellnigh a perfect skeleton, and the sunken cheeks and eyes of the whole -family told the melancholy truth that they were the victims of the most -intense suffering. One of the children was so near dead that it could -not walk, whilst it was with the utmost difficulty that even the father -could totter over the floor. They were as nearly dead as it is possible -for the living to be, and want of food was the principal cause which had -brought them to this miserable state. In answer to all questions asked -them, their replies were, “We want some bread; do give us some bread; we -will die if you do not give us some bread.” As a matter of course their -wants were immediately supplied, but the utmost caution was necessary in -administering food. When they were seated at the table, the first thing -the mother did was to feed her youngest child. In doing this she took -not the least notice of herself, but uttered a strange wild laugh; and, -when the child was made quite sick by even a spoonful of rice, the -mother wept most bitterly, and said: “Oh, my child is going to die!—what -shall I do to save its darling life?” Four days afterwards every member -of this exiled family had passed into the unknown future. - -On another occasion an intemperate woman was taken to the alms-house, -ragged and reeling at the time, and bearing a little child, supposed to -be about sixteen months old. It was literally a skeleton, entirely -destitute of flesh, a mere fragment of humanity. The smaller portions of -its arms and legs were not more than half an inch in thickness, while -the corners of its mouth were drawn down, and its eyes so deeply sunken -that it had the appearance of an old and decrepit woman. Its face was -white as snow, its body almost as cold, and wrinkles upon its cheek and -brow were distinctly marked; and what made the picture still more -wretched was the fact that the poor child had the _whooping cough_ and -was _totally blind_. The opinion of the attending physician was that the -child had been famished. On questioning the mother about her offspring -it was ascertained that the child had never taken any food but what came -from her breast; its condition was partly attributed to this fact, and -it was evident that all its sufferings were inherited from its mother; -that _it had been a drunkard even from the hour of its birth_. It was -found necessary to take the child away from its mother; but, as she -would not give it up, she was taken to the Tombs, and at midnight, when -the parent was in a deep sleep, the child was taken from her filthy and -inflamed bosom, and placed in the hands of a careful nurse. The weeping -and wailing of that forsaken mother, on the following morning, were -terrible in the extreme. Her brain was on fire, and at the setting of -the sun she was numbered with the dead. In less than a week thereafter -the pauper child had followed its mother to Potter’s Field. - - -It was recorded in the newspapers that the dead body of an aged man had -been found, tied up in a coffee bag, and floating in the East river. His -throat was cut from ear to ear, and it was supposed he had been -murdered, but later developments explained the mystery. The name of the -deceased was subsequently ascertained; he belonged to one of the oldest -and most respectable families of Connecticut, and was related to one of -its former governors. The individual in question spent the morning and -noon of his life in the lap of luxury; in old age, however, his wealth, -wife, children, and nearly all his kindred, were taken away from him, -and he became a man acquainted with many sorrows. Some months previous -to the time when his body was found, and while actually suffering from -hunger, it so happened that he entered a certain dwelling for the -purpose of asking alms. The principal inmate of that dwelling was a -widow who had once been on the most intimate terms with the family of -the beggar, having been born in the same town. The friends of other days -recognized each other, a long conversation ensued, which recalled a -thousand recollections of childhood, and they were very happy. The only -thought which oppressed the spirit of the mendicant was, that his bones, -when he came to die, would be deposited in the soil of strangers, and -his only prayer was that he might be buried among his kindred. His kind -friend assured him that, if her own life was spared, the desire of his -heart should be fully gratified. - -Weeks passed on, and, contrary to the wishes of his friend, the old man -became an inmate of the almshouse. In process of time the silver cord of -the pilgrim’s life was broken, and he was buried in the public -graveyard. Subsequently to this his body was disinterred, used for -purposes of dissection, and rudely thrown into the river. In the -meanwhile the widow had sent to the coroner to inquire how she might -obtain the pauper’s body, as she wished to bury him elsewhere than in -Potter’s Field, but she could meet with no encouragement. A number of -days was the man’s body tossed to and fro in the East River, but by the -hand of Providence it was washed ashore and given in charge to the -coroner. This gentleman suspected that the deceased was the friend of -the widow who had consulted him some days before, and it so happened -that his suspicions were well founded, for the body in due time was -recognized. It was given into the custody of the good woman, who had it -placed in a decent coffin, and the aged pauper was buried in the vault -of the W——, in Connecticut, by the side of his wife and children. It is -indeed a fact that fiction is often not one-half so strange as truth; -and it is also certain that human life is but a dream, and the ways of -God unsearchable. - - -Beautiful were the orphan minstrels of whom we are now to speak; -beautiful in mind and heart. The party was composed of three -individuals, two sisters and a little brother, the eldest of whom had -not yet seen her thirteenth summer. Remarkable singers they were not, -but yet there was something wild and plaintive in their voices which -cannot easily be forgotten. The instruments they used, however—the harp, -the tamborin, and flute—were uncommonly musical, and played upon with -facility and taste. - -We became acquainted with these minstrels in this wise. They had stopped -for a few moments, about nine o’clock in the evening, in the hall of -Rathbun’s hotel. After delighting a crowd of listeners, and receiving a -few pennies, they courtesied and bowed, and then continued on their way. -We had an hour’s leisure at the time, and resolved as a matter of -curiosity, that we would follow the children. We did so, and saw them -enter two or three hotels, where they performed a number of pieces. The -night was now far advanced, and they turned Barclay Street on their way -home. Onward did they trip, with gladness in their hearts, talking -together in the French tongue; and, in a few moments after, we saw them -turn down Washington street into an emigrant boarding house. We were now -in a predicament, and afraid to lose our game. But resolving to defend -our conduct by inquiring after some imaginary person, we bolted into the -house and followed the children up two flights of stairs. They entered a -room where were seated a very old man and an equally old woman. The -meeting between this aged pair and the little children was quite -touching, for, when the money was counted and laid away, the latter were -rewarded by a loving embrace. Soon as this scene was ended we made our -appearance, and introduced ourselves by asking the intended question. -This having been promptly and politely answered, we proceeded a little -further in our queries, and obtained the following information: The -senior members of this family were the grandparents of the children, and -their only relatives in the world. The old man said they were all -natives of France; that they had been in this country four months; and -that their only support was derived from the _unwearied labors of the -minstrel children_. As the old man told his story his eyes were filled -with tears; he was mourning over his own helplessness, and yet rejoicing -over the _living blessings_ of his old age. Having apologized for my -rudeness, and uttered what I thought would be a word of comfort, we bade -each member of the family a kind good night, and left them to obtain the -repose they needed, and to dream perchance of church bells ringing in -one of the beautiful valleys of their native land. - - -We happened to be out at an unusually late hour on a certain night, and -while on our way home witnessed the following picture. In passing one of -the more splendid mansions in the upper part of Broadway our attention -was attracted by a singular looking object, which we thought was -attempting to effect an entrance into the house. Curiosity led us to -draw near, when we beheld a group of three little girls nestled in the -corner of the marble doorway. One of them appeared to be about twelve -years of age, and the other two had perhaps seen seven and nine years. -The former was seated in the Turkish fashion on the coarse matting, -apparently half asleep, whilst the heads of the other two were pillowed -on her lap, and both evidently enjoying a dream of peace and comfort. As -we remembered the sumptuous and fashionable entertainment in which we -had just participated, and reflected upon the picture before us, we were -almost disposed to doubt the evidence of our senses. It was already past -midnight, and the sleet which beat upon our head assured us that we -ought to make an effort to relieve the vagrant children from their -miserable condition, for they were almost naked and barefooted. - -After some difficulty we found a watchman, when we awoke the children -and asked them about their home. They reluctantly told us where their -parents resided, and it was with the utmost difficulty that we could -induce them to accompany us. We succeeded, however, in taking them -_home_, which was a comfortless dwelling with one room, where we -witnessed the following spectacle. On a bed of straw lay the father of -these children in a state of senseless intoxication, and on the bare -floor in another corner of the room was the mother, moaning with pain, -and bleeding from wounds which had been inflicted by her cruel husband. -One of the little girls told us they had not eaten as much food as they -wanted for ten days, that they had been forced into the street for the -purpose of begging, and that the scene before us was an old story to -them. My opulent and happy readers, it is probable, can scarcely believe -that such things actually exist in the Christian city of New York; but -what we assert is as true as the fact, that the scourge intemperance is -annually destroying some thirty thousand souls in our land alone. - -This allusion to intemperance reminds me of another melancholy picture, -which we once witnessed in the great emporium. We had been enjoying a -walk among the shipping in South street, when we discovered, partly -hidden from view by a pile of casks and boxes, a man and two guardian -angels. It was the insensible form of a poor drunkard, lying on the -ground, and at his side two little girls, one of whom looked upon me -with a most wo-begone expression of countenance, while the pale temples -of the other were resting on the bloated bosom of the man. He was their -father, and they were motherless. - - -We once visited the Children’s Hospital connected with the Alms-house of -New York, and the spectacles we there witnessed were even more touching -than those connected with the Old Brewery. The entire building (which is -on Blackwell’s Island) contained over one hundred children, about -one-half of whom were so ill as to be confined to their beds, and it is -the room where these were harbored to which we now allude. The beds were -arranged along the walls, about three feet apart, and each end of every -bed or cot was occupied by a sick child. The majority of them were -motherless and fatherless, and entirely dependent upon strangers for -those kind and delicate attentions which commonly smooth the pathway to -the grave. Some of them were the offspring of intemperate parents, now -confined in the State Prison; while many of them had not even inherited -a name. Not one of the whole number but presented a feeble and haggard -appearance, and the pains of many were intense, for their mingled moans -actually fills the room with a heart-sickening chorus. One poor little -thing, about three years of age, was sitting in its bed, eating a dry -crust of bread, to satisfy a morbid appetite, and the disease which -preyed upon the vitals of this child was consumption in its most ghastly -form. Hollow and wrinkled were its cheeks, eyes large and deeply sunken, -and, while looked upon, hot tears trickled upon its pillow. In the same -bed was another of these unhappy children, dying from the terrible -malady of scrofula. It had been a cripple from its birth, and could -hardly be recognized as a human being. We caught a glimpse of the -creature’s countenance as it slumbered, and was positively startled by -its surpassing beauty. It was as bright and spiritual as the light of a -star. It was certain, however, that death had marked it for the grave, -and we remembered the poet’s words:— - - “The good die first, - And they, whose hearts are dry as summer dust, - Burn to the socket.” - Wordsworth. - -This deformed but yet lovely fragment of humanity had been picked up as -a foundling, and was without a name. Another child which attracted my -attention, though only about twelve years of age, had the appearance of -being thirty. She had been brought from an emigrant ship, suffering with -fever associated with bronchitis. She had a finely developed head, a -beautiful and highly intellectual face, but it was deeply marked with -the lines of suffering, and her cheeks were flushed with the hue of -approaching death. She was also troubled with a hollow cough, and her -body was a mere skeleton. The attending physician patted her upon the -head and asked her how she felt to-day; when she looked up with a smile, -“made of all sweet accord,” and answered: “I am going to die, doctor. -Tell them to have my coffin ready; and, dear doctor, will they not bury -me by the side of my mother and little sister, in that place you call -Potter’s Field?” Who now can ask the question: “And wherefore do the -poor complain?” - - -Four Irishmen, all afflicted with the ship fever, had landed from an -emigrant ship in the city of New York. The party consisted of a father -and three sons. They were friendless and without money. In the company -of three hundred beings, as miserable as themselves, had they landed in -the city, and, in the confusion attendant upon the discharge of the -ship, it so happened that they were separated, and the father knew not -the fate of the sons, nor the sons the fate of the father. - -A number of weeks elapsed, when the elder brother of this family called -upon the commissioner of the almshouse, praying for assistance that he -might find his relatives, if yet in the land of the living. The story -that he told of his own sufferings since his arrival was most -melancholy; for he had been living the life of a sick vagrant, in and -about the Tombs. The commissioner took pity upon him and gave him all -the assistance he desired, and the pauper, with a guide, started upon -the hunting expedition. The first place they visited was the New York -Hospital, where it was ascertained the second brother had died of the -loathsome ship fever, and whence his remains had been taken to Potter’s -Field. They next went to the Bellevue Hospital, and heard precisely the -same story with regard to the third brother. They also visited the -Lunatic Asylum, where it was ascertained that the father had been -confined as a raving maniac, but had paid the debt of nature, and was -now a resider in the city of the dead. As to the feelings of the forlorn -man, who had thus been stripped of every tie which bound him to the -earth, I cannot attempt to describe them. His only prayer was that one -little spot of earth might be granted to him, where he might rebury his -dead relatives, provided their bodies could be recognized, and where his -own ashes might be deposited after his race was run. The commissioner -promised to do all in his power to bring out this result, and in less -than one week _the pauper’s prayer was answered_! - - -It was an emigrant ship, and when boarded by a New York pilot he was -informed that she had left England with two hundred poverty-stricken -passengers, some twenty-five of whom had died on the passage, and been -buried in the deep. Among the departed were a father and mother, who had -left behind them a little girl nine years old. Desolate indeed was her -lot before she became an orphan; but when the “silver cord” which bound -her to her parents was broken, her condition became more deplorable than -ever; and, as the ship glided into the noble bay of New York, the child -was also numbered with the dead—none knowing whence she came, none -knowing even her baptismal name. - -In due time the ship was safely moored, and, while the usual discharging -bustle was going on, an almshouse coffin was sent for, into which the -pauper child was placed (with her ragged clothes carefully tucked round -her body), and then given into the charge of the alms-house sextons. Not -one tear was shed as they mounted the hearse, and not one word of regret -or sorrow was uttered by the multitude around as the sextons started for -Potter’s Field. - -Long was the way to the crowded city of the dead. The sextons were in a -merry mood, and, as their carriage rattled over the stony streets, they -cracked their jokes and laughed as if going to a wedding instead of the -tomb. But how could these men be blamed? They were following their -vocation and receiving liberal pay. Once in a while, however, a -troublesome thought seemed to pass their minds, but it was only when -fearful that they might lose their dinner on account of the great number -of paupers who were to be buried before the coming on of night. They -hurried by a school-house, before which a flock of little girls were -playing and laughing in their glee, but these happy children thought not -upon the sister spirit whose remains were going to the grave. Onward -rattled the hearse, and after turning the corner of a street it came to -a halt, and the senior sexton stepped into his house for a drink of -water. A number of laughing children met him at the door, and after he -had satisfied his thirst he gave each one of them a kiss, and again, in -a jovial mood, started for the public grave-yard. Another mile and the -hearse reached the margin of the East River, where the Potter’s Field -boat was in waiting, managed by the keeper of the field. Carelessly was -the coffin transferred from the hearse to the boat, and the journey of -the dead was continued. The boat was now moored at the landing place on -Randall’s Island, where the coffin was taken away on a man’s shoulder, -and deposited in a deep trench covered with a few shovels full of sand, -and lying in the midst of a multitude of unknown dead from every nation -on the globe. And thus endeth the story of the pauper child, who crossed -the ocean only to find a grave _in a land she never saw, and where the -very name she bore is utterly unknown_. - - -It was the twilight hour, and we saw an old and deformed woman standing -in front of St. Paul’s, asking alms. We happened to be in the mood just -then, and tarried for a few moments to watch the charity of the world. -Many, in the passing tide of human life, were to us unknown, but of the -few that we recognized the following attracted our particular attention: - -First came a gentleman whom we knew to be a merchant of great wealth; -and, as he approached the beggar, we surely thought that he would listen -to her petition. But no—he was thinking of his last importation, or the -sum total of his rents, and he passed on with these words as a donation: -“You must go to the poor-house, my good woman.” We thought upon the days -of darkness. - -Then came a scholar-like looking young man, whom we knew to be a -struggler with poverty; but he approached the beggar with a smile upon -his countenance, dropped a shilling into her withered hand, called for -God’s blessing to rest upon her head, and resumed his way. My fancy now -wandered to that blessed region where ever floweth the river of life. - -Next came an intemperate and selfish man. When the imploring look of the -cripple met his own, he coolly frowned upon her, uttered a wicked curse, -and reeled onward to a hall of sinful revelry. And now we pondered on -the worm that never dieth. - -Finally came a little flock of boys and girls, returning from school. -The woman smiled upon them, but spoke not a single word. The children -knew her to be a beggar, and paused to talk with her a moment. She told -them briefly the story of her life, and they were melted to tears. All -the pennies that the children could raise were given to the woman; and -each child, with an immortal jewel in its heart, passed on its way to -receive a shower of kisses from its fond parents. And now our mind -reveled in a dream of heaven-born loveliness. - - -And now, by way of giving our readers an idea of _self-inflicted_ -poverty, we will furnish them with a brief sketch of an old miser -residing in the Empire city: - -He is an old man—a very old man; he is also a strange man—a very strange -man; whose history and name are alike unknown. His business is that of a -paper scavenger, and the spoil which he collects in his journeying about -the city he disposes of at the rate of one cent per pound. Many pounds -does he often gather in a single day; but, as it only costs him four -shillings per week to live, it is certain he lays up a few shillings at -the close of every day. He commences his daily business in the down-town -streets even when the day is breaking, and continues at his monotonous -employment until the dark hours. He never goes home to dinner, but, when -hungry, generally purchases a dry crust of bread, and eats it sitting -upon the lower steps of the Custom-house or the City Hall. Never does he -utter a word to a living soul; and when the stranger looks upon him he -feels disposed to exclaim, “what a poor miserable being!” He is, indeed, -a pitiable object to look upon, for his leather clothes are glossy and -hard with the accumulated filth of many years, and his countenance is -furrowed all over with deep wrinkles which no one could believe were -ever moistened with a tear. He is a hard-visaged man, repulsive and even -terrible to look upon. For fifteen years have we known this singular -being, and “even then he was so old he seems not older now.” There are -people in this great city who have been familiar with his form for -upwards of twenty years, and they affirm that he has been a paper -scavenger during all that time. At all times, when the winds of winter -howl through the streets, and also when the dog-star reigns, does he -pursue his laborious and degrading employment. - -And now, that I have introduced my hero to the reader, it is meet that -we should mention what we know of his actual condition. He is a miser—a -narrow-minded and mean miser, who can count his dollars by tens of -thousands. If the reader doubts my word, let him, when next he meets the -miserable man in the public highway, ask him the time of day, and he -will be promptly answered, on the authority of a superb gold watch, -hidden in his filthy vestments. A dry crust of bread, and a cast-off -bone constitute his daily food, and yet this man carries the deeds in -his pocket which prove him to be the proprietor of at least five -handsome dwelling houses, located in a fashionable part of the city; -certificates of bank stock and other valuable papers are also hidden in -his pockets. He is a widower, but the father of an only daughter, whom -he has established over a superbly furnished house as the sole mistress -and only tenant. She has all she needs in the way of household things, -and every luxury of the season, and, though her servants may prepare a -sumptuous feast, none participate with her in its enjoyment. Though it -would add to her happiness on such occasion to call in a neighboring -friend, yet the privilege of giving an invitation is denied by her -father in the most positive and imperative manner. In the rear of this -daughter’s dwelling is located a rickety shell of a cabin, resembling -more the appearance of a sty than a human habitation, and this is the -only dwelling-place of our miser; and here he spends the precious hours -of his leisure life, counting his gold and examining the signatures of -his deeds by the light which rests upon his oaken table, and seldom is -it extinguished until after the hour of midnight; and when exhausted -with his strange vigils, carefully does he fasten, with heavy iron -bolts, the door of his den, and sink to sleep upon his bed of rags. - - - - - THE FATAL VALENTINE. - - -Mary Marlowe was a beautiful girl, and the only child of devoted -parents. Her father was a merchant in moderate circumstances, and -resided in one of the more secluded streets of the great emporium of our -land. The society to which they belonged was of the highest -respectability, but the life led by each member of this family was -distinguished for its peacefulness. - -All the young men who were acquainted with the only daughter, were -charmed by her accomplished mind, personal beauty, and the sweetness of -her voice. But among those who aspired to win her hand and heart, was -one who had been received as an accepted lover. The parties were worthy -of each other, and the love which was daily uniting them almost into one -being, was eminently refined and pure. Charming beyond compare were the -scenes which the lover was constantly picturing to his mind, but the -smiles of his lady constituted the sunlight of every scene; and she, -too, cherished many a vision of unalloyed happiness, and the thought -never entered her mind that the world contained a single cloud that -could possibly cast a shadow over her heart. Like a young and vigorous -tree of the forest, the young man stood among his fellows; and like a -flower in a remote dell dwelt the heroine of our story, in her quiet -home. - -It was the evening of St. Valentine’s Day, and Mary Marlowe was seated -before a comfortable fire; now thoughtfully peering into the glowing -grate, and anon enjoying some of the fine passages of her favorite -authors. Her father was absent from home on some charitable errand, -while her mother and a country cousin, who was making her a winter -visit, were spending the evening with a neighboring family. And it so -happened, too, that Mary’s lover was absent from the city, so the -beautiful damsel was entirely alone. Yes, she was indeed alone, but far -from being in a lonely mood, for her thoughts were with her lover, and -she amused herself by dwelling upon the treasures of her -newly-discovered ideal world. - -But now the damsel is startled by the sudden ringing of the street door -bell, and the servant presently makes his appearance in the parlor with -a note addressed to Mary Marlowe. She recognizes the hand-writing—it is -from her lover, and quickly does she fix herself comfortably in the old -arm-chair to enjoy the anticipated luxury. She opens the letter, and -reads as follows:— - - “My dear Mary—You are indeed dear to me, but at the same time I think - you are a cold-hearted girl, and I fear that you possess a timid and - bashful disposition, which would never be reconciled to my sterner - nature. In view of this deeply-rooted belief, I have conceived the - idea of bringing our intimacy of half a year to an immediate close. - And what more appropriate season could be selected for our separation - than the present, when, as I doubt not, you are well-nigh overwhelmed - with the missives of St. Valentine, and can, in a moment, select a - worthy lover from the many who have sought your hand? And now that I - may be in the fashion, I subscribe myself, - Your Friend and Valentine.” - -The cruel arrow has pierced the maiden’s heart, and by the calm despair -now resting on her brow, we tremble for her fate. Tears come not to her -relief—the crimson current in her veins has ceased to flow, and she -falls into the hollow of her chair in a deep swoon. And now she is -visited by a dream, and if we are to believe the story of her -countenance, strange and fearful must be the character of that dream. - - * * * * * * * * - -It is now ten o’clock; the family have all returned, and our Mary has -recovered from her swoon. Laughingly does her mother talk to her about -her housekeeping duties, for her drooping eyelids intimate the idea that -she has enjoyed a comfortable nap. To this a pleasant reply is returned, -accompanied with a kiss for all present, but none, save our poor Mary, -can see the heavy cloud brooding upon the household. A few moments more, -and the family have all retired to their several apartments, and the -house is shrouded in silence. - -As usual, Mary and her cousin are to occupy the same bed, and the -latter, being uncommonly drowsy, is soon lost in a sweet slumber. And -now let us watch with care the movements of her companion, who, when -last noticed by the sleeper, was poring over the pages of her Bible. -Noiselessly do her footsteps fall upon the carpet, as she goes to a -closet for a small vial, which she examines, and then places upon her -dressing-case. Drawer after drawer is opened, and on one or two chairs -are displayed the various articles which compose the dress of a bride. -And now the lady retires to her bath, and then comes forth with a ruddy -glow upon her cheek; her flowing hair is bound into its beautiful folds, -and in a short time she stands before her mirror decked in spotless -white, as if for a virgin festival. What does all this mean? Alas! our -Mary is “the queen of a fantastic realm.” - -But, lo! another change. The lamp has been extinguished, and our Mary is -upon her knees at prayer, with her hands closely clasped, and her full -liquid eyes turned heavenward. The mellow moonlight steals sweetly -through the open curtains, adding an unwonted brightness, as it were, to -the figure of the praying girl. Not a sound is there to break the holy -silence of the place—no sound save the almost inaudible words of this -strange prayer:— - -“Father in heaven, I cannot understand the decree of thy Providence, but -I submit to thy dispensation without a murmur. I knew that in my womanly -idolatry I was forgetting thee, and I now beseech thee, in thine -infinite love, to have mercy upon me, and wash my soul from every -transgression. Have mercy also, O God, upon him who has broken my heart; -comfort my parents in their declining years, and answer my prayer -through the merits of thy Son, the Redeemer of the world. I come to -dwell with Thee, if thou wilt receive me to thy bosom. Amen and Amen.” - - * * * * * * * * - -Morning dawned, and the pleasant sunshine was flooding the world with -beauty. Our Mary’s cousin was the first to awaken from slumber, when she -encircled her bedfellow with her arms, and imprinted an affectionate -kiss upon her lips; one moment more, and she was petrified with -horror—for Mary Marlowe was numbered with the dead. - -On the third day after that of St. Valentine, the lover of the unhappy -suicide returned to the city. He found not his beloved in the pleasant -parlor of her father, but a sleeper in the voiceless and desolate tomb. -The fatal valentine was found and submitted to his inspection. He avowed -his utter ignorance of it, and having fallen into a settled melancholy, -is now a raving maniac. As to the thoughtless and wicked man who wrote -the foolish valentine, his name and purpose are alike unknown. - - Note.—The prominent features of this incident actually occurred in the - city of New York in February, 1847. - - - - - INDIAN LEGENDS. - - - NOTE PRELIMINARY. - -The following romantic but authentic legends have been collected by the -writer from a variety of sources, and are now presented to the public as -an addition to the aboriginal lore, already published in his several -books of travel. - - - - - INDIAN LEGENDS. - - - THE SHOOTING METEORS. - -Among the Indians who live upon the north-eastern shore of Lake Huron, a -remnant of the Iroquois, it is believed that the heavens contain only -four meteors which have the power of shooting through the sky. It is -thought they severally occupy the four quarters of the compass, and that -they never perform their arrowy journey excepting for the purpose of -warning the Huron Indians of approaching war. The meteors in question, -or Pun gung-nung, are recognized by their peculiar brilliancy, and -universally considered the Manitoes or guardian spirits of the entire -Indian race. They came into existence at the same period of time which -witnessed the creation of Lake Huron itself, and the legend which -accounts for their origin is distinguished for the wild and romantic -fancies of the aborigines. I obtained it from a chief named _On -qwa-sug_, or Floating Wood. - -It was the winter time, and an Indian with his wife and two children, a -daughter and a son, were living in a wigwam on a bleak peninsula of the -Great Lake. The game of that section of country had nearly all -disappeared, and the fish were spending the season in such deep water, -that it was quite impossible to secure any of them for food. Everything -seemed to go wrong with the poverty-stricken Indian, and he was -constantly troubled with the fear that the Master of Life intended to -annihilate his family and himself by starvation. He expressed his -anxiety to his wife, and was surprised to hear her answer him with a -song. - -Nearly half a moon had passed away, and the sufferings of this -unfortunate family were melancholy in the extreme. Whole days did the -father spend roaming through the forests, with his bow and arrows, and -on four several evenings had he returned without even a pair of tiny -snow-birds for a supper. The ill-luck which attended him in his -expeditions made him very miserable, but he was frequently astonished -and alarmed, on such occasions, by the conduct of his wife and children. -When he gave them an account of his ill-luck in obtaining game, instead -of manifesting any anxiety, they usually ran about the wigwam with their -fingers on their mouths, and uttering a singular moan. He noticed with -fear that they were becoming greatly emaciated for the want of food. So -deeply grieved was the poor man, that he almost resolved to bury himself -in the snow and die. He made a better resolution and again went out to -hunt. - -On one occasion he had wandered into the woods to an unusual distance, -and, as fortune would have it, was successful in finding and shooting a -single rabbit. With the speed of a deer did he return to his cabin (with -his braided shoes over the crusted snow), but he now met with a new -disappointment. On entering his lodge he found the fire entirely out, -and the simple utensils for cooking all scattered about in great -confusion; but what was far more melancholy, his wife and children were -gone, and he knew not where to find them. The more he thought upon what -had happened for many days past, the more bewildered did he become. He -threw down his game almost in despair, and hurried out of his cabin in -search of his missing family. He looked in every direction, but could -see no signs of their appearing, and the only noise that he could -possibly hear was a singular and most doleful moan, resembling the wail -of a loon, which seemed to come from the upper air. By a natural -instinct he raised his eyes towards the heavens, and beheld perched upon -the dry limb of a tall tree which stood a short distance off, all the -members of his family. He shouted with delight at the unexpected -spectacle, and, rushing towards the tree, told his wife and children -that they must come down, for he had killed a rabbit and they would now -have a good feast. But again was he astonished to find his words -unheeded. Again did he beseech them to come down, but they replied not a -single word, and looked upon him with eyes that seemed made of fire. And -what was still more wonderful it was evident that they had thrown aside -their beaver and deer-skin dresses, and were now decked out in newly -fashioned robes made of the fur of the white fisher and the white fox. -All this was utterly inexplicable, and the poor husband re-entered his -lodge, bewildered and perplexed to a marvelous degree. - -Then it was that the idea entered his head that he would try an -experiment, by appealing to the hunger of his obstinate wife and -children. He therefore cleaned the rabbit and boiled a sweet soup which -he carried out, and with which he endeavored to allure his friends to -the earth. But this attempt was all in vain. The mother and her children -expressed no desire for the food, and still remained upon the tree, -swaying to and fro like a flock of large birds. Again in his -wretchedness was he about to destroy himself, but he took the precaution -to appropriate the soup to its legitimate purpose. Soon as this business -was accomplished, he relapsed into his former state of melancholy, from -which he was suddenly aroused by the moans of his wife, which he was -sure had an articulate tone. Again was he riveted to his standing place -under the magic tree, and from the moaning of his wife he gathered the -following intelligence. She told him that the Master of Life had fallen -in love with her and her two children, and had therefore transformed -them all into spirits, with a view of preparing them for a home in the -sky. She also told him that they would not depart for their future home -until the coming spring, but would in the meantime roam in distant -countries till the time of his own transportation should arrive. Having -finished her communication, she and her children immediately commenced a -song, which resembled the distant winds, when they all rose gracefully -from the tree, and leaning forward upon the air, darted away across the -lake toward the remote South. - -A cheerless and forlorn moon did the poor Indian spend in his lonely -lodge on the margin of the Great Lake. Spring came, and just as the last -vestige of snow had melted from the woods, and at the quiet evening -hour, his spirit-wife again made her appearance, accompanied by her two -children. She told her husband that he might become a spirit by eating a -certain berry. He was delighted with the idea, and, complying with her -advice, he suddenly became transformed into a spirit, and having flown -to the side of his wife and children, the party gradually began to -ascend into the air, when the Master of Life thought proper to change -them into a family of Shooting Stars. He allotted to each a particular -division of the heavens, and commanded them to remain there forever, as -the guardians of the great nation of Lake Huron. - - - THE MAIDEN OF THE MOON. - - The following legend was obtained from the lips of a Chippeway woman - named Penaqua, or the Female Pheasant, and I hardly know which to - admire most, the simple beauty of the plot, or the graphic and unique - manner of the narrative, of which, I regret to say, I can hardly give - a faithful translation. - -Among the rivers of the North, none can boast of more numerous charms -than the St. Louis, and the fairest spot of the earth which it waters is -that where now stands the trading post of Fond du lac. Upon this spot, -many summers ago, there lived a Chippeway chief and his wife, who were -the parents of an only daughter. Her name was Weesh—Ko-da-e-mire, or the -Sweet Strawberry, and she was acknowledged to be the most beautiful -maiden of her nation. Her voice was like that of the turtle-dove, and -the red deer was not more graceful and sprightly in its form. Her eyes -were brilliant as the star of the northern sky, which guides the hunter -through the wilderness, and her dark hair clustered around her neck like -grape vines around the trunk of the tree they loved. The young men of -every nation had striven to win her heart, but she smiled upon none. -Curious presents were sent to her from the four quarters of the world, -but she received them not. Seldom did she deign to reply to the many -warriors who entered her father’s lodge, and when she did, it was only -to assure them that while upon earth she would never change her -condition. Her strange conduct astonished them, but did not subdue their -affection. Many and noble were the deeds they performed, not only in -winning the white plumes of the eagle, but in hunting the elk and the -black bear. But all their exploits availed them nothing, for the heart -of the beautiful girl was still untouched. - -The snows of winter were all gone, and the pleasant winds of spring were -blowing over the land. The time for making sugar had arrived, though the -men had not yet returned from the remote hunting grounds, and in the -maple forests bright fires were burning, and the fragrance of the sweet -sap filled all the air. The ringing laugh of childhood and the mature -song of women were heard in the valley, but in no part of the wilderness -could be found more happiness than on the banks of the St. Louis. But -the Sweet Strawberry mingled with the young men and maidens of her tribe -in a thoughtful mood and with downcast eyes. She was evidently bowed -down by some mysterious grief, but she neglected not her duties; and -though she spent much of her time alone, her buchère-bucket was as -frequently filled with the sugar juice as any of her companions. - -Such was the condition of affairs when a party of young warriors from -the far North came upon a frolic to the St. Louis River. Having seen the -many handsome maidens of this region, the strangers became enamored of -their charms, and each one succeeded in obtaining the love of a maiden, -who was to become his bride during the marrying season of summer. - -The warriors had heard of the Sweet Strawberry, but, neglected by all of -them, she was still doomed to remain alone. She witnessed the happiness -of her old playmates, and, wondering at her own strange fate, spent much -of her time in solitude. She even became so unhappy and bewildered that -she heeded not the tender words of her mother, and from that time the -music of her voice was never heard. - -The sugar making season was now rapidly passing away, but the brow of -the Sweet Strawberry was still overshadowed with grief. Everything was -done to restore her to her wonted cheerfulness, but she remained -unchanged. Wild ducks in innumerable numbers arrived with every southern -wind, and settled upon the surrounding waters, and proceeded to build -their nests in pairs, and the Indian maiden sighed over her mysterious -doom. On one occasion she espied a cluster of early spring flowers -peering above the dry leaves of the forest, and, strange to say, even -these were separated into pairs, and seemed to be wooing each other in -love. All things whispered to her of love, the happiness of her -companions, the birds of the air, and the flowers. She looked into her -heart, and, inwardly praying for a companion whom she might love, the -Master of Life took pity upon her lot and answered her prayer. - -It was now the twilight hour, and in the maple woods the Indian boys -were watching their fires, and the women were bringing in the sap from -the surrounding trees. The time for making sugar was almost gone, and -the well-filled mokucks, which might be seen in all the wigwams, -testified that the yield had been abundant. The hearts of the old women -beat in thankfulness, and the young men and maidens were already -beginning to anticipate the pleasures of wedded life and those -associated with the sweet summer time. But the brow of the Sweet -Strawberry continued to droop, and her friends looked upon her as the -victim of a settled melancholy. Her duties, however, were performed -without a murmur, and so continued to be performed until the trees -refused to fill her buchère-bucket with sap, when she stole away from -the sugar camp and wandered to a retired place to muse upon her sorrows. -Her unaccountable grief was very bitter, but did not long endure; for, -as she stood gazing upon the sky, the moon ascended above the hills and -filled her soul with a joy she had never felt before. The longer she -looked upon the brilliant object, the more deeply in love did she become -with its celestial charms, and she burst forth into a song—a loud, wild, -and joyous song. Her musical voice echoed through the woods, and her -friends hastened to ascertain the cause. They gathered around her in -crowds, but she heeded them not. They wondered at the wildness of her -words, and the airy-like appearance of her form. They were spell-bound -by the scene before them, but their astonishment knew no limits when -they saw her gradually ascend from the earth into the air, where she -disappeared, as if borne upward by the evening wind. And then it was -that they discovered her clasped in the embraces of the moon, for they -knew that the spots which they saw within the circle of that planet were -those of her robe, which she had made from the skins of the spotted -fawn. - -Many summers have passed away since the Sweet Strawberry became the -Maiden of the Moon, yet among all the people of her nation is she ever -remembered for her beauty and the mystery of her being. - - - THE GHOSTLY MAN-EATER. - -There is an idea existing among the Chippeway Indians, which -corroborates a statement made by the early travelers on this continent -relative to the belief that there once existed among the aboriginal -tribes, a species of vampire, or ghostly man-eater. The Chippeways do -not assert that there ever lived more than one of these unearthly -beings; but they pretend that such an one did, and does exist, and that -he has his residence upon an island in the centre of Lake Superior—which -island can never be seen by mortal man, excepting when darkness has -settled upon the world. The stories they relate of his appearance and -deeds, are horrible in the extreme, and resemble much the creations of a -mind suffering under the influence of the nightmare. For example, they -describe this monster as possessing the material appearance of the human -form—but of such a nature as not to be susceptible to the touch. He is -said to have the body of a serpent, with human legs and arms—all -supplied with immense nails, which he employs for the double purpose of -digging up the earth, and dissecting the bodies upon which he feeds; his -head is like that of the wolf, and his teeth of a peculiar sharpness. - -The deeds which he performs are worthy of his personal appearance—and -some of them are as follows: When the Indian mother, during a long -journey, has lost her infant child, and placed it on the rude scaffold, -that she may return to it at some future day, the Ghostly Man-Eater only -waits until she is fairly out of his sight, and then proceeds to the -sacred place, and feasts himself upon the tender flesh and blood of his -victim. And therefore it is, that the traveler sometimes sees, in the -remote wilderness, fragments of human bones scattered on the ground, as -if a wolf had been suddenly interrupted, while devouring his prey. But -the Man-Eater sometimes enters the house, or half-buried receptacle of -the dead; and, after digging his way to the decaying body, coils himself -up, as if in delight, and gluts his appetite with the unholy food. How -it is that he travels, with lightning speed, from one distant place to -another, has never been ascertained; but the strange sounds which the -Indian occasionally hears, high in the air above his wigwam, is thought -to be the song of the Man-Eater, as he hurries upon the wings of the -wind, from a recent banquet, to his mysterious island on the lake. - -But I once heard a legend in the Chippeway country, which accounted for -the origin of the man-eating monster—and I now record it in the English -tongue, for the benefit of those who feel an interest in the mythology -of the Indian, and the peculiarities of his mind. The individual from -whom I obtained this story was named Ka-yon-kee-me, or the Swift Arrow; -and his words, as near as we can remember them, were as follows:— - -I ask the white man to listen. At an early period in the history of the -world, an old Indian hunter and a little boy who was his grandson, lived -in an isolated cabin on the north shore of Lake Superior. They were the -only remnants of a once powerful tribe of Indians, whose name is not now -remembered. It was the middle of a long and dreary winter, and the -entire country was covered with snow, to the height of the tallest -wigwam. The section of country where resided the hunter and child was -particularly desolate, and destitute of almost every species of game; -and whilst the former was too feeble to wander far, after the necessary -food, the latter was too young and inexperienced. The very wood which -the unequal pair collected to keep them warm, was brought to their cabin -with the greatest difficulty; and the thought occasionally entered the -old man’s mind, that the Great Spirit was about to give him up to the -pains of starvation. He uttered not a murmur, however; but, as he -reflected upon his impending fate, he bit his lips with a scornful -smile. - -One, two, and three days had passed away and the old man, as well as the -child, had not tasted a particle of food. But, on the evening of the -fourth day, the boy came tottering into the comfortless lodge and threw -at the feet of his grandfather the lifeless body of a white partridge, -which he had fortunately killed with his own arrow. Immediately was the -bird divested of its feathers—and, while yet its very blood was warm, it -was devoured by the starving man and child.—Sweet was the slumber of the -noble boy on that night—but, as the story goes, that aged man was -visited by a dreadful dream at the same time, which made him a maniac. - -Another day was nearly gone, and the unhappy pair were standing in front -of their wigwam watching the western sky, as the sun enlivened it with -his parting beams. The old man pointed to the bright picture, and told -the boy that there was the gateway to the Spirit Land, where perpetual -summer reigned, and game was found in great abundance. He spoke too of -the child’s father and mother, and of his little brother, whom he -described as decked out in the most beautiful of robes, as they wandered -through the forests of that distant, shadowy land. The boy, though -suffering with the pangs of hunger, clapped his little hands in glee, -and told his grandfather that it would make him very happy if he could -go to the land of perpetual summer. And then it was that the old man -patted the boy upon his head, and told him that his desires should be -realized before the sun again made its appearance above the snow-covered -mountains and plains of the east. - -It was now the hour of midnight. Intensely cold was the wind which swept -over the wilderness, but the sky was very blue, and studded with many -stars. No sound broke upon the air, save the occasional groan of the ice -along the lake shore, and the hissing whisper of the frost. Within the -Indian lodge, which was the very home of desolation, the child was -sweetly sleeping, enveloped in his robes, while the old man bent over -the burning embers as if in despair. Some inhuman thought had crazed his -brain, and he was nerving himself for an unheard of crime. One moment -more, and in the dim light of that lonely lodge, gleamed the polished -blade of a flinty weapon—a sudden groan was heard—and the Indian maniac -was feeding upon the body of his child. - -I have given the white man a sorrowful history, but it is one which the -Chippeway nation believe. On the morning which followed the event I have -now narrated, a party of Indian hunters came to the cabin of the unknown -man, and they found him lying dead upon the ground, with the mangled -remains of the boy at his side. This was the most terrible deed which -ever happened in the Chippeway country—and the one which so greatly -offended the Great Spirit, that he pronounced a curse upon the man who -had destroyed his child for food—and he, therefore, doomed him to live -upon the earth forever, tormented with an appetite which nothing can -ever appease, but the decaying flesh of the human race. - - - THE FIRE-WATER SACRIFICE. - -The historical tradition which I am now to narrate, is said to have -occurred at an early day on the extreme western point of what is now -called Drummond’s Island, in the northern waters of Lake Huron. I -obtained it from the lips of Kah-ge-ga-gah-bowh, or _Upright Standing_, -a young chief of the Chippeway nation, who assured me that it -commemorated the first introduction of the baneful Fire-water into the -Indian country. - -It was the afternoon of a pleasant day in the autumn-time, when a -trading canoe landed on Drummond’s Island, in the immediate vicinity of -a Chippeway village. It belonged to a French trader, and was laden with -a barrel of whisky, which he had brought from the lower country. Soon as -he had deposited his barrel upon the beach, he called together the men -of the village, and told them that he had it in his power to supply them -with a beverage which would make them exceedingly happy, and that he was -willing to supply them with what they wanted, provided they would give -into his hands all the furs they had in their possession. A bargain was -consequently made, and while the entire population of the village were -quaffing the baneful fire-water, the trader packed away his treasures in -the canoe, and under cover of the night, started upon his return to -Detroit. - -The moon and stars came forth in the northern sky, and the only sound -which broke the solitude of the wilderness issued from the Indian -village, where the medicine man and the chief, the Indian mother and her -infant, were shouting and dancing and fighting in a delirium of madness. -The carousal did not end until the break of day, and soon as the sun was -fairly risen above the horizon, it was rumored in every wigwam that a -young hunter named Ne-mo-a-Kim, or _Purple Shell_, had taken the life of -a brother hunter, who happened to be his dearest friend, An apparent -gloom rested upon every countenance, and as the more aged Indians -reflected upon the sudden disappearance of the trader, and upon the -headache which many of them endured, they became greatly enraged, and -attributed the calamity which had befallen them to the burning water. -But the trader who had brought it to them was beyond their reach; so -they buried the murdered man with appropriate honors, and then announced -that a council should be immediately held to decide upon the fate of the -murderer. Blood for blood was demanded by the relatives of the deceased; -the time-honored law of the Chippeways could not be evaded, and a -delegation was appointed to prepare Ne-mo-a-Kim for the sacrifice. His -lodge was entered by the ministers of death, but Ne-mo-a-Kim was not -there. They hunted for him in all the wigwams of the village, but -nowhere could he be found. The old men who had suffered with him in the -remote wilderness, and had never known him to be guilty of a cowardly -deed, now shook their heads in sorrow and disappointment. Another -council was held, another ancient law remembered, and it was again -decided that the only relative and brother of Ne-mo-a-Kim should suffer -in his stead. The name of that brother was Ma-Ko-nah, or _The Unbending -Pine_, and when they informed him of his fate, he uttered not a murmur, -but demanded that his execution should take place on the following night -at the rising of the moon. - -And now for another scene in our strange story. The sun has long been -absent from the western sky, and once more has the solemn midnight -settled upon the world. The inhabitants of the Indian village have -assembled upon a level green. Firmly in the earth have they planted a -stake, on either side of which are burning a couple of huge fires, while -at the distance of about one hundred feet may be discerned a crowd of -eight or ten young men, who are bending their bows and straightening -their arrows for the cruel deed. A small white cloud makes its -appearance above the horizon, and a murmur of excitement issues from the -crowd of human beings. The proud form of an Indian is now seen marching -across the green, when the name of Ma-Ko-nah is whispered from ear to -ear, and an unearthly shout ascends into the upper air. The heroic man -stands before the stake, and looks with scorn upon the withes lying at -his feet. The people have confided in his bravery, and they will not -humble his proud spirit by resorting to the disgraceful implements of -security. Upon his naked breast has the Indian hero painted the uncouth -figure of a swan, as a certain mark for the arrows which are to deprive -him of life. Around his waist has he carefully adjusted his richest -robe, and by a motion of his hand, has signified his intention of -delivering a speech; an intense silence reigns throughout the -surrounding multitude, and Ma-Ko-nah thus addresses his cowardly -brother, whose spirit he imagines to be hovering near. - -“Willingly do I die for you, my brother, but you have disgraced your -nation. Your name will hereafter be hissed at by the little boys, when -they pick up the purple shells on the lake shore. I am going to the -Spirit Land, and while I shall be happy in the possession of every good, -you will be despised by all who learn your history. Your food will be -bitter, and the ground upon which you will have to sleep will always be -uneven, and covered with thorns and stones. You are a coward, my -brother; but Ma-Ko-nah is a brave man, and not afraid to die.” - -Loud and long was the shout which replied to this proud speech. All -things were now ready, and the fatal moment, when the rim of the moon -should appear above the distant waters, was nigh at hand. Another snowy -cloud floated into view, and just as the signal to fire was about to be -given by the great medicine man, Ne-mo-a-Kim suddenly burst through the -crowd, and threw himself upon the ground before his brother Ma-Ko-nah. -To describe the confusion which followed were quite impossible. It were -sufficient to know that Ma-Ko-nah was released from his obligation, and -while he was to continue in the land of the living, his repentant -brother was to perish. But though he now yielded himself as a willing -sacrifice, his integrity had been doubted, and the lately untouched -thongs were used to bind him to the stake. All things were again ready, -the signal was given, the loud twang of the bow-strings pulled at the -same instant was heard, and the Chippeway murderer was weltering in his -own blood. - -The night was far spent, the silence of the grave rested upon the -wilderness village, and all the Indians, save one, were asleep in their -wigwams. But Ma-Ko-nah was filled with grief, and the remaining hours of -that night did he spend in his lodge, mourning over the body of his -unfortunate and only brother. His father and mother were both dead, and -so also was his wife, and the heart of Ma-Ko-nah was very desolate. So -endeth the story of The Fire-Water Sacrifice. - - - ORIGIN OF THE CATAWBA INDIANS. - -There was a time when the world was an unbroken waste of rocks, hills, -and mountains, save only one small valley, which was distinguished for -its luxuriance, and where reigned a perpetual summer. At that time, too, -the only human being who inhabited the earth was a woman, whose -knowledge was confined to this valley, and who is remembered among the -Catawbas as the mother of mankind. She lived in a cavern, and her food -consisted of the honey of flowers, and the sweet berries and other -fruits of the wilderness. Birds without number, and the wild streams -which found a resting place in the valley, made the only music which she -ever heard. Among the wild animals, which were very numerous about her -home, she wandered without any danger; but the beaver and the doe were -her favorite companions. In personal appearance she was eminently -beautiful, and the lapse of years only had a tendency to increase the -brightness of her eyes and the grace of her movements. The dress she -wore was made of those bright green leaves which enfold the water -lilies, and her hair was as long as the grass which fringed the waters -of her native vale. She was the ruling spirit of a perennial world, for -even the very flowers which bloomed about her sylvan home were never -known to wither or die. In spite of her lonely condition, she knew not -what it was to be lonely; but ever and anon a strange desire found its -way to her heart, which impelled her to explore the wild country which -surrounded her home. For many days had she resisted the temptation to -become a wanderer from her charming valley, until it so happened, on a -certain morning, that a scarlet butterfly made its appearance before the -door of her cave, and by the hum of its wings invited her away. She -obeyed the summons, and followed the butterfly far up a rocky ravine, -until she came to the foot of a huge waterfall, when she was deserted by -her mysterious pilot, and first became acquainted with the emotion of -fear. Her passage of the ravine had been comparatively smooth; but when -she endeavored, in her consternation, to retrace her steps, she found -her efforts unavailing, and fell to the ground in despair. A deep sleep -then overcame her senses, from which she was not awakened until the -night was far spent; and then the dampness of the dew had fallen upon -her soft limbs, and for the first time in her life did she feel the pang -of a bodily pain. Forlorn and desolate indeed was her condition, and she -felt that some great event was about to happen, when, as she uncovered -her face and turned it to the sky, she beheld, bending over her -prostrate form, and clothed in a cloud-like robe, the image of a being -somewhat resembling herself, only that he was more stoutly made, and of -a much fiercer aspect. Her first emotion at this strange discovery was -that of terror; but as the mysterious being looked upon her in kindness, -and raised her lovingly from the ground, she confided in his protection, -and listened to his words until the break of day. - -He told her that he was a native of the far off sky, and that he had -discovered her in her forlorn condition while traveling from the evening -to the morning star. He told her also that he had never before seen a -being so soft and beautifully formed as she. In coming to her rescue he -had broken a command of the Great Spirit, or the Master of Life, and, as -he was afraid to return to the sky, he desired to spend his days in her -society upon earth. With joy did she accept this proposal; and, as the -sun rose above the distant mountains, the twain returned in safety to -the luxuriant vale, where, as man and woman, for many moons, they lived -and loved in perfect tranquillity and joy. - -In process of time the woman became a mother; from which time the -happiness of the twain became more intense, but they at the same time -endured more troubles than they had ever known before. The man was -unhappy because he had offended the Master of Life, and the mother was -anxious about the comfort and happiness of her newly-born child. Many -and devout were the prayers they offered to the Great Spirit for his -guidance and protection, for they felt that from them were to be -descended a race of beings more numerous than the stars of heaven. The -Great Spirit had compassion on these lone inhabitants of the earth; and, -in answer to their prayers, he caused a mighty wind to pass over the -world, making the mountains crowd closely together, and rendering the -world more useful and beautiful by the prairies and valleys and rivers -which now cover it, from the rising to the setting sun. The Master of -Life also told his children that he would give them the earth and all -that it contained as their inheritance; but that they should never enjoy -their food without labor, should be annually exposed to a season of -bitter cold, and that their existence should be limited by that period -of time when their heads should become as white as the plumage of the -swan. And so endeth the words of the Catawba. - - - THE LONG CHASE. - -It was a summer day, and my birchen canoe, paddled by a party of -Chippeway Indians, was gliding along the southern shore of Lake -Superior. We had left the Apostle Islands, and were wending our way -towards the mouth of the Ontonagon, where we intended to spend the -night. Behind us reposed in beauty the Emerald Islands, in our front -appeared the Porcupine Mountains, the sky above was without a cloud, and -the waste of sleeping waters was only broken by the presence of a lonely -swan, which seemed to be following in our wake, apparently for the sake -of our companionship. I was delighted with the scene which surrounded -me, and having requested my comrades to refill their pipes from my -tobacco-pouch, I inquired for an adventure or a story connected with -this portion of the lake. I waited but for a moment, when the chief of -the party, _O-gee-maw-ge-zhick_, or Chief of the Sky, signified his -intention by a sudden exclamation, and proceeded with the following -historical tradition: - -The Indian warrior of other days seldom thought that distance ought to -be considered when he went forth to battle against his enemies, provided -he was certain of winning the applause of his fellow men. Fatigue and -hunger were alike looked upon as unimportant considerations, and both -endured without a murmur. - -The white man had not yet become the owner of this wilderness, and our -nation was at war with the Iroquois, who had invaded our territory. At -this time it was that a party of six Iroquois runners had been sent by -their leading chiefs from Ke-wa-we-non, on the southern shore of Lake -Superior, to examine the position of the Chippeways, who were supposed -to be on an island called Moo-ne-quah-na-kon-ing. The spies having -arrived opposite to the island where their enemies were encamped (which -island was about three miles from the main shore), they built a -war-canoe out of the bark of an elm-tree, launched it at the hour of -midnight, and, having implored the god of war to smile upon them and -keep the lake in peace, they landed on the island, and were soon -prowling through the village of the unconscious Chippeways. - -They were so cautious in all their movements, that their footsteps did -not even awaken the sleeping dogs. It so happened, however, that they -were discovered, and that, too, by a young woman, who, according to -ancient custom, was leading a solitary life previous to becoming a -mother. In her wakefulness she saw them pass near her lodge and heard -them speak, but could not understand their words, though she thought -them to be of the Na-do-was tribe. When they had passed, she stole out -of her own wigwam to that of her aged grandmother, whom she informed of -what she had seen and heard. The aged woman only reprimanded her -daughter for her imprudence, and did not heed her words. “But, mother,” -replied the girl, “I speak the truth; the dreaded Na-do-was are in our -village; and if the warriors of the Buffalo Race do not heed the story -of a foolish girl, their women and their children must perish.” The -words of the girl were finally believed, and the warriors of the Crane -and Buffalo tribes prepared themselves for the capture. The war-whoop -echoed to the sky; and the rattling of bows and arrows was heard in -every part of the island. In about an hour, the main shore was lined -with about eight hundred canoes, whose occupants were anxiously waiting -for the appearance of the spies. These desperate men, however, had made -up their minds to try the mettle of their oars to the utmost, and, as -the day was breaking, they launched their canoe from a woody cove, shot -round the island, and started in the direction of the Porcupine -Mountains, which were about sixty miles distant. Soon as they came in -sight of the Chippeways, the latter became quite frantic, and, giving -their accustomed yell, the whole multitude started after them swift as -the flight of gulls. The mighty lake was without a ripple; and the -beautiful fish in its bosom wandered about their rocky haunts in perfect -peace, unconscious of the dreadful strife which was going on above. The -canoes of the pursued and the pursuers moved with magic speed. The -Iroquois were some two miles ahead, and while they strained every nerve -for life, one voice rose high into the air, with a song of invocation to -the spirits of their race for protection; and, in answer to their -petition, a thick fog fell upon the water, and caused great confusion. -One of the Chippeway warriors laid down his paddle, seized his -mysterious rattle (made of deer’s hoof), and, in a strange, wild song, -implored the spirits of his race to clear away the fog, that they might -only see their enemies. The burthen of the song was:— - - “Mon e-tou ne bah bah me tah wah - Ke shig ne bah bah me tah goon - Ah bee ne nah wah goom me goon - Men ke che dah awas—awas.” - -Which may be translated as follows:— - - “Spirit! whom I have always obeyed, - Here cause the skies now to obey, - And place the waters in our power. - We are warriors—away, away.” - -Just as the last strain died upon the air, the fog quickly rolled away, -and the Iroquois spies were discovered hastening towards the shore, near -Montreal river. Then came the fog again, and then departed, in answer to -the conflicting prayers of the nations. Long and awfully exciting was -the race. But the Great Spirit was the friend of the Chippeway, and just -as the Iroquois were landing on the beach, four of them were pierced -with arrows, and the remaining two taken prisoners. A council was then -called, for the purpose of deciding what should be done with them; and -it was determined that they should be tortured at the stake. They were -fastened to a tree, and surrounded with wood, when, just as the torch -was to be applied, an aged warrior stepped forth from the crowd of -spectators, and thus addressed the assembly:— - -“Why are you to destroy these men? They are brave warriors, but not more -distinguished than we are. We can gain no benefit from their death. Why -will you not let them live, that they may go and tell their people of -our power, and that our warriors are numerous as the stars of the -northern sky.” The council pondered upon the old man’s advice, and there -was a struggle between their love of revenge and love of glory; but both -became victorious. One of the spies was released, and, as he ascended a -narrow valley, leading to the Porcupine Mountains, the fire was applied -to the dry wood piled round the form of the other; and in the darkness -of midnight, and amid the shouting of his cruel enemies, the body of the -Iroquois prisoner was consumed to ashes. The spot where the sacrifice -took place has been riven by many a thunderbolt since then, for the god -of war was displeased with the faintheartedness of the Chippeway, in -valuing a name more highly than the _privilege_ of revenge; and the same -summer, of the following year, which saw the humane Chippeway buried on -the shore of Superior, also saw the remains of the pardoned spy -consigned to the earth on the shore of Michigan. - -Thus endeth the legend of Shah-gah-wah-mik, one of the Apostle Islands, -which the French named La Pointe, and which was originally known as -Moo-ne-quah-na-kon-ing. The village stood where the old trading -establishment is now located; and among the greenest of the graves in -the hamlet of La Pointe is that where lie the remains of the Indian girl -who exposed herself to reproach for the purpose of saving her people. - - - THE LONE BUFFALO. - -Among the legends which the traveler frequently hears, while crossing -the prairies of the Far West, I remember one which accounts in a most -romantic manner for the origin of thunder. A summer-storm was sweeping -over the land, and I had sought a temporary shelter in the lodge of a -Sioux, or Dahcotah Indian on the banks of the St. Peters. Vividly -flashed the lightning, and an occasional peal of thunder echoed through -the firmament. While the storm continued my host and his family paid but -little attention to my comfort, for they were all evidently stricken -with terror. I endeavored to quell their fears, and for that purpose -asked them a variety of questions respecting their people, but they only -replied by repeating, in a dismal tone, the name of the Lone Buffalo. My -curiosity was of course excited, and it may be readily imagined that I -did not resume my journey without obtaining an explanation of the mystic -words; and from him who first uttered them in the Sioux lodge I -subsequently obtained the following legend:— - -There was a chief of the Sioux nation whose name was the Master Bear. He -was famous as a prophet and hunter, and was a particular favorite with -the Master of Life. In an evil hour he partook of the white man’s -fire-water, and in a fighting broil unfortunately took the life of a -brother chief. According to ancient custom blood was demanded for blood, -and when next the Master Bear went forth to hunt, he was waylaid, shot -through the heart with an arrow, and his body deposited in front of his -widow’s lodge. Bitterly did the woman bewail her misfortune, now -mutilating her body in the most heroic manner, and anon narrating to her -only son, a mere infant, the prominent events of her husband’s life. -Night came, and with her child lashed upon her back, the woman erected a -scaffold on the margin of a neighboring stream, and with none to lend -her a helping hand, enveloped the corpse in her more valuable robes, and -fastened it upon the scaffold. She completed her task just as the day -was breaking, when she returned to her lodge, and shutting herself -therein, spent the three following days without tasting food. - -During her retirement the widow had a dream, in which she was visited by -the Master of Life. He endeavored to console her in her sorrow, and for -the reason that he had loved her husband, promised to make her son a -more famous warrior and medicine man than his father had been. And what -was more remarkable, this prophecy was to be realized within the period -of a few weeks. She told her story in the village, and was laughed at -for her credulity. - -On the following day, when the village boys were throwing the ball upon -the plain, a noble youth suddenly made his appearance among the players, -and eclipsed them all in the bounds he made and the wildness of his -shouts. He was a stranger to all, but when the widow’s dream was -remembered, he was recognized as her son, and treated with respect. But -the youth was yet without a name, for his mother had told him that he -should win one for himself by his individual prowess. - -Only a few days had elapsed, when it was rumored that a party of Pawnees -had overtaken and destroyed a Sioux hunter, when it was immediately -determined in council that a party of one hundred warriors should start -upon the war-path and revenge the injury. Another council was held for -the purpose of appointing a leader, when a young man suddenly entered -the ring and claimed the privilege of leading the way. His authority was -angrily questioned, but the stranger only replied by pointing to the -brilliant eagle’s feathers on his head, and by shaking from his belt a -large number of fresh Pawnee scalps. They remembered the stranger boy, -and acknowledged the supremacy of the stranger man. - -Night settled upon the prairie world, and the Sioux warriors started -upon the war-path. Morning dawned, and a Pawnee village was in ashes, -and the bodies of many hundred men, women, and children were left upon -the ground as food for the wolf and vulture. The Sioux warriors returned -to their own encampment, when it was ascertained that the nameless -leader had taken more than twice as many scalps as his brother warriors. -Then it was that a feeling of jealousy arose, which was soon quieted, -however, by the news that the Crow Indians had stolen a number of horses -and many valuable furs from a Sioux hunter as he was returning; from the -mountains. Another warlike expedition was planned, and as before, the -nameless warrior took the lead. - -The sun was near his setting, and as the Sioux party looked down upon a -Crow village, which occupied the centre of a charming valley, the Sioux -chief commanded the attention of his braves and addressed them in the -following language: - -“I am about to die, my brothers, and must speak my mind. To be fortunate -in war is your chief ambition, and because I have been successful you -are unhappy. Is this right? Have you acted like men? I despise you for -your meanness, and I intend to prove to you this night that I am the -bravest man in the nation. The task will cost me my life, but I am -anxious that my nature should be changed and I shall be satisfied. I -intend to enter the Crow village alone, but before departing, I have one -favor to command. If I succeed in destroying that village, and lose my -life, I want you, when I am dead, to cut off my head and protect it with -care. You must then kill one of the largest buffaloes in the country and -cut off his head. You must then bring his body and my head together, and -breathe upon them, when I shall be free to roam in the Spirit-land at -all times, and over our great prairie-land wherever I please. And when -your hearts are troubled with wickedness remember the Lone Buffalo.” - -The attack upon the Crow village was successful, but according to his -prophecy the Lone Buffalo received his death wound, and his brother -warriors remembered his parting request. The fate of the hero’s mother -is unknown, but the Indians believe that it is she who annually sends -from the Spirit land the warm winds of spring, which cover the prairies -with grass for the sustenance of the Buffalo race. As to the Lone -Buffalo, he is never seen even by the most cunning hunter, excepting -when the moon is at its full. At such times he is invariably alone, -cropping his food in some remote part of the prairies; and whenever the -heavens resound with the moanings of the thunder, the red man banishes -from his breast every feeling of jealousy, for he believes it to be the -warning voice of the Lone Buffalo. - - - LEGENDS OF MACKINAW. - -The original Indian name of this island was Mich-il-i-mack-i-nack, -signifying the mammoth turtle. It is a beautiful spot of earth, and its -origin is accounted for by the following Ottaway legend:— - -When the world was in its infancy, and all the living creatures were -wandering over its surface from their several birth-places, for a -permanent home, it so happened that a multitude of turtles came to the -southern shore of Lake Erie. They found the country generally level, and -were delighted with the muddy waters of the lake, and also with the many -stagnant rivers and ponds which they discovered in its vicinity. But -while the race were generally satisfied with their discoveries, and -willing to remain where they were, the mammoth leader of the multitude -resolved upon extending his journey to the north. He was allured to this -undertaking by a strange light of exceeding loveliness (supposed to be -the Aurora Borealis), which he had frequently observed covering the -horizon. He endeavored to obtain a few companions for his intended -pilgrimage, but without success. This disappointment did not dishearten -him, however, and as he remembered that the summer was only half gone, -he determined to depart alone. Long and very circuitous was his journey, -and many, beautiful and lonely, the bayous and swamps where he -frequently tarried to rest himself and obtain refreshment. Summer, and -nearly the whole of autumn were now passed, and the traveling turtle -found himself on a point of land which partially divided the two lakes -of Huron and Michigan. Already he had been numbed by chilly winds, but -his ambition was so great that he still persisted in his foolish -pilgrimage. The day on which he made his final launch upon the waters, -was particularly cold and desolate, and it so happened that in the -course of a few days his career was stopped by the formation of an icy -barrier, which deprived him of life and left him, a little black spot, -on the waste of frozen waters. - -Spring returned once more, but while the ice gradually dissolved itself -into beautiful blue waves, the shell of the turtle was fastened to a -marine plant or tall reed, and in process of time became an island, -which the Indians appropriately named Mich-il-i-mack-i-nack, or the -Mammoth Turtle. - -The individual from whom I obtained the above story was an Ottaway -Indian; and he told it to me as we sat together on the brow of the -arched rock which has, from time immemorial, been considered the -principal natural curiosity of Mackinaw. The following legend I obtained -from the same source, and, like the majority of Indian stories, it is -uncouth and unnatural; but interesting for the reason that it bears a -curious analogy to a certain passage in the Old Testament. But this -remark is applicable, I believe, to the early traditions of nearly all -the aboriginal nations of North America. But to the tradition:— - -Very many winters ago, the sun was regularly in the habit of performing -his daily circuit across the heavens, and when the stars made their -appearance in the sky, he invariably descended into an immense hole -supposed to be located in the remote west. But in process of time it so -happened that a chief of the Ottaways committed an unheard of crime -against the person of his only daughter, and the Master of Life became -so offended, that he caused a mighty wind to come upon the earth, -whereby the rocky hills were made to tremble, and the waters which -surrounded them to roar with a dreadful noise. During this state of -things, which lasted for one whole day, the sun shot through the heavens -with an unsteady motion, and when it had reached the zenith suddenly -became fixed, as if astonished at the red man’s wickedness. All the -people of the Ottaway nation were greatly alarmed at this phenomenon, -and while they were gazing upon the luminary, it gradually changed into -the color of blood, and with a dreadful noise, as if in a passion, it -fell upon the earth. It struck the northern shore of Mackinaw, formed -the cavity of the Arched Rock, and so entered the earth, from which it -issued in the far east, at an early hour on the following morning, and -then resumed its usual journey across the heavens. - -Many, very many winters have passed away since the last mentioned -incident occurred, and it is true that even the present race of Indians -can seldom be persuaded to approach the brow of the Arched Rock. Never -have I heard of one who was sufficiently bold to walk over the arch, -though the feat might be easily accomplished by any man with a steady -nerve. The shores of the island of Mackinaw are almost entirely -abrupt—and their general altitude is about one hundred and fifty feet; -but the summit of the Arched Rock has been estimated to be at least two -hundred feet above the water. In connection with the above stories, I -might introduce a description of the island they commemorate, but such a -description has already been published in my “Summer in the Wilderness.” - - - GREEN-CORN CEREMONIES OF THE CHEROKEES. - -My main object in the present paper is to record a complete account of -the ceremonies which were once practised by the Cherokee Indians, in -connection with their principal agricultural pursuit of raising maize or -Indian corn. For the great majority of my facts I am indebted to Mr. -Preston Starritt, of Tennessee. While this is the case, however, I beg -my readers to understand that I shall speak of the tribe in question as -it existed in the times of old, when its members were the sole -proprietors of the southern Alleghanies. Let us, then, banish from our -minds the unhappy relations which brood over the Cherokees at the -present time, and, by the aid of our fancy, mingle with the nation as it -existed when in its pristine glory. - -The snows of winter have melted from the mountain peaks, the rains are -over and gone, the frosts are out of the ground, and the voice of the -turtle is heard in the land. The beautiful valley to which we have -journeyed is entirely surrounded with mountains, about five miles -square, watered by a charming stream, and inhabited by two thousand -aborigines, who are divided into seven clans, and located in seven -villages. The ruling men of the tribe have signified to their people -that the period for planting corn has arrived, and that they must gather -themselves together for the purpose of submitting to the annual -ceremonies of purification. For doing this they have a double object: -they would, in the first place, expunge from their bodies every vestige -of all the colds and diseases with which they may have been afflicted -during the past winter; and, in the second place, they would propitiate -the Great Spirit, so as to secure his blessing upon the crops which they -are about to deposite in the ground. The moon being now at its full, and -a fitting location having been selected, the chiefs and magicians -congregate together, and the preliminary measures are thus managed. A -magic circle is made to keep out all evil spirits and enemies, and the -medicine men then proceed to walk in single file, and with measured -steps, completely around the spot which they would render sacred, and -which is generally half a mile in diameter, marking their route by -plucking a single leaf from every tree or bush which they may happen to -pass, all these leaves being carefully deposited in a pouch carried for -the purpose. In the mean time, the brotherhood of chiefs have not been -unemployed, for while the most aged individual of all has been making a -collection of roots, the remainder have built a rude dam, and thereby -formed a pond or pool of water on the creek which invariably waters the -sacred enclosure. The entire population of the valley are now summoned -to the outskirts of the sacred enclosure, and a general invitation -extended to all to approach and join the chiefs and magicians in the -rite they are about to perform; it being understood, however, that no -man, under penalty of death, shall venture to participate who has left a -single wrong unrevenged or committed any unmanly deed, and no woman who -has given birth to a child since the preceding full moon. In the centre -of the sacred ground, and in the vicinity of the pool, a large fire is -now made, around which the multitude are congregated. The night is -clear, and the moon and stars are flooding the earth with light. An -earthen pot is now placed upon the fire, the roots gathered by the old -chief, numbering seven varieties, are placed therein, also the leaves -plucked by the magicians, when the pot is filled with water by seven -virgins, who are promoted to this honor by the appointment of the senior -chief. After the contents of the pot have been thoroughly boiled, and a -most bitter but medicinal beverage been made, all the persons present -are called upon to take seven sips of the bitter liquid, and then -directed to bathe no less than seven times in the neighboring pool, the -waters of which have been rendered sacred by the incantations of the -priests. All these things being done, the multitude assemble around the -fire once more, and, to the music of a strange wild singing, they dance -until the break of day, and then disperse to their several homes. The -friendship of the Great Spirit has now been secured, and therefore, as -opportunity offers, the Indians proceed to loosen their ground, as best -they may, and then plant their corn. This labor is performed chiefly by -the women, and the planted fields are considered as under their especial -charge. Though planted in the greatest disorder, they keep their -cornfields entirely free of weeds, and the soil immediately around the -corn in a loose condition. At every full moon they are commonly -apprehensive that some calamity may befall their crop, and, by way of -keeping the Great Spirit on their side, the women have a custom of -disrobing themselves, at the dead hour of night, and of walking entirely -around the field of corn. - -And now that the sunshine and showers of summer are performing their -ministry of good in bringing the corn to its wonted perfection, it may -be well to make the reader acquainted with the following facts: As the -Indians purify themselves and perform all their religious rites only -when the moon is at its full, so do they refrain from plucking a single -ear of corn until they have partaken of their annual harvest or -green-corn feast. This feast occurs on that night of the full moon -nearest to the period when the corn becomes ripe; and, by a time-honored -law of the nation, no man, woman, or child is ever permitted, under -penalty of death, to pluck a single roasting-ear. So rigidly enforced is -this law that many Cherokees are known to have lost their lives for -disobeying it, while many families have suffered the pangs of hunger for -many days, even while their fields were filled with corn, merely because -the harvest moon had not yet arrived, and they had not partaken of their -annual feast. If a full moon should occur only one week after the corn -has become suitable to pluck, the Indians will not touch a single ear -until the next moon, even if it should then be so hard as to require -pounding before becoming suitable for food. During the ripening period -the cornfields are watched with jealous care, and the first stalk that -throws out its silken plume is designated by a distinguishing mark. In -assigning reasons for this peculiar care, the Indians allege that until -the harvest feast has taken place the corn is exclusively the property -of the Great Spirit, and that they are only its appointed guardians; and -they also maintain that, when the corn is plucked before the appointed -moon has arrived, the field which has thus been trespassed upon is sure -to be prostrated by a storm or be afflicted with the rot; and wherefore -it is that they are always greatly alarmed when they discover that a -cornfield has been touched, as they say, by the Evil One. - -But the harvest moon is now near at hand, and the chiefs and medicine -men have summoned the people of the several villages to prepare -themselves for the autumnal festival. Another spot of ground is -selected, and the same sanctifying ceremony is performed that was -performed in the previous spring. The most expert hunter in each village -has been commissioned to obtain game, and while he is engaged in the -hunt the people of his village are securing the blessing of the Great -Spirit by drinking, with many mystic ceremonies, the liquid made from -seven of the most bitter roots to be found among the mountains. Of all -the game which may be obtained by the hunters, not a single animal is to -be served up at the feast whose bones have been broken or mutilated; nor -shall a rejected animal be brought within the magic circle, but shall be -given to those of the tribe who, by some misdeed, have rendered -themselves unworthy to partake of the feast. The hunters are always -compelled to return from the chase at the sunset hour, and long before -they come in sight of their villages they invariably give a shrill -whistle, as a signal of good luck, whereupon the villagers make ready to -receive them with a wild song of welcome and rejoicing. - -The pall of night has once more settled upon the earth, the moon is in -its glory, the watch-fire has been lighted within the magic circle, and -the inhabitants of the valley are again assembled together in one great -multitude. From all the cornfields in the valley the magicians have -collected the marked ears of corn, and deposited them in the kettles -with the various kinds of game which may have been slaughtered, from the -bear, the deer, and the turkey, to the opossum, the squirrel, and the -quail. The entire night is devoted to eating, and the feast comes not to -an end until all the food has been dispatched, when, in answer to an -appropriate signal from the medicine men, the bones which have been -stripped of their flesh are collected together and pounded to a kind of -powder, and scattered through the air. The seven days following this -feast are devoted to dancing and carousing, and at the termination of -this period the inhabitants of the valley retire to their various -villages, and proceed to gather in their crops of the sweet maize or -Indian corn. - - - THE OVERFLOWING WATERS. - A TRADITION OF THE CHOCTAWS. - -The world was in its prime, and time rolled on with its accustomed -regularity. The tiny streams among the hills and mountains shouted with -joy, and the broad rivers wound their wonted course along the peaceful -valleys. Many a tall oak had grown from the acorn, spread its rich -foliage to the summer winds, decayed with age, and mingled with its -mother earth. The moon and stars had long made the night-skies -beautiful, and guided the Indian hunter through the wilderness. The sun, -which the red man calls the glory of the summer time, had never failed -to appear at his appointed periods. Many generations of men had lived -and passed away. - -In process of time the aspect of the world became changed. Brother -quarreled with brother, and cruel wars frequently covered the earth with -blood. The Great Spirit saw all these things and was displeased. A -terrible wind swept over the wilderness, and the red men knew that they -had done wrong, but they lived as if they did not care. Finally a -stranger prophet made his appearance among them, and proclaimed in every -village the news that the human race was to be destroyed. None believed -his words, and the moons of summer again came and disappeared. It was -now the autumn of the year. Many cloudy days had occurred, and then a -total darkness came upon the earth, and the sun seemed to have departed -forever. It was very dark and very cold. Men laid themselves down to -sleep, but they were troubled with unhappy dreams. They arose when they -thought it was time for the day to dawn, but only to see the sky covered -with a darkness deeper than the heaviest cloud. The moon and stars had -all disappeared, and there was constantly a dismal bellowing of thunder -in the upper air. Men now believed that the sun would never return, and -there was great consternation throughout the land. The great men of the -Choctaw nation spoke despondingly to their fellows, and sung their death -songs, but those songs were faintly heard in the gloom of the great -night. It was a most unhappy time indeed, and darkness reigned for a -great while. Men visited each other by torch-light. The grains and -fruits of the land became mouldy, and the wild animals of the forest -became tame and gathered around the watch-fires of the Indians, entering -even into the villages. - -A louder peal of thunder than was ever before heard now echoed through -the firmament, and a light was seen in the North. It was not the light -of the sun, but the gleam of distant waters. They made a mighty roar, -and, in billows like the mountains, they rolled over the earth. They -swallowed up the entire human race in their career, and destroyed -everything which had made the earth beautiful. Only one human being was -saved, and that was the mysterious prophet who had foretold the -wonderful calamity. He had built him a raft of sassafras logs, and upon -this did he float safely above the deep waters. A large black bird came -and flew in circles above his head. He called upon it for aid, but it -shrieked aloud, and flew away and returned to him no more. A smaller -bird, of a bluish color, with scarlet eyes and beak, now came hovering -over the prophet’s head. He spoke to it, and asked if there was a spot -of dry land in any part of the waste of waters. It fluttered its wings, -uttered a sweet moan, and flew directly towards that part of the sky -where the newly-born sun was just sinking in the waves. A strong wind -now arose, and the raft of the prophet was rapidly borne in the same -direction which the bird had pursued. The moon and stars again made -their appearance, and the prophet landed upon a green island, where he -encamped. Here he enjoyed a long and refreshing sleep, and when morning -dawned he found that the island was covered with every variety of -animals, excepting the great _Shakanli_, or mammoth, which had been -destroyed. Birds, too, he also found here in great abundance. He -recognized the identical black one which had abandoned him to his fate -upon the waters, and, as it was a wicked bird and had sharp claws, he -called it _Ful luh-chitto_, or bird of the Evil One. He also discovered, -and with great joy, the bluish bird which had caused the wind to blow -him upon the island, and because of its kindness to him and its beauty, -he called it _Puch che-yon-sho-ba_, or the soft-voiced pigeon. The -waters finally passed away, and in process of time that bird became a -woman and the wife of the prophet, from whom the people now living upon -the earth are all descended. And so endeth the story of The Overflowing -Waters. - - - THE NAMELESS CHOCTAW. - -There once lived in the royal Indian town of _E-ya-sho_ (Ya-zoo) the -only son of a war chief, who was eminently distinguished above all his -fellows for his elegant form and noble bearing. The old men of the -nation looked upon him with pride, and said that he was certainly born -to occupy a high position as a warrior. He was also an eloquent orator, -and none ever thought of doubting his courage. But, with all these -qualities, he was not allowed a seat in the councils of his nation, -because he had not distinguished himself in war. The renown of having -slain an enemy he could not claim, nor had he ever been fortunate enough -to take a single prisoner. He was universally beloved, and, as the name -of his childhood had been abandoned according to an ancient custom, and -he had not yet succeeded in winning a name worthy of his ability, he was -known among his kindred as the Nameless Choctaw. - -In the town of E-ya-sho there also once lived the most beautiful maiden -of her tribe. She was the daughter of a hunter, and the betrothed of the -Nameless Choctaw. They met often at the great dances, but, because she -hoped to become his bride, she treated him as a stranger. Often, too, -did they meet at the setting of the sun, but then they listened to the -song of the whipporwill or watched the rising of the evening star, when -each could hear the throbbing of the other’s heart. They loved with a -wild passion and were very happy. At such times one thought alone -entered their minds to cast a shadow. It was this: They knew that the -laws of their nation were unalterable, and that she could not become his -bride until he had won a name. She knew that he could always place at -the door of her lodge an abundance of game, and would deck her with the -most beautiful of shells and wampum; but all this availed them nothing; -that he must go upon the war-path was inevitable. She belonged to a -proud family, and she never would consent to marry a man who had not a -loud sounding name, and who could not sit in the councils of her people. -She was willing to become his bride at any time, and therefore left him, -by his prowess, to decide upon that time. - -It was now midsummer and the evening hour. The Nameless Lover had met -his promised bride upon the summit of a small hill, covered with pines. -From the centre of a neighboring plain arose the smoke of a large -watch-fire, around which were dancing a party of four hundred warriors. -They had planned an expedition against the Osages, and the present was -the fourth and last night of the preparation ceremonies. Up to that -evening the Nameless Choctaw had been the leader in the dances, and even -now his absence was only temporary, for he had stolen away to express -his parting vows to his beloved. The last embrace was given, and then -the maiden was alone upon the hill-top, looking down in sadness upon the -dancing warriors, among whom she beheld none who commanded more -attention than the being whom she loved. - -Morning dawned, and the Choctaw warriors were upon the war-path leading -to the country of their enemies, far up on the headwaters of the -Arkansas. Upon that stream they found a cave, and in that cave, because -they were on a prairie land, they secreted themselves. Two men were then -selected to act as spies, one of whom (the Nameless Choctaw) was to -reconnoitre in the west and the other in the east. Night came, and the -party in the cave were discovered by an Osage hunter, who had traveled -thither for the purpose of sheltering himself until morning from the -heavy dews. By the light of the stars did he then travel to the nearest -village, and having warned his people of the proximity of their enemies, -they hurried in a large body to the cave. At its mouth they built a -fire, and when the sun rose into the horizon the entire party of -Choctaws had been smothered to death by the cunning of their enemies. - -The Choctaw spy who had journeyed towards the east, had witnessed the -surprise and unhappy fate of his brother warriors, and, returning to his -own country, he called a council and revealed the sad intelligence. As -to the fate of the Nameless Choctaw, who had journeyed to the westward, -he knew that he too must have been overtaken and slain. Upon the heart -of one being this last intelligence fell with a most heavy weight, and -the promised bride of the Nameless Lover pined in melancholy grief. From -the night on which she was made wretched, she began to droop, and before -the reigning moon had passed away she died, and was buried on the -identical spot where she had parted with her lover. - -But what became of the Nameless Choctaw? It was not true that he had -been overtaken and slain. He was indeed discovered by the Osages, and -far over the prairies and across the streams was he closely pursued. For -many days and through the watches of many nights did the race continue, -but the Choctaw warrior finally made his escape. His course had been -exceedingly winding, and when he came to a pause he was astonished to -find that the sun rose in the wrong quarter of the heavens. Everything -appeared to him wrong and out of order, and the truth was he became a -bewildered and forlorn man, and everywhere did he wander. He found -himself at the foot of a mighty range of mountains, which were covered -with grass and unlike any that he had ever before seen. - -It so happened, however, at the close of a certain day, that he -sauntered into a wooded valley, and having built him a rude bower and -killed a rabbit, he lighted a fire, and prepared himself for one quiet -meal and a night of repose. Morning dawned, and he was still in trouble. -Many moons passed away and the Choctaw was still desolate and forlorn. -It was now summer, and he called upon the Great Spirit to make his -pathway plain; and having hunted the forests for a spotted deer, and -slain her, on a day when there was no wind he offered a sacrifice, and -that night supped upon a portion of the animal’s sweet flesh. His fire -burnt brightly, and though somewhat forlorn, he found that his heart was -at peace. But now he hears a footstep! A moment more, and a snow-white -wolf of immense size is crouching at his feet, and licking his torn -moccasins. “How came you in this strange country?” inquired the wolf; -and the poor Indian related the story of his unsuccessful exploit and -subsequent escape. The wolf took pity upon the Choctaw and told him that -he would conduct him in safety to the country of his kindred; and on the -following morning did they take their departure. Long, very long was the -journey, and many and very wild and turbulent the streams which they had -to cross. The wolf helped the Choctaw to kill game for their mutual -sustenance, and by the time that the moon for weeding the corn had -arrived the nameless Choctaw had entered his native village again. This -was on the anniversary of the day he had parted with his betrothed, and -he was sorely grieved to find his people mourning her untimely death. -Time and fatigue had so changed the returned Choctaw that his relatives -and friends did not recognize him, and he chose not to reveal himself. -From many a mouth, however, did he learn the story of her death, and -many a wild song, to the astonishment of all his friends, did he sing to -the memory of the departed, whom he called by the beautiful name of -Imma, or the idol of warriors. And on a cloudless night did he wander to -the grave of his beloved, and at a moment when the Great Spirit cast his -shadow upon the moon (alluding to an eclipse) did he throw himself -thereon and die. For three nights thereafter were the inhabitants of the -Choctaw village alarmed by the continual howling of a wolf, and when it -ceased, the pine forest, upon the hill where the lovers were resting in -peace, took up the dismal howl or moan, and has continued it to the -present time. - - - THE SPIRIT SACRIFICE. - -It was midsummer, and there was a terrible plague in the wilderness. -Many a Chippeway village on the borders of Lake Superior had been -depopulated. The only band of the great northern nation which had thus -far escaped, was the one whose hunting grounds lay on the northern shore -of the St. Mary’s River. Their principal village stood upon a gentle -promontory overlooking the Great Lake, immediately at the head of the -_Sault_ or Falls, and at this village the chiefs and warriors of the -tribe were assembled in council. Incantations of every possible -description had for many days been performed, and yet nightly tidings -were received, showing that the fatal disease was sweeping over the -land, like the fires of autumn over the prairies. The signs in the sky, -as well as these tidings, convinced the poor Indians that their days -were numbered. It was now the last night of their council, and they were -in despair. They knew that the plague had been sent upon the earth by -the Great Spirit, as a punishment for some crime, and they also knew -that there was but one thing that could possibly appease his anger. And -what was this? The sacrifice of the most beautiful girl of her tribe. -And such was the decree, that she should enter her canoe, and throwing -away her paddle, cast herself upon the waters, just above the _Sault_. - -Morning dawned, and loud and dismal beyond compare, was the wail of -sorrow which broke upon the silent air. Another council was held, and -the victim for the sacrifice was selected. She was an only child, and -her mother was a widow, feeble and infirm. They told the maiden of her -fate, and she uttered not a repining word. The girls and women of the -village flocked around their long-loved companion, and decked her hair -and her neck with all the brightest wampum, and the most beautiful -feathers and shells that could be found in all the tribe. The time -appointed for the sacrifice was the sunset hour; and as the day was -rapidly waning, the gloom which pervaded the entire village gradually -increased, and it even seemed as if a murmuring tone mingled with the -roar of the mighty waterfall. The day had been one of uncommon splendor, -and as the sun descended to the horizon a retinue of gorgeous clouds -gathered around him, and the great lake, whose waters receded to the -sky, was covered with a deeper blue than had ever before been seen. - -All things were now ready, and the Indian maiden was ready for the -sacrifice. In silence was she conducted to her canoe, and loud was the -wail of lamentation. It died away; and now, to the astonishment of all -the people, a strange echo came from over the waters. What could it -mean? A breathless silence ensued, and even the old men listened with -fear. And now a louder and a clearer continuation of the same echo -breaks upon the air. A speck is seen upon the waters. The sun has -disappeared, and a small canoe is seen rapidly approaching, as if from -the very spot where the orb touched the waters. The song increases; and -as the fairy-like canoe sweeps mysteriously over the watery waste, it is -now seen to contain a beautiful being, resembling a girl, clothed in a -snow-white robe. She is in a standing attitude, her arms are folded, and -her eyes are fixed upon the heavens. Her soul is absorbed in a song, of -which this is the burden:— - - “I come from the Spirit land, - To appease the Great Spirit, - To stay the plague, - And to save the life of the beautiful Chippeway.” - -Onward she came, and her pathway lay directly towards the mighty rapids. -With utter astonishment did the Indians look upon this unheard of -spectacle, and while they looked they saw the canoe and its spirit -voyager pass directly into the foam, where it was lost to them for ever. - -And so did the poor Indians escape the plague. The St. Mary is a -beautiful river; and during the summer time its shores are always lined -with lilies, large, and of a marvelous whiteness; and it is a common -belief among the Chippeways, that they owe their origin to the -mysterious spirit, from whose mutilated body they sprang. And so endeth -the Legend of the Spirit Sacrifice. - - - THE PEACE MAKER. - - The following story was obtained by the writer, directly from the lips - of a Seneca Indian, and the hero is said to have been the grandfather - of the celebrated orator Red Jacket. - -There was a time when all the Indian tribes in the world were at war -with the great Seneca nation, whose hunting grounds were on the borders -of Lake Ontario. So fearful had they become of their enemies, that the -bravest hunters and warriors never left their wig-wams without bending -their bows, and little children were not permitted by their mothers to -gather berries or hickory nuts in the neighboring woods. The head chief -of the nation at that time, was _Sa-go-you-wat-ha_, or _Always Awake_. -He was a good man, and being sorely grieved at the unhappiness of his -people, he conceived the idea of securing a permanent peace. It was -true, he said, that his father had been a cruel and unpopular chief, but -he did not think it right that the generation which followed his father -should be made miserable for crimes never committed by them. And -therefore it was that he prayed to the _Great Ha-nee_ to tell him, in a -dream, what he must do to accomplish his end. Night came, and in spite -of his name, _Always Awake_ fell into a deep sleep and had a dream. - -He was told that in the direction whence came the warm winds of summer, -and distant from his village a journey of one moon, there was a very -large mountain. On the summit of that mountain, as he was told, were -living a few people from all the nations of the earth, excepting the -Senecas. The place alluded to was called the _Mountain of Refuge_, and -it was so sacred a place, that its soil had never been wet with human -blood, and the people who lived there, were the peculiar favorites of -the Great Ha-nee, and were the law makers of the world. The dream also -told the Seneca chief, that he could secure a permanent peace only by -visiting the sacred mountain; but as the intervening distance was so -great, and his trail would be only among enemies, the dangers of the -expedition would be very numerous. By traveling at night, however, and -sleeping in the day time, the task might be accomplished, and he was at -liberty to try _his_ fortune. - -_Always Awake_ pondered a long time upon this strange vision, but -finally determined to start upon the appointed expedition. Great was the -fatigue that he endured, and oftentimes was he compelled to satisfy his -hunger with the roots and berries of the forest. Many a narrow escape -did he make from his enemies; but in due time he reached the Mountain of -Refuge. He was warmly welcomed among the Indians of the mountain, and -when he told his story and talked of peace, they honored him with many a -loud shout of applause. A council was held, and a decree passed, to the -effect that the important question at stake should be settled by another -council composed of the head chiefs of all the Indian nations in the -land. The fleetest runners were employed to disseminate the news, and at -the appointed time the council of chiefs was held. They formed -themselves into a confederacy, and with one exception, the nations of -the wilderness became as one people, and so continued until the white -man crossed the great waters and taught them the vices which have almost -consumed them from the face of the earth. The only nation that would not -join the confederation was the Osage nation, and because of their -wickedness in so doing, they were cursed by the Great Ha-nee, and have -ever since been a by-word and a reproach among their fellows. - -And when the Seneca chief returned to his own country, he was very -happy. His trail through the forests and over the mountains was lined -with bonfires, and in every village that he tarried, he was feasted with -the best of game. One moon after he returned to his people he died and -was buried on the banks of the beautiful lake where he lived; and ever -since that time the Great Ha-nee has permitted his people to live upon -the land inherited from their fathers. - - - ORIGIN OF THE DEER. - A SHAWNEE LEGEND. - -Wa-pit-pa-taska, or the Yellow Sky, was the daughter of a Shawnee or -Snake hunter. His lodge was not one of the handsomest in the village -where it stood, but the paths leading to it were more beaten than those -leading to any other, for the daughter of the hunter was a great -favorite among the young men of her tribe. The exploits of those who -sought her hand had no charm for her ear, and her tastes were strangely -different from those common among women. She knew that she had not many -years to live upon the earth, and her dreams had told her she was -created for an unheard-of mission. There was a mystery about her being, -and none could comprehend the meaning of her evening songs. On one -condition alone did she avow her willingness to become a wife, and this -was, that he who became her husband should never, under any -circumstances, mention her name. If he did so, a sad calamity would -befall him, and he would forever thereafter regret his thoughtlessness. -By this decree was the love of one of her admirers greatly enhanced, and -before the summer was gone the twain were married and dwelt in the same -lodge. - -Time flew on and the Yellow Sky sickened and died, and her last words -were that her husband should never forget her admonition about breathing -her name. The widower was very unhappy, and for five summers did he -avoid his fellow men, living in solitude, and wandering through the -forests alone. The voices of autumn were now heard in the land, and the -bereaved husband had, after his many journeyings, returned to the grave -of his wife, which he found overgrown with briers and coarse weeds. For -many moons had he neglected to protect the remains of his wife, and he -now tried to atone for his wickedness by plucking up the briers and -covering the grave with a soft sod. In doing this he was discovered by a -stranger Indian, who asked him whose grave it was of which he was taking -so much care? “It is the grave,” said he, “of _Wa-pit-pa-taska_;” and -hardly had the forbidden name (which he thoughtlessly uttered) passed -from his lips, before he fell to the earth in a spasm of great pain. The -sun was setting, and his bitter moans echoed far through the gloomy -woods, even until the darkness settled upon the world. - -Morning came, and near the grave of the Yellow Sky a large buck was -quietly feeding. It was the unhappy husband, whom the Great Spirit had -thus changed. The trotting of a wolf was heard in the brake, and the -deer pricked up his ears. One moment more, and the wolf started after -the deer. The race was very long and painful, but the deer finally -escaped. And thus from a man came into existence the beautiful deer, or -_mu-rat-si_; and because of the foolishness of this man, in not -remembering his wife’s words, the favorite animal of the Shawnee has -ever been at the mercy of the wolf. - - - LEGEND OF THE WHITE OWL. - -It was in the country of the Winnebagoes, or people of the turbid water, -and there was a great scarcity of game. An Indian hunter, while -returning from an unsuccessful expedition, at the sunset hour, chanced -to discover in the top of a tree a large white owl. He knew that the -flesh of this bird was not palatable to the taste, but as he thought of -his wife and children, who had been without food for several days, he -concluded to bend his bow and kill the bird. Hardly had he come to this -determination, before he was astonished to hear the owl speaking to him -in the following strain: “You are a very foolish hunter. You know it is -against the laws of your nation to kill any of my tribe, and why should -you do wrong because you happen to be a little hungry? I know that your -wife and children are also hungry, but that is not a good reason for -depriving me of life. I too have a wife and several children, and their -home is in the hollow of an old tree. When I left them a little while -ago, they were quite as hungry as you are, and I am now trying to obtain -for their enjoyment a red squirrel or a young opossum. Unlike you, I -have to hunt for my game only at night, and if you will go away and not -injure me, I may have it in my power to do you a kindness at some future -time.” - -The Indian hunter was convinced, and he unbent his bow. He returned to -his wigwam, and after he had told his wife what had happened to him, she -told him she was not sorry, for she had been particularly fortunate in -gathering berries. And then the Indian and his family were contented, -and game soon afterwards became abundant in the land. - -Many seasons had passed away, and the powerful nation of the Iroquois -were making war upon the Winnebagoes. The hunter already mentioned had -become a successful warrior and a chief. He was a mark for his enemies, -and the bravest among them started upon the war-path for the express -purpose of effecting his destruction. They hunted him as they would the -panther, but he always avoided their arrows. Many days of fatigue had he -now endured, and, believing that his enemies had given up the chase, he -stopped, on a certain evening, to rest himself and enjoy a repast of -roots. After this comfortless supper was ended, he wrapped himself in -his skins and thought that he would lie down and enjoy a little sleep. -He did so, and the only sounds which broke the stillness of the air were -caused by the falling of the dew from the leaves, and the whistling of -the whipporwill. It was now past midnight, and the Winnebago was yet -undisturbed. A whoop is heard in the forest, but so remote from his -grassy couch as not to be heard by the unconscious sleeper. But what can -this shouting mean? A party of the Iroquois warriors have fallen upon -the trail of their enemy, and are in hot pursuit. But still the -Winnebago warrior is in the midst of a pleasant dream. On come his -enemies, and his death is inevitable. The shouting of the Iroquois is -now distinct and clear, but in the twinkling of an eye it is swallowed -up in a much louder and more dismal shriek, which startled the Winnebago -to his feet. He is astonished, and wonders whence comes the noise. He -looks upwards, and lo! perched upon one of the branches of the tree -under which he had been resting, the form of a large white owl. It rolls -its large yellow eyes upon him, and tells him that an enemy is on his -trail, and that he must flee for his life. And this is the way in which -the white owl manifested its gratitude to the Winnebago hunter for his -kindness in sparing its own life many years before. And since that time -the owl has ever been considered a very good and a wise bird, and when -it perches above the wigwam of the red man it is always safe from harm. - - - DEATH OF THE GIANT CANNIBAL. - - The following story was obtained from the lips of a Chippeway warrior - named _Maw-gun-nub_, or Setting-ahead. He told it with as serious an - air as if it had been a matter of actual and important history, and - was evidently a firm believer in the wonders therein contained. - -An Indian village stood upon the borders of the Lake of the Woods. It -was a summer day, and a heavy rain storm had passed over the country, -when a large Giant or Cannibal suddenly made his appearance in the -village. He was as tall as the tallest hemlock, and carried a club in -his hand which was longer than the longest canoe. He told the Indians -that he had come from a far country in the North; that he was tired and -hungry; and that all the wild rice and the game in the village must be -immediately brought to his feet, that he might satisfy his appetite. His -orders were obeyed, and when the food was brought, and the inhabitants -of the village were collected together to see him enjoy his feast, the -Giant told them he was not yet satisfied; whereupon, with one blow of -his huge club, he destroyed, with one exception, all the people who had -treated him so kindly. The only person who escaped the dreadful blow was -a little boy, who happened to be sick in one of the wigwams. - -After the Giant had committed his cruel deed, he devoured a number of -the dead bodies, and during the night disappeared without discovering -the boy. In a few days the boy was well enough to move about, and as he -went from one wigwam to another, he thought of his friends who had been -so suddenly killed, and was very unhappy. For many seasons did he live -alone. While very young his food consisted of such birds as the -partridge, but as he grew up to the estate of manhood, he became a -successful hunter, and often feasted upon the deer and the buffalo. He -became a strong man, but was very lonely, and every time he thought of -the Giant who had destroyed his relatives and friends he thirsted for -revenge. - -Time passed on, and the Chippeway hunter became uneasy and discontented. -He fasted for many days, and called upon the Great Spirit to give him -power to discover and destroy the Giant who had done him so much harm. -The Great Spirit took pity upon him, heard his prayer, and sent to his -assistance a troop of a hundred men, from whose backs grew the most -beautiful of wings. They told the hunter that they knew all about the -Giant, and would help him to take his life. They said that the Giant was -very fond of the meat of the white bear, and that if the hunter would -give a bear feast they were certain that the Giant would make his -appearance and ask for a portion of the choice food. The time for giving -the feast was appointed, and it was to take place in a large natural -wigwam, formed by the locked branches of many trees; whereupon the -strange people disappeared and the hunter started towards the north -after a bear. - -The hunter was successful; the appointed time arrived, the feast was -ready, and the strange people were on the ground. The dancing and the -singing were all over, and the hot bear soup filled the wigwam with a -pleasant odor. A heavy tramp was heard in the woods, and in a little -time the Giant made his appearance, attracted to the place by the smell -of the soup. He came rushing to the wigwam like one who knew not what it -was to fear; but when he saw the array of people with wings he became -very quiet, and asked the hunter if he might participate in the feast. -The hunter told him that he might, on condition that he would go to the -mouth of a certain stream that emptied into the lake, and bring -therefrom to the wigwam a large rock which he would find there. The -Giant was angry at this request, but as he was afraid of the people with -wings he dared not disobey. He did as he was bidden, and the thong which -he used to hold the rock on his back cut a deep gash in his forehead. - -The hunter was not yet satisfied, and he told the Giant that before he -could be admitted to the feast he must bring to the wigwam a gill-net -that would reach across the widest stream. The Giant departed, and, -having obtained a beautiful net from a _mammoth spider_ that lived in a -cave, he brought it to the hunter. The hunter was well pleased, but not -yet fully satisfied. One more thing did he demand from the Giant before -he could be admitted to the feast, which was this, that he must make his -appearance at the feast wearing a robe made of weasel skins, with the -teeth and claws all on. This robe was obtained, the Giant was admitted, -and the feast proceeded. - -It lasted for several days and nights, and the hunter, the strange -people, and the Giant danced and caroused together as if they had been -the best of friends. The Giant was delighted with the singing of his -entertainers, and while he praised them to the skies he did not know -that in his bowl of soup the Chippeway hunter, who had not forgotten the -death of his friends, had placed a bitter root, which would deprive him -of his strength. But such was, indeed, the case. On the last night of -the feast the Giant became very tired and stupid, and asked permission -to enjoy some sleep. Permission was granted, and in the centre of the -great lodge was spread for his accommodation his weasel-skin robe. Upon -the stone which he brought from the river did he rest his head, and over -him was spread the net he had obtained from the mammoth spider. He then -fell into a deep sleep, and the men with wings and the hunter continued -the revelry. Each man supplied himself with a war club, and they -performed the dance of revenge. They formed a ring around the sleeping -Giant, and at a signal made by the hunter they all gave him a severe -blow, when the spirit-men disappeared into the air, and the weasel-skin -robe suddenly became alive. The little animals feasted upon the Giant -with evident satisfaction, and by morning there was nothing left of him -but his bones. These did the hunter gather into a heap, and having burnt -them to ashes, he threw them into the air, and immediately there came -into existence all the beautiful birds which now fill the world. And in -this manner was the great Giant of the Chippeways destroyed, and instead -of his living to feast upon the flesh of man, his own body, by the -wisdom of the Great Spirit, was turned into the birds, which are the -animal food of man. - - - THE CHIPEWAY MAGICIAN. - -This legend, with at least a score of variations, was related to me by a -Chippeway hunter named _Ka-zhe-osh_, or the _Fleet Flyer_. It is -excessively romantic, but will most certainly enlist the sympathies of -the ladies. - -Near the head of the Mississippi is Sandy Lake. In the centre of this -lake there is an island, and on this island, in the olden times, stood a -Chippeway village. The chief of this village had a daughter, and that -daughter had a lover, who was the greatest warrior of his tribe, and a -magician. He had the power of turning himself into any kind of animal he -pleased, and for this reason he was looked upon with suspicion by the -females of his acquaintance. He lived in a secluded lodge on the -outskirts of the village, and none ever disturbed him in his seclusion -without express permission; and a greater number of scalps hung from the -poles of his lodge than from those of any other in the tribe. The -chief’s daughter admired him for his noble bearing and his exploits, but -she could not reconcile herself to become his wife. She was afraid of -the strange power that he possessed, but she loved her father, and had -promised him that she would never disobey his commands in regard to -choosing her husband, though she trusted that the magician would never -be mentioned in that connection. - -In view of this state of things the magician made interest with the -entire brotherhood of warriors and hunters, and proclaimed his intention -of leading them upon the war-path to a distant country. He was unhappy, -and hoped to find peace of mind by wandering into strange lands. At an -appointed time the party assembled upon a neighboring plain, and they -went through the ceremonies of the war-dance. They also shouted a loud -war song, with the following burden:— - - “We love the whoop of our enemies; - We are going to war, - We are going to war, on the other side of the world.” - -On witnessing these preparations, the chief of the village became -troubled. He well knew that if the old men and the women and children -under his charge should be abandoned by the fighting men and hunters of -the tribe, they would be visited by much suffering, and he determined to -avoid the calamity. But how could this be done? He thought of only one -method, which was to give the magician his daughter. He told the -daughter, and she promised to obey. He made the proposition to the -magician, and it was accepted. It was on certain conditions, however, -and these were as follows:— - -The magician was first to capture the largest white-fish in the lake, -then kill a white deer, and finally win a foot-race of fifteen miles -against the swiftest runner in the tribe. All these things the magician -promised to do, and he did them all. He turned himself into an otter, -and by the assistance of the chief of the otters secured the largest -fish that had ever been seen, and appearing in his own form again, -deposited it in the lodge of the chief. He also turned himself into a -black wolf, and having ranged the forest for a white deer he caught it, -and again resuming his natural form carried it to the lodge where lived -his betrothed. In running the race that had been proposed he had one -hundred competitors, and at the end of the fifteen miles was stationed -the chief’s daughter, with a belt of wampum in her hand to crown the -victor. The magician started upon the race in the form of a man, but -before he had run a mile he turned himself into a hawk, and swooping to -the side of the maiden, demanded that she should now become an inmate of -his lodge. She consented, and the chief gave her to the magician. Before -he took her away he called together the men of his tribe who had -competed with him for the prize, and complimented them for their great -activity in running the race, and condoled with them in their -disappointment. He then told the chief that he did not thank him for -what he had done, and turning to the daughter he said that as she had -cost him so much trouble she must enter his camp and do all his work for -him, even to the end of her days. And ever since that time has it been -the lot of all Indian women to act as the servants of their husbands. - - - THE LOVER STAR. - - I obtained the following legend from the lips of an Indian trader, - whom I met at the island of La Pointe, in Lake Superior. He said it - was related to him by a hunter of the Chippewyan nation, and that he - had heard a similar story among the Chippeways. - -There was once a quarrel among the stars, when one of them was driven -away from its home in the heavens and descended to the earth. It -wandered from one tribe of Indians to another, and had been seen -hovering over the camp-fires of a thousand Indians, when they were -preparing themselves to sleep. It always attracted attention and -inspired wonder and admiration. It often lighted upon the heads of -little children, as if for the purpose of playing with them, but they -were invariably frightened and drove it away by their loud crying. Among -all the people in the world, only one could be found who was not afraid -of this beautiful star; and this was a little girl, the daughter of a -Chippewyan warrior. She was not afraid of the star, but rather than -this, she loved it with her whole heart, and was very happy in her love. -That she was loved by the star in return there could be no doubt, for -wherever she traveled with her father through the wilderness there, as -the night came on did the star follow, but it was never seen in the day -time. When the girl awoke at night, the star floated just above her -head; and, when she was asleep, it was so constant in its watchfulness, -that she never opened her eyes, even at midnight, without beholding its -brilliant light. People wondered at this strange condition of things, -but how much more did they wonder, when they found that the father of -the girl never returned from the hunt without an abundance of game. They -therefore concluded that the star must be the son of the Good Spirit, -and they ever after spoke of it with veneration. - -Time passed on, and it was midsummer. The Indian girl had gone into the -woods for the purpose of gathering berries. Those of the wintergreen -were nearly all eaten up by the pigeons and the deer, and, as the -cranberries were beginning to ripen, she wandered into a large marsh -with a view of filling her willow basket with them. She did so, and in -the tangled thickets of the swamp she lost her way. She became -frightened and cried aloud for her father to come to her assistance. The -only creatures that answered her cries were the frogs and the lonely -bittern. The night was rapidly coming, and the farther she wandered the -more intricate became her path. At one time she was compelled to wade -into the water even to her knees, and then again would she fall into a -deep hole and almost become drowned among the poisonous slime and weeds. -Night came, and the poor girl looked up at the sky, hoping that she -might see the star that she loved. A storm had arisen, and the rain fell -so rapidly that a star could not live in it, and therefore was there -none to be seen. The storm continued, the waters of the country rose, -and in rushing into the deeper lakes, they destroyed the Indian girl, -and washed her body away so that it never could be found. - -Many seasons passed away and the star continued to be seen above the -watch-fires of the Chippewyans; but it would never remain long in one -place, and its light appeared to have become dimmed. It ever seemed to -be looking for something that it could not find, and people knew that it -was unhappy on account of the untimely death of the girl it had loved. -Additional years passed on, and with the leaves of autumn, it finally -disappeared. A cold and long winter soon followed, and then the hottest -summer that had ever been known. During this season it so happened that -a hunter chanced at night to follow a bear into one of the largest -swamps of the land, when to his astonishment he discovered a small light -hanging over the water. It was so beautiful that he followed it for a -long distance, but it led into such dangerous places that he gave up the -pursuit, and returned to tell his people what he had seen. And then it -was that the oldest men of the tribe told him that the light he had seen -was the star that had been driven from heaven, and that it was now -wandering over the earth for the purpose of finding the beautiful girl -it had loved. And that same star is still upon the earth, and is often -seen by the hunters as they journey at night through the wilderness. - - - ORIGIN OF THE POTTOWATOMIES. - -According to the belief of the Pottowatomies, there once lived on the -western shore of Lake Michigan two great spirits. Their names were -_Kit-che-mo-ne-to_, or the Good Spirit, and _Mat-che-mo-me-to_, the Evil -Spirit. They were equally powerful, but the creation of the world was -attributed to the former. When he had piled up the mountains, and filled -the valleys with running streams, he proceeded to people the world with -living creatures, and allotted to each variety its peculiar sphere. He -then endeavored to create a being that should resemble himself, but in -this attempt he did not succeed. The animal that he made looked and -acted more like a wolf than any other creature. Disappointed at this -failure the Good Spirit became angry, and seizing the strange creature -he had made he threw it into a great lake, and it was drowned. A storm -arose, and the waters of the lake made a terrible noise as they beat -upon its rocky shores. Among the shells and pebbles washed upon the -sands were the bones of the strange animal that the Good Spirit had -made, and when the storm had abated the bones were turned into a being -who bore a strong likeness to the present race of Pottowatomies, and -that being was the first woman. So well pleased with this creation was -the Good Spirit that he made five other beings resembling her in form, -but only more rugged, who were to help her in all her employments; and -these were the first men. One of them was named _U-sa-me_, or -Smoking-Weed; another _Wa-pa-ho_, or Pumpkin; another _Esh-kos-sim-in_, -or the Melon; another _Ko-kees_, or the Bean; and the other -_Mon-ta-min_, or Yellow Maize. The business of these several beings was -to protect and gather the various productions of the earth after which -they were named, and in doing this they continued to be employed from -the time that the acorn fell to the ground until it became one of the -largest trees of the forest. - -The world had now become very beautiful, and the few men who had the -care of it very proud. They became the friends of the Evil Spirit. They -quarreled among themselves, and in process of time with the woman, whom -they had for a long time obeyed. They looked upon her as the queen of -the world, and coveted her power and happiness. They tried to take her -life, but without success. She became acquainted with the wickedness of -their hearts, and regretted that she had ever been created. So unhappy -did she become that she prayed to the Good Spirit to take her to the -sky; and when the following evening came she was transformed into a -star, and ever since that time has been the first to take her station in -the horizon after the sun has disappeared behind the distant hills. And -it is thought that so long as this star remains unchanged no misfortune -can happen to the world. - -When the five young men found themselves alone they were sorry for the -unkind feelings they had manifested towards the woman, and were -constantly missing the brightness of her smiles and the music of her -voice, which they now remembered with mingled feelings of pleasure and -pain. They were in great tribulation, and expected to perish from the -face of the earth for their wickedness. They called upon the Evil Spirit -for comfort and power, but he heard them not; he had abandoned them to -their fate. They then thought that they would implore the assistance of -the Good Spirit. They did so, and told him that they only wanted each -the companionship of a woman, like the one that had been taken away. -Their prayer was answered, and thus did they become the husbands of -affectionate wives, from whom are descended the nation of Pottowatomies, -or _the people who make their own fires_. - - - ORIGIN OF THE CHOCTAWS. - - The _sea_ alluded to in this legend is supposed to be the _Gulf of - Mexico_, and the _mighty river_ the _Mississippi_. So said the - educated Choctaw _Pitchlyn_, from whom it was obtained. The idea that - the Choctaws were the original mound builders, will strike the reader - as something new. - -According to the traditions of the Choctaws, the first of their race -came from the bosom of a magnificent sea. Even when they first made -their appearance upon the earth they were so numerous as to cover the -sloping and sandy shore of the ocean far as the eye could reach, and for -a long time did they follow the margin of the sea before they could find -a place suited to their wants. The name of their principal chief has -long since been forgotten, but it is well remembered that he was a -prophet of great age and wisdom. For many moons did they travel without -fatigue, and all the time were their bodies strengthened by pleasant -breezes, and their hearts, on the other hand, gladdened by the -luxuriance of a perpetual summer. In process of time, however, the -multitude was visited by sickness, and one after another were left upon -the shore the dead bodies of old women and little children. The heart of -the Prophet became troubled, and, planting a long staff that he carried -in his hand, and which was endowed with the miraculous power of an -oracle, he told his people that from the spot designated they must turn -their faces towards the unknown wilderness. But before entering upon -this portion of their journey he designated a certain day for starting, -and told them that they were at liberty, in the meantime, to enjoy -themselves by feasting and dancing, and performing their national rites. - -It was now early morning, and the hour appointed for starting. Heavy -clouds and flying mists rested upon the sea, but the beautiful waves -melted upon the shore as joyfully as ever before. The staff which the -Prophet had planted was found leaning towards the north, and in that -direction did the multitude take up their line of march. Their journey -lay across streams, over hills and mountains, through tangled forests, -and over immense prairies. They were now in an entirely strange country, -and as they trusted in their magic staff they planted it every night -with the utmost care, and arose in the morning with great eagerness to -ascertain the direction towards which it leaned. And thus had they -traveled for many days when they found themselves upon the margin of an -_O-kee-na-chitto_, or great highway of water. Here did they pitch their -tents, and having planted the staff, retired to repose. When morning -came the oracle told them that they must cross the mighty river before -them. They built themselves a thousand rafts, and reached the opposite -shore in safety. They now found themselves in a country of surpassing -loveliness, where the trees were so high as almost to touch the clouds, -and where game of every variety and the sweetest of fruits were found in -the greatest abundance. The flowers of this land were more brilliant -than any they had ever before seen, and so large as often to shield them -from the sunlight of noon. With the climate of the land they were -delighted, and the air they breathed seem to fill their bodies with a -new vigor. So pleased were they with all that they saw that they built -mounds in all the more beautiful valleys they passed through, so that -the Master of Life might know that they were not an ungrateful people. -In this new country did they conclude to remain, and here did they -establish their national government with its benign laws. - -Time passed on, and the Choctaw nation became so powerful that its -hunting grounds extended even to the sky. Troubles now arose among the -younger warriors and hunters of the nation, until it came to pass that -they abandoned the cabins of their forefathers, and settled in distant -regions of the earth. Thus from the very body of the Choctaw nation have -sprung those other nations which are known as the Chickasaws, the -Cherokees, the Creeks or Mukogees, the Shawnees and the Delawares. And -in the process of time the Choctaws founded a great city, wherein their -more aged men might spend their days in peace; and, because they loved -those of their people who had long before departed into distant regions, -they called this city _Yazoo_, the meaning of which is, _home of the -people who are gone_. - - - THE DANCING GHOSTS. - -That beautiful phenomenon known to the white man as the Aurora Borealis, -or Northern Lights, is called by the Chippeway Indians -_Je-bi-ne-me-id-de-wand_, or the Dancing Ghosts. The legends accounting -for it are numerous, and the following, which was related to the -translator by a Chippeway hunter, named _Keesh-Chock_, or Precipice -Leaper, is quite as fantastic as the phenomenon itself. That it is a -very ancient tradition is evident from the fact that the sacrifice to -which it alludes has not been practiced by the Chippeways for at least a -century. - -There was a time when all the inhabitants of the far North were -afflicted by a famine. It was in the depth of winter, and the weather -had for a long time been so cold that even the white bear was afraid to -leave his hiding place. The prairies were so deeply covered with snow -that the deer and the buffalo were compelled to wander to a warmer -climate, and the lakes and rivers were so closely packed with ice that -it was only once in a while that even a fish could be obtained. Such -sorrow as reigned throughout the land had never before been known. The -magicians and wise men kept themselves hidden in their cabins. The -warriors and hunters, instead of boasting of their exploits, crowded -around their camp-fires, and in silence meditated upon their unhappy -doom. Mothers abandoned their children to seek for berries in the -desolate forests, and the fingers of the young women had become stiff -from idleness, for they had not any skins out of which to make the -comfortable moccasin. From one end of the Chippeway country to the other -was heard the cry of hunger and distress. That the Great Spirit was -angry with his people was universally believed, but for what reason none -of the magicians could tell. The chief of the Chippeways was the oldest -man in the nation, and he was consulted in regard to the impending -calamity. He could give no reason for the famine, but stated that he had -been informed in a dream that the anger of the Great Spirit could be -appeased by a human sacrifice. How this should come to pass, however, he -could not tell, and therefore concluded to summon to his lodge all the -medicine-men who lived within a day’s journey, for the purpose of -consulting with them. He did so, and when the council was ended it was -proclaimed that three Chippeways should be immediately bound to the -stake and consumed. They were to be selected by lot from among the -warriors of the tribe; and, when this sad intelligence was promulgated, -a national assembly was ordered to convene. - -The appointed time arrived, and, in the presence of a large multitude, -the fatal lots were cast, and three of the bravest men of the tribe were -thus appointed to the sacrifice. They submitted to their fate without a -murmur. Whilst their friends gathered around them with wild -lamentations, and decked them with the costliest robes and ornaments to -be found in all the tribe, the youthful warriors uttered not a word -about their untimely departure, but only spoke in the most poetical -language of the happy hunting grounds upon which they were about to -enter. The spot selected for the sacrifice was the summit of a -neighboring hill which was covered with woods. Upon this spot had three -stakes been closely erected, around which there had been collected a -large pile of dry branches and other combustible materials. To the -stakes, at the hour of midnight, and by the hands of the magicians, -unattended by spectators, were the three warriors securely fastened. -They performed their cruel duty in silence, and the only sounds that -broke the stillness of that winter night were the songs and the -shoutings of the multitude assembled in the neighboring village. The -incantations of the priests being ended, they applied a torch to the -fagots, and, returning to their village, spent the remainder of the -night in performing a variety of strange and heart-sickening ceremonies. - -Morning dawned, and upon the hill of sacrifice was to be seen only a -pile of smouldering ashes. On that day the weather moderated, and an -unusual number of hunters went forth in pursuit of game. They were all -more successful than they had been for many seasons, and there was an -abundance of sweet game, such as the buffalo, the bear, and the deer in -every wigwam. A council was called, and the patriarch chief proclaimed -the glad tidings that the Great Spirit had accepted their sacrifice, and -that it was now the duty of his children to express their gratitude by a -feast—the feast of _bitter roots_. - -The appointed night arrived, and the bitterest roots which could be -found in the lodges of the magicians were collected together and made -into a soup. The company assembled to partake of this feast, was the -largest that had ever been known, and, as they were to conclude their -ceremony of thankfulness by dancing, they had cleared the snow from the -centre of their village, and on this spot were they duly congregated. It -was a cold and remarkably clear night, and their watch-fires burnt with -uncommon brilliancy. It was now the hour of midnight, and the bitter -soup was all gone. The flutes and the drums had just been brought out, -and the dancers, decked in their most uncouth dresses, were about to -enter the charmed ring, when a series of loud shoutings were heard, and -the eyes of the entire multitude were intently fixed upon the northern -sky, which was illuminated by a most brilliant and unearthly light. It -was a light of many colors, and as changeable as the reflections upon a -summer sea at the sunset hour. Across this light were constantly dancing -three huge figures of a crimson hue, and these did the magicians -proclaim to be the ghosts of the three warriors who had given up their -bodies for the benefit of their people, and who had thus become great -chiefs in the spirit-land. The fire by which their bodies had been -consumed had also consumed every feeling of revenge; and ever since that -remote period it has been their greatest pleasure to illume by their -appearance on winter nights the pathway of the hunters over the snowy -plains of the north. - - - THE STRANGE WOMAN. - -It was in olden times, and two Choctaw hunters were spending the night -by their watch-fire in a bend of the river Alabama. The game and the -fish of their country were with every new moon becoming less abundant, -and all that they had to satisfy their hunger on the night in question, -was the tough flesh of a black hawk. They were very tired, and as they -mused upon their unfortunate condition, and thought of their hungry -children, they were very unhappy, and talked despondingly. But they -roasted the bird before the fire, and proceeded to enjoy as comfortable -a meal as they could. Hardly had they commenced eating, however, before -they were startled by a singular noise, resembling the cooing of a dove. -They jumped up and looked around them to ascertain the cause. In one -direction they saw nothing but the moon just rising above the forest -trees on the opposite side of the river. They looked up and down the -river, but could see nothing but the sandy shores and the dark waters. -They listened, and nothing could they hear but the murmur of the flowing -stream. They turned their eyes in that direction opposite the moon, and -to their astonishment, they discovered standing upon the summit of a -grassy mound, the form of a beautiful woman. They hastened to her side, -when she told them she was very hungry, whereupon they ran after their -roasted hawk, and gave it all into the hands of the strange woman. She -barely tasted of the proffered food, but told the hunters that their -kindness had preserved her from death, and that she would not forget -them, when she returned to the happy grounds of her father, who was the -_Hosh-tah-li_, or Great Spirit of the Choctaws. She had one request to -make, and this was, that when the next moon of midsummer should arrive, -they should visit the spot where she then stood. A pleasant breeze swept -among the forest leaves, and the strange woman suddenly disappeared. - -The hunters were astonished, but they returned to their families, and -kept all that they had seen and heard, hidden in their hearts. Summer -came, and they once more visited the mound on the banks of the Alabama. -They found it covered with a new plant, whose leaves were like the -knives of the white man. It yielded a delicious food, which has since -been known among the Choctaws as the sweet toncha or Indian maize. - - - THE VAGABOND BACHELOR. - -In the great wilderness of the north, midway between Hudson’s Bay and -Lake Ontario, lies a beautiful sheet of water called Stone Lake. It is -surrounded with hills, which are covered with a dense forest, and the -length thereof is about twelve miles. On the shore of this lake there -stood, in the olden time, an Ottawa village, and the most notorious -vagabond in said village was an old bachelor. He was a kind-hearted -rogue, and though he pretended to have a cabin of his own, he spent the -most of his time lounging about the wigwams of his friends, where he was -treated with the attention usually bestowed upon the oldest dog of an -Indian village. The low cunning for which he was distinguished made him -the laughing-stock of all who knew him, and his proverbial cowardice had -won for him the contempt of all the hunters and warriors. Whenever a war -party was convened for the purpose of pursuing an enemy, Wis-ka-go-twa, -or the White Liver, always happened to be in the woods; but when they -returned, singing their songs of victory, the vagabond bachelor -generally mingled conspicuously with the victors. - -But, in process of time, Wis-ka-go-twa took it into his head to get -married, and from that moment began the troubles of his life. As soon as -his resolution had become known among the young women of the village, -they came together in secret council, and unanimously agreed that not -one of them would ever listen to the expected proposals of the bachelor, -for they thought him too great a coward to enjoy the pleasures of -matrimony. Years elapsed, and the vagabond was still in the enjoyment of -his bachelorhood. - -In the meanwhile a beautiful maiden, named Muck-o-wiss, or the -Whipporwill, had budded into the full maturity of life. She was the -chief attraction of the village, and the heart of many a brave warrior -and expert hunter had been humbled beneath her influence. Among those -who had entered her lodge in the quiet night, and whispered the story of -his love, was Wis-ka-go-twa. She deigned not to reply to his avowals, -and he became unhappy. He asked the consent of her father to their -union, and he said that he had no objections provided the daughter was -willing. It so happened, however, that the maiden was not willing, for -she was a member of that female confederacy which had doomed the -vagabond lover to the miseries of single life. Time passed on, and he -was the victim of a settled melancholy. - -The sunny days of autumn were nearly numbered, and an occasional blast -from the far north had brought a shudder to the breast of Wis-ka-go-twa, -for they reminded him of the long winter which he was likely to spend in -his wigwam alone. He pondered upon the gloomy prospect before him, and -in his frenzy made the desperate resolution that he would, by any means -in his power, obtain the love of his soft-eyed charmer. He consequently -began to exert himself in his daily hunts, and whenever he obtained an -uncommonly fat beaver, or large bear, he carefully deposited it before -the lodge of Muck-o-wiss, and he now mingled, more frequently than ever -before, in the various games of the village, and was not behind his more -youthful rivals in jumping and playing ball. In a variety of ways did he -obtain renown, but it was at the expense of efforts which nearly -deprived him of life. Again did he sue for the smiles of Muck-o-wiss, -but she told him he was an old man, and that he did not wear in his hair -a single plume of the eagle, to show that he had ever taken a scalp. - -The disappointed vagabond now turned his attention to war. It so -happened, however, that a permanent peace had been established between -the Ottawas and the neighboring tribes, so that our hero was baffled on -this score also. But he had heard it reported in the village that a -party of Iroquois warriors had been seen on that side of the Great Lake, -and as they were heartily hated by his own tribe, he conceived the idea -of absenting himself for a few days, for the purpose of playing a -deceptive game upon the maiden of his love and the entire population of -the village where he lived. Having formed his determination, he kept it -entirely to himself, and on a certain morning he launched his canoe upon -the lake and disappeared, as if going upon a hunting expedition. - -Four or five days had elapsed, and the vagabond bachelor was not yet -returned. On the afternoon of the sixth day, a couple of Indian boys, -who had been frolicking away the morning in the woods, returned to the -village in an uncommonly excited mood. They visited almost every wigwam, -and related a grand discovery which they had made. While chasing a deer -into a secluded bay, about ten miles down the lake, they announced that -they had seen Wis-ka-go-twa engaged in a most singular employment. They -were aware of his peculiar reputation, and when they saw him in this -out-of-the-way place, they watched him in silence from behind a fallen -tree. The first act which they saw him perform was, to shoot into the -side of his little canoe some twenty of his flint-headed arrows, which -mutilated the canoe in a most disgraceful manner. He next took some -unknown instrument, and inflicted a number of severe wounds upon his -arms and legs. But the deepest incision which he made was on his leg, -just above the knee, into which they were astonished to see him place, -with a small stick, a kind of white material, which resembled the dry -shell of a turtle. All this being accomplished, they saw the vagabond -embark in his leaky canoe, as if about to return to the village. They -suspected the game that was being played, so they made the shortest cut -home and related the foregoing particulars. - -An hour or two passed on, and, as the sun was setting, the villagers -were attracted by a canoe upon the lake. They watched it with peculiar -interest, and found that it was steadily approaching. Presently it made -its appearance within hailing distance, when it was discovered to be -occupied by the vagabond bachelor. Every man, woman, and child -immediately made their appearance on the shore, apparently for the -purpose of welcoming the returning hunter, but in reality with a view of -enjoying what they supposed would turn out a good joke. The hunter -looked upon the crowd with evident satisfaction, but he manifested his -feelings in a very novel manner, for he was momentarily uttering a -long-drawn groan, as if suffering from a severe wound. As the canoe -touched the sand it was found to be half full of bloody water, and one -of the sides had evidently been fired into by the arrows of an enemy. A -murmur ran through the crowd that Wis-ka-go-twa must have had a dreadful -time, and he was called upon to give the particulars, when he did so in -a few words. He had been overtaken, he said, by a party of Iroquois, -consisting of some twenty men, who attacked him while he was pursuing a -bear, and though he succeeded in killing four of his rascally pursuers, -his canoe had been sadly mutilated, and he had received a wound which he -feared would be the cause of his death. In due time the wound was -revealed to the public eye, and the young women turned away with a -shudder; and then the vagabond bachelor was conveyed to his lodge, and -the medicine-man sent for to administer relief. - -A day or two elapsed, and the poor hunter was evidently in a bad way. -They asked him what individual in the village he would have to attend -him. He expressed a preference for the father of Muck-o-wiss, who came -and faithfully attended to his duties as a nurse; but the sick was not -yet satisfied. “Whom will you have now?” asked the old man, and the name -of Muck-o-wiss trembled on the lips of the sick lover. His chief desire -was granted, and for three days did the maiden attend to the little -wants of her unfortunate lover. Another day, and he was rapidly mending. -He was now so nearly restored that the maiden began to talk of returning -to her mother’s wigwam. This intelligence roused the hunter from his bed -of furs, and he once more avowed his undying attachment to the charming -maiden. She repulsed him with a frown, and retired from the lodge; so -the hunter was again sadly disappointed. The maiden hastened to tell the -news to all the women of the village, and after they had enjoyed -themselves for upwards of an hour, Muck-o-wiss returned to the wigwam of -her lover, and told him that she would become his wife on one condition, -which was, that on the day he should succeed in killing five bears, on -that day would she enter his lodge and make it her permanent home. For -an Indian to kill five bears on one day was considered a remarkable -feat, and the roguish Muck-o-wiss thought herself secure. - -Days passed on, and the vagabond bachelor was again restored to sound -health and devoting himself to the chase. It was just the season when -the black bear takes up its annual journey for the south, and the hunter -had discovered a narrow place in the lake, where the animals were in the -habit of coming. It was the last day of autumn, and early in the morning -he had stationed himself in a good ambush. By the time the sun cast a -short shadow, he had killed three fine specimens, and placed them before -the lodge of his intended wife. The middle of the afternoon arrived, and -he had deposited the fourth animal at the same place. The sunset hour -was nigh at hand, and the hunter had killed and placed in his canoe the -fifth and largest bear that he had ever seen. The happiest hour of the -poor man’s life was now surely nigh at hand. Impatiently did he paddle -his way home. The villagers saw that the vagabond bachelor had been -successful, and Muck-o-wiss and all her female companions were filled -with consternation. But the truly heroic warriors, who had striven in -vain to win the love of the village beauty, were not only astonished, -but indignant, for they could not bear the idea of losing, in such a -manner, the prize which had urged them on in the more noble deeds of -war. But now has the canoe once more reached the shore. Upon his back -has the hunter lifted his prize, and up the bank is he toiling and -staggering along with the immense load, and now has he fixed his eyes -upon the lodge where he is hoping to receive his promised bride. His -heart flutters with tumultuous joy—his knees tremble from fatigue—a -strange faintness passes over his brain—he reels from his upright -position—the bear falls to the ground—and the vagabond bachelor is—dead. - - - ORIGIN OF THE WATER LILY. - -Many, many moons ago, an old and very celebrated hunter of the -Pottowattomie nation was at the point of death, in a remote forest. He -was alone on his bed of leaves, for he had been stricken by the hand of -disease while returning from a hunting expedition. Among the treasures -that he was to leave behind him was a beautiful hickory arrow, with -which he had killed a great number of animals. The head thereof was made -of a pure white flint, and the feathers which adorned it had been -plucked from the wings of the scarlet birds. It had been the means of -saving his life on many occasions, and its virtues were so peculiar, -that it could pass entire through a buffalo without being tinged with -the life-blood of the animal. - -The greatest weight which rested upon the mind of the dying Indian, -arose from the idea that he could not bequeath his arrow to his oldest -son. He was alone in the wilderness, and it made him very unhappy to -think that the treasure of his family might yet become the property of -an enemy, who would be likely to cross his trail after the ravens or -wolves had eaten his flesh. But this was a thought that he could not -possibly endure, and as the pall of night settled upon the world, he -fixed his eyes upon the northern star, which had guided him through many -dangers, and prayed to the Master of Life that he would take his arrow -and carry it safely to the smiling planet. A moment more and the unknown -hunter buried his head among the dry leaves, and—died. - -On the following night, a terrible gale of wind swept over the land, -which took the arrow from the ground and hurled it into the upper air. A -strange silence immediately followed, when the northern star was seen to -tremble in the sky: another brief period elapsed, and there was a -deafening noise heard in the firmament, when the evening star left its -own quiet home, and fell upon the northern star for the purpose of -winning, by single combat, the arrow of the great hunter. The conflict -was a desperate one, and as the two stars fought for the earthly prize, -sparks of white light shot from their sides, and in unnumbered particles -fell upon the country now known as Michigan. A long rain storm soon -followed, by which the particles of light were taken to the river, and -by a decree of the Master of Life, were changed into the beautiful white -lilies which adorn the numerous streams of the western country. - - - THE FAITHFUL COUSINS. - -I now speak of two Chippeway hunters, who lived among the Porcupine -mountains, near Lake Superior. They were the oldest sons of two -brothers, and noted in their village for the warm friendship existing -between them, and for their powers in hunting. They were very famous -throughout the land, and into whatever village they happened to enter, -the old men asked them to remain and marry their handsome women, but the -hunters laughed at all such proposals, for they had pledged their words -to each other that they would ever remain single and free. - -It was when the leaves were fading, that the young cousins heard of a -great hunt which was to take place in a distant village. It was got up -by an old warrior, who was the father of a beautiful daughter, and he -had determined that the most successful hunter should become his -son-in-law. This intelligence had been conveyed to the cousins in a -secret manner, and on departing from their own village, they spoke not a -word of their determination. In due time the hunt took place, and an -immense quantity of game was taken. Some of the hunters brought home two -bears, some three and four deer, but the two cousins captured each five -bears. As no one man had eclipsed his fellows, it was resolved by the -old warrior that the man who should bring to his lodge the scalps of ten -bears, should be the successful candidate for the hand of his daughter. -Another hunt took place, and each of the cousins brought in, not only -the scalps of ten full grown bears, but also a large quantity of choice -meats, which they deposited at the tent door of the chief. The -difficulty of making a selection was now even greater than before, but -the truth was, the young friends had no desire to marry the beautiful -girl, but were only anxious to manifest their bravery, or rather -wonderful expertness in killing wild animals. Their singular conduct -astonished everybody, but mostly the venerable warrior and his favorite -daughter. - -The important question must be decided, however, and the old man -resorted to a number of expedients to decide upon a future son-in-law. -The first was that the two cousins should enter upon a wrestling -match—they did so, and the twain fell to the ground at the same moment. -The next was that they should try their agility in leaping over a -suspended stick, but in this trial they also came out exactly even. The -third was, that they shoot their arrows at a pair of humming birds, and -the maker of the best shot to be the lady’s husband; the arrows were -thrown, and the right wing of each bird was broken. The fourth expedient -was that they should go upon a squirrel hunt—they did so, and each one -returned with just exactly one hundred of those sprightly creatures. It -now came to pass, and was whispered about the village, that one of the -cousins had really become interested in the girl who was the innocent -cause of so much contention, and when her father found this out, he -resolved to make one more experiment. He therefore commanded the young -men to kill each a specimen of the _ke necoh_ or war-eagle, and the one -who should present her with the greatest number of perfectly formed -feathers, would be welcomed as a relative. The trial was made and the -whole number of feathers obtained was twenty-one, the odd feather having -been gained by the enamored cousin. The girl was of course awarded to -him in due time, but what was the surprise of all the villagers, when it -was proclaimed that he would not receive the prize unless the young men -of the tribe should first build him a handsome lodge and furnish it with -the choicest of meats and skins. At this suggestion the young men were -greatly enraged, but they concluded, in consideration of their -admiration for the Indian girl, to change their minds, and forthwith -proceeded to erect the new lodge. - -In the meanwhile, it was ascertained that the unlucky cousin had become -somewhat offended at his companion, whereupon the accepted lover joined -the other in a bear hunt for the purpose of effecting a reconciliation. -It so happened, however, that the existing coldness between them could -not be removed, and while the twain were toiling up a remote hill with -the view of encamping for the night, the disappointed cousin was -suddenly transformed into a large fire-fly, and having ascended into the -air, immediately experienced another change, and became what is now -known as the Northern Star. The remaining cousin felt himself severely -punished by this abandonment for having broken his vow, and therefore -became an exile from his native land and led a comfortless and solitary -life; while the maiden whom he was to wed, it is said, is still waiting -patiently, but in vain, for the return of her long lost lover. - - - THE OSAGE DAMSEL. - -There once lived in the Osage country an Indian whose name was -_Koo-zhe-ge-ne-cah_; or _The Distant Man_. He had been a famous warrior -and hunter, but time had weakened his arm and lifted a mist before his -eye. His wives were all dead, and the only one of his kindred left upon -earth to minister to his wants was a little damsel, his grandchild, and -the joy of his old age. The twain were much beloved by all their tribe, -and when journeying across the broad prairies they were always supplied -with the gentlest of horses, and they never had to ask the second time -for their favorite food. Whenever the tribe came to a halt on the bank -of a river, in a country abounding in game, the first tent-poles planted -in the ground were those belonging to the Distant Man and his child, and -their tent always stood next to that of the chief. - -It was midsummer, and the entire Osage nation was encamped upon a plain -at the foot of a mountain, covered to the very summit with rich grass -and brilliant flowers. The last hunts had been successful, and in every -lodge was to be found an abundance of buffalo and deer meat. Feasting -and merrymaking, dancing and playing ball, were the chief employments of -the hour throughout the entire village, while in every direction upon -the prairies the horses, with their feet hobbled, were cropping their -sweet food. The children and the dogs sported upon the green together, -and many a laugh resounded long and loud. The sun was near his setting, -when suddenly an unusual stillness pervaded the air. The people gathered -together in haste and wondered what it could all mean. The strange -silence caused them to listen with increased attention, when a distant -whoop came stealing along the air. It seemed to come from the -neighboring mountain, and as the multitude cast their eyes in that -direction, they saw a single horseman coming towards their encampment -with the speed of the wind. They waited in breathless expectation, and -were astonished at the boldness of the stranger in riding with such fury -directly into their midst. - -He was mounted upon a black horse of gigantic size, with splendidly -flowing mane and tail, and an eye of intense brilliancy, and was -caparisoned in a most gorgeous manner. The stranger was clad from head -to foot with a dress of many colors, and from his hair hung a great -variety of the most curious plumes. He carried a lance, and to his side -were fastened a bow and a quiver of arrows. He was in the prime of life, -and his bearing was that of a warrior chief. He avowed himself the son -of the Master of Life, and his home to be in the Spirit Land. He said -that there was a woman in that land who had told him that the most -beautiful maiden in the Osage nation was her daughter. From other lips -also had he heard that she was good as well as beautiful, and that her -only protector and friend was an old man named _Koo-ze-ghe-ne-cah_. He -had asked for a dream that he might see this being of the earth. Having -seen her, and being in want of a wife, he was now come to demand her of -her venerable parent, and forthwith rode to the door of his tent to make -a bargain. The stranger dismounted not from his horse, but talked with -the old man leaning upon the neck of his noble animal, the maiden -meanwhile sitting in pensive quietness within her tent door, working a -pair of moccasins. The old man doubted the stranger’s words, and desired -him to prove that he was the son of the Master of Life. “What sign of my -nature and power would you witness?” inquired the stranger. “That you -would cover the heavens with thick darkness, picture it with lightning, -and fill the air with loud thunder,” replied the old man. “Do this, and -my daughter shall be your bride.” Suddenly a storm arose, and the sign -was fulfilled to the utmost extent, so that the entire nation were -stricken with fear. Night came on, the sky was without a cloud, but -spangled with stars, and the air was perfectly serene, and when the -stranger and his steed were sought for, it was found that they had -disappeared. Peace rested upon the Osage village, and the oldest men of -that tribe never enjoyed a more refreshing sleep than on that memorable -night. - -On the following day everything about the Osage encampment wore its -ordinary aspect, and the events of the previous day were talked over as -people talk of their dreams. The old man and the maiden made an offering -to the Master of Life, and while the former, before the assembled -nation, promised to give up his child, she, in her turn, expressed her -entire willingness to become the bride of the stranger, should he ever -return. Not only was she prompted to do this by the honor conferred upon -her, and also by the nobleness of the stranger, but she thought it would -make her so happy to rejoin her long departed mother in the spirit land. -She was only troubled about the feeble old man, whom she dearly loved; -but when the whole nation promised, as with one voice, to make him the -object of their peculiar care, she was satisfied. - -Again was the sun in the western horizon. Again did the stranger appear -mounted as before. But as he entered the village, there trotted by his -side a white horse of exceeding beauty, decked from forelock to tail -with the richest and rarest of ornaments. He had come for his bride, and -was impatient to be gone. He led the white horse to the tent of the girl -he loved, and throwing at her feet a dress of scarlet feathers, he -motioned her to prepare for a long journey. When she was ready, he -motioned to the white horse to fall upon his knees, and the maiden -leaped upon his back. The twain then walked their horses to the -outskirts of the village, and as they passed along the stranger took -from his quiver and tossed into the hands of the Osage chief and each of -his warriors and hunters, a charmed arrow, which, he said, would enable -them not only to subdue their enemies, but also supply them with an -abundance of game, as long as they roamed the prairies. The stranger now -gave a whoop and the horses started upon the run. Their path lay over -the mountain, where the stranger had been first seen. They flew more -swiftly than the evening breeze, and just as the sun disappeared, they -reached the summit of the mountain and also disappeared, as if received -into the bosom of a golden cloud. - - - THE SPECTRE AND HUNTER. - - The following legend was originally translated into English by an - educated Choctaw, named _J. L. McDonald_, and subsequently embodied in - a private letter to another Choctaw, named _Peter P. Pitchlyn_. The - former of these very worthy Indian gentlemen has long been dead, and - it is therefore with very great pleasure that I avail myself of the - opportunity, kindly afforded me by the latter gentleman, of - associating the legendary relic with my own. I have ventured, by the - permission and advice of Mr. Pitchlyn, to alter an occasional - expression in the text, but have not trespassed upon the spirit of the - story. - -Ko-way-hoom-mah, or the Red Panther, once started out on a hunting -expedition. He had an excellent bow, and carried with him some jerked -venison. His only companion was a large white dog, which attended him in -all his rambles. This dog was a cherished favorite, and shared in all -his master’s privations and successes. He was the social companion of -the hunter by day, and his watchful guardian by night. - -The hunter had traveled far, and as the evening approached, he encamped -upon a spot that bore every indication of an excellent hunting-ground. -Deer-tracks were seen in abundance, and turkeys were heard clucking in -various directions, as they retired to their roosting places. -Ko-way-hoom-mah kindled a fire, and having shared a portion of his -provision with his dog, he spread his deer-skin and his blanket by the -crackling fire, and mused on the adventures of the day already passed, -and on the probable success of the ensuing one. It was a bright -starlight night; the air was calm, and a slight frost which was falling, -rendered the fire comfortable and cheering. His dog lay crouched and -slumbering at his feet, and from his stifled cries, seemed dreaming of -the chase. Everything tended to soothe the feelings of our hunter, and -to prolong that pleasant train of associations, which the beauty of the -night and the anticipations of the morrow were calculated to inspire. At -length, when his musings were assuming that indefinite and dreamy state -which precedes a sound slumber, he was startled by a distant cry, which -thrilled on his ear, and roused him into instant watchfulness. He -listened with breathless attention, and in a few minutes again heard the -cry, keen, long, and piercing. The dog gave a plaintive and ominous -howl. Ko-way-hoom-mah felt uneasy. Can it be a lost hunter? was the -inquiry which suggested itself. Surely not, for a true hunter feels lost -nowhere. What then can it be? With these reflections our hunter stepped -forth, gathered more fuel, and again replenished his fire. Again came a -cry, keen, long, and painfully thrilling, as before. The voice was -evidently approaching, and again the dog raised a low and mournful howl. -Ko-way-hoom-mah then felt the blood curdling to his heart, and folding -his blanket around him, he seated himself by the fire and fixed his eyes -intently in the direction from which he expected the approach of his -startling visitor. In a few moments he heard the approach of his -footsteps. In another minute, a ghastly shape made its appearance, and -advanced towards the fire. It seemed to be the figure of a hunter, like -himself. Its form was tall and gaunt, its features livid and unearthly. -A tattered robe was girded round his waist, and covered his shoulders, -and he bore an unstrung bow and a few broken arrows. - -The spectre advanced to the fire, and seemed to shiver with cold. He -stretched forth one hand, then the other to the fire, and as he did so, -he fixed his hollow and ghastly eye on Ko-way-hoom-mah, and a slight -smile lighted up his livid countenance, but not a word did he utter. -Ko-way-hoom-mah felt his flesh and hair creep, and the blood freezing in -his veins, yet with instinctive Indian courtesy he presented his -deer-skin as a seat for his grim visitor. The spectre waved his hand, -and shook his head in refusal. He stepped aside, plucked up a parcel of -briers from an adjacent thicket, spread them by the fire, and on his -thorny couch he stretched himself and seemed to court repose. - -Our hunter was petrified with mingled fear and astonishment. His eyes -continued long riveted on the strange and ghastly being stretched before -him, and he was only awakened from his trance of horror by the voice of -his faithful dog. “Arise,” said the dog, suddenly and supernaturally -gifted with speech, “Arise, and flee for your life! The spectre now -slumbers: should you also slumber, you are lost. Arise and flee, while I -stay and watch!” Ko-way-hoom-mah arose, and stole softly from the fire. -Having advanced a few hundred paces, he stopped to listen; all was -silent, and with a beating heart he continued his stealthy and rapid -flight. Again he listened, and again, with renewed confidence, he -pursued his rapid course, until he had gained several miles on his route -homeward. Feeling at length a sense of safety, he paused to recover -breath, on the brow of a lofty hill. The night was calm and serene, the -stars shone with steady lustre, and as Ko-way-hoom-mah gazed upwards, he -breathed freely and felt every apprehension vanish. Alas! on the -instant, the distant baying of his dog struck on his ear; with a thrill -of renewed apprehension, he bent his ear to listen, and the appalling -cry of his dog, now more distinctly audible, convinced him that the -spectre was in full pursuit. Again he fled with accelerated speed, over -hill, over plain, through swamps and thickets, till once more he paused -by the side of a deep and rapid river. The heavy baying of his dog told -him too truly, that his fearful pursuer was close at hand. One minute he -stood for breath, and he then plunged into the stream. But scarcely had -he gained the centre, when the spectre appeared on the bank, and plunged -in after him, closely followed by the panting dog. Ko-way-hoom-mah’s -apprehensions now amounted to agony. He fancied he saw the hollow and -glassy eyeballs of his pursuer glaring above the water, and that his -skeleton hand was already outstretched to grapple with him. With a cry -of horror he was about to give up the struggle for life and sink beneath -the waves, when his faithful dog, with a fierce yell, seized upon his -master’s enemy. After a short but severe struggle they both sunk; the -waters settled over them forever. He became an altered man. He shunned -the dance and the ball play, and his former hilarity gave place to a -settled melancholy. In about a year after this strange adventure he -joined a war party against a distant enemy and never returned. - - - THE END. - - - - - FOOTNOTES - - -[1]The Fall Fish of Rock Creek is evidently identical with the Dace of - Walton; it is really a beautiful and sweet fish, and well deserves - its local reputation. - -[2]The unvarnished facts contained in this article were picked up by the - writer in the autumn and winter of 1847, while he had charge of the - city department of the New York Daily Express. - - - NEW AND VALUABLE PUBLICATIONS OF - LIPPINCOTT, GRAMBO & Co., - Successors to GRIGG, ELLIOT & Co., Philadelphia. - - THE IRIS: - A SOUVENIR FOR 1851. - A super-royal 8vo. Illustrated with original Illuminations and Steel - Engravings, executed in the best style of the Art. - EDITED BY - Professor JOHN S. HART, of Philadelphia. - -The Contributions are from the first talent of the country, and entirely -original, and the Publishers have made this the most attractive and -valuable Gift-Book of the season. - - - A COMPLETE DICTIONARY - OF - POETICAL QUOTATIONS: - COMPRISING THE MOST EXCELLENT AND APPROPRIATE PASSAGES - IN THE - OLD BRITISH POETS: - BY JOSEPH ADDINGTON. - WITH CHOICE AND COPIOUS SELECTIONS - FROM THE BEST - MODERN BRITISH AND AMERICAN POETS. - EDITED BY - SARAH JOSEPHA HALE. -Beautifully illustrated with Engravings. In one super-royal 8vo. volume, - in various bindings. - - The publishers extract, from the many highly complimentary notices of - the above valuable and beautiful work, the following:— - - “We have at last a volume of Poetical Quotations worthy of the name. - It contains nearly six hundred octavo pages, carefully and tastefully - selected from all the home and foreign authors of celebrity. It is - invaluable to a writer, while to the ordinary reader it presents every - subject at a glance.”—_Godey’s Lady’s Book._ - - “The plan or idea of Mrs. Hale’s work is felicitous. It is one for - which her fine taste, her orderly habits of mind, and her long - occupation with literature, has given her peculiar facilities; and - thoroughly has she accomplished her task in the work before - us.”—_Sartain’s Magazine._ - - “It is a choice collection of poetical extracts from every English and - American author worth perusing, from the days of Chaucer to the - present time.”—_Washington Union._ - - “Its graceful editress, in her short preface, thus speaks, and most - truly, of its contents: ‘Whatever is loveliest in sentiment and - loftiest in aspiration is here represented: specimens of the varied - forms in which gifted minds have contributed to the polish of wit, the - beauty of wisdom, the sweetness of love, the power of patriotism, the - holiness of piety—all that has most deeply stirred the soul of the - Anglo-Saxon race for the last three hundred years, is here embodied.’ - It contains copious selections from all the standard British and - American Poets upon almost every subject within the range of thought. - The subjects are arranged alphabetically, and a ‘Table of Contents’ at - the commencement renders reference to them perfectly easy.”—_New - Hampshire Patriot._ - - “There is nothing negative about this work; it is _positively_ - good.”—_Evening Bulletin._ - - SPLENDID LIBRARY EDITIONS. - ILLUSTRATED STANDARD POETS. - Elegantly Printed and Uniform in Size and Style. - The following editions of Standard British Poets are illustrated with - numerous steel engravings, and may be had in all varieties of binding. - BYRON’S WORKS. - Complete in one vol. octavo. - INCLUDING ALL HIS SUPPRESSED AND ATTRIBUTED POEMS; - _With Six beautiful Engravings._ - - ☞ This edition has been carefully compared with the recent London - edition of Mr. Murray, and made complete by the addition of more than - fifty pages of poems heretofore unpublished in England. Among these - there are a number that have never appeared in any American edition; - and the publishers believe they are warranted in saying, that this is - the _most complete edition of Lord Byron’s Poetical Works_ ever - published in the United States. - - - COWPER & THOMSON’S PROSE AND POETICAL WORKS. - Complete in one vol. octavo. - Including two hundred and fifty Letters, and sundry Poems of Cowper, - never before published in this country; and of Thomson a new and -interesting Memoir, and upwards of twenty new Poems, for the first time - printed from his own Manuscripts, taken from a late edition of the - Aldine Poets now publishing in London. - _With Seven beautiful Engravings._ - - - THE POETICAL WORKS OF MRS. HEMANS. - Only complete edition, in one vol. octavo. - WITH SEVEN BEAUTIFUL ENGRAVINGS. - - ☞ This is a new and complete edition, with a splendid engraved - likeness of Mrs. Hemans on steel, and contains all the Poems in the - last London and American editions. - - -THE POETICAL WORKS OF ROGERS, CAMPBELL, MONTGOMERY, LAMB, AND KIRK WHITE. - Complete in one volume, octavo; with Six beautiful Engravings. - - ☞ The beauty, correctness, and convenience of this favorite edition of - these standard authors are so well known, that it is scarcely - necessary to add a word in its favor. It is only necessary to say, - that the publishers have now issued an illustrated edition, which - greatly enhances its former value. The engravings are excellent and - well selected. It is the best library edition extant. - - - MILTON, YOUNG, GRAY, BEATTIE, AND COLLINS’ POETICAL WORKS. - Complete in one volume, octavo; with Six beautiful Engravings. - - - HEBER, POLLOK, AND CRABBE’S POETICAL WORKS. - Complete in one volume, octavo; with Six beautiful Engravings. - - No library can be considered complete without a copy of the above - beautiful and cheap editions of the English Poets. - - - - - Transcriber’s Notes - - ---Retained the copyright notice from the printed edition (although this - book is in the public domain.) - ---Silently corrected a few palpable typos, retaining unusual and - inconsistent spellings where possibly intentional. - ---In the text versions only, delimited italicized text in _underscores_. - - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Haw-Ho-Noo, by Charles Lanman - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HAW-HO-NOO *** - -***** This file should be named 53940-0.txt or 53940-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/3/9/4/53940/ - -Produced by This e-book was generously made available by -FadedPage.com (http://www.fadedpage.com) - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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