CHAPTER XIX.
"Peculiar both! Our soil's strong growth And our bold natives' hardy mind; Sure heaven bespoke Our hearts and oak To give a master to mankind."--YOUNG.
Thousandacres and the magistrate held their way directly toward thestorehouse; and the log of the sentinel offering a comfortable seat,that functionary was dismissed, when the two worthies took his place,with their backs turned toward my prison. Whether this disposition oftheir persons was owing to a deep-laid plan of the squatter's, or not, Inever knew; but, let the cause have been what it might, the effect wasto render me an auditor of nearly all that passed in the dialogue whichsucceeded. It will greatly aid the reader in understanding the incidentsabout to be recorded, if I spread on the record the language that passedbetween my late agent and one who was obviously his confidant in certainmatters, if not in all that touched my interests in that quarter of theworld. As for listening, I have no hesitation in avowing it, inasmuch asthe circumstances would have justified me in taking far greaterliberties with the customary obligations of society in its every-dayaspect, had I seen fit so to do. I was dealing with rogues, who had mein their power, and there was no obligation to be particularlyscrupulous on the score of mere conventional propriety, at least.
"As I was tellin' ye, Thousandacres," Newcome continued the discourse bysaying, and that with the familiarity of one who well knew hiscompanion, "the young man is in this part of the country, and somewherequite near you at this moment"--I was much _nearer_ than the 'squirehimself had any notion of at that instant--"yes, he's out in the woodsof this very property, with Chainbearer and his gang; and, for 'tinow[for aught I know], measuring out farms within a mile or two of thisvery spot!"
"How many men be there?" asked the squatter with interest. "If no morethan the usual set, 'twill be an onlucky day for _them_, should theystumble on my clearin'!"
"Perhaps they will, perhaps they wunt; a body never knows. Surveyin' 'sa sort o' work that leads a man here, or it leads him there. One neverknows where a line will carry him, in the woods. That's the reason I'vekept the crittur's out of my own timber-land; for, to speak to you,Thousandacres, as one neighbor _can_ speak to another without risk,there's desp'rate large pine-trees on the unleased hills both north andeast of my lot. Sometimes it's handy to have lines about a mill, youknow, sometimes 't isn't."
"A curse on all lines, in a free country, say I, 'squire," answeredThousandacres, who looked, as he bestowed this characteristicbenediction, as if he might better be named _Ten_thousandacres; "they'rean invention of the devil. I lived seven whull years in Varmount state,as it's now called, the old Hampshire Grants, you know, next-doorneighbor to two families, one north and one south on me, and we choppedaway the whull time, just as freely as we pleased, and not a cross wordor an angry look passed atween us."
"I rather conclude, friend Aaron, you had all sat down under the sametitle?" put in the magistrate with a sly look at his companion. "When_that_ is the case, it would exceed all reason to quarrel."
"Why, I'll own that our titles were pretty much the same;--possessionand free axes. Then it was ag'in York colony landholders that our timewas running. What's your candid opinion about law, on this p'int,'Squire Newcome?--I know you're a man of edication, college l'arnt somesay; though, I s'pose, that's no better l'arnin' than any other, when abody has once got it--but what's your opinion about possession?--Will ithold good for twenty-one years, without writin's, or not? Some say itwill, and some say it wunt."
"It wunt. The law is settled; there must be a shadow of title, orpossession's good for nothin'; no better than the scrapin's of aflour-barrel."
"I've heer'n say the opposyte of that; and there's reason why possessionshould count ag'in everything. By possession, however, I don't meanhangin' up a pair of saddle-bags on a tree, as is sometimes done, butgoin' honestly and fairly in upon land, and cuttin' down trees, andbuildin' mills, and housen and barns, and cuttin' and slashin', andsawin' right and left, like all creation. _That's_ what I always doosmyself, and that's what I call sich a possession as ought to stand inlaw--ay, and in gospel, too; for I'm not one of them that flies in theface of religion."
"In that you're quite right; keep the gospel on your side whatever youdo, neighbor Thousandacres. Our Puritan fathers didn't cross the ocean,and encounter the horrors of the wilderness, and step on the rock ofPlymouth, and undergo more than man could possibly bear, and that allfor nothin'!"
"Wa-a-l, to my notion, the 'horrors of the wilderness,' as you call 'em,is no great matter; though, as for crossin' the ocean, I can easilyimagine that must be suthin' to try a man's patience and endurance. Inever could take to the water. They tell me there isn't a single treegrowin' the whull distance atween Ameriky and England! Floatin' saw-logsbe sometimes met with, I've heer'n say, but not a standin' crittur' of atree from Massachusetts Bay to London town!"
"It's all water, and of course trees be scarce, Thousandacres; but let'scome a little clusser to the p'int. As I was tellin' you, the whelp isin, and he'll growl as loud as the old bear himself, should he hear ofall them boards you've got in the creek--to say nothin' of the piles uphere that you haven't begun to put into the water."
"Let him growl," returned the old squatter, glancing surlily toward myprison; "like a good many other crittur's that I've met with, 'twillturn out that his bark is worse than his bite."
"I don't know that, neighbor Thousandacres, I don't by any means knowthat. Major Littlepage is a gentleman of spirit and decision, as is tobe seen by his having taken his agency from me, who have held it solong, and gi'n it to a young chap who has no other claim than bein' atolerable surveyor; but who hasn't been in the settlement more than atwelvemonth."
"Gi'n it to a surveyer! Is he one of Chainbearer's measurin' devils?"
"Just so; 'tis the very young fellow Chainbearer has had with him thisyear or so, runnin' lines an' measurin' land on this very property."
"That old fellow, Chainbearer, had best look to himself! He's thwartedme now three times in the course of his life, and he's gettin' to bedesp'rate old; I'm afeard he won't live long!"
I could now see that Squire Newcome felt uneasy. Although a colleague ofthe squatter's in what is only too apt to be considered a venal rogueryin a new country, or in the stealing of timber, it did not at allcomport with the scale of his rascality to menace a man's life. He wouldconnive at stealing timber by purchasing the lumber at sufficiently lowprices, so long as the danger of being detected was kept withinreasonable limits, but he did not like to be connected with anytransaction that did not, in the case of necessity, admit of a tolerablysafe retreat from all pains and penalties. Men become very muchwhat--not their laws--but what the _administration_ of their laws makesthem. In countries in which it is prompt, sure, and sufficiently severe,crimes are mainly the fruits of temptation and necessity; but a state ofsociety may exist, in which justice falls into contempt, by her ownimpotency, and men are led to offend merely to brave her. Thus we havelong labored under the great disadvantage of living under laws that, ina great degree, were framed for another set of circumstances. By thecommon law, it was only trespass to cut down a tree in England; for_trees_ were seldom or never stolen, and the law did not wish to annexthe penalties of felony to the simple offence of cutting a twig in awood. With us, however, entire new classes of offences have sprung upunder our own novel circumstances; and we probably owe a portion of thevast amount of timber-stealing that has now long existed among us, quiteas much to the mistaken lenity of the laws, as to the fact that thisparticular description of property is so much exposed. Many a man wouldcommit a trespass of the gravest sort, who would shrink from thecommission of a felony of the lowest. Such was the case with Newcome. Hehad a certain sort of law-honesty about him, that enabled him in adegree to preserve appearances. It is true he connived at the unlawfulcutting of timber by purchasing the sawed lumber, but he took good care,at the same time, not to have any such direct connection with thestrictly illegal part of the transaction as to i
nvolve him in thepenalties of the law. Had timber-stealing been felony, he would haveoften been an accessory before the act; but in a case of misdemeanor,the law knows no such offence. Purchasing the sawed lumber, too, if donewith proper precaution, owing to the glorious subterfuges permitted by"the perfection of reason," was an affair of no personal hazard in acriminal point of view, and even admitted of so many expedients as toleave the question of property a very open one, after the boards werefully in his own possession. The object of his present visit to theclearing of Thousandacres, as the reader will most probably haveanticipated, was to profit by my supposed proximity, and to frighten thesquatter into a sale on such terms as should leave larger profits thancommon in the hands of the purchaser. Unfortunately for the success ofthis upright project, my proximity was so much greater than even SquireNewcome supposed, as to put it in danger by the very excess of the thingthat was to produce the result desired. Little did the honest magistratesuppose that I was, the whole time, within twenty feet of him, and thatI heard all that passed.
"Chainbearer is about seventy," returned Newcome, after musing a momenton the character of his companion's last remark. "Yes, about seventy, Ishould judge from what I've heerd, and what I know of the man. It's agood old age, but folks often live years and years beyond it. You mustbe suthin' like that yourself, Thousandacres?"
"Seventy-three, every day and hour on't, 'squire; and days and hourswell drawn out, too. If you count by old style, I b'lieve I'm a month orso older. But I'm not Chainbearer. No man can say of _me_, that I evermade myself troublesome to a neighborhood. No man can p'int to the timewhen I ever disturbed his lines. No man can tell of the day when I everwent into court to be a witness on such a small matter as the length orbreadth of lots, to breed quarrels atween neighbors. No, 'SquireNewcome, I set store by my character, which will bear comparison withthat of any other inhabitant of the woods I ever met with. And what Isay of myself I can say of my sons and da'ghters, too--from Tobit downto Sampson, from Nab to Jeruthy. We're what I call a reasonable andreconcilable breed, minding our own business, and having a respect forthat of other people. Now, here am I, in my seventy-fourth year, and thefather of twelve living children, and I've made, in my time, many andmany a pitch on't, but _never_ was I known to pitch on land that anotherman had in possession;--and I carry my idees of possession farther thanmost folks, too, for I call it possession to have said openly, and aforewitnesses, that a man intends to pitch on any partic'lar spot afore nextploughin' or droppin' time, as the case may be. No, I respectpossession, which ought to be the only lawful title to property, in afree country. When a man wants a clearin' or wants to _make_ one, mydoctrine is, let him look about him, and make his pitch on calcerlation;and when he's tired of the spot, and wants a change, let him sell hisbetterments, if he lights of a chap, and if he doos'nt, let him leave'em open, and clear off all incumbrances, for the next comer."
It is probable that Jason Newcome, Esq.,--magistrates in America areextremely tenacious of this title, though they have no more right to itthan any one else--but Jason Newcome, Esq.,[16] did not carry hisnotions of the rights of squatters, and of the sacred character ofpossession, quite as far as did his friend Thousandacres. Newcome was anexceedingly selfish, but withal, an exceedingly shrewd man. I do notknow that the term clever, in its broadest signification, would fitlyapply to him, for in that sense, I conceive, it means quickness andintelligence enough to do what is right; but he was fully entitled toreceive it, under that qualification by which we say a man is "a cleverrogue." In a word, Mr. Newcome understood himself, and his relations tothe community in which he lived, too well to fall into very seriousmistakes by a direct dereliction from his duties, though he lived in anever-ceasing condition of small divergencies that might at any timelead him into serious difficulties. Nevertheless, it was easy enough tosee he had no relish for Thousandacres' allusions to the termination ofthe days of my excellent old friend, Chainbearer; nor can I say thatthey gave me any particular concern, for, while I knew how desperate thesquatters sometimes became, I had a notion that this old fellow's barkwould prove worse than his bite, as he had just observed of myself.
[Footnote 16: In order to understand Mr. Littlepage in what he says of"esquires," a word of explanation may be necessary. The term "esquire"is, as every well-informed person knows, a title of honor, standing nextin degree below that of knight. On the continent of Europe the "ecuyer"properly infers nobility, I believe, as nobility is there considered,which is little if any more than the condition of the old Englishgentry, or of the families having coat-armor. By the English law,certain persons are born esquires, and others have the rank _exofficio_. Among the last is a justice of the peace, who is legally an"esquire" during his official term. Now this rule prevailed in thecolonies, and American magistrates were, perhaps legally, esquires, aswell as the English. But titles of honor were abolished at therevolution, and it is a singular contradiction, in substance, to holdthat the principle is destroyed while the incident remains. The rank ofesquire can no more legally exist in America, than that of knight. Inone sense, neither is noble, it is true: but in that broad significationby which all constitutions are, or ought to be interpreted both wouldcome within the proscribed category, as set forth in art. 7th, sect.9th, and art. 1st, sect. 10th, Const. U. S. Nevertheless, so muchstronger is custom than positive law, that not only every magistrate,but every lawyer in the country fancies himself peculiarly an "esquire!"It is scarcely necessary to add that, by usage, the appellation is givenby courtesy, wherever the English language is spoken, to all who aresupposed to belong to the class of gentlemen. This, after all, is theonly true American use of the word.--EDITOR.]
It would hardly repay the trouble, were I to attempt recording all thatpassed next between our two colloquists; although it was a sufficientlyamusing exhibition of wily management to frighten the squatter to partwith his lumber at a low price, on one side, and of sullen security onthe other. The security proceeded from the fact that Thousandacres hadme, at that very moment, a prisoner in his storehouse.
A bargain conducted on such terms was not likely soon to come to a happytermination. After a great deal of chaffering and discussing, theconference broke up, nothing having been decided, by the magistrate'ssaying--
"Well, Thousandacres, I hope you'll have no reason to repent; but I kindo' fear you will."
"The loss will be mine and the b'ys' if I do," was the squatter'sanswer. "I know I can get all the boards into the creek; and, for thatmatter, into the river, afore young Littlepage can do me any harm;though there is one circumstance that may yet turn my mind----"
Here the squatter came to a pause; and Newcome, who had risen, turnedshort round, eagerly, to press the doubt that he saw was working in theother's mind.
"I thought you would think better of it," he said; "for, it's out ofdoubt, should Major Littlepage l'arn your pitch, that he'd uproot you,as the winds uproot the fallin' tree."
"No, 'squire, my mind's made up," Thousandacres coolly rejoined. "I'llsell, and gladly; but not on the tarms you have named. Two pounds eightthe thousand foot, board measure, and taking it all round, clear stuffand refuse, without any store-pay, will carry off the lumber."
"Too much, Thousandacres; altogether too much, when you consider therisks I run. I'm not sartain that I could hold the lumber, even after Igot it into the river; for a replevy is a formidable thing in law, I cantell you. One pound sixteen, one-third store-pay, is the utmost farthin'I can offer."
In that day all our calculations were in pounds, shillings and pence.
"Then the bargain's off.--I s'pose, squire, you've the old avarsion tobeing seen in my settlement?"
"Sartain--sartain," answered Newcome, in haste. "There's no danger ofthat, I hope. You cannot well have strangers among you?"
"I wunt answer for that. I see some of the b'ys coming out of the woods,yonder; and it seems to me there _is_ a fourth man with them. There is,of a certainty; and it is no other than Susquesus, the Onondago. Thefellow is cluss-mouth
ed, like most redskins; but you can say bestwhether you'd like to be seen by him, or not. I hear he's a great fri'ndof Chainbearer's."
It was very evident that the magistrate decided, at once, in thenegative. With a good deal of decent haste he dodged round a pile oflogs, and I saw no more of him until I caught a distant view of hisperson in the skirts of the woods, at the point whence he had issuedinto the clearing, two hours before, and where he now received his horsefrom the hands of the youngest of Thousandacre's sons, who led theanimal to the spot for his especial accommodation. Mr. Newcome was nosooner in possession of his beast again, than he mounted and rode awayinto the depths of the forest. So adroitly was this retreat conducted,that no person of ordinary observation could possibly have detected it,unless indeed his attention had been previously drawn to the movement.
What passed, at parting, between Thousandacres and his visitor, I neverknew; but they must have been altogether alone for a few minutes. Whenthe former reappeared, he came out from behind the logs, his wholeattention seemingly fastened on the approaching party, composed of hissons and Susquesus. Those resolute and practised men had, indeed,overtaken and captured the Onondago, and were now bringing him aprisoner, unarmed, in their midst, to receive the commands of theirfather! Notwithstanding all that I knew of this man, and of hischaracter, there was something imposing in the manner in which he nowwaited for the arrival of his sons and their prisoner. Accustomed toexercise an almost absolute sway in his own family, the old man hadacquired some of the dignity of authority; and as for his posterity, oldand young, male and female, not excepting Prudence, they had gained verylittle in the way of freedom, by throwing aside the trammels of regularand recognized law, to live under the rule of their patriarch. In thisrespect they might be likened to the masses, who, in a blind pursuit ofliberty, impatiently cast away the legal and healthful restraints ofsociety, to submit to the arbitrary, selfish, and ever unjust dictationof demagogues. Whatever difference there might be between the twogovernments, was in favor of that of the squatter, who possessed thefeelings of nature in behalf of his own flesh and blood, and wasconsequently often indulgent.
It is so difficult to read an Indian's mind in his manner, that I didnot expect to ascertain the state of the Onondago's feelings by thecountenance he wore, on drawing near. In exterior, this man was as calmand unmoved as if just arrived on a friendly visit. His captors hadbound him, fearful he might elude them, in some of the thickets they hadbeen compelled to pass; but the thongs seemed to give him neither mentalnor bodily concern. Old Thousandacres was stern in aspect; but he hadtoo much experience in Indian character--knew too well the unforgivingnature of the Indians' dispositions, or the enduring memories thatforgot neither favors nor injuries, to wantonly increase the feelingthat must naturally have been awakened between him and his prisoner.
"Trackless," he said, considerately, "you're an old warrior, and mustknow that in troubled times every man must look out for himself. I'mglad the b'ys warn't driven to do you any harm; but it would never havedone to let you carry the tidings of what has happened here, thismorning, to Chainbearer and his gang. How long I may have to keep you,is more than I know myself; but your treatment shall be good, and yourwilcome warm, so long as you give no trouble. I know what a redskin'sword is; and maybe, a'ter thinkin' on it a little, I may let you out towander about the clearin', provided you'd give your parole not to gooff. I'll think on't, and let you know to-morrow; but to-day I must putyou in the store'us' along with the young chap that you travelled herewith."
Thousandacres then demanded of his sons an account of the manner inwhich they had taken their captive; which it is unnecessary to relatehere, as I shall have occasion to give it directly in the language ofthe Indian himself. As soon as satisfied on this head, the door of myprison was opened, and the Onondago entered it unbound, withoutmanifesting the smallest shade of regret, or any resistance. Everythingwas done in a very lock-up sort of manner; the new prisoner being nosooner "permitted," than the door was secured, and I was left alone withSureflint; one of the younger girls now remaining near the building as asentinel. I waited a moment, to make certain we were alone, when Iopened the communications with my friend.
"I am very sorry for this, Sureflint," I commenced, "for I had hopesyour knowledge of the woods, and practice on trails, would have enabledyou to throw off your pursuers, that you might have carried the news ofmy imprisonment to our friends. This is a sore disappointment to me;having made sure you would let Chainbearer know where I am."
"W'y t'ink different, now, eh? S'pose, 'cause Injin prisoner, can't helphimself?"
"You surely do not mean that you are here with your own consent?"
"Sartain. S'pose no want to come; am no come. You t'ink Thousandacres'b'ys catch Susquesus in woods, and he don't want to? Be sure, wintercome, and summer come. Be sure, gray hair come a little. Be sureTrackless get ole, by-'m-bye; but he moccason leave no trail yet!"
"As I cannot understand why you should first escape, and then wish tocome back, I must beg you to explain yourself. Let me know all that haspassed, Sureflint--how it has passed, and _why_ it has passed. Tell itin your own way, but tell it fully."
"Sartain--why no tell? No harm; all good--somet'ing capital! Nebber habbetter luck."
"You excite my curiosity, Sureflint; tell the whole story at once,beginning at the time when you slipped off, and carrying it down to themoment of your arrival here."
Hereupon, Susquesus turned on me a significant look, drew his pipe fromhis belt, filled and lighted it, and began to smoke with a composurethat was not easily disturbed. As soon as assured that his pipe was in aproper state, however, the Indian quietly began his story.
"Now listen, you hear," he said. "Run away, 'cause no good to stay here,and be prisoner--dat _why_."
"But you _are_ a prisoner, as it is, as well as myself, and, by yourstatement, a prisoner with your own consent."
"Sartain--nebber hab been prisoner, won't be prisoner, if don't want to.S'pose shot, den can't help him; but in woods, Injin nebber prisoner,'less lazy or drunk. Rum make great many prisoner."
"I can believe all this--but tell me the story. Why did you go off atfirst?"
"S'pose don't want Chainbearer know where he be, eh? T'ink T'ousandacreebber let you go while board in stream? When board go, he go; not afore.Stay all summer; want to live in store'us' all summer, eh?"
"Certainly not--well, you left me, in order to let our friends knowwhere I was, that they might cast about for the means of getting mefree. All this I understand; what next?"
"Next, go off in wood. Easy 'nough to slip off when T'ousandacre nolook. Well, went about two mile; leave no trail--bird make as much inair. What s'pose meet, eh?"
"I wait for you to tell me."
"Meet Jaap--yes--meet nigger. Look for young master--ebberybody introuble, and won'er where young chief be. Some look here--some look outyonder--all look somewhere--Jaap look just dere."
"And you told Jaap the whole story, and sent him back to the huts withit!"
"Sartain--just so. Make good guess dat time. Den t'ink what do, next.Want to come back and help young pale-face frien'; so t'ought get takeprisoner one time. Like to know how he feel to be prisoner one time. Nofeel so bad as s'pose. Squatter no hard master for prisoner."
"But how did all this happen, and in what manner have you misled theyoung men?"
"No hard to do at all. All he want is know how. A'ter Jaap get hisar'n'd, and go off, made trail plain 'nough for squaw to find. Travel toa spring--sit down and put rifle away off, so no need shoot, and let himsquatter's boys catch me, by what you call s'prise; yes, 'e pale-facess'prise red man dat time! Warrant he brag on't well!"
Here, then, was the simple explanation of it all! Susquesus had stolenaway, in order to apprise my friends of my situation; he had fallen inwith Jaap, or Jaaf, in search of his lost master; and, communicating allthe circumstances to the negro, had artfully allowed himself to berecaptured, carefully avoiding a struggle, and had been brought back a
ndplaced by my side. No explanations were necessary to point out theadvantages. By communicating with the negro, who had been familiar foryears with the clipped manner of the Indian's mode of speaking English,everything would be made known to Chainbearer; by suffering himself tobe taken, the squatters were led by Sureflint to suppose our capture andtheir "pitch" remained secrets; while, by rejoining me, I should havethe presence, counsel and assistance of a most tried friend of myfather's and Chainbearer's in the event of necessity.
This brief summary of his reasoning shows the admirable sagacity of theOnondago, who had kept in view every requisite of his situation, andfailed in nothing.
I was delighted with the address of Sureflint, as well as touched by hisfidelity. In the course of our conversation, he gave me to understandthat my disappearance and absence for an entire night had produced greatconsternation in the huts, and that everybody was out in quest of me andhimself, at the time when he so opportunely fell in with Jaap.
"Gal out, too"--added the Onondago, significantly. "S'pose good reasonfor dat."
This startled me a little, for I had a vague suspicion that Susquesusmust have been an unseen observer of my interview with Ursula Malbone;and noticing my manner on rushing from her cabin, had been induced tofollow me, as has been related. The reader is not to suppose that mylate adventures had driven Dus from my mind. So far from this, I thoughtof her incessantly; and the knowledge that she took so much interest inme as to roam the woods in the search, had no tendency to lessen thesteadiness or intensity of my reflections. Nevertheless, common humanitymight induce one of her energy and activity to do as much as this; andhad I not her own declaration that she was plighted to another!
After getting his whole story, I consulted the Indian on the subject ofour future proceedings. He was of opinion that we had better wait themovements of our friends, from whom we must hear in some mode or other,in the course of the approaching night, or of the succeeding day. Whatcourse Chainbearer might see fit to pursue, neither of us couldconjecture, though both felt assured he never would remain quiet withtwo as fast friends as ourselves in durance. My great concern was thathe might resort at once to force, for old Andries had a fiery spirit,though one that was eminently just; and he had been accustomed to seegunpowder burned from his youth upward. Should he, on the other hand,resort to legal means, and apply to Mr. Newcome for warrants to arrestmy captors, as men guilty of illegal personal violence, a course itstruck me Frank Malbone would be very apt to advise, what might I notexpect from the collusion of the magistrate, in the way of frauds,delays and private machinations? In such a case, there would be time tosend me to some other place of concealment, and the forest must have ahundred such that were accessible to my new masters, while their friendNewcome would scarcely fail to let them have timely notice of thenecessity of some such step. Men acting in conformity with the rules ofright, fulfilling the requirements of the law, and practising virtue,might be so remiss as not to send information of such an impendingdanger, for such persons are only too apt to rely on the integrity oftheir own characters, and to put their trust on the laws of Providence;but rogues, certain that they can have no such succor, depend mainly onthemselves, recognizing the well-known principle of Frederick the Great,who thought it a safe rule to suppose that "Providence was usually onthe side of strong battalions." I felt certain, therefore, that SquireNewcome would let his friends at the "clearing" know all that wasplotting against them, as soon as he knew it himself.
The squatters were not unkind to us prisoners in the way of generaltreatment. Certainly I had every right to complain of the particularwrong they did me; but, otherwise, they were sufficiently considerateand liberal throughout that day. Our fare was their own. We had waterbrought in fresh by Lowiny no fewer than five several times; and soattentive to my supposed wants was this girl, that she actually broughtme every book that was to be found in all the libraries of the family.These were but three--a fragment of a Bible, Pilgrim's Progress, and analmanac that was four years old.