Travels In The United States Of America; Commencing In The Year 1793, And Ending In 1797. With The Author's Journals Of His Two Voyages Across The Atlantic By William Priest
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Returning To The Rural Reign,
The Indians Welcom'd Him With Joy;
The Council Took Him Home Again,
And Bless'd The Copper-Coloured Boy.
Our author, brings his hero again upon the stage, under the title of
THE SPLENETIC INDIAN.
"To the best of my recollection, it was about the middle of the month of
August; we were sitting on a green bank by the brook side; the fox grapes
were not yet come to maturity; but we were anticipating the pleasure we
should soon experience in eating some fine clusters, that at this instant
hung over our heads in the tall shade of a beech tree; when, upon a sudden
clamour raised by some young fellows, who were advancing rapidly towards
us, the learned Indian sachem Tomo-cheeki, who at this time happened to be
my friend and companion, seized me by the hand, and intimated a strong
desire, that I should accompany him to his _wigwam_, situate at many
miles distance in the wilderness.
"A request so unusual, and at such a sultry season of the year (it being
now the height of the dog days), and to all appearance occasioned by so
trifling a circumstance as the approach of a few noisy bacchanalians,
could not but give me some surprise. I nevertheless accepted his offer,
and we then walked on together westward, without saying a word, though not
forgetting to kindle our pipes afresh at the first house we came to.
"We had no sooner entered the forest, than I began to be convinced, that
all things around us were precisely such as nature had finished them; the
trees were straight and lofty, and appeared as if they had never been
obliged to art in their progress to maturity; the streams of water were
winding and irregular, and not odiously drawn into a right line by the
spade of the ditcher.
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