Indeed,
That He Had Not Been Himself For Some Time Past; Though A Little
Rest, No Doubt, Would Recruit Him.
The Yankee thinking, from this,
that our valuable services might be lost to him altogether, were he
too hard upon us at the outset, at once begged us both to consult our
own feelings, and not exert ourselves for the present, unless we felt
like it.
Then - without recognizing the fact that my comrade claimed
to be actually unwell - he simply suggested that, since he was so
tired, he had better, perhaps, swing in his hammock for the rest of
the day. If agreeable, however, I myself might accompany him upon a
little bullock-hunting excursion in the neighbouring hills. In this
proposition, I gladly acquiesced; though Peter, who was a great
sportsman, put on a long face. The muskets and ammunition were
forthwith got from overhead; and, everything being then ready, Zeke
cried out, "Tonoi! come; aramai! (get up) we want you for pilot.
Shorty, my lad, look arter things, you know; and if you likes, why,
there's them roots in the field yonder."
Having thus arranged his domestic affairs to please himself, though
little to Shorty's satisfaction, I thought, he slung his powder-horn
over his shoulder, and we started. Tonoi was, at once, sent on in
advance; and leaving the plantation, he struck into a path which led
toward the mountains.
After hurrying through the thickets for some time, we came out into
the sunlight, in an open glade, just under the shadow of the hills.
Here, Zeke pointed aloft to a beetling crag far distant, where a
bullock, with horns thrown back, stood like a statue.
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