dressing-gown, and slippers,—as if the
comforts of home were inseparable. Then he made
a crooked face about his bed, while I laughed at him
for his whims, his fancies, and his dogged pedantries.
However, morning found him better-natured, and taking
advantage of the opportunity, we held a consultation
upon what was best to be done. That we were on
an uninhabited island not a doubt existed: nor
had any son of civilized man ever visited it before:
not so much of civilization as a gallows was there
to be seen anywhere, although there were visible in
the distance many mountains, and plains, and valleys,
and lakes swarming with fish. With these a people
might have flourished, while the soil was pregnant
of richness, ready to bring forth corn, rice, tobacco,
and cotton. I was grieved that such a spot should
lie wasting; all it wanted was a few sons of New England
to make its resources of great commercial value.
A ponderous mountain rose nearly to the sky, distant
some two days’ journey, in the west. After
breakfasting on wild fruit (of which there was a great
abundance) and limpid water, we set out for it, making
a straight line through the forest; but before reaching
the summit, and after three days’ scrubbing,
we discovered smoke curling gently upward here and
there in the clear blue atmosphere. ‘Lord
bless ye, John!’ I exclaimed, halting suddenly,
’there is living critters here, as I’m
a Down-easter.’
“’I see ‘um moving!’ he rejoined,
nervously surveying the spot. And in another
hour we were in the midst of a tribe of savages, swarthy
and of vicious appearance. Such yelling, hallooing,
jumping, and cutting wild antics, you never saw before,
nor could pen describe. Nobody could have understood
their chattering, which was a species of growl and
shortly accented muttering. Forsooth! it was as
unintelligible as that language so generally diffused
through diplomatic notes and protocols. Now hideous
squaws ran one way, young children another. Dogs
and cats brought up the rear, their music combining
in most ungrateful medley. John’s fears
became excited as he saw the chiefs rushing furiously
onward in the van. ’What shall we do?’
said he; ‘they will exterminate us.’
I said we had better summon all our amiability and
endeavor to engraft ourselves in their good graces.
Young America would talk Yankee to them. To this
John gave ready consent. I was glad to see that
for once he had laid aside his dignity and superciliousness:
it was freely acknowledging that Uncle Sam was somebody—that
he could, in his plain straightforward way do clever
things. Therefore, to initiate my diplomacy I
drew forth the Stars and Stripes, and held them before
a monster chief of some seven feet in stature, who
had almost reached us, making savage grimaces.
Soon he stood before us, John commenced to bow with
all his politeness, and meekly doffing off his hat,
began a speech with:—’Your sublime
majesty—’ ‘Stop that, John!’
I exclaimed firmly, interrupting him. Here I
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