i am glad to see that he is reposing so comfortably upon his hard earned laurels and i hope he will live many years to enjoy tbe warriors rest


they strolled to the garden which handy found to be beautifully arranged and welt stooked with fruit trees both european and tropical vegetables and flowers of im mense variety all of which or the seeds had been brought from sydney and parra matta at great expense all growing vigo rously and kept in the highest order by the gardener who occupied a small cottage ornee at one end


to describe the variety and beauty of the flowers many which had been imported from south america and the cape of good hope would be an endless task


altogether it was a delightful place and although handy would perhaps have been better pleased to have found his old friend there yet he was highly gratified with every thing he saw


the party re turned to the superintendents residence and remained there for the night


to be continued


the rnonn direction or tbe tracks in harness


it is universally admitted lut the best way of applying the power of horses is by means of shafts or traces to carriages


the best position of the traces or shafts when a lioree is made to exert himself to draw in a carriage is eo well known and understood by those who are daily in the habit of l hanging to that it needs scarcely be noticed


the trace when a horse leans fortvard to draw should become perpendicular to the collar nd parallel to tbe plane of the road on which he is moving


in moving up a hill tlie trace should become parallel to the plain of ascent


when lie is standinget ease the direction of the trace should be a liitle upwards because when urged to draw lie leans forward and in so doing ho lowers the fore part of his body which will tend to bring tbe trace parallel to tbe plane when his power is fully applied


if any devi ation from the parallel be admitted it is desi rable such deviation should incline upwards rather than downwards


if the direction were downwards below the parallel tbe power of the animal would have a tendency toiucreaie the friction by pulling the wheels into the cavities of the road


after contemplating on these re marks the following suggestions present them selves


the radius of the forewheels bhouu be lebs than the height from the road to the point of draught on ibe shoulder of the animal


the theft or pole should be hung on a level with the centre of tbe wheel


the lust horse or rather the horse of lowest statute in a team ought to be selected for the shafls and lie ought not to be so jow as to cause them to in cline jownwards towards the road


in select ing a team the tallest horse should be placed first and the others ought to be m placed as to descend regularly down u the statute of the shafthorse in order to preserve a continued ascent in the line of traction


if a regular line of ascent be not preserved as it will not by placing a low hone between two tall hub it is not difficult to how that a portion of their power will be lost in acting against one ano ther and ihus render their united effort not so powerful as it might be by a different and pro per arrangement to individuals adoutunted with the elementary principles of mecbme these suggestions will appear natural and ob vious hut in practice it is known that ibe temper age ana steadiness of the animal mostly regulate the situation in which we snd him jilnoed in the team and therefore devia tions from tbe rule laid down respecting iuuule will often be necessary and perhaps desira ble


in teams of perfectly wel trained horses the rule may be adopted wi advantage


bb uinu of


bead ngueriug ty


prutieol surveyor


launcesron printed for l proprietor ij huit dvhlc prtnter


f jmstajertn


ortm aimm


in urlntmt tokmmi published b tho mid hemut dowumo t


stallone


warehouk in brwanetuwt


mia


tkuudat dtcarr i iis


chapter viii


accohrakies mb


fecksnikf and itls chabmino datjghtrns tothecxtyof london and ilelatks


what fell out ui


k tikr wav thithkb


when mr pecksniff and the two young ladies got into the heavy coach at the end of the lane they bund it empty which was a great comfort particularly as the outside was quite full and ibe passengers looked frcbiy


lor as mr pecksniff justly observed when he and his daughters had burrowed their feet deep in the straw wrapped themselves to the chin and pulled up bolh windows it is always satisfactory to feel in keen weather that many forhe observed if every one were worm and wellfed we should lose the satisfaction of admiring the fortitude wiib which certain cou ditiousoi men bear cold aud hunger


and it we were no better off than anybody else what would become of our sense uf gratitude which said mr pecksniff with tears in his eyes as he shook his tist at a beggar who wanted to get up behind is one of ibe boiest feelings of his children heard with becoming reverence these moral precepts from the lips of their father aud signified their acquiescence in ihe same by smiles


that he might the better feed anil cherish that sacred flame of gratitude in his breast mr pecksniff remarked that be would trouble his eldest daughter for the braiidybtlle


and from the narrow neck of that stone vessel he imbibed a copious refresh


what ore we said mr pecksniff but coaches


some of us are slow coaches vjooullcooj


il


i tllu uuainji some of us say resumed her parent with increased emphasis are slow couches some at us are fast coaches


our passions are ihe horses und rampant animals tool really pa cried bolh the daughters at once


how very uupleasaut


and rampant animals too


repeated mr pecksniff with so much determination that he unv be said to have exhibited at the moment a sort of moral rampancy himself and virtue is ihe drag


ave start from the mothers arms and we ruu lo the dust shovel


when he had said this mr pecksniff being exhausted took some further refreshment


when he had done that he corked the bottle tmit wilh the air of a man who had effectually corked the subject also aud tveut to sleep fur three stages


the tendency of mankind when it falls asleep in coacues is to w one up cross to nuu its legs in its way aud its corns an aggrava tion


mr pecksniff not being exempt from the commen lot of humanity found himself at the cud of his nap so decidedly the victim of these infirmities that he had an irresistible inclination to visit them upon his daughters which he had already begun to do in the shape of divers random kicks aud other unexpected motions of his shoes when the coach stopped i and ulter a short delay the door was opened


now mind said a thin sharp voice in the dark


i and my sou go inside because the roof is full bul you agree only to charge us uuiside prices


its quite understood that we wont pay more


is tf ail right sir replied the guard


is there anybody inside now


enquired ibc voice


three passengers returned the guard


then ask the three passcngera to witness this barain said the voice


my boy think we may safely get in


in pursuance of which opinion two people took their seats in the vehicle which was so lemnly licensed by act of parliament to carry anv six persons wbu could be gut iu at the door


to he continued


the portland guardian and normanby general advertiser


published every monday wednesday friday


to protect our rightsnot to infringe upon those of others


wednesday november


adventures and observations in australia


by alister macalister gent chapter ii


preliminary notifications continued


leaving my luggage for a time on board the steamer i proceeded under the direc tion of a porter to the house of the gaelic minister to whom i had been recommended


i had never before seen a place of more importance than the paltry and dirty village of portree and as we went along more than a mile of handsome and crowded streets passing churches public buildings and shops that seemed to contain the riches of the world i was perfectly overwhelmed with the din the activity and the splen dour of the capital of the west


i had read indeed of rome and athens and carthage and they recurred to my mind but i could not allow myself to believe that they exceeded in bustle and mag nificence the commercial metropolis of scotland


the minister a plain decent man re ceived me kindly and expressed his willingness to serve me to the utmost of his power


after i had rested and taken some refreshment he proposed to go with me to have my name entered for the classes which i was to attend and said that this preliminary step taken he would then assist me in a search for iodgings


he informed me that with respect to the lodgings my father had stated to him in a very sensible note enclosed in my introduc tory letter that they were to be near to the college and to be such as diogenes would approve


from the latter intima tion the good man naturally and properly concluded that they were to be as inex pensive as possible


the professors on whom we were to call resided within the college buildings which we at last reached


i was particularly struck with the staid and venerable appearance which the long front of the university presented to the high street and no less particularly struck with what appeared to me the strange circumstance of a seat of learning being set down in the midst of a babel of noise and confusion


and these feelings were mingled with a profound reverence for an institution in which so many illustrious men had taught and in which so many illustrious men had been taught


we found the professors frank and gentlemanly and my heart warmed much to one of them who said that he had reason to respect the tartan as his greatgrandmother was a third cousin of the chief of the clan chattan


leaving the collegewe purchased at a secondhand booksellers shop in high street an old toga for the moderate price of twelve shillings and sixpence


this was a red coarse woollen gown after the cut of geneva which was to be in future my classical robe no student of literature being allowed to enter his classroom without the flaming adornment


dressed in my purchase i issued proudly from the shop but had scarcely settled down in my new uniform when a band of dirty urchins assailed me with the cry colliedlug lift up your lug and let the gentry by you a mode of address which as i afterwards learned had been employed by the young fry of the city to the collegians far up wards of a century


my celtic blood fired at what i considered to be an unwar rantable insult and before my reverend friend could interpose made a rush at my pigmy tormentors and laid one of them sprawling in the mud


a crowd instantly surrounded us and before i could recover my composure i found myself in the cus tody of a policeman


it turned out that the young scoundrel was not much hurt and the man of order respecting as i had no doubt my old red gown set me at liberty


the minister gave me a brief and pithy lecture on the necessity of command ing my temper if i would avoid getting into trouble but the narrow escape which i had made from paying a visit to the police office on this my first day in glas gow operated more powerfully to future caution


i obtained lodgings in a filthy lane called the havanah which is situated within a stonecost of the university and which has been from time immemorial the resort of a large number of the most needy students and it is well know that ever since the foundation of scotlands princely seats of learning not a few of her most deserving alumni have been familiar enough with poverty


my accommodation was a small miserably furnished room about ten feet square


it had an enclosed bed a rag of carpet a bit of lookingglass an old table and two very suspicious chairs


for the free and uncontrolled use of this inviting apartment i was to pay three shillings weekly but it was stipu lated that in the event of my procuring a fellow student to share my chamber the charge would be only two shillings and sixpence each


in the state of my pecu niary resources the saving of sixpence was something to be cared for and i de termined if possible to secure the desired retrenchment


but i was not put to any trouble in the matter as on the very day on which i settled preliminaries a poor student on the look out for cheap accom modation visited the lodginghouse and willingly became my partner


like my self this was his first appearance at college


he was a young man named morris about twentyone years of age a village carpenter who had struggled with many difficulties but who had at last reached the first step in the ladder of his ambition


i soon became attached to morris and he was worthy of my attach ment


we studied together and i helped him for he was greatly deficient in the languages and gave no promise of ever being a firstrate linguist


he had how ever an excellent and considering what had been his position in life a well informed mind


and he was regulated in all his conduct by a high sense of moral and religious duty


he now occupies a deservedly eminent place in the church


from previous instruction i found the preparation of my daily lessons compara tively easy and spent a large portion of my time in desultory reading


to indulge this taste i subscribed to a circulating library as i never could get the book i wanted either out of the class or college collection


i know that many condemn in the young such a course of reading but i acquired from it a multifarious knowledge which has occasionally been useful and has afforded a neverfailing source of no ordinary gratification


the session closed without finding my name upon the prize lists but i had the satisfaction of thinking that i had main tained a fair average character for dili gence and scholarship and the vanity of believing that had i chosen to exert my self i would have far outdistanced some of those who carried off the honors


during the more than six months i had been in glasgow i had only received one letter from my father


it was a brief and dry epistle which came to hand shortly after the opening of the sessionand the burden of which was to recommend frugal living and economy in all things as the greateat of the virtues


i then knew little of my fathers early days and i wondered as i read it and looked round my mean apart ment if his had been a spartan youth


what a contrast between this one cold stoical note and the long letters brimful of ardent affection and holy counsel which came to me almost every week from my dearly beloved mother


how i longed to clasp and how i delighted in the near prospect of clasping this angelmother in my arms


had she not been in skye to lighten its darkness i would never have desired to visit again its barren shore


i returned home to the warm embrace of my mother and the chilling welcome of my father


things


had evidently not improved in my absence


my mother attempted to be cheerful but her sweet smile seemed a mockery and i thought her more pale and thoughtful than i had ever before seen her


my father appeared to be little changed but he had changed and had changed sadly to the worse


he had become


a confirmed drunkard


i saw him but seldom for when he was not in his own room over his bottle he was either out on the moor with his gun or out at the loch with his rod


the management of affairs was left in the hands of a worthless overseer who presided as he saw fit over a host of worthless servants


and here the truth compels me to sayalthough i bear highland blood in my veins and would be the last to calumniate my countrymen


that celtic servants on their native mountains were in general from circum stances arising out of their peculiar condi tion an ignorant superstitious indolent cringing meanspirited race


but it must be added that the celt bears transplanting well


placed on an equality of circum stances with the lowlander he displays an equality with him in intelligent persevering labour and an equality in the achievement of success


from the state of matters mentioned abovefrom the folly of the master and the indifference of the servants the small estate had become already considerably burthened and the prospect for the future was exceed ingly gloomy


i was too young to be made my mothers confident but i was old enough to suspect that my fathers affairs were sickly and that there was no hope of betterment


for me a mere boy to expos tulate with my cold and haughty father on the folly and criminality of his conduct was totally out of the question and as for my poor mother she had long lost any in fluence over him which she had ever poss essed


but i did not dare to think on the subject and strove to banish it from my mind


i tried to make myself serviceable among the sheep and cattle and thereby gained the hearty illwill of the slovenly overseer but i was gaining something more i was obtaining a knowledge which in a wordly point ot view was yet to be more useful to me than all my booksa practical knowledge of sheep and cattle


when at the termination of the vacation i returned to college to my old lodgings and to my excellent friend morris i did so with a deeply sorrowful and desponding heart


i do not wish to enlarge on this part of my history


suffice it to say that i attended the university three sessions and that in the intervals between them my employments and pains at home continued much the same


a month or two after my last session at college i had gone in great dejection of spirits to a moor about two miles from the house to indulge in melancholy medi tation


in my abstracted state of mind i did not consider that this was a very likely place to meet my father the last person in the world i then wished to see


but it so happened that he was out with his gun the near report of which startled me from my sombre cogitations


when i looked in the direction from which the sound proceeded i saw retreat was impos sible as my father was within a few yards and advancing towards me


i certainly did not hasten to meet him and when he came up he addressed me abruptly and rudely how is this sirrah


that a son of mine dare show discourtesy to his father


have you been learning in the school of your mother sir


but a truce with this my son i must have a serious word with you


he was not what some people would call drunk but he was obvi ously very much under the influence of liquor as well as passion


i disclaimed any intentional disrespect and remained silent when he resumed son of mine ungrateful though you be i have been pondering your interests and have deter mined that your collegiate studies shall cease


do you not thank me


the country is blighted and a young man of talent must go elsewhere to rise


what say you my son


here you cannot much longer remain as i understand you have rendered yourself obnoxious to the men by your troublesome interference


what say you to australia


fine country


capital sheep farms to be had for next to nothing as my advices inform me


i have resolved that you go to this goshen with out delay


you shall have letters one to my old companion stocks who is now in melbourne rapidly accumulating a fortune


he cannot fail to help pushing you for ward for my sake


now no speech


think over my determination


you will soon hear more on the subject


good morning my son


after this odd hop step and jump address he started briskly off and in a few minutes i heard his gun in the distance


i must confess that however much as tonished i was at this parental determination i was not a little pleased at the same time


by remaining the good i could do was very insignificant whilst by leaving i might put myself in a way of aiding my mother on the final crash of my fathers fortunes which i felt confident would not be many years delayed


my mother acquiesced in the determination with a readiness which i did not expect


all the arrangements for my departure were finally made


i was to sail from liverpool in the emigrant ship swifts of eight hundred tons and by my fathers permission my mother was to ac company me to the seaport there to bid me farewell


he himself entertained no such intention


but he was doubtless de lighted with the idea of getting a macalister out of sight who in all probability would never be an estated highland gen tleman


i had few friends to bid good bye


the minister and the surgeon had claims on my respect and i waited on them


the surgeons daughter was a pretty lively amiable girl of fifteen or sixteen and i liked her loved would be too strong a term


what could a boy of eighteen know about love


she gave me an em broidered handkerchief as a token of re membrance and i could not do less than give her in exchange a copy of cowpers poems


tenderhearted beautiful girl


she cried like a child when i was about to take my leave and how could i resist giving her a brotherly kiss even in the presence of the jolly old doctor and his stiff and formal wife


my mother and myself at last got away from the island and sailed for the clyde


we there embarked in a steamboat bound for liverpool


pee jean or the jesuit missionary


a catholic story founded on x facts


chapter iv


the conflict


silence sand darkness on the scene


not a movement in tte forest not a ray of light save the dim greyf the far off sky np sound


but the half bushed moan of pain jarring sadly


with rhqi soft musioof flowing waters


it was a living solitude


v no voices were heard where there were many ready to break forth in fury rnd where there were many glowing with the flame of human passion no forms were seen but one


tbat form enclosed a gentle spirit


the jesuit strode towards the forest


gloom was upon his path but an invincible tranquility reigned within his breast


over the stillness more startling by its sudden contrast with the wild peal of battle which had ceased so suddenly came now and then the rustling of leaves as the ambushed foes fell guardedly back assuming new positions and manoeuvring with the cautiousness of indian warfare


it was the mingling of night and morning and the fading stars looked sadly down their parting as it were into the soul of the dark river


the priest pressed on heedless or unconscious of the danger that lurked within the forest


he gained the opening of a slight ravine as he stepped forward an obstacle caught bis foot and he fell to the ground


putting out his hand to raise himself it rested upon a cap he held it up to examine it it was the cap of rene the novice


a shudder passed through bis frame there was a murmur of sorrow and prayer a sinking of the heart but he still passed on


a few feet further lay a wounded huron


a low sigh escaped the lips of the warrior and he endeavoured to turn himself upon the ground but in vain


the jesuit bent over the indian and in a low whisper asked him son hast thou been baptised


no my father


he said in a faint and weak voice


the place they occupied at the bottom of the ravine was somewhat covered from the position of the iroquois


there was yet time for father laval to seek cover in the rear of his hurons and perhaps escape would have been possible for the iroquois were now busily occupied in slowly and cautiously extending their forces in order to ontflank and tbus drive the christian warriors from their covers


so guarded had been the movements ol both parties and such the gloom that as yet neither huron nor iroquois had gained an opportunity of firing with any certainty of aim and both were too wary to throw away a shot and at the same time discover their whole manoeuvre to the foe by the flash of tbeir firearms father laval arose and crept lightly towards the river


as he passed by a little hillock or mnund he was startled by the cracking of a twig and a low hiss like that of a serpent


hesitating a moment be recollected the sound he had heard in the canon and reassured fined his eye upon the spot until he distinguished a dark object moving towards him and slowly erecting its bead from the ground as it approached


in a moment more ahnsistari was at his feet and in a low voice addressed him father hasten there is yet time to fly


follow me


i con not said the jesuit there are souls to be saved the dying to be baptised


fly you and save yourself


no


ahasistari


will not fly without his father said the indian drawing himself up proudly from the ground


go chief you have your duties i have mine the brave man does his duty and leaves the rest to god


go you to yours leave me to mine


you will not follow me


i dare not and the jesuit pointed back to the spot where he had left the wounded indian


the chieftain turned his eye towards it


it is not far from the end of their line


you will do your duty


ahasistari will do his duty by your side


hist


he said suddenly in terrupting himself and raising his finger to de mand silence


father laval listened intently and discovered the light trampling of moccasined feet then the low cry of nn owl struck upon his ear and again all was silent


they are gathering for a charge said the chieftain


abasistari must be there to meet them


when you hear the war cry of the hurons know that your children are fighting to save you


hasten along down the shore and seek a hiding place


the chief stretched himself upon the ground and was soon lost in the obscurity which still pervaded the scene


with a rapid stop the jesuit turned towards the river lifting up his heart to god as he went along for assistance in this trial


to fill his cap with water nnd retrace bis steps to the side of the wounded indian was but the work of a moment


the eyes of the warrior fastened upon the cooling liquid that oozed from the cap and with u supplicating look he layed bis finger upon his parched and feverish lip and uttered the single word water tho jesuit raised his head upon his arm and applied the cooling draught to the sufferers mouth


a grateful expression passed across bis countenance and father jean laid his head once more on the turf nnd having uttered a prayer stretched forth his hand about to pour upon bis head the regenerating waters of baptism


at that moment a heavy grasp was laid upon his bared head which was drawn backwards till bis uplifted gaze rested upon the fierce countenance of an iroquois whose right bund brandished above him a scalping knife already dripping with blood


a fiendish smile played upon tbe features of the suvngo as be paused to contemplate his work


there was time


a moment


oh ines timable moment


worlds could not purchase thy value


tbe baptismal water laved gently the brow of tbe dying and the words of the sacrament arose


o god


i tbank


exclaimed the jesuit and tho knife of the savage began to descend


a single shot pealed suddenly upon the silence


ahasistari tbe fearless chief of the hurons had crept back swiftly to tho position of his


warriors and prooared to meet tbe expected on slaught of the mohawks


with tbe quick und re idy skill of the indian he determined to entrap the foe when tbe assault should begin and baa already plnced himself with a few chosen men stealthily in advance in a near and more favour able position when his eye wandering uneasily in search of the jesuit rested upon the spot where he had left him


dimly it caught the form of the priest bont back by the strong grasp of the savage and the uplifted knife suspended


he sprang forward


to fire would be to disclose bis stratagem to tbe foe to desist would be death to the priest


he sternly swung his cara bine into rest bis sinewy hands grnspod it as firmly as if the muscles bad been steel


thus it rested for a moment motionless then came


the clicking of the trigger and a cloud of smoke with a sheet of flame from the muzzle swept over his still form


tbe blow of tbe iroquois descended but it was the harmless falling of the lifeless arm the bullet of the huron bad pnssed through his heart


he fell forward heavily upon the priest


out broke the fierco war whoop of the mo


hawks shots pealed nnd arrows flew


then came the wild rush the trampling of many feet bursting through tbe forest covers and tbe clash


of many weapons


hand to hand mohawk nnd huron fought


the occasional flash of firearms blazed around lighting up the scene with its lurid rays which glanced upon the plume of the warrior as be sprang forward to the charge and sparkled upon bis uplifted weapons made tbe waving forest spray glow as if touched with liquid fire and dancing madly along the rippling waters of the dark river


over the wild music of battle which man in his strength and passion loves came subdued the sorrowful moaning of the wounded


a few rapid bounds brought the huron chief to the side of the priest


raising him up gently he said when he saw him recovered from tie effects of the incident father go now


far down the bank of the river you will find tbe undergrowth thick and heavy keep by the edge of the water


we are outnumbered our only hope is in flight


the hurons will remain while you remain


when you have fled we also will seek safety


then i must go


said the jesuit


and gathering up around him the long black gown which he wore he prepared to fly from tbe spot


ahasistiiri stooped down and grasped the scalp lock of his foe and was about to pass his knife around the skin to tear it from his head


his hand was arrested by the priest do not violate the dead my son


he is a mohawk my father


he is a man you have killed him in battle do not mutilate bis body


it is not chris tian


the warrior raised himself from the body of his foe and reverently made the sign of the cross upon his f jrebead then pointing tbe way to the jesuit bounded back to his first position amid a shower of balls and arrows tbat whistled around him as he emerged from the ravine


looking back be caught a glimpse of the form of the jesuit hurrying down the path he had designated


in tbe next moment the huron chief was in the thickest of the conflict


gathering new spirit from the presence of their leader the christian warriors still made cond tbeir position against the foe but it was evident that the struggle could not be long protracted


yet each moment gained served to increase tho distance between the iroquois and tbeir father of the black gown


at length the thinned num bers of bis warriors gave notice to the chief tliat retreat could not longer be delayed


at the signal tbe hurons sprang back from tree to tree securing cover as they retired and battling thus each foot of ground they made the advance of the mobawks slow and cautious


ahasistnri approached n well tried warrior nnd whispered a command in bis ear the indian hurried to tbe rear and turned towards tbe river


a moment after n little below tbe landing along tbe shore where the rippling wnves broke in a line of light upon tbe sands a dark form seemed to rest for n moment prostrate upon the grass then with a quiet motion rolled slowly down the slope to tbe rivers bunk and without a single splash disappeared beneath the waters edge


an upturned canoe was floating by tbe spot imperceptibly its motion appeared to quicken and when it had gained some distance from the shore it was suddenly righted and nn indian carefully crept over the side


a yell broke from the forest proving that he was discovered and a few shots whistled around him but seizing a paddle which had been fastened in the canue he whirled it in defiance at the fue and then urged bis bark down the river


at length time enough had elapsed for father laval to gather a sufficient start nnd ahasistari and his hurons betook themselves to flight having selected the spot opposite their last bivouac as the final place of rendezvous for those who


might escape


the main band shaped their course somewhat from the river while ahasistari ac companied by a single warrior hastened to the spot to which he bad directed tbe jesuit to pro ceed


father laval had turned away from the scene of strife and was hurrying down tbe shore when he heard the groan of a wounded indian whose strength had failed him as he crept towards the river bank


he paused


how could he fly


how leave behind him so many souls to whom his ministry was necessary


he turned from his path he knelt by tbe side of tbe huron and he left him not till the snout ot the pursuers driving deeper into the forest became faint upon his ear


at length he nrose and heedless of the words of the chief retraced his stops to tho now silent scene of battle


many ji time he knelt and


shrined tho dying christian warrior or baptized the departing neophyte and uttered words of hope to the wild savage


kindly and gently nnd with almost a warriors touch he laved the parched lips and throbbing brow of tbe wounded and soothed their pains absorbed in this work of holy love he heard not tho approaching steps of a form that soon gained his side


oh my father i came to seek thy body and joy i find tbee safe


ah


llenc my son


heaven bless thee snid jesuit as he gazed affectionately upon the youth


i believed thee dead see i found tbycnp upon tbe fild


i mourned for thee my son


yes i lost it in my rapid flight


tbe young indian watook hurried me to tbe shore and led me to tbe rear


there in safety i watched tbe progress of the fight until it became necessary for me to fly deeper in the woods


making a detour as the foe went off in pursuit


i came hither to seek thee


it is well j we will die together comforting each other


if it bo the will of providence my father


and the jesuit nnd tho novice betook themselves to their office tf lovo


a young iroquois warrior wounded severely but not fatally had fainted from loss of blood


he now began to revive nnd an involuntary groan broke from bis lips


rene bourdoise raised his head from the ground whilst tho jesuit endeavoured to staunch the wound


tbe effu sion had been great and if it continued longer would provo fatal


no mean surgeon was father i jean and be worked with a charitable heart


whilst the two frenchmen were thus engaged the loud shouts of the returning mohawks hrolce upon their ears


the srvaees had observed the escape of the huron in the canop and fearing that succour miht he near dared not


protract the pursuit too long


hfdnnhlerl yells of joy t came forth as tbfy cnusht a glimpse of the two most highly prized of their foes whose escape they had feared


bounding forward two war tiors were nhout to grapple with them they came with unlifted irms hut the jesuits unmoved continued to perform their charitable labpurs


father jean had just succeeded in staunching the fluw of hlood and was smoothing down the handnze


that compressed the wound rene bonrdoise laved the hrnw of thetroquois


the two warriors stood still astonished and tthen uttering the deep low


guttural exclama tion peculiar to their race their only expression of surprise dropped their arms and turning enzed on one another in unmingled wonder


tlwy were soon joined by their companions who gathered near by this scene so new to them and the same low exclamation ran around the group


in sooth it was an unwonted contrast man the fiend and roan the angel the warriov red


with


blood smoking with slaughter and the priest calm and passionless breathing peace and charity


to all men binding up the wounds of his enemy


father jean arose with his arms crossed upon his hreaet his benign features glowing with a holy


enthusiasm


the priest and the savage stood face to face


the dark flashing orb of the warrior


lowly yielded to the softening influence of the mild and gentle eye of the jesuit suddenly he turned awny bis gliincf and approached the wounded man he laid his hand upon his brow as if to discover that there was no deception


tjien he coldly watched the face of the sufferer


the novice still supported his head nnd laved his browand lips


in a moment more the wounded man opened his eyes nnd a fuint smile played across his features


good kiskepila muttered the mohawk chief and turned away


father jean had now time to look about him for be was left unmolested


the mohawks bad made several prisoners in pursuit whom six in number some of the conquerors bad just dragged upv bound tightly and secured


in an hour more the last straggling pursuer bad returned the dying hurons bad been scalped and toma hawked the bodies of the fallen iroquois buried and the conquerors andtheir irisoners marchine in single file with a party in advance bearing their wounded upon litters made of bouehs left the banks of the st lawrence where they had concealed their canoes and struck off deep into the forest towards the mohawk villages


to be continued


chapter xxxv


ab hiving in kngland martin wit nesses


a cehbmony pnom whicii he derives tub information that he has not been fobcotten in his absence


it was midday and high water in the english port for which tbe screw was bound when borne in gallantly upon the fulness of tbe tide she let go her anchor in the river


bright as the scene was fresh and full of motion airy free and sparkling it was nothing to the life and exultation in the breasts ot tbe two travellers at the sight


oi the old churches roofs and darkened chimney sucks of home


the distant roar that swelled up hoarsely from the busy streets was music in their cars the lines ot people gazing from the wharves were friends held dear the canopy that overhung the town was brighter and more beautiful to them than if the richest silks of persia had been waving in the air


and though the water going on its glistening track turned ever and again aside to dance and sjarkle round great ships aud heave them up and leaped from off the blades of oars a shower of diving diamonds and wantoned with the idle boats and swiftly passed in many a sportive chase tiirough obdurate old iron rings set deep in the stonework of the quays not even it was half so buoyant and so restless as their fluttering hearts when yearning to set foot once more on native ground


a year had passed since those same spires aud roofs had faded from their eyes


it seemed to them a dozen yeurs


some trifling changes here and there they called to mind and won dered that they were so few and slight


in health and fortune prospect and resource they came hack poorer nen than they had gone anay


but it was home


and bough home is a name a word it is a strong one stronger than magician ever spoke or spiritauswered to in strongest conjuration


bring set ashore with very little money in their pockets and no definite plan of operation in their heads they sought out a cheap tavern where they regaled upon a smoking steak and certain flowing mugs of leer as only men just landed from the sea can revel in the generous dainties of tbe earth


when they had feasted as two gratefultempered giants might have done they stirred the fire drew back the glowing curtain from the window and making each a sofa for himself by union of the great unwieldy chairs gazed blissfully into the street


even the street was made a fairy street by being half hidden in an atmosphere of steak and strong stout standup english beer


for on the windowglass hung such a iniat that mr tapley was obliged to rise aud wipe it with his handkerchief before the passengers appeared like common mortals


and even then a spiral little cloud weut curling up from their two glasses of hot grog which nearly hid them from each other


it was one of those unaccountable little rooms which are never seen anywhere but in a tavern and are supposed to have got into taverns by reason ol the facilities afforded to the architect for getting drunk while engaged in their construction


it had more corners in it than the brain of an obstinate man was full of mod closets into which nothing could be put that was not specially invented and made for that purpose had mysterious shelvings and bulkheads and indications of staircases in the ceiling sod wos elaborately provided with a bell that rung in the room itself about two feet from the handle and had no connection what ever with any other part of tbe establishment


it was a little below the pavement and abutted close upon it so that passengers grated against it with their buttons and scraped it with their baskets and fearful boys suddenly coming between a thoughtful guest and the light derided him or put out their tongues as if lie were a physician or made white knobs on the ends of heir noses by flattening the same against tlie glass and vanished awfully like spectres


martin and mark sat looking at the people as they passed debating every now and then what their next step should he


we want to sec miss mary of course said mark


of course said martin


but i dont know where she is


not having had the heart to write in our distress you yourself thought silence was most advisable and consequently never having heard from lier since we left new york the first time i dont know where she is my good fellow


my opinion is sir returned mark that what weve got to do is to travel straight to the dragon


theres no need for you to go there where youre known unless you like


you may stop ten mile short of it


ill go on


mrs lupin will tell me all tbe news


mr pinch will give me every information that we want and right glad mr pinch will be to do it


my proposal is to set off walking this afternoon


to stop when we are tired


to get a lift when we can


to walk when we cant


to do it at once and do it cheap


unless we do it cheap we shall have some difficulty in doing it at all said mtirtin pulling out the bank and telling it over in bis hand


whereas when youve seen the young lady and know what state of mind tlie old gen tlemans in and all about it then you know what to do next


no doubt said martin


youre quite right


they were raising their glasses to their lips when their hands stopped midway and their gaze was arrested by a figure which slowly very slowly and reflectively passed the window at that moment


mr pecksniff


placid calm but proud


honestly proud


dressed with peculiar cure smiling with more than usual blaudness pon dering on the beauties of his art with ji mild abstraction from all sordid thoughts and gently travelling across the disc as if he were a figure in a magic lantern


as mr pecksniff passed a person coming in the opposite direction stopped to look after him with great interest and respect almost with veneration and the landlord bouncing out of the house as if he had seen him too joined this person nnd spoke to him nnd shook his head gravely and looked after mr peck sniff likewise


martin nnd mark sat storing at each other as if they could not believe it but there stood the landlord and the other man still


in spite of the indignation with which this glimpse of mr pecksniff had inspired him martin could not help laughing heartily neither could mark


we must inquire into this i said martin


ask the landlord in mark


mr tapley retired for that purpose and im mediately returned with heir large headed host in safe convoy


i ray luuaioru r saiu mnrim wuo is that gentleman who passed just now and whom you were looking after


the landlord poked the fire as if in his de sire to make the most of his answer he had become indifferent even to the price of coals and putting his hands in his pockets said after inflating himself to give still farther effect to his reply that gentlemen is the great mr peck sniff i the celebrated architect gentlemen


he looked from one to the other while lie said it as if he were ready to assist the first man who might be overcome by the intelli gence


the great mr pecksniff tbe celebrated architect gentlemen said the landlord has come clown here to help to lay thefirststone of a new and splendid public building


is it to he built from his designs asked martin


the great mr pecksniff the celebrated arclitect geutlemen returned the landlord who seemed to have an unspeakable delight in the repetition of these words carried off tbe first premium and will erect the building


who lays tlie stone


asked martin


our member has come down express re turned the landlord


no scrubs would do for such a purpose


nothing less would satisfy our directors than our member in the house of commons who is returned upon the gen tleman ly interest


which interest is that


what dont you know


returned the landlord


it was quite clear the landlord didnt


they always told him at election time that it was tbe gentlemanly side and he immediately put on bis tophoots and voted for it


when does tbe ceremony take place


this day replied the landlord


then pulling out his watch he added impressively


almost mis miuiiic


martin hastily inquired whether there was any possibility of getting in to witness it aud finding that there would be no objection to the admittance of any decent person unless indeed the ground were full hurried off with mark as hard as they could go


they were fortunate enough to squeeze themselves into a famous corner on the ground where hey could see all that passed without much dread of being beheld by mr pecksniff in return they were not a minute too soon for as they were in the act of congratulating each other a great noise was heard at some distance and everybody looked towards tbe gate


several ladies prepared their pocket jqiidkercbiefs for waving and a stray teacher belonging to the charity school being much cheered by mistake was immensely groaned at nheu detected


perhaps he has tom pinch with him martin whispered mr tapley


it would be rather too much of a treat for him wouldnt it sir


whispered mr tapley in return


there was no time to discuss the probabilities either way for the charity school in clean linen came filing in two and two so much to the selfapproval of all the people present who didnt subscribe lo it that many of them shed tears


a band of music followed led by a con scientious drummer who never left off


then came a great many gentlemen with wands in their bands and hows on their breasts whose share in the proceedings did not appear to be distinctly laid down and who trod upon each other aud blocked up the entry for a con siderable period


these were followed by the mayor and corporation all clustering round the member for the gentlemanly interest who had tbe great mr pecksniff the celebrated architect on his right hand and conversed with him familiarly as they crime along


then the ladies waved their handkerchiefs and the gentlemen their hats and tbe charity children shrieked and the member for the gentlemanly interest bowed


silence being restored the member for the gentlemanly interest rubbed his hands and wagged bis head and looked about him plea santly and there was nothing this member did at which some lady or other did not burst into an ecstatic waving of her pockethand kerchief


when he looked up at the stone they said how graceful


when lie peeped into tbe hole they said how condescending


when he chatted with the mayor they said how easy


when he folded his arms they cried with one accord how statesmanlike i mr pecksniff was observed too closely


when he talked o the mayor they said oh really what a courtly man he was i when he laid his hand upon tlie masons shoulder giving him directions


how pleasant his de meanour to the working classes jubt the sort of man who made their toil a pleasure to them poor dear souls


but now a silver trowel was brought and when lie member for tbe gentlemanly


in terest tucking up his coatsleeve did a little sleightofhand with the mortar tbe air was rent so loud was tbe applause


the workman like manner in which lie did it was nmazing


no one could conceive where such a gentle manly creature could iiave picked the know ledge up


when he bad made a bind of dirtpie under he direction of the mason they brought a little vase containing coins the which the member for the gentlemanly interest jingled as if lie were going to conjure


whereat they said low droll how cheerful what a flow of spirits


this put into its place an ancient scholar read the inscription which was in latin not in english that would never do


it gave great satisfac tion especially every time there was a good long substantive in the third declension abla tive case with an adjective to match at which periods the assembly became very tender tin becamo much affected


and now the stone was lowered down into its place amidst the shouting of the concourse


when it was firmly fixed the member for the gentlemanly interest struck upon it thrice with the handle of tbe trowel as if inquiring with a touch of humour whether anybody wob at home


mr pecksniff then unrolled his plans prodigious plans they were and people gathered round to look at and admire them


martin who had been fretting hinibelf quite unnecessarily us mark thought during the whole of these proceedings could no longer restrain his impatience but stepping forward among several others looked straight over the shoulder of the unconscious mr pecksniff at the designs and plans he had unrolled


he returned to mark boiling with rage


why whats the matter sir


cried mark


matter


that is my building


your building sir i baid mark


my grammarschool


i invented it


i did it all


he has only put four windows in the villain and spoilt it mark could hardly believe it at first but being assured that it nos really so actually held him to prevent his interference foolishly until his temporary heat was past


in the mean time the member addressed the company on the gratifyingdeed which he had just performed


he said that since he had snt in parliament to represent the gmtlenmnly interest of that town and he might add the lady interest he hoped besides pocket handkerchiefs it bad been his pleasant duty to come among them nnd to raise his voice on their behalf in a nother place pockethandkerchiefs and laughter often


but he had never come among them aud had never raised his voice with half such pure such deep such unalloyed delight as now


the present occasion he said will ever be memorable to me not only for the reasons i have assigned but because it has afforded me an opportunity of becoming personally known to a gentleman here he pointed the trowel at mr pecksniff who was greeted with vociferous cheering and laid his hand upon his heart


to a gentleman who i am happy to be lieve will reap both distinction and profit from his field whose fame had previously pene trated to me as to whose ears has it notl but whose intellectual countenance i never had the distinguished honour to behold until this day and whose intellectual conversation i had never before the improving pleasure to enjoy


everybody seemed very glad of this and ap plauded more than ever


but my honourable friend baid the gentlemanly member of course he added if he willallow me to call him so and of course mr pecksniff bowed will give me many opportunities of cultivating the knowledge of him and that i may have the extraordinary gratification of reflecting in after time that i laid on this day two first stones both belonging o structures which shall last my life f


great cheering again


all this time martin was cursing mr pecksniff up hill and down dale


my friends i said m r pecksniff in reply


my duty is to build not speak to act not talk to deal with marble stone and brick not language


i am very much affected


god bless you


i this address pumped out apparently from mr pecksniffs very heart brought the enthu siasm to its highest pitch


the pockethand kerchiefs were waved again the charity children were admonished to grow up peck sniffs every boy among them the corporation gentlemen witli wands member for the gentle manly j uterest all cheered for mr pecksniff


three cheers for mr pecksniff


three more for mr pecksniff


three more for mr pecksniff gentleman if you please one more gentlemen for mr pecksniff and let it be a good one to finish with in short mr pecksniff was supposed to have done a great work and was very kindly cour teously and generously rewarded


when the procession moved away and martin and mark were left almost alone upon tbe ground his merits nnd n desire to acknowledge them formed thecommon topic


he was only second to the gentlemanly member


compare tbatfellows situation today with ours said martin bitterly


lord bless you sirl cried mark whats the use


some architects nre clever at making foundations and some architects are clever at building on em when theyre made


but itll all come right in the eud sir itll all come right


and in tlie mean time began martin


in the mean time as you say sir we have a deal to do and far to go


so sharp s the word aud jolly


you ore the best master in the world mark suid martin and i will not be a bad scholar it i can help it i am resolved


so come best foot foremost old fellow to be continued


bush life in australia


an original tale


chapter


v


if dicks story had led me to expect a man of tall form and herculean frame the figure before me was calculated to disappoint


he did not appear to be more than twenty or twentyone and had small finelyformed limbs with all the roundness of a womans


his features were by no means unpleasant though there was a savage wildness about his eyes as they glanced about with the ra pidity of lightning that created an uneasy sen sation


with the exception of a girdle of opos sum furtwine and six or eight rows of smoked reeds cut into short pieces like beads round his neck he was entirely naked


his body was highly polished with grease and his hair gathered up at the top of his head was tied in a tuft from which arose a bunch of emu feathers


he was engaged at this moment in a little australian surgery


before he was captured one of the troopers had been obliged to give him a taste of cold steel which had laid open the calf of his leg from top to bottom


this gash he was in the habit of filling up four or five times aday with fresh earth and he was now digging out that simple remedy with a stick preparatory to plastering in a fresh supply


he scarcely condescended to notice us but went on with his employment glancing however furtively about as he did so


where did you catch this fellow


in quired i of the policeman


only about ten miles from here sir


they attacked us when we were in camp and killed one of our best horses so the major was up and after them as soon as we could get mounted


they all got away into a scrub but this fellow but we cut him off and rounding him up till he couldnt get away so up he runs into an oak sapling like a possum


the major wouldnt have him shot so ordered one of our men to cut down the sapling but just as tho tree was falling hang me sir if this fellow didnt jump into another like a flying squirrel


there was a clump of these oak saplings together like you often see them in forests hore


well how did you manage then asked harry


why one of our men shinned up the tree to pull him down but just as he got close up my gentleman hauls out a wallaby stick from behind and lets drive with it


down dropped our man almost stunned for it hit him in the head


it was nearly all over with mister blackey for two or three of us had our guns up but major donnie wouldnt allow it


so with that sir i shins np the tree with tho sword in my teeth and just as i got within a nice distance i deliver


ed no and gave him that sir pointing with evident satisfaction to the deep cut in the blackfellows leg


he shook his mun doosy for a minute added the man and then dropped but it took four of us to man him after all for he is as slippery as an eel


i could well believe this for slipperiness and flexibility were the ideas conveyed by a glance at the native


as he reclined half sitting and half lying with his body bowed into a somicircle and his limbs wrapped overeach other he looked as though he could have tied himself into a knot or drawn himself through a key hole in the case of emergency


leaving this child of the woods to his guard we passed into the house our guide announcing us as two strange gentlemen arrived by tho cutter


welcome gentlemen welcome said a loud hearty voice the rich brogue of which thore was no mistaking for a moment so far as my authority extends on the clarence i bid ye welcome most heartily though to say tho truth what good that can do ye un less yeve brought your own beef and damper in the cutter upon my honor gentlemen i am at a loss to conjecture


the figure from whom this characteristic salutation proceeded wis certainly not to my mind calculated to inspiro very lofty notions of the power and dignity of her ma jesty tho queon in this portion of her do minions


m ijor dounie was about six foot two inches high vory thin very brown and between fifty and sixty years of ago


ho had a fino head thioc bushy eyebrows sharp dark oyes and a heavy groy and black moustache on tho upper lip


altogether his bearing and appotranco were thoieofa gentleman and a soldier but it was an ex traordinary equipment more than anything else that presented him in a ludicrous light


ilowas dressed in one of the very common est of chock shirts with no neckcloth of any kind and no coat or waistcoat


his long legs wero encasedjo far as they could be in a pair of now but very ciarso and short duck trousers which displayed nearly the whole length of his thick wellington boots armed with long rusty military spurs


he wore a bluo forage cap with a fadod gold ban and a heavy dragoon sabro with steel scabbml was slung from his waist


harry and i exchanged a glance which soemod to imply our forgiveness of the sawyers for tho amusement they had extractad from our elaborate toilette on tho occasion of such a vbit as this


in afow words i made tho major acquaint ed with th ohjoc


of my journey awl cravud bia wool i i


i t til poutnn of my on tcrprise


ocruiuly my lad saidthe oh to be


tut


ill glad to you though that isnt much as youmay observe


devil an article of clothing even have i to wear but the suit of slops you see on me and which though i am entirely obliged to our good friend mr thomas here for the same is not exactly the costume for a field officer holding her majestys commis sion of the peace


harry hastened to assure tho major that his own wardrobe was amply supplied and to offer anything that might be required for temporary use


thats a hearty fellow said the major shaking his hand upon my word then ill accept your offer with pleasure and more over if you happen to have such a thing as a pipe of tobacco in your pocket you can add no small trifle to the obligation


wo had no supply of the weed at hand though there was plenty on board but captain john an inveterate chewer produced a rich cake of tho manufactured leaf that made the majors mouth water


while he was filling a largebowled black pipe he gave us a hasty sketch of tho causes of his present plight


ho had left tho mlcay six weeks before intending to travel to this place by the sea const but heavy rains had flooded all the rivers and creeks and greatly retarded his progress


one horse carrying all but the scanty clothing ho rode in on a hot summer day was carried away by the flood in crossing a river and as they could get no game they at last had to kill another horse for food


in this way they managed to get within a days journey of the clarence when they were attacked by the blacks and lost a third horse as already narrated


on arriving here they found the settlement almost entirely destitute of provisions and as for tobaccothat indispensable nccessit of the bushmanthe worthy commissioner had not as ho so lemnly assured us had the ghost of a smoke for the last three weeks


ile had arrived almost as naked as his black prisoner his garments having been torn to ribbons in forcing his way through thick scrubs that intercepted the route


the arrival of the mary was most oppor tune for all parties mr thomas had sup plies on board i had abundance of all such articles as the major desired to purchase on account of the government andthe whole population of the river numbering perhaps some forty or fifty persons had more or less cause to rejoice at our coining


as soon as the cutter hauled alongside the river bank we got ashore such things as were necessary for immediate use and the major now rigged out in full shoot ing costume at harrys cost and smack ing his lips over some really excellent strawcoloured sherry of which i had broached a case suggested th at we should all dine together at thomasa proposal which was seconded and carried without a dissentient voice


our own party was not largeconsisting only of the commissioner


hany mr thomas captain john and myself but it appeared likely that wo should be strongly supported from without as sawyers continued to arrive from various parts of the river and a twentygallon keg of ruma joint purchasewas standing on end with tho head knocked in so that the thirsty proprietors might dip in their panni cims without unnecessary delay or incon


venience


as this my first bush dinner terminated at least as seriously as the nonpasty banquet whereof goldsmith tells us i adopt the pre cedent and give briefly the carte at thomas


wchad salt pork and salt beef kangaroo loin steaks fried with ham curried wild pigeons preserved salmon potatoes from the cutter wild spinach gathered from the river bank and an impromptu damper of fair propor tions


some new sheets of mino did duty as a table cloth whereon glittered a magnificent display us tho newspaper say of virgin tin plates dishes and pannicans


under the table were stowed bottled beer sherry in buckets of water and an ample supply of brandy for the windup


every thing had been arranged under the majors direction and whatever the fastidious reader may think of the matter that distinguished officer regarded his handiwork with no small satisfaction as he took his scat at the board in tho evening


well mr wotton said he there is nothing like privation to make a man ap preciate the blessings of providence


i have sat at good mens feasts in the course of my life i assure you but upon my word after the course of horseflesh i have just under gone this appears to me to bo as fine a dinner as youd get at tho clarrendon so well just commence itif you please with a glass of wine though sure its only a panni can we have but devil a matter for that


we were soon in full swing and though i did not at first tako very kindly to the kangaroo flesh the curry at once gained my affections


it had been prepared under the especial direction of the commissioner who found all necessary ingredients on board


the man who has eaten tho wild green pigeon of the fig trees so curried may pity the rest of the world


to the uninitiated i can only say that the luxury can neither be imagined nor described


but it must not be one of your wishywashy steampacket cur ries to do justice to the wampoo or bubbelo myroo pigeon


science aud gcuius must presido over the stewpau


the ordinary dinner business having been despatched together with no inconsiderable quantity of malt wo had time to talk about general and particular affairs over our tipjile


let it not be supposed that at this time i indulged in any of tho excesses of the table or tho tavern


harry itidced could lake his bottle of wine like a man and though but a puny infant to the major contrived to keep him in countenance


mr thomas and the skipper were seasoned old casks showing no leakage until absolutely full but as for mo two glasses of grog would in those days set my head spinniug and of the joys of smok ing i was most barbarously ignorant


in fact tobo candid i believe i was just the least bit in tho world of a milksop


to be continued


the streets of sydney with some account of the houses thereof and the people who dwell therein


by hooke


y walker a very extensive traveller


chapter i


a few observations touching and concerning myself


those who feel inclined to track my travels through the streets will perhaps be curious enough to enquire my motives for exhuming these mouldy records from the sepulchre of the past and exposing them to the gaze of mankind


in good sooth i have a reason to offer to such inquisitors and must therefore leave them if it is worth their while to seek a solution in the arms of speculation


perchance by giving a loose rein to the steed of fancy they may stumble over the truth and if unsuccessful in their ob ject the gallop will do them little injury


i can assure them however that vanity did not move me to make my humble jottings down public


no


i am not of those egotists who plume themselves upon their capacity to hatch and rear a brood of ideas combining all the sagacity of nestor with the profound learning and piety of henry and coxe


those ambitious birds who perched on the pinnacle of selfconceit bespatter the unfortunate beneath them and blow the shrill clarion in their own praise accompanied by a continual clapping of wings


no i am deeply impressed with my own insignificance and am content with it not being mounted on stilts i shall be spared many a tumblefor what says the poet


the storm which sweeps the mountain height will spare the humble valley


looking up is a superior philosophy to that of looking down


the mass of mankind is blind to this great truth


pride of birth is a prevailing weakness


men boast of the deeds of their ancestors in order to conceal their own defects


they resemble hu man sloths who feed upon the leaves of the gene alogical tree till they leave trunk and branches shorn and bare


they would even chop up these if they possessed the power and warm them selves by the ashes of the great


i cannot trace my ancestry to the flood although i firmly be lieve the walkers came in about the time of the creation but i gather from ancient documents in my possession that one syr hugh walkerre helped the norman william to walk over the saxons by which he acquired both fame and name


in this chronicle is written thus nowe wyllyame beynge fyrmlye seetedde onne ye throne dydde calle togetherre hys faythfulle knychts ye whomme hadde helpedde hym yn ye battelle annde among themme was syr hugh walkerre who dydde a darynge featte offe horse manneshyp


yn ye bloodye fyelde forre he rode upoune a barebackedde steede untoe ye kynge whoe was soore besette by ye saxonnes annde laydde about hym ryghte manfullye


annde hee cleavedde onne malcomme a fashyoneere offe garmenttes toe ye chyne annde bye sheere force


hee cutte


ye threade offe lyfe offe dyverres otherre saxonnes annde


soe savedde


ye kynge


so hee was favoredde


muche


wythe ye royalle smyle


thenne wyllyame beynge sweete onne syr hugh dydde saye untoe hym wouldeste thou notte lyke a portyonne of ye loaves annde fyshes


whereupone syr hugh dydde answerre yea myghtye kynge myghtylye


then ye kynge smylyinglye sayde annde howe manye offe ye loaves wouldeste thou take an yt werre yn thye powerre


thenne syr hugh replydde ye whole batche


atte ye whyche ye kynge laugh


ynglye cryedde outte oh walkerre


thenne hee questyonedde syr hugh yn thys


wyse annde howe wouldde you cotche ye saxonne flatte fyshe wythe a hooke promptylye re plyedde syr hugh


whereatte ye kynge was wondrouslye tyckellede annde forthwythe sayde syr hugh offe a verytye thou hastte an eye toe busyness annde shalte bee rewardedde wee wylle endowe thee wyth greate goodes annde wee wylle change thye name accordynge toe thye


funny conceyte wee henceforth annde fore everre calle thee syr hooke eye walkerre annde gyve unto thee alle oure castelles


yn ye ayre


annde so yt was donne


i am strongly inclined to put credence in this account of my ancestor and more particularly as the walker family appear to have lived princi pally upon air ever since


i have not an intense admiration of the atmospheric liberality of the norman robber but i hold the memory of syr hooke eye walker in great respect as from him i have inherited the power of existing upon next to nothing which is a most desirable facility in these oppressive times


so having said enough of my family and myself i will walk into the streets of sydney