considerable rise of the country at
a great distance from it. It scarce ever rains there, yet the land is
fertile; great dews fall in the night which refresh the soil. About
the latter end of June or first of July, the river begins to rise, and
gradually increases until it has inundated the country for a great
distance, to a height of seven or eight feet. This brings on a slime
which enriches the land surprisingly. When the river has subsided,
the natives begin to sow and plant, and the vegetation is exceedingly
rapid. Near this rich river my guardian's land lay. He possessed, I
cannot tell exactly how much, yet this I am certain of respecting it,
that he owned an immense tract. He possessed likewise a great many
cattle and goats. During my stay with him I was kindly used, and with
as much tenderness, for what I saw, as his only son, although I was an
entire stranger to him, remote from friends and relations. The
principal occupation of the inhabitants there, were the cultivation of
the soil and the care of their flocks. They were a people pretty
similar in every respect to that of mine, except in their persons,
which were not so tall and stout. They appeared to be very kind and
friendly. I will now return to my departure from that place.

My father sent a man and horse after me. After settling with my
guardian for keeping me, he took me away and went for home. It was
then about one year since my mother brought me here. Nothing
remarkable occured to us on our journey until we arrived safe home.

I found then that the difference between my parents had been made up
previous to their sending for me. On my return, I was received both
by my father and mother with great joy and affection, and was once
more restored to my paternal dwelling in peace and happiness. I was
then about six years old.

Not more than six weeks had passed after my return, before a message
was brought by an inhabitant of the place where I lived the preceding
year to my father, that that place had been invaded by a numerous
army, from a nation not far distant, furnished with musical
instruments, and all kinds of arms then in use; that they were
instigated by some white nation who equipped and sent them to subdue
and possess the country, that his nation had made no preparation for
war, having been for a long time in profound peace that they could not
defend themselves against such a formidable train of invaders, and
must therefore nec