e lake arose tall trees, around which
grape-vines had wreathed themselves, and upon which fruit, ripe,
black, and delicious, hung temptingly exposed to the eye of the
traveller. The birds were twittering about the boughs, and swallows
were skimming the bosom of the lake. But what most astonished the
Nanticoke was, the great number of little cabins scattered along its
shores. They were none of them higher than his hip, and were built of
mud and grass. The Nanticoke, who loved to look upon the fair things
of nature, the sun, and moon, and stars, and leafy woods, and green
meads, and quiet waters, and other beautiful things of nature, sat
down upon the border of the lake, and permitted the throb of delight
to enter his bosom, through the medium of his eyes. While he sate thus
absorbed, he saw a little black creature, with four legs, creep out of
the water near him, and stretch itself at its length upon the green
sod. It was black, glossy, and not longer than a man's arm. While it
was devouring its food, which in this instance was roots dug from the
marsh, it raised itself upon its two hind legs, to an upright posture,
sitting erect as a Nanticoke, until it had finished. During the time
it was eating, it was continually talking and chattering to itself, in
a language, which the Nanticoke could discover, by the few words
which reached his ear, to be that in which he himself spoke. Astonished,
beyond the power of words to express, at hearing a beast speak, a
beast, too, of such a mean appearance, he rose and advanced towards
it. When it saw him coming, instead of retreating to the water, as
beasts which are untamed usually do at the approach of man, whom all
inferior creatures thus acknowledge as their chief, it advanced to
meet him, made the sign of friendship in use among the Nanticokes, and
spoke to him thus:

"Stranger! I bid thee welcome to the waters of the Lake of Musk-rats.
Thou hast come to a region, rich in sunny skies, and yielding
abundance of fruit. Thou hast come to the great village of my race, to
the spot where we have dwelt ever since ourselves, and this lake, and
that hill, were formed at the nod of the Great Spirit. Hitherto we
have dwelt in peace, unvisited by one of thy race, but reason, and
instinct alike inform me that thou wilt become the enemy of my tribe.
Hitherto we have dwelt in peace, with none to vex us, or make us
afraid--that period is past, and now thou wilt destroy us, unless
something is do