cool sort of way, I seized hold of him by the
shoulders, and yanked him straight out, like a log from a marsh
slough. 'Now, take it all for the best, John,' I rejoined
encouragingly, going to work and putting up a liberty pole, to which I
tacked the stars and stripes, while John was grumbling, growling, and
methodizing about saving himself. This done on behalf of my country,
and Young America more particularly, I set about erecting a hut,
wherein we could both turn in for the night. With me it was sink the
desponding and keep up a stiff spring of hope; but when bed-time came,
John made a great fuss about his night-cap and 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
unintelligib