t us over one another's shoulders from a
safe distance. Presently, one, more enterprising than the rest,
ventured so far as to reach out her hand, and touch Barton on the cheek,
when, finding that no disastrous consequences immediately followed this
act of temerity, they gradually laid aside their apprehensions, and
pressing around us, soon became sufficiently familiar to try a variety
of highly original and interesting experiments upon our complexion and
clothing. These, though somewhat annoying, were accompanied by
questions and observations so irresistibly ludicrous, that we soon found
it entirely out of the question to preserve any sort of gravity, and as
the whole troop always joined in our laughter without stopping to
understand its cause, or instantly led off of themselves, upon the
slightest provocation, the woods resounded with peals of merriment.

"One of these damsels, after examining Barton's fair skin, and flowing
yellow locks, gravely communicated to a companion, her conviction that
we had come from the moon. A second stoutly maintained our earthly
origin, and attributed our paleness to the influence of some strange
sickness; while a third, being of a sceptical and suspicious turn of
mind, suddenly seized Barton by the wrist and spitting upon the skirt of
her pareu, commenced scrubbing his hand with great vigour, to see
whether the colours were fast. Our tight-fitting garments; too, seemed
to puzzle them exceedingly, and we were listeners to an animated debate,
upon the question whether they were a natural or an artificial covering;
the young lady who upheld the theory of our lunar origin, inclining
strongly to the opinion, that like the feathery coat of birds, our
clothing was a part of ourselves. But the sagacity and penetration of
the one who had endeavoured to wash the paint from Barton's hand, soon
enabled her to discover the unsoundness of this doctrine, and, in order
the more triumphantly to refute it, she insisted upon pulling off my
jacket, and trying it on herself. Finding that nothing less would
satisfy her, I resigned the garment, when having succeeded, with some
assistance, in getting into it, and buttoning it up as far as was
practicable, she snatched Barton's cap to complete her costume, and
commenced parading up and down the avenue, the admiration and envy of
her companions. I fully expected that Barton's coat would next be put
in requisition, and he whispered me that he stood in mome