recefTes of the woods. The feflfe of pain from the wounds of obfliruft- 

 ing brambles firfl; roufed her, the frownings of the ravines and pre- 

 cipices awed her, the weaknefs produced by fatigue and hunger luc- 

 ceeded in recalling her diflrafted thoughts to the contemplation of her 

 fad condition. Thrown on a bank, exhaufted and hopelefs, a diftant noife 

 attrafted her. As it feemed to break iu articulate founds, flie turned 

 round towards the quarter from which it proceeded ; flie liftened ; fhe 

 arofe ; flie advanced j flae paufed j (he advanced with a precipitated ftep ; 

 and recognized the voice of her wretched brother. The furprize opera- 

 ting on her enfeebled mind, fhe forgot for the moment the dreadfuf 

 cataftrophe flie had juft witneffed, and believed him flill alive, unmuti- 

 lated. Her illulion was deftroyed by hearing a narration of the me- 

 lancholy truth. The voice from the hollow oak, direfted her where 

 to find berries. She fat, and was refreflied. She afcended to the hollow 

 of the tree, where the head was enclofed, and letting down a cord of 

 twifted bark, drew it forth with a mixture of horror and de- 

 light. She placed it in her bofom : it became her counfellor : it pur- 

 veyed for her fubfiftence : it direfted her courfe : it indicated her places 

 of reft. When they halted, flie placed it in fome elevated place, on 

 a bed of mofs, where h feemed to tafte repofe ; when they journeyed, 

 its confolation charmed away fatigue : and it watched over her during the 

 feafon of darknefs. Its power among the foreft-tribes was wonderfully 

 manifefted. By the direftions it gave her, flie placed it upon fome ftock 

 or decayed branch, in the neighbourhood of thofe beaten paths, by 

 which the deer and Caribou are accuftomed to pafs. Its imitations of 

 their calls invited their approach. A powerful fafcination drew them to 

 the fpot. And the viftim marked out for a repaft, fell inftantly dead, 

 penetrated by the glances of the head, each one of which had the power 

 to kiU. 



The ftorm was now paffed over, and a better world feemed to open 

 through the feparating clouds. The wants of hunger fupplied, the fears 

 of danger baniihed, and a compofure 4iitherto never experienced by this 

 V'oman fince her marriage, rendered her fituation comparatively enviable. 



It, 



