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fitus. Sed nova amoris conditio, nam figitur amplexus recedentis 

 juvenis, qui a vi quadam ignota fentit fe teneri et attrahi. Corpus autcm 

 medium et cetera membra, in membrum illud inclufum transfufa et fen- 

 Cm transformata, in fedem foemineie voluptatis tranfeunt, et reconduntur ; 

 ct recondita non redeunt, fed corpus foeminEE totum virum pedetentim 

 abforpfit. Perit juvenis ; nee vox nee forma manebat. Sed, res prorfus 

 mirabilis, ex pabulo novo corpus fosmina; nee grandior nee audlior. 



Poftridie qui lugens evaferat e fedibus vetitis frater, redibat gaudens. 

 Ruit in delicias. Commiffo prcelio amoris, quce fratri, eadem gaudia, vifto 

 eadem fata. E fratribus tertius qui pro fuis timens, promontorium tranf- 

 ve^tus efl, luit poenas audacice, Quartus etiam, qui temere defiderio fra- 

 trum motus, ifthmi regiones invadere aufus, idem imprudentite fruc- 

 tus. Faucis ab hinc diebus, frater natu maximus domum redux, ex- 

 tinftos focos, defertaque caftra, veftigia fratrum plurima invenit, recentia 

 nulla. Audaciam et novitatis fitim caufas mali fufpicat ; certum fe red- 

 dere optans, donis placaturus, domum Machimanitoi* petit confultor ; 



qui 



* The different nations of Indians aflign different fituations to this formidable manfion. 

 The Miffifaflji, who are the heroes of this fable, have fixed it in the crater of a vol- 

 cano, fituated about midway between Niagara and Toronto, fuppofed to be about fifteen 

 or fixteen miles diflant from lake Ontario, in a difficult traft of country, known only to 

 the Indians. The explofions of this volcano continued for many years ; a gendeman, 

 now one of his majefty's fupreme Council in upper Canada, who has a houfe upon the 

 little lake, near the road to Toronto, informed me that the explofions, repeated three 

 or four times a day, and fometimes oftener, gave fuch a fhock to the air, that the China 

 upon the (helves, and the furniture of his houfe often fhook violently. Brandt the Indian 

 chief, compared the noife to the difcharge of a battery of heavy cannon. The explofions have 

 ceafed ever fince the earthquake, which was felt fome years ago, and which deflroyed 

 one of the cliffs, of Stedman's Jfland, that feparates the two falls of Niagara. The 

 Indians have an invincible objeflion to conducing any flranger to this fpot. Brandt, 

 though poffefTrng influence enough to be chofen chief of their nation, being himfelf a 

 Mohawk, has often as he told me, folicited this in vain ; they believe, that the evil 

 fpirit would follow the condudor, with his fignal vengeance, and perhaps exterminate 

 their whole nation. Such is Indian fuperftition ! and ftrange to tell, there indubitably 

 exifted a volcano, for a feries of years, in a ftate of explofion, in the center of his 

 Majefty's poffefEons in Canada, which none of his fubjefls have ever yet been able to 

 explore, fo as to afcertain its exaft fituation. 



