A uunter's life. 203 



" Well," said he, " we will have one for dinner, as I am 

 rery fond of them." 



When dinner was ready, as I walked into the room I 

 saw a great thing standing on all fours on a dish, looking 

 as gaudy as a sunflower, and about the size of a half-grown 

 snapping-turtle. "Well," thinks I to myself, "old fellow, 

 I reckon I shall have to try your queer-looking body next; 

 though, if you are no better than the oysters, I shall wish 

 yuu as far in the sea as a humming-bird can fly in a month ; 

 but here is at you, anyhow." 



In my turn I was helped to a choice piece of the crab, 

 which I tried, but found to be little better than the oysters. 

 "Well," thinks I, "as the man has done all in his power 

 to treat me well, I must go into the crab, like it or not. 

 Confound it ! other people eat it, and I will eat it, let it 

 taste as it may." 



So into it I went, and kept on eating, but with very 

 little appetite ; for when I wished to swallow, it was with 

 great difficulty that I could perform the act. I was soon 

 asked how I liked the crab ; when I replied that I could 

 get along better with him than I did with the oysters, 

 though 1 could not say that I was fond of either ; but if 

 ever Mr. Holland should visit Allegany, I would take 

 great pleasure in treating him to a fine piece of a bear, 

 or of a fat buck, which I thought, if he could divest him- 

 self of prejudice, he would find to be preferable to any- 

 thing that could be taken out of the salt water 



When dinner was over, Mr. Holland proposed a walk 

 down to the wharf; asking me if I had ever seen a steam- 

 boat. I told him that I had not, and that I would be 

 pleased to look at one. We then walked down to the 

 wharf, where the boat lay, with a great number of persons, 

 looking as though, like myself, they had never seen a 

 steamer before. 



Mr, HollpMd and myself went on board, and he showed 



