WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA. 287 



unknown wanderer to come and take a seat beside tliem ; 

 but there was one who encouraged me more than the rest. 

 I saw clearly that he was an American, and I judged, by 

 his manners and appearance, that he had not spent all his 

 time upon his native soil. I was right in this conjecture, 

 for he afterwards told me that he had been in France and 

 England. I saluted him as one stranger gentleman ought 

 to salute another when he wants a little information ; and 

 soon after, I dropped in a word or two by which he might 

 conjecture that I was a foreigner; but I did not tell him 

 so ; I wished him to make the discovery himself. 



He entered into conversation with the openness and 

 candour which is so remarkable in the American ; and in 

 a little time observed that he presumed 1 was from the 

 old country. I told him that I was, and added, that I was 

 an entire stranger on board. I saw his eye brighten up at 

 the prospect he had of doing a fellow-creature a kind turn 

 or two, and he completely won my regard by an affability 

 which I shall never forget. This obliging gentleman, 

 pointed out everything that was grand and interesting as 

 the steam-boat plied her course up the majestic Hudson 

 Here the Catskill mountains raised their lofty summit ; 

 and there the hills came sloping down to the water's edge. 

 Here he pointed to an aged and venerable oak, which 

 having escaped the levelling axe of man, seemed almost 

 to defy the blasting storm and desolating hand of time ; 

 and there, he bade me observe an extended tract of wood, 

 by which I might form an idea how rich and grand the 

 face of the country had once been. Here it was that, in 

 the gi^eat and momentous struggle, the colonists lost the 

 day ; and there, they carried all before them : — 



" They closed full fast, on every side 

 No slackness there was found ; 

 And many a gallant gentleman 

 Lay gasping on the ground." 



