578 APPENDIX. 



of them. They are now here again. The screeching of these birds, 

 and the hooting of the brown or wood-owl, are heard the night 

 throughout, close to the house. 



At the beginning of Lent, or, say a fortnight before it, we killed 

 our hen turkies, leaving only the old male, to be served up for dinner 

 in Easter-week. From the day that the last hen turkey was killed, 

 the male, then in perfect health and plumage, began to show signs 

 of sorrow. He no longer gave his well-known spring notes; he 

 ceased entirely to strut; and he appeared to us all as though he were 

 seeking something which he could not find. Every day he, ap- 

 parently, grew more sorrowful. His downcast looks and drooping 

 wings too clearly showed that he was sick at heart and past recovery. 

 I ordered my man to go and get a turkey hen from the village. He 

 did so. But she came too late. The poor old fellow took no notice 

 of her. He was then trailing his wings on the ground, as he moved 

 slowly from the place where I was standing. The night put an end 

 to his sorrows. I am sure that he died quite broken-hearted. 



Our weather here has been most extraordinary. The winter in 

 general was nearly as warm as at the end of spring; but, occasionally, 

 we have had two days of intense frost, and then a sweeping thaw. 

 A few days ago the wind became intolerably cold from the eastward ; 

 but the weather was fine. Yesterday morning, however, Boreas and 

 Eurus joined their forces, to show that they would still be masters 

 of the land ; and actually it has been snowing ever since. 



I know not what will become of the poor birds. The rooks, being 

 early builders, must suffer very much; and I expect that many a 

 thrush and blackbird will be found dead in the hedge bottom. The 

 day before yesterday I both heard and saw the chiff-chaff. " Get 

 thee back to Africa," said I ; " thou art come hither to perish." 



If any of your young and comely Yankees want a rich and royal 

 wife, send him over to us. Our Queen has got quit of one daughter, 

 at an enormous expense to the nation, and ere long she will have 

 another in the market. The Government papers give us accounts 

 of how that we slay hundreds of the East Indians without the loss 

 of a man taking care, at the same time, that we here at home know 

 little or nothing of the real state of things. Depend upon it, our 

 warlike dance in India is not yet over. And then, how are we to 



