372 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



centre of the town the flower of the citizens was 

 assembled, divided into two groups. . One of them, 

 consisting of the younger men, had fixed its head- 

 quarters in front of a tavern, the designation of which 

 was indicated by a sign, whose hieroglyphics, accord- 

 ing to our firm belief, neither Denon nor Champollion 

 could have deciphered. Under these was written, 

 for those who could read it, the customary announce- 

 ment of " Entertainment for Nan and Beast." In 

 the interior of the establishment a second fiddle was 

 to be heard ; the performer upon which, of a less 

 martial turn than his rival, was performing a lively 

 jig for the benefit of a crowd of dancers. 



The other group, more gravely disposed, had 

 chosen a more respectable parade-ground, and estab- 

 lished itself in front of a store, containing a miscel- 

 lany of earthen jugs, rolls of chewing tobacco, felt 

 hats, shoes, knives, forks, and spoons, and (the most 

 essential of all) a cask of whisky and a keg of lead 

 and powder. Above the door was a board, with the 

 inscription, " Xew Shop Cheap for Cash ; " and on 

 the wall of the crazy framehouse was written in 

 chalk ""Whisky, Brandy, Tobacco, Post-office." 



On the stump of a tree stood a man who, to judge 

 from his new beaver-hat, clean shirt-collar, and bran- 

 new coat and breeches of a pompadour red, was a 

 candidate for some one of the offices in the gift of 

 the sovereign people. Near him were several other 

 men of equally elegant exterior, to all appearance also 



