The Highland Wilderness 197 



children were loved by every one; they were petted by 

 both men and women, and they behaved well to one 

 another, the boys not seeming to bully the girls or the 

 smaller boys. Most of the children were naked, but the 

 girls early wore the loin-cloth; and s'ome, both of the 

 little boys and the little girls, wore colored print garments, 

 to the evident pride of themselves and their parents. In 

 each house there were several families, and life went on 

 with no privacy but with good humor, consideration, and 

 fundamentally good manners. The man or woman who 

 had nothing to do lay in a hammock or squatted on the 

 ground leaning against a post or wall. The children 

 played together, or lay in little hammocks, or tagged 

 round after their mothers; and when called they came 

 trustfully up to us to be petted or given some small 

 trinket; they were friendly little souls, and accustomed 

 to good treatment. One woman was weaving a cloth, 

 another was making a hammock; others made ready 

 melons and other vegetables and cooked them over tiny 

 fires. The men, who had come in from work at the ferry 

 or along the telegraph-lines, did some work themselves, 

 or played with the children ; one cut a small boy's hair, 

 and then had his own hair cut by a friend. But the 

 absorbing amusement of the men was an extraordinary 

 game of ball. 



In our family we have always relished Oliver 

 Harford's nonsense rhymes, including the account of 

 Willie's displeasure with his goat: 



"I do not like my billy goat, 

 I wish that he was dead; 

 Because he kicked me, so he did, 

 He kicked me with his head." 



