FOURTH JOURNEY. 



213 



been in France and England. I sainted 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 Avith the openness and 

 candour which is so remarkable in the American ; and 

 in a little time observed that he presumed I was from 

 the old country. I told him that I w^as, 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 great 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." 



Here, in fine, stood a noted regiment; there, moved 

 their great captain j here, the fleets fired their broad- 



