5 o 
TRAVELS IN 
cries of the whip-poor-will ; the moon about an 
hour above the horizon ; lo ! a dark eclipfe * of her 
glorious brightnefs came Howly on ; at length, a 
filver thread alone encircled her temples : at this 
boding change, an univerfal filence prevailed. 
Nature now weary, I refigned myfelf to reft ; the 
night pafled over ; the cool dews of the morning- 
awoke me; my fire burnt low; the blue fmoke 
fcarce rofe above the moiftened embers ; all was 
gloomy : the late {tarry fkies, now overcaft by thick 
clouds, warned me to rife and be going. The 
livid purple clouds thickened on the frowning brows 
of the morning : the tumultuous winds from the 
eaft now exerted their power* O peaceful Alatama- 
ha ! gentle by nature ! how thou wert ruffled ! thy 
wavy furface disfigured every object, presenting 
them obfcurely to the fight, and they at length to- 
tally difappeared, whilil the furious winds and {'weep- 
ing rains bent the lofty groves, and proftrated the 
quaking grafs, driving the affrighted creatures to 
their dens and caverns. 
The temped now relaxed, its impetus being fpent, 
and a calm ferenity gradually took place; by noon the 
clouds broke away, the blue iky appeared, the fulgid 
fun-beams fpread abroad their animating light, and 
the fleady well em wind refumed his peaceful reign , 
The waters were purified, the waves fubfided, and the 
beautiful river regained its native calmnefs. So it is 
with the varied and mutable fcenes of human events 
on the fir earn of life. The higher powers and af- 
fections of the foul are fo blended and connected 
with the inferior paffions, that the moft painful feel- 
ings are excited in the mind when the latter are 
crofTed : thus in the moral fyftem, which we have 
* The air at this time being ferene, and not, a cloud to be feen, I faw 
this annual almoft total autumnal eclipfe in its higkeft degree of perfection. 
planned 
