621 
ill his bed. Ihc American Indian also bears a near resemblance to 
our hero ; as a fisherman he has his canoe, and ventures upon tlio 
shoals in search of fish ; he has also his favourite dog to attend him, 
and hopes that as he is his constant and faithful companion in this 
life, he will be in another. 
‘ But thinks admitted to that equal sky, 
Ilis faithful dog shall bear him company.’” 
The Parson’s poetic description of the Fen-man’s daily life is not 
quite so gloomy as his prose ; but it will be seen that a help-meet is 
here introduced— perhaps the former description applied only to a 
bachelor. 
“ He rises early, and he late takes rest. 
And sails intrepid o’er the wat’ry waste ; 
Waits the return of .shot-seal * on the lake, 
And listens to the wild-fowl’s distant quack, 
At dusk steers homewanl with a i)lenteous freight. 
The crazy vessel groans beneath the weight. 
A tidy house-wife waits his coming home. 
Gets dry apparel, and cleans up her room. 
Prei)ares a cheerful fire, brings out her hoard, 
And spreads a homely plenty o’er his board. 
To vend her fowl the dearest mart she tries. 
And with the profit household wants sui)plics. 
The Capital s ev’n feasted with her store. 
And London carriers whistle at his door.” 
And tlio cottage, brightened by the presence of a thrifty house-wife, 
is tlius described : — ’ 
“ His little hut, which by the bank-side stood. 
Cover'd with coat of seilge, and walls of mud, 
Where each domestic use one room supplies. 
His victuals here he dresses, here he lies : 
A little lattice to let in the day. 
With half-extinguished light and glimm’ring ray.” 
In a note to the line, “London carriers whistle at the gate,” the 
author indulges in some remarks upon “the lu.xury of the 
Metropolis,” which are curiously characteristic of the times. He 
says: “Ihcre are a set of people call’d Kedgers, who, tc/icn the 
country can be travelled over [/], call regularly' at the Fen-men’s 
houses to buy their fish and fowl at a vast price, and send them up 
* ‘Flight-time.’ 
