KANAKEE. 
227 
being five farsangs, on a general course I should suppose of 
nearly south 45° west, the peculiar circumstances of the morn¬ 
ing not having permitted me to remark by the compass. But I 
must not neglect to note, that before evening our pilgrim-chief 
again appeared amongst us at the head of his motley band. By 
patient waiting in the plain, he had re-collected the greater part 
of his dispersed flock ; many of whom, who had fled in good 
suits, returned with scarce a covering, having been literally 
fleeced by the freebooters, to whose hands, it seems, they had 
yielded themselves as unresistingly, as a field of slaughtered 
sheep to the flaying knives of the butchers. “ How could it be 
otherwise, (they said,) when they saw hundreds of fresh robbers 
spotting the hills in every direction !” A description which, with 
regard to the numbers of persons in sight, might be very true; 
while no doubt remained with us, that the scared senses of these 
people had mistaken their own fugitive brethren, for coming 
flights of newly-arrived banditti. No lives were lost; but many 
mules, laden with the goods and chattels of the company. And, 
after all, I was most happy to hear that the goods and chattels 
least valued by these doughty heroes, had suffered least: the 
poor women, and helpless children ! They had, indeed, lost a 
few useless cries after their flying husbands; but not the tears 
dropped to Heaven, in behalf of themselves and babes. 
Tuesday, October 6th. — To avoid a repetition of the exces¬ 
sive heat of yesterday, we left our menzil this morning at half¬ 
past three o’clock; and crossing the bridge, passed through the 
western division of the town of Kanakee, and thence under the 
refreshing shade of the charming gardens which embosom it. 
Leaving these luxuriant environs, we journeyed for a farsang 
and a half over the plain, in a direction south 30° west; at which 
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