His Countenance Was Thoughtful, But Not Animated:
His Fidelity And Gratitude, Particularly To His Friend The Governor,
Were Constant And
Undeviating, and deserve to be recorded.
Although of a gentle and placable temper, we early discovered that he was
impatient
Of indignity, and allowed of no superiority on our part.
He knew that he was in our power; but the independence of his mind
never forsook him. If the slightest insult were offered to him,
he would return it with interest. At retaliation of merriment he was
often happy; and frequently turned the laugh against his antagonist.
He did not want docility; but either from the difficulty of acquiring
our language, from the unskillfulness of his teachers, or from some
natural defect, his progress in learning it was not equal to what
we had expected. For the last three or four weeks of his life, hardly any
restraint was laid upon his inclinations: so that had he meditated escape,
he might easily have effected it. He was, perhaps, the only native
who was ever attached to us from choice; and who did not prefer
a precarious subsistence among wilds and precipices, to the comforts
of a civilized system.
By his death, the scheme which had invited his capture was utterly defeated.
Of five natives who had been brought among us, three had perished from a cause
which, though unavoidable, it was impossible to explain to a people,
who would condescend to enter into no intercourse with us. The same
suspicious dread of our approach, and the same scenes of vengeance acted on
unfortunate stragglers, continued to prevail.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 28 of 247
Words from 7417 to 7683
of 66960
