As the sturdy bush-beater sat in the twisted root of a tree, that
served him for a kind of arm-chair, dealing forth these wild stories,
with the fire gleaming on his strongly-marked visage, Dolph was again
repeatedly perplexed by something that reminded him of the phantom of
the haunted house; some vague resemblance, that could not be fixed
upon any precise feature or lineament, but which pervaded the general
air of his countenance and figure.
The circumstance of Dolph's falling overboard being again discussed,
led to the relation of divers disasters and singular mishaps that had
befallen voyagers on this great river, particularly in the earlier
periods of colonial history; most of which the Heer deliberately
attributed to supernatural causes. Dolph stared at this suggestion;
but the old gentleman assured him that it was very currently believed
by the settlers along the river, that these highlands were under the
dominion of supernatural and mischievous beings, which seemed to have
taken some pique against the Dutch colonists in the early time of the
settlement. In consequence of this, they have ever since taken
particular delight in venting their spleen, and indulging their
humours, upon the Dutch skippers; bothering them with flaws, head
winds, counter currents, and all kinds of impediments; insomuch, that
a Dutch navigator was always obliged to be exceedingly wary and
deliberate in his proceedings; to come to anchor at dusk; to drop his
peak, or take in sail, whenever he saw a swag-bellied cloud rolling
over the mountains; in short, to take so many precautions, that he was
often apt to be an incredible time in toiling up the river.
Pages:
505
506
507
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515
516
517
518
519
520
521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529