Memoirs of an American Lady: With Sketches of Manners and Scenery in America, as They Existed Previous to the Revolution — John Shaqi
Memoirs of an American Lady: With Sketches of Manners and Scenery in America, as They Existed Previous to the RevolutionGrant, Anne MacVicar
History
Memoirs of an American Lady: With Sketches of Manners and Scenery in America, as They Existed Previous to the Revolution
Grant, Anne MacVicar
Indians of North America; New York (State) -- Social life and customs -- To 1775; Schuyler, Catalina, 1701-1778 or 1779
the latter, never dreamed of being vain of their immature wit and parts,
which accounts, in some measure, for the great scarcity of coxcombs
among them. The children returned the fondness of their parents with
such tender affection, that they feared giving them pain as much as ours
do punishment, and very rarely wounded their feelings by neglect or rude
answers. Yet the boys were often wilful and giddy at a certain age, the
girls being sooner tamed and domesticated.
These youths were apt, whenever they could carry a gun, (which they did
at a very early period,) to follow some favourite negro to the woods,
and, while he was employed in felling trees, range the whole day in
search of game, to the neglect of all intellectual improvement, and
contract a love of savage liberty, which might, and in some instances
did, degenerate into licentious and idle habits. Indeed, there were
three stated periods in the year, when, for a few days, young and old,
masters and slaves, were abandoned to unruly enjoyment, and neglected
every serious occupation for pursuits of this nature.
We, who occupy countries fully inhabited, can form no idea of the
multitude of birds and animals that nature provides to consume her waste
fertility, in those regions unexplored by man. In the interior of the
province, the winter is much colder than might be supposed, from the
latitude in which it lies, which is only 42 deg. 36 min. and from the
keen north winds which blow constantly for four or five months over vast
frozen lakes and snowy tracts, in the direction of Canada. The snow too
lies very deep; but when once they are visited by the south wind in
March, its literally warm approach dissolves the snow like magic, and
one never sees another wintry day till the season of cold returns. These
southern winds seem to flow in a rapid current, uninterrupted by
mountains or other obstacles, from the burning sands of the Floridas,
Georgia, and the Carolinas, and bring with them a degree of warmth, that
appears no more the natural result of the situation, than the intense
cold of winter does in that season.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account