flowers, without ever lighting upon them. Their wings are in such rapid motion, that it is impossible to discern their colours, except by their glittering. They are never still, but continually in motion, visiting flower after flower, and extracting its honey as if with a kiss. For this purpose they are furnished with a forky tongue, that enters the eup of the flower, and extracts its nectared tribute. Upon this alone they subsist. The rapid motion of their wings brings out a humming sound, from whence they have their name ; for whatever divides the air swiftly, must produce a

murmur.

The nests of these birds are also very curious. They are suspended in the air, at the point of the twigs of an orange, a pomegranate, or a citron tree; sometimes even in houses, if a small and convenient twig is found for the purpose. The female is the architect, while the male goes in quest of materials; such as cotton, fine moss, and the fibres of vegetables. Of these materials a nest is composed, about the size of a hen's egg cut in two; it is admirably contrived, and warmly lined with cotton. There are never more than two eggs found in the nest; these are about the size of small peas, and as white as snow, with here and there a yellow speck. The male and the female sit upon the nest by turns; but the female takes to herself the greatest share. She seldom quits the nest, except a few minutes in the morning and evening, when the dew is upon the flowers, and their honey in perfection.. During this short interval, the male takes her place. The time of incubation continues twelve days; at the end of which the young ones appear, much about the size of a blue bottle fly. They are at first bare; by degrees

they are covered with down; and, at last, feathers succeed, but less beautiful at first than those of the old

ones.

Father Labat, in his account of the mission to America, says, "that his companion found the nest of a humming-bird, in a shed near their dwelling-house; and took it in at a time when the young ones were about fifteen or twenty days old. He placed them in a cage at his chamber window, to be amused by their sportive flutterings: but he was much surprised to see the old ones, which came and fed their brood regularly every hour in the day. By this means they themselves grew so tame, that they seldom quitted the chamber; and, without any constraint, came to live with their young ones. All four frequently perched upon their master's hand, chirping as if they had been at liberty abroad. He fed them with a very fine clear paste, made of wine, biscuit and sugar.

tongues into this paste, till they were

They thrust their satisfied, and then

I never beheld

fluttered and chirped about the room. any thing more agreeable," continues he, "than this lovely little family, which had possession of my companion's chamber, and flew in and out just as they thought proper; but were ever attentive to the voice of their master, when he called them. In this manner they lived with him above six months: but, at a time when he expected to see a new colony formed, he unfortunately forgot to tie up their cage to the ceiling at night, to preserve them from the rats, and he found in the morning, to his great mortification, that they were all devoured."

GOLDSMITH.

CHAPTER V.

PATHETIC PIECES.

SECTION I.

GENEROSITY AND PATERNAL FEELINGS OF AN INDIAN CHIEF.

DURING the war in America, a company of Indians attacked a small body of the British troops, and defeated them. As the Indians had greatly the advantage in swiftness of foot, and were eager in the pursuit, very few of the British escaped; and those who fell into their hands, were treated with a cruelty, of which there are not many examples, even in that comtry.

Two of the Indians came up to a young officer, and attacked him with great fury. As they were armed with battle-axes, he had no hope of escape. But, just at this crisis, another Indian came up, who was advanced in years,. and was armed with a bow and arrows. The old man instantly drew his bow; but, after having taken his aim at the officer, he suddenly dropped the point of his arrow, and interposed between him and his pursuers, who were about to cut him in pieces. They retired with respect. The old man then took the officer by the hand, soothed him into confidence by caresses; and, having conducted him to his

1

hut, treated him with a kindness which did honour to his professions.

He made him less a slave than a companion; taught him the language of the country; and instructed him in the rude arts that are practised by the inhabitants. They lived together in the most perfect harmony; and the young officer, in the treatment he met with, found nothing to regret, but that sometimes the old man fixed his eyes upon him, and, having regarded him for some minutes with a steady and silent attention, burst into tears.

In the mean time, the spring returned, and the Indians again took the field. The old man, who was still vigorous, and able to bear the fatigues of war, set out with them, and was accompanied by his prisoner. They marched above two hundred leagues across the forest, and came at length to a plain, where the British forces were encamped. The old man showed his prisoner the tents at a distance: "There," says he, "are thy countrymen. There is the enemy who wait to give us battle. Remember that I have saved thy life, that I have taught thee to conduct a canoe, to arm thyself with a bow and arrows, and to surprise the beaver in the forest. What wast thou when I first took thee to my hut? Thy hands were those of an infant. They could neither procure thee sustenance nor safety. Thy soul was in utter darkness. Thou wast ignorant of every thing. Thou owest all things to me. Wilt thou then go over to thy nation, and take up thy hatchet against us?" The officer replied, "that he would rather lose his own life than take away that of his deliverer.” The Indian, bending down his head, and covering his face with both his hands, stood some time silent. Then:

looking earnestly at his prisoner, he said, in a voice that was at once softened by tenderness and grief : "Hast thou a father?" "My father," said the young man, was alive when I left my country." "Alas!" said the Indian, "how wretched must he be !" He paused a moment, and then added, "Dost thou know that I have been a father?-I am a father no more-I saw my son fall in battle.-He fought at my side.-I saw him expire. He was covered with wounds, when he fell dead at my feet."

He pronounced these words with the utmost vehehemence. His body shook with a universal tremor. He was almost stifled with sighs, which he would not suffer to escape him. There was a keen restlessness in his eye; but no tears flowed to his relief. At length, he became calm by degrees; and, turning towards the east, where the sun had just risen: "Dost thou see," said he to the young officer, "the beauty of that sky, which sparkles with prevailing day? and hast thou pleasure in the sight?” “Yes,” replied the young officer, "I have pleasure in the beauty of so fine a sky." "I have none," said the Indian, and his tears then found their way.

A few minutes after, he showed the young man a magnolia in full bloom. "Dost thou see that beautiful tree?" said he, "and dost thou look upon it with pleasure?""Yes," replied the officer, "I look with pleasure upon that beautiful tree.""I have no longer any pleasure in looking upon it!" said the Indian hastily; and immediately added, "Go, return to thy father, that he may still have pleasure when he sees the sun rise in the morning, and the trees blossom in the spring."