Chapter XIV: Appendix: NOTE A.—Page 25

“Roof of the boat.” This seems an awkward expression, yet there is no other word which will convey the idea. The flat boats of the west are in shape parallelograms; they have but a single story, and closely boarded over, form a flat roof upon which in good weather emigrants lounge or walk about for exercise.

NOTE B.—_Page 56_.

I have often been amused when travelling through the west, at the inquiries which would be made upon finding out that I was a Virginian, by persons who had emigrated years before from the same state. It seemed to them a matter of course that I must know their relations; and I have been asked after Aunt Polly, Jenny, and other members of a family of which I knew no more than if they lived in the moon. This was frequently the case in Arkansas, but lest it should seem to show a degree of ignorance unequalled by any other people, and perhaps afford nuts to crack for foreigners, I must tell an anecdote by way of set off. In the winter of '34, I started in a coach well filled from Manchester for Nottingham; the passengers were all genteel, well dressed men, and one seemed affable and talkative above his companions; he gave me much local information, and discovering that I was an American from some remark I made, the following dialogue ensued.

“You are not an American?” said he.

“Indeed I am.”

“Well, you talk just as we do.”

I told him, I thought nothing was more natural, inasmuch as we were descended from the English.

“Well, now will you tell me one thing I have long wanted to know?” continued the stranger.

“Certainly, if it be proper, and I can;”—said I.

“Well, do the blacks in your country run wild?”

I could not avoid laughing, and after composing myself, explained to him their situation, and the nature of the services performed by them; he expressed himself satisfied on that point, and after a silence of a few minutes, observed, “I have a friend in America, I reckon you have seen him.”

I told him I really did not know, and asked him to what part he had gone; he said he could'nt tell, but added “I can tell you, how you may know him if ever you should see him?”

“How?” said I.

“He limps a little,” said he, “and his right foot cocks up.”

“Very well,” said I, “when I meet with him, I will give him your respects.” “And” added the stranger, “I will tell you another way you may know him, he is mighty fond of swapping horses.” I could now hold in no longer, but laughed outright, and told him that the United States were many times as large as England. He believed I was quizzing him, and turned away in disgust. And these were the directions given by a well dressed Englishman, to enable me to find his friend in America. Happily for the confirmation of the above anecdote, there now lives in this state, a highly respectable and esteemed gentleman who heard the whole of it.

NOTE C.—_Page 191_.

Netnokwa, who, as we have stated, was at one time regarded as chief of the Ottawas, married an Ojibbeway and emigrated with him to the Red River country. He soon after their removal falling in battle, she continued to reside with his relatives.

See Tanner's narrative.

END OF VOL. I.

ELKSWATAWA; OR, THE PROPHET OF THE WEST.

A TALE OF THE FRONTIER.

“A noble race! but they are gone,
With their old forests wide and deep,
And we have built our homes upon
Fields where their generations sleep.”

BRYANT.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. II.

NEW-YORK: PUBLISHED BY HARPER & BROTHERS, NO. 82 CLIFF STREET.

1836.

[Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1836, by HARPER & BROTHERS, in the Clerk's Office of the Southern District of New-York.]

WILLIAM H. COLYER, _Printer_, No. 104 Beekman-street.

ELKSWATAWA; OR, THE PROPHET OF THE WEST.