solitude. There I saw a numerous family of children of various ages-
-the blessings of an early marriage; they were ruddy as the cherry,
healthy as the fish they lived on, hardy as the pine knots: the
eldest were already able to encounter the boisterous waves, and
shuddered not at their approach; early initiating themselves in the
mysteries of that seafaring career, for which they were all
intended: the younger, timid as yet, on the edge of a less agitated
pool, were teaching themselves with nut-shells and pieces of wood,
in imitation of boats, how to navigate in a future day the larger
vessels of their father, through a rougher and deeper ocean. I
stayed two days there on purpose to become acquainted with the
different branches of their economy, and their manner of living in
this singular retreat. The clams, the oysters of the shores, with
the addition of Indian Dumplings, [Footnote: Indian Dumplings are a
peculiar preparation of Indian meal, boiled in large lumps.]
constituted their daily and most substantial food. Larger fish were
often caught on the neighbouring rip; these afforded them their
greatest dainties; they had likewise plenty of smoked bacon. The
noise of the wheels announced the industry of the mother and
daughters; one of them had been bred a weaver, and having a loom in
the house, found means of clothing the whole family; they were
perfectly at ease, and seemed to want for nothing. I found very few
books among these people, who have very little time for reading; the
Bible and a few school tracts, both in the Nattick and English
languages, constituted their most numerous libraries. I saw indeed
several copies of Hudibras, and Josephus; but no one knows who first
imported them. It is something extraordinary to see this people,
professedly so grave, and strangers to every branch of literature,
reading with pleasure the former work, which should seem to require
some degree of taste, and antecedent historical knowledge. They all