13. Among the wild horses, was a fine black mare, which in scrambling up the defile, tripped and fell. A young ranger sprang from his horse, and seized her by the mane, and muzzle. Another ranger dismounted, and came to his assistance. The mare struggled fiercely, kicking and biting, and striking with her fore feet, but a noose was slipped over her head, and her struggles were in vain. 14. It was some time, however, before she gave over rearing and plunging, and lashing out with her feet on every side. The two rangers then led her along the valley, by two strong lariats, which enabled them to keep at a sufficient distance on each side, to be out of the reach of her hoofs, and whenever she struck out in one direction, she was jerked in the other. In this way her spirit was gradually subdued. 15. As to Tonish, who had marred the whole scheme by his +precipitancy, he had been more successful than he deserved, having managed to catch a beautiful cream-colored colt about seven months old, that had not strength to keep up with its companions. The mercurial little Frenchman was beside himself with + exultation. It was amusing to see him with his prize. The colt would rear and kick, and struggle to get free, when Tonish would take him about the neck, wrestle with him, jump on his back, and cut as many antics as a monkey with a kitten. 16. Nothing surprised me more, however, than to witness how soon these poor animals thus taken from the unbounded freedom of the prairie, yielded to the dominion of man. In the course of two or three days, the mare and colt went with the lead horses, and became quite docile. + W. IRVING. QUESTIONS.- Near what river did this expedition commence? Where is that river? Describe the country, scenery, etc. What animated objects presented themselves to view upon the right and the left? To what is the whole scene compared? What hunting maneuver was commenced? Describe it. What is the lariat? Describe the proces lings of the party in this maneuver. What interrupted its successful completion? Give the striking contrast between the flight of the wild horses and that of the buffaloes? Describe the capture of the black mare. What was the Bonduct of the captured animals in respect to being tamed? LESSON XL. REMARK.-Let all the pupils notice, as each member of the class reads, where a proper pause is not made at the commas and other points. ARTICULATE distinctly.-Gath-er-ing, not gath-er-in: ir-reg-u-lar, not ir-reg'lar: dif-fi-cul-ty, not dif'cul-ty: na-val, not na-v'l: in-se-ri-or, not in-fer'or: prim-i-tive, not prim'tive: in-vis-i-ble, not in-vis'ble: u-ni-vers-al-ly, not u-ni-vers'ly. 1. Ra-vine', n. (pro. ra-veen') a long deep hollow in the earth, worn by a stream of water, 2. Quar'-ter-deck, n. that part of a ship's deck which lies toward the stern. Fore'-cas-tle, n. (pro. fore-cas'sl) the short deck in the fore part of a ship. 4. Glen, n, a valley. Fane, n. a place devoted to religious worship, 7. A'-re-a, n. any open surface, or space. 8. Ap-pend'-a-ges, n. things added to a greater or principal thing. 12. Pa'-gan, a. heathen. [or morality. 14. Li-cen'-tious, a, unrestrained by law 15. Con'-trite, a. humble, penitent. SCENE AT THE SANDWICH ISLANDS. 1. AT an early hour of the morning, even before we had taken our breakfast on board the ship, a single islander here or there, or a group of three or four, wrapped in their large mantles of various hues, might be seen winding their way among the groves fringing the bay on the east, or descending from the hills and ravine on the north, toward the chapel; and by degrees their numbers increased, till, in a short time, every path along the beach, and over the uplands, presented an almost uninterrupted +procession of both sexes, and of every age, all pressing to the house of God. 2. So few canoes were round the ship yesterday, and the landing place had been so little thronged, as our boats passed to and fro, that one might have thought the district but thinly inhabited; but now, such multitudes were seen gathering from various directions, that the exclamation, "What crowds of people! What crowds of people!" was heard from the quarter-deck to the forecastle. 3. Even to myself, it was a sight of surprise; surprise not at the magnitude of the population, but that the object, for which they were evidently assembling, should bring together so great a multitude. And as my thoughts +reëchoed the words, "What crowds of people!" remembrances and affections of deep power came over me; and the silent musings of my heart were, "What a change! what a happy change!" 4. When at this very place, only four years ago, the known wishes and example of chiefs of high authority, the daily persuasion of teachers, added to motives of curiosity and novelty, could scarcely induce a hundred of the inhabitants to give an + irregular, careless, and impatient attendance on the services of tho sanctuary. But now, Like mountain torrents pouring to the main, 5. The scene, as looked on from our ship, in the stillness of a brightly-beaming Sabbath morning, was well calculated, with its +associations, to prepare the mind for strong impressions on a nearer view, when the conclusion of our own public worship should allow us to go on shore. Mr. Goodrich had apprised us, that he had found it expedient to hold both the services of the Sabbath, in the forepart of the day, that all might have the benefit of two sermons, and still reach their abodes before nightfall. For, "Numbers dwelt remote, And first must traverse many a weary mile, To reach the altar of the God they love." 6. And it was arranged, that, on this occasion, the second service should be postponed till the officers should be at liberty to leave the ship. It was near 12 o'clock when we went on shore; the captain and first lieutenant, the purser, surgeon, several of the +midshipmen, and myself. Though the services had commenced when we landed, large numbers were seen circling the doors without; but, as we afterward found, only from the impracticability of cbtaining places within. 7. The house is an immense structure, capable of containing many thousands, every part of which was filled, except a small area in front of the pulpit, where seats were reserved for us, and to which we made our way, in slow and tedious procession, from the difficulty of finding a spot to place even our footsteps, without treading on limbs of the people, seated on their feet, as closely, almost, as they could be stowed. 8. As we entered, Mr. Goodrich paused in his sermon, till we should be seated. I ascended the pulpit beside him, from which I had a full view of the congregation. The suspense of attention in the people was only momentary, notwithstanding the entire novelty to them of the laced coats, cocked hats, and other appendages of naval uniform. I can scarce describe the emotions experienced in glancing an eye over the immense number, seated so thickly on the matted floor as to seem literally one mass of heads, covering an area of more than nine thousand square feet. The sight was most striking, and soon became, not only to myself, but to some of my fellow officers, deeply affecting. 9. I have listened, with delighted attention, to some of the highest eloquence, the pulpits of America and England, of the present day, can boast. I have seen tears of conviction and penitence flow freely, under the sterner truths of the word of God; but it was left for one at Hido, the most obscure corner of these distant islands, to excite the liveliest emotions ever experienced, and leave the deepest impressions of the extent and + unsearchable riches of the gospel which I have ever known. 10. It seemed, even while I gazed, that the majesty of that Power might be seen rising and erecting to itself a throne, permanent as glorious, in the hearts of these but late utterly benighted and deeply polluted people. And when I compared them, as they had once been known to me, and as they now appeared, the change seemed the effect of a +mandate scarcely less mighty in its power, or speedy in its result, than that exhibited, when it was said, "Let there be light, and there was light!", 11. The depth of the impression arose from the irresistible + conviction that the SPIRIT OF GOD was there. It could have been nothing else. With the exception of the inferior chiefs, having charge of the district, and their dependents; of two or three native members of the church, and of the mission family, scarce one of the whole multitude was in other than the native dress, the simple garments of their primitive state. 12. In this respect and in the attitude of sitting, the assembly was purely pagan. But the breathless silence, the eager attention, the half-suppressed sigh, the tear, the various feeling, sad, peaceful, joyous, discoverable in the faces of many; all spoke the presence of an invisible but omnipotent Power, the Power which alone can melt and renew the heart of man, even as it alone first brought it into existence. 13. It was, in a word, a heathen congregation laying hold on the hopes of eternity; a heathen congregation, fully sensible of the degradation of their original state: exulting in the first beams of truth, and in the no uncertain dawning of the Sun of Righteousness; thirsting after knowledge, even while they sweetly drank of the waters of life; and, under the inspiring influence, by every look, expressing the heartfelt truth"Beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth SALVATION!" 14. The simple appearance and yet Christian deportment of that obscure congregation, whom I had once known, and at no remote period, only as a set of rude, licentious, and wild pagans, did more to rivet the conviction of the divine origin of the Bible, and of the holy influences by which it is accompanied to the hearts of men, than all the arguments, and apologies, and defenses of Christianity I ever read. 15. An entire moral reformation has taken place. Instruction of every kind is eagerly and universally sought, and from many a humble dwelling, now "Is daily heard The voice of prayer and praise to Jacob's God: And many a heart in secret heaves a sigh, To Him who hears, well pleased, the sigh contrite." STEWART. QUESTIONS.-Where are the Sandwich Islands? For what object were the persons assembled as described in this lesson? What is said of their number? What change has taken place in the character of the population? To what is this change to be attributed? Describe their appearance as seated in the church. What is said of their deportment? What conviction is all this calculated to produce? Will you parse "Is" the first word of the poetic extract which closes the lesson? Parse "heart," in the same extract. Parse "sigh." Parse "contrite." Which are the adjectives in the 14th paragraph? Compare each of them that will admit it. What does the word adjective mean? bee Analytical Grammar, p. 12. |