After a long, and, seemingly, a
meditating silence, the emigrant, who had, however, seen no apparent
necessity to suspend the functions of his masticating powers, resumed
the discourse.
"It is a long road, as I have heard, from the waters of the west to
the shores of the main sea?"
"It is a weary path, indeed, friend; and much have I seen, and
something have I suffered, in journeying over it."
"A man would see a good deal of hard travel in going its length!"
"Seventy and five years have I been upon the road; and there are not
half that number of leagues in the whole distance, after you leave the
Hudson, on which I have not tasted venison of my own killing. But this
is vain boasting. Of what use are former deeds, when time draws to an
end?"
"I once met a man that had boated on the river he names," observed the
eldest son, speaking in a low tone of voice, like one who distrusted
his knowledge, and deemed it prudent to assume a becoming diffidence
in the presence of a man who had seen so much: "from his tell, it must
be a considerable stream, and deep enough for a keel-boat, from top to
bottom.
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