When Sir William push'd the German,
Dieskau, thro' the defiles at the foot of the Hori--"
"Your Sir William was a drone to Sir Paul, and knew nothing of
regularity. So here begins the roll-call--by the by, old man, what
between bee-hunting and buffaloe humps, and certain other matters, I
have been too busy to ask your name; for I intend to begin with my
rear-guard, well knowing that my man in front is too busy to answer."
"Lord, lad, I've been called in my time by as many names as there are
people among whom I've dwelt. Now the Delawares nam'd me for my eyes,
and I was called after the far-sighted hawk. Then, ag'in, the settlers
in the Otsego hills christened me anew, from the fashion of my
leggings; and various have been the names by which I have gone through
life; but little will it matter when the time shall come, that all are
to be muster'd, face to face, by what titles a mortal has played his
part! I humbly trust I shall be able to answer to any of mine, in a
loud and manly voice."
Paul paid little or no attention to this reply, more than half of
which was lost in the distance, but pursuing the humour of the moment,
he called out in a stentorian voice to the naturalist to answer to his
name.
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