Lord, Lord,
what a humbling thing is fear! Here is one who in common delivers
words too big for a humble mouth to hold, so much beside himself, that
his voice is as shrill as the whistle of the whip-poor-will! Courage!
--what is it, man?--what is it?"
"A prodigy! a lusus naturae! a monster, that nature has delighted to
form, in order to exhibit her power! Never before have I witnessed
such an utter confusion in her laws, or a specimen that so completely
bids defiance to the distinctions of class and genera. Let me record
its appearance," fumbling for his tablets with hands that trembled too
much to perform their office, "while time and opportunity are allowed
--eyes, enthralling; colour, various, complex, and profound--"
"One would think the man was craz'd, with his enthralling looks and
pieball'd colours!" interrupted the discontented trapper, who began to
grow a little uneasy that his party was all this time neglecting to
seek the protection of some cover. "If there is a reptile in the
brush, show me the creatur', and should it refuse to depart peaceably,
why there must be a quarrel for the possession of the place.
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