O still their Tongues till morning comes
And I know not but my wishes took effect for the dispute soon ended with tother Dram.
To one who, unused to venturing abroad in boats on stormy waters, has trusted her bodily safety to one of those ticklish Indian vehicles, a canoe, this vivid account of the sensations of an early female colonist in a similar situation may prove of interest; nor do I think, after the lapse of centuries, could the description be improved by the added words of our newer and more profuse vocabulary:—
The Cannoo was very small & shallow so that when we were in she seemd redy to take in water which greatly terrify’d me, and caused me to be very circumspect, sitting with my hands fast on each side, my eyes stedy, not daring so much as to lodge my tongue a hairs breadth more on one side of my mouth than tother, nor so much as think on Lotts wife, for a very thought would have oversett our wherey.
We are so accustomed to hearing of the great veneration and respect always shown in olden times by children toward their parents, and the dignified reserve and absolute authority of parents towards children, that the following scene rather shocks our established notions:—
Thursday about 3 in the afternoon I set forward with neighbour Polly & Jemima a girl about 18 years old, who her father said he had been to fetch out of the Narragansetts and said they had rode thirty miles that day on a sorry lean Jade with only a Bagg under her for a pillion which the poor Girl often complain’d was very uneasy. Wee made Good speed along wch made poor Jemima make many a sowr face the mare being a very hard trotter, and after many a hearty & bitter Oh she at length low’d out: Lawful Heart father! this bare mare hurts mee Dingeely. I’m direfull sore I vow, with many words to that purpose. Poor Child—sais Gaffer—she us’t to serve your mother so. I dont care how mother ust to do, quoth Jemima in a passionate tone. At which the old man Laught and kikt his Jade o’ the side, which made her Jolt ten times harder. About seven that evening we came to New London Ferry here by reason of a very high wind, we mett with great difficulty in getting over. The boat tost exceedingly and our Horses cappered at a very Surprising rate and set us all in a fright especially poor Jemima who desired father to say So Jack! to the Jade to make her stand. But the careless parent, taking no notice of her repeated desires, She Rored out in a Pasionate manner Pray Suth father Are you deaf? Say So Jack to the Jade I tell you. The Dutiful Parent obeyed saying So Jack So Jack as gravely as if he had bin saying Chatchise after young Miss who with her fright look’t all the Colours of ye Rainbow.
It is very evident from entries in her Journal that Madam Knight thought much of gratifying her appetite, for the food she obtained at her different resting-places is often described. She says:—
Landlady told us shee had some mutton which shee would broil. In a little time she bro’t it in but it being pickled and my Guide said it smelt strong of head-sause we left it and paid six pence apiece for our dinners which was only smell.
Again, she thus describes a meal:—
Having call’d for something to eat the woman bro’t in a Twisted thing like a cable, but something whiter, laying it on the bord, tugg’d for life to bring it into a capacity to spread; which having with great pains accomplished shee served a dish of Pork and Cabage I supose the remains of Dinner. The sause was of a deep purple which I tho’t was boiled in her dye Kettle; the bread was Indian and everything on the Table service agreeable to these. I being hungry gott a little down, but my stomach was soon cloy’d and what cabage I swallowed served me for a Cudd the whole day after.