CHAPTER VII.

Scenes must be beautiful, which daily view'd,
Please daily.

CowPER.

MAJOR ATHERTON, after a long interview with Captain Martin, repaired to the Governor's, where the remainder of the evening glided swiftly away: and, if the testimony of Mistress Rebecca Spindle may be relied on, who related the circumstance, with an air of mysterious caution, to some half dozen of wondering female friends, on the following day he was seen loitering around the dwelling of Miriam Grey, precisely at the hour, when the music of the vesper psalm was heard to issue from a room, where occasionally a figure flitting before the shaded windows, denoted the family were assembled.

Perhaps it was a gossip's story; but, however that may be, his absence was prolonged, till Captain Standish became uneasy; and, fearful that he had missed his way in the forest, dispatched a stout young man, who served him in various capacities, both within doors, and without, to search for his kinsman, and guide him back. But the heart of the emissary quaked, when he found himself alone, at the entrance of a forest of lofty trees, so thickly matted, that scarcely a ray of the rising moon could pierce their foliage; and, after listening with trembling nerves, till fancy had conjured up a

thousand terrific sounds, he thought fit to retire from the danger; and, ashamed to encounter his master's eye, entered an out-building, and threw himself on a bundle of straw. There he lay, listening for the returning steps of Atherton, as a signal to sally out; but, unfortunately, long before they reached his ears, he sunk into a deep slumber, from which he was, at length, unceremoniously aroused by a smart blow from the flat side of the Captain's broad sword, accompanied by the angry tones of his voice.

Is this the way you obey my commands, you lazy loon?'

The man started on his feet, simultaneously rubbing his eyes, and the shoulder which had received the blow; and, more alarmed than he had been in the woods, began to stammer forth an apology.

'I did go, please your honour; but the wolves made a fearful howling, and I thought no christian man would want me to put myself in their mouths."

'The wolves! you poltroon! no fear that they would relish such a cowardly knave; no, no, David, even the wild beasts would snuff at thee; they love to pick the bones of braver men than thou art. But the next time you escape their jaws in this way, I'll have you tied to the whipping-post, or put in the stocks till your legs ache: so, away with you.'

David, obedient to orders, commenced his retreat with as much alacrity, as his illustrious namesake evinced, when eluding the javelin of Saul;

but, on the way, he received another stroke, in the rear, which not a little accelerated his speed. Captain Standish and his attendants then left the building, to which they had been attracted by observing the dog which followed David, lying at the entrance; where the sonorous music of the young man's nose betrayed his situation within; for Major Atherton had returned without meeting him, and the party set out to learn his fate.

"Well, cousin Atherton,' said Captain Standish, as they rose from breakfast the next morning, since you have not engaged a passage back to England, with Captain Martin, I conclude you intend to winter amongst us; and, before spring arrives, perhaps, we may persuade you to pitch your tent with us, for life,-ha, Major?'

• You may find it necessary to exert your persuasive powers in the opposite scale,' replied Atherton; I confess I am so happy here, that the time of my return seems every day more distant and uncertain. I am here, too, removed from the scene of active duties, which lately occupied me, and feel less keenly the sacrifice I have been compelled to make, in relinquishing my profession.'

'Ah, you left both that, and your country, in good time, Major Atherton, if you have no mind to be set about fighting with your own flesh and blood. There must be warm work in England, before long, if King Charles makes such a fuss about his parliaments, and continues to persecute his dissenting subjects, as he has lately done.'

'He has bad counsellors,' said Atherton; but is, himself, a virtuous and humane prince, and really solicitous for the happiness of his people.'

'I believe it, from my heart,' replied the Captain; and I would cheerfully shed the last drop of my blood, to sustain the honour of his illustrious name; but I still maintain, that every man has a right to judge for himself, in matters of faith and conscience; and, so long as we remain peaceable and loyal subjects, neither king, nor bishop, is privileged to molest us, for thinking differently from themselves.'

6

'An established religion is certainly desirable,' said Atherton, and I am inclined to believe, that those who fled from persecution, and have here founded a church, on what you term apostolic principles, would be as severe towards those, of different modes and opinions, and as much influenced by prejudice, as the church of England has ever been, in regard to her dissenting children.'

'Well, well, cousin Atherton, we will not begin with calling you to account, unless some amongst us should see fit to imitate the Massachusetts people, who are always fond of raising a breeze. But they have got a woman in hand now, who, I doubt not, will give them trouble enough, with her Antinomianism, and other conceits of the devil, who has been a friend to the sex, ever since he had such good luck with mother Eve. But I am going to walk, now; and if you have no better way of amusing yourself, will ask you to accompany me.'

With all my heart: shall we try the woods again?'

'No, I should like to give you a glimpse of our Canaan, from the top of mount Pisgah, yonder,' replied the Captain, pointing to a hill, which rose to a considerable height, above the level of the Bay; and to this day, is known by the name of the 'Captain's Hill.'

'This,' he continued, as he led the way to its summit, by a tolerable easy ascent, this hill, and the beautiful stretch of land, which you see running into the Bay, was assigned to me, by the Plymouth company; and I think I may say without boasting, that my farm looks as well as any of my neighbours, though I hardly knew a hoe from a pitchfork, till I was obliged to use them, to satisfy the cravings of hunger; for we had scanty rations, when we first came over here.'

And why were you located so far from the first settlement?" asked Atherton.

"We found it necessary to remove as our numbers increased, to give each other elbow-room, and land enough to cultivate; and the old colony is still sending forth her children to people new settlements. That village, lying at a short distance,` north of us, is call Scituate, and is the only town that has yet been incorporated; even Plymouth has no bounds affixed to it, though the little clusters of houses, which you see here and there, bid fair to limit it, ere long.'

'Have you given any name to this tract of land?'