Marco Paul's Voyages and Travels; Vermont

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ut-of-door exercises, such as might tend to re-establish his health and strengthen his constitution. He did not, however, intend to have him give up the study of books alto

side of the state, is lake Champlain, which extends from north to south also, and forms the western boundary. Thus, the Green Mountains divide the state into two great portions, one descending to the eastward, toward Connecticut river, and the other to the westward, toward lake Champlain. There are, therefore, two great ways of access to

upon the bank of the river, and the scenery was very pleasant. They trav

adows and intervales extended along the river,--and at other places, high hills, covered with trees, advanced close to

ctions. Several stage-coaches drove up to the door of the tavern in the morning, just after breakfast, with the names of the places where they were going to, upon their sides. One was marked, "Haverhill and Lancaster;" another, "Middlebury;" and a third, "Concord and Boston;" and there was one odd-looking vehicle, a sort of carryall, open in front, and drawn by two horses, which had no name upon it, a

the branches. Marco went up there and sat some time, looking down upon the coaches as the

Grea

re was a small orange-tree in her flower-pot. It was about six inches high. The sight of this orange-tree interested Marco

range-tree!" said Marco

it was an orange-t

ll enough," replied Marco. "

asked,

co. "Did your orange-tr

too," she added, "but it is a great deal larger. The lemon-tree grows faster than the orange

said Marco. "Ar

eased, though it certainly was not quite proper for Marco to speak in that manner

here the Montp

veled between one resting-place and another. But in the United States it i

o, "we are goin

," said the girl, "for I'm

our trunk?"

za, near those belonging to Forester and Marco. The girl showed Marco h

Marco, "and you can go in and

of standing, sat down upon this chest. He had, however, scarcely taken his seat, when he saw a coach with four horses, coming round a corner. It was driven by a small boy not larger than Marco. It wheeled up toward the door, and came to a stand. Some men then put on the sailor's chest and the trunks. Mary Willia

ndsome house in the town, and took a gentleman and lady in. Thes

lence; moving his lips now and then, as if he were talking to himself, but taking no notice of any of the company. The coach stopped at the villages which they passed through, to exchange the mail, and sometimes to take in new passengers. In the

don't keep any reckoning,

asked

psize somewhere among these mount

e road, the sailor always started and looked anxious, as if afraid it was going to be upset. He wondered that a man who had

that we shall up

of these precipices and mountains;

e how much the fears which people feel, are occasioned by the mere novelty of the danger which they incur. A stage-driver, who is calm and composed on his box, in a dark night, and upon da

sailor?" a

plied his

had been used to the sea, would b

man" said

you?" sa

years old; though I'm going to

t back from a voy

the Horn in a whaler, from old Nantuck.

you've seen he

r years sinc

done before, so that Marco only could hear. This was not difficult

he sailor, "and went to s

ou run away?

d. My father used to abuse me; but my mother t

our father to

ope he's gone off somewhere. But I want to see my

ccount of his adventures on the voyage; how he was drawn off from the ship one day, several miles, by a whale which they had harpooned;--how they caught a shark, and hauled him in on deck by means of a pulley at the end of the yard-arm;--and how, on the voyage home, the ship was driven before an awful gale of wind for five d

ut and walk up the hills. On these occasions Forester and Marco would generally walk together, talking about the incidents of their journey, or the occupations and amusements which they expected to engage in when they arrived at Forester's home. About the middle of the afternoon the coach stopped at the foot of a long wi

sailor, "that would make a man of you. I wouldn't go and

t forming and continuing an intimacy with such a person. Still he was so much interested in hearing him talk, that he

thing for the world. Besides," said he, "t

to another stage route, and then make a straight wake, till we got to New Bedford, and there we could get a good v

not like to hear; and, in fact, Marco began to be a little afraid of his new acquaintance. He determined, as soon as he got back to the coach to keep near Forester all the time, so as not to be left alone again with the sa

Hi

coach stopped for the pedestrians to come up. There was also another passenger there to get in,--a woman, who came out from a farm-house near by. The driver asked the sailor if he was not willing to ride outside, in order to make room for the new passenger. But he would not. He was afraid. He said he would not ride five miles outside for a month's