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Show 1836- 1837] Ffogg's Far West 289 among the Hudson Highlands, than was your loiterer at this unlooked- for apparition. To find one's self suddenly translated from the wild, flowery prairie into the heart of an aged, moss- grown village, of such foreign aspect, withal, was by no means easy to reconcile with one's notions of reality. Of the name, or even the existence of the village, I had been quite as ignorant as if it had never possessed either; and in vain was it that I essayed, in my perplexity, to make myself familiar with these interesting items of intelligence by inquiry of the primitive- looking beings whom I chanced to encounter, as I rode slowly on into the village through the tall stoccades of the narrow streets. Every one stared as I addressed him; but, shaking his head and quickening his pace, pointed me on in the direction I was proceeding, and left me to pursue it in ignorance and single blessedness. This mystery - for thus to my excited fancy did it seem- became at length intolerable. Drawing up my horse before the open door of a cottage, around which, beneath the galleries, were gathered a number of young people of both sexes, I very peremptorily made the demand where I was. All stared, and some few took it upon them, graceless youths, to [ 33] laugh; until, at length, a dark young fellow, with black eyes and black whiskers, stepped forward, and, in reply to my inquiry repeated, informed me that the village was called " Portage des Sioux;" that the place of my destination was upon the opposite bank of the Mississippi, several miles above - too distant to think of regaining my route at that late hour; and very politely the dark young man offered to procure for me accommodation for the night, though the village could boast no inn. Keeping dose on the heels of my conducteur, I again began to thrid the narrow lanes of the hamlet, from die doors and windows of every cottage of which peeped forth an eager group of dark- eyed women and children, in uncontrolled |