day from night-could not dress themselves, and feed themselves or do any thing-in short, that they must be perfect idiots. They carried this so far, that when they saw I could do something, and could take care of myself, they insulted me, and called me an impostor. But I only pitied their ignorance, and told them I thought it quite hard enough to be blind, without being also exposed to persecution for it.

After this tour I returned again to Syracuse. Emboldened too much by my success in rambling, I thought I could go round Syracuse with perfect ease, from my knowledge of it before I left. But I forgot what changes the spirit of improvement so rapidly makes in all places in this country; even in a few months. An old cistern had been opened in the town, and in one of my attempts at walking, I very suddenly found myself at the bottom of it, while a large stone upon its side, which had accompanied me in my unpleasant and quite unsafe expedition, fell upon my foot and injured me severely. I was laid up at home three months. While confined with this lameness, I was visited by more of those very kind persons who, by way of sympathy, magnified my calamities, and found in my accident of tumbling into the cistern, fresh proof that I never could entirely overcome my difficulties. I remember one of them had been talking in this strain-wondering how I was to find my way through the world, and thinking I must despair-when I told him that for answer I would have him read a few lines from my good old friend, the blind Doctor Blacklock,—and I caused the following to be pointed out to him :

"You ask, by what means I my livelihood gain,
And how my long conflict with fortune maintain?
The question is kind, yet I cannot tell why,
"T is hard for a spirit like mine to reply.

If a friend with a friend must be free and sincere,
My vesture is simple and sober my cheer:
But tho' few my resources, and vacant my purse,
One comfort is left me-things cannot be worse.
"Tis vain to repine, as philosophers say,
So I take what is offered, and live as I may;
To my wants, still returning, adapt my supplies,
And find in my hope what my fortune denies."

While I was confined at home, I had an entirely unexpected visit from my friend Ross, of Rochester, who had been my

guide through that place. I was so rejoiced at seeing him, that had it not been for my lameness, I should have returned the compliment, and conducted him through Syracuse; but perhaps it was as well for his neck, that I could not attempt it. The first announcement he made to me was, that since we parted he had married a wife, and, says he, "I am happy enough, for she is the handsomest woman I ever saw, and I advise you, as soon as you can, to get one, too."

After my recovery, I started upon another traveling expedition, toward the southern part of New York. I felt, as before, great interest in all blind persons, and always inquired for them, and if I heard of any, visited them. I met with one blind man, who was the owner of a large farm-upon which he worked himself, hoeing corn, &c. He told me he got along without difficulty, and. indeed, that he could ride all about the town, some six or eight miles, with ease. I never had been on horseback since I was blind, though I was a good horseman before. But he made me get on a horse, and we, both on horseback, rode into town, a distance of three miles, without any trouble. We were hooted at by many of his friends, who had seen me the day before and knew me; and two blind men riding together on horseback, and known to be such, were certainly not a sight to be seen every day, and not a little amused them. The name of this man was Hooker. He was married, and the father of seven children. During my stay I visited many parts of his farm, in his company, and though it may seem strange, it is not the less true that he could do much manual labor on his own ground, such as hoeing, &c. His wife was a very amiable, excellent woman, and treated me with all possible kindness. Indeed, I never knew the wife of a blind man, chosen after the loss of his vision, who was not of this character. Depending more upon the kindness of a companion than others, they are more careful in their choice, and are often better judges from the voice, than persons who have more extensive sources of information.

I went through New York and the western part of Pennsylvania, selling my small stock as I best could, and meeting with

much trouble and persecution. Some people thought me an impostor, and were therefore disposed to treat me with harshness and insult. The course a certain Mr. Ruggles took toward me, was so peculiarly unmanly, that I think his behavior ought to be held up as an example to others in like sort offending. Though I proffered him ready money for his accommodations, he treated me as the basest impostor, and bade me, if I was in reality blind, to begone to the pauper asylum. This insult stung me to the quick, and I travelled three miles on foot after dark, with my pack, rather than remain in his house. This happened in Washington county. Otherwise I had not much reason to complain. I had good sales for my goods.

Hence 1 travelled to Pittsburg, where the people were kind to me; but such a smoky den as they dwell in, I never smelled. I thought the very women must have been blackened by the atmosphere. It was the essential oil of coal gas. Thence I crossed the country to Cincinnati, but did not find the journey very profitable, till I arrived in the city; where I speculated to good advantage in books. The spirit of this place is that of enterprise, and there are still many swine there, though Mrs. Trollope is gone. Thence I proceeded to Cleaveland, on Lake Erie. On the road thither I lost my way, for the first time, and encamped with my boy in the woods. We were much tormented with the polite attentions of those little insects who constantly cry "cousin" in your ears, till you are tempted to break the commandment and curse their claims to relationship. The wolves, too, made melody in their throats peculiarly pleasing to a helpless man.

Hence we sailed to Buffalo, in the schooner Lady Robin, where I did not do very well, but made an addition to my stock of goods for a more eastern market. There I found a blind musician, who proved a very good guide, and shewed me many fine things. Hence I pushed on to Batavia, where Morgan wrote a foolish book, and got his neck twisted for his pains. Then on to Rochester, and paid a second visit to my blind friend, and was assured by him again, that his wife was the prettiest woman he ever saw.

He and I walked about the place as usual, and in the evening we went to the theatre together, and the audience good naturedly cried out to us, desiring to know what two blind men could expect to see in such a place. We took their raillery in good part, as it was meant. From the theatre we retired to his house, where I took my lodging, as I always did; well knowing I was perfectly welcome. Next day we visited the Monroe garden and botanized together, he teaching me the names and qualities of plants with which I was, as yet, not so well acquainted. That night we went to a ball, where we enjoyed ourselves highly, and he acquitted himself handsomely, and to the satisfaction of the company, and to his own, as a fiddler.

Having thus enjoyed his hospitality, on the next day I again started eastward, with my boy, on a peddling excursion. I did not do so well in Rochester as before, and, indeed, I have always found, wherever I travelled, that the novelty presented in the person of a blind man, acting for, and taking care of himself, would attract more custom at first than after the edge of curiosity was worn off. On the same principle, people gave more to see a boy cut portraits and shoot arrows with his feet, than they would have done to relieve his necessity, though never so urgent. Charity is, at best, but a cold feeling. I proceeded to Canandagua, where my singular appearance was less stimulating to curiosity, and fared better there. It is a beautiful place, situated on the shore of a charming lake; that is, if I may be allowed to be in any degree a judge.

My next stage was to Geneva, of which I can say, that it is built on the side of a hill, on a lake shore, and seemed a stirring place. There, for the first time, I was aware of a man in my own unfortunate condition, engaged in sawing and splitting wood, which he performed with great dexterity. Finally, I reached Auburn, the terror of all the thieves and rogues in Gotham State, and visited the state prison, in a manner entirely voluntary. There, to my sorrow and mortification, I found a blind man incarcerated for a term of fourteen years, for a very scandalous and infamous crime. It seems that even the abso

lute necessity of cultivating good-will, cannot always restrain our evil passions.

Having fulfilled all reasonable expectations in this little tour, I returned to Syracuse, where the first severe blow that had fallen on me since my blindness had been struck. My father was dead-of apoplexy. I was much afflicted, for he had ever been a good and kind parent, and I sustained great loss, indeed, in him. But divine wisdom has so ordered it that sorrow for any irreparable misfortune cannot last very long.

As I always took more notice of whatever happened in connection with the blind than with other men, I must not omit to mention, and I may as well do it here as anywhere, that in Clinton, Oneida county, I became acquainted with a blind Indian, who was much of a gentleman, and was considered an admirable performer on the flute, clarionet, and other instruments. I liked the Indians generally. They were a good, kind people, and took much notice of me, especially after I became blind. What I particularly liked in them was, their attachment to the truth. Young as I was, I was much struck with some things I saw among them. One of them was the sacrifice of a white dog, which they perform annually, in a most cruel and savage manner, by tying the animal fast, and then consuming it alive in a fire, without any regard to its sufferings. The spectacle filled me with disgust and horror, and as it is done from some motive connected with their superstitions, I suppose is not to be taken as a token of their general character. I believe the God of nature never made such abominable inhumanity a leading trait in the character of any man, much less in that of a whole people. Their war dance was also an amusing sight, though I could not understand it. The Onondagas had a castle built of stone on their lands, hallowed by their traditions and superstitions. I have been over it since I became blind, and could perceive that it was a work of considerable strength and extent.

Men, and women too, were generally kind to me-very kind. I was never insulted by any grown person, unless under the supposition that I was an impostor; for the external appearance of my sightless orbs does not at once convey the melancholy