The ladies' garland. [volume], October 28, 1826, Image 1

About The ladies' garland. [volume] (Harpers-Ferry, Va. [W. Va.]) 1824-1828

Image provided by: West Virginia University

                
Z%)t WLifoit#* earlad).
VOZi. 3
HARFERS.FERSY, VIRGINIA, OCTOBER 23, 1326
NO. 38
FLBLIsIlKH KVF.HY SATfIII»\Y E V KMX^j
BY JOHN S. (. UJ.AIIKIt,
.0 Vic. Office if tht Virginia Free Frets.
TKllMS.—()nc dollar and fifty cents per annum
payable quarterly in advance; or one dollar and
twenty-five cents, to be paid at the time of sub
•crib’.ni^. Bayne, nt in advance, from distant sul»
s !:» :who are not known to the publisher, \\ ill
■ns .abb be expected. S11o111«i pa\ rnent be deft r
r< 1 to th • end of the year, £2 will be require 1.
■&2SE EEPOSITOP.Y
FHO.M Til K )! VSOVII’ KSC III TO I II.
THE GENEROUS CARIB.
fhi one ot those happv i-lands whose ever
'•huros are l ived by the billows of the
Vv e-tern Oeean; win re nations, Ihl.-tly called
nvilized. never carried the desolating .-word of
conquest ; in the bosom of a thick grove of man
- tin: generous < (rra had fixed his habitation.
I i- m the h or hi- eves first beheld the light of
heaven, he had been accustomed onh to th
same tlelitiliUul -pot. I'rom inl’ani he had been
! .of lit day by day to tra\ el the sands, and -apply
the wants ol nature Irmu the finny prodtictioiis
ol the deep 1 i aeru-tien ed to the toils oi' cul
tivation, or the cares of tratlie. he -pent the
ttior ::e..; ol his days in a regular sucer--i.it) of
innocent amusement- A- he sat on the rock,
he. warbled in untaught number-, while bis eves
" tlde.rcd over the i xtcnsiv c ocean, and marked
the progtoss of the di-tant -ail- emerging. dis
appearing, or taking different directions, lb
ooked on those as the ordinarv productions of
nature, though ignorant of their properties nr
ile ir utility; nor deemed them other than what
they seemed—vast objects floating on the tin
-table billows, without cause or without effect,
lie observed the mighty orb of day rise in all its
maje-ty, and descend in all it- magnificence,
unconscious of its warming other climes, or
fructifying a different soil; nor did he drearu of
other lands, or other race of beings; but inr.i
glued that all creation was comprised within the
narrow circle of his visible horizon.
In the prime of life, when the hear!- of men
are contaminated with juvenile vices, f.jve wa
..i' only passion wlnt'h couM disturb the r.-ni
*) o* his soul. 1 lie amiable ^ arro ivj> 11 *. * ,,h
i'd of his lender desires. He iir-t met her m
a walk ol bamboos, on the purple bank-ut’a
fuie river, when her sable beauties kindled in hi
ll o-oni the flame whn h could onh he extinguish
ed with his exi-tencc. A stranger t i artdive and
dissimHhttion.be. wooed her with tin- irre-i-ti
hle. eloquence of nature; she heard hi- honest,
simple, tale, and yielded her hand without re
luctance or distrust. Their hovel w.t-sheltered
hythe have; oi' the branching n tlin ; between
two trees was suspended their hammock of hemp, i
and their kitchen furniture consisted of a ^ arit tv ;
of calabashes, cutioiislv carved with a sharp
flint hy his own hand, and arranged on their
rustic shelves in the most rcoular order.
.Many years of domestic felicity passed awav.
it hoot a single misfoi tune, to rutile their repose- j
A\ Idle Orra.with Ids net on I ■ shoulder,sought
the shore in order to secure flic next meal’s sup
ply, \ afro dti" a h de in the sands, kindled the
il.Mii' ' tM roast the lisli caught thr preceding :
evening, arid served them uj> on (In' leaves o|'
t!ii' banana, against liis return. Wlule the}'
wandered in the enchanting meadows on the.
border' of the logwood forest, or amid the laby
rinths of citrons or .sugar-cane, every eve he i
heh! tlii'in with ploasurt .and eveiv tongue pro
nottnred them happy. Hut what mortal ever !
drew the lot of perfect h ppinoss.’ Some inter- I
l enient cloud will overcast the brightest day.'
-
One morning Orra beheld with astonishment
a large ship approach nearer the shore than lie
j had ever yet 'ecu one approach A boat, tilled
; with men, soon reached the island : he viewed
■ them with attention—he exercised his reason —
! he compared them with himself: and.onmak
j mg proper allowances f.-r dress and color, was
| convinced tiny were beings of a like species
j with hirm-elt lie felt himself interested in their
wants, w hich by signs lin y ma le known to him
For the three preceding days they had suffered
1 all the horrors of lliii't ; he commiserated their
sufleiing', led them to the purC't spring, and
assisted them m filling their casks, arid rolling
them down to their hunt, lie tin n conducted
them to hi'lint, and introduced them to his A m
ro. who laid before them every delicacy in her
power to procure.
Vt the si.ut of evening they returned to llnar
ship; and for several mornings Orra ran to the
lie.e h tocongratul.it. them on their arrival, and
j s|,i.v. them fresh instances of disinterested kind
tic". One morning he waited mr them in vain;
the sim had gained its meridian height, and no
boat appeared ; pensive he Ietnrned to hi' hut ;
hut id,is! it wanted its brightest ornament! ove
rt ut. i 'll was placed in the nicest order, hot
In- helmed \ , ui'o was not tilin’! lie threw
IT oil (In- isuth in ttooiiv, calling on the,
Zombies to ii’-loro Inin his low’; thru Iran tic
with 2nd, startl’d u;» and ran into the woods
inijuiring ol all he met it they had seen his Yar
'o’ ”1 -:nv lirisaid one of tin; natives. "stru^\
an; 2 with the nrw brings you entertained at
tho mouth of yonder creek, who took her on
their long raft, and paddled out to sea before
any one could come to her relief.” A sudden
paNy shook his nerves, his face w as diseotupo
cd, his eyes lulled liery red. lie drew his 1 -r• 'h
with pain; lie cursed liis own credulity, titnl tin0
periiliv oi his ungenerous quests, who, ho now
no longer doubted (more rruci than the Zom
hits !) w ore the authors o| las present misfortune,
whom, m the bitterness of his soul, he called
savages and barbarians! — but when the storm
of rase ami grief subsided, he remained tie
gloomy lietim of cool anil unsettled despair.
Seien days elapsed, and on the morning of
the. eighth, as his eyes, dimmed with grief, wan
tiered over the \ast expanse of waters, ho be
liflil a 1 io-.it urged 1 >y tbe surt among the rock*
ami breakers. 11 is bosom at first was swelling
with indignation at tlie sight of beings of the
same kind as liis late ungrateful guests, and ii
for a moment vowed eternal enmity to all their
race! “Their souls are strangers to pits ,‘
thought he, “ they feel not for the woes of others,
therefore let them perish, and their crimes be.
upon their heads!” Hut when the}' made the
signal of distress, liis generous nature melted
into compassion—*■ 1 have, not another Yarro to
lose," recollected he; •• my own existence is not
worth preserving—-hut shall I see my fellow
creatures perish, and not extend a hand to save
them? No! If they are ignorant and ungrateful,
1 will teach them, by my example, to he genei
oils and merciful!” With this he assembled his
fri< mis, who joined to aid the crew, and ikew
their boat up in a place of safety.
Amidst this scene of terror and confusion, a
female of Ins own complexion, with uplifted
hands implored assistance. Orra rushed tor
u ai d, and enjoyed the supreme felicity to snatch
from the jaws of fate his dearest, his beloved
Yarro ! All the mingled passions overwhelmed
their souls ; clasped, in each other's arms, they
w i re unable to express their transput ts, but hv
i mil i in I silence ami mutual tears! Rapture now
pave way to curiosity. ami from tin- lips of Yar
ro !. • was now informed that his former pi ilidi
ous puests had watched an nppnitunil',. and put
in the hack of the island, w lnle < >i i a was w ait
hip their arrival on the opposite shore; they
reached liis hot m hi- ahsence; forced nee.
the stropplinp rictnn, uul conveyed her .-ale on
hoard their ship.
(•a the second dry a it nm arose; tie- rr1- - :
struck on a rock and every ~■ i! sav ■ \ uro :.ml
another, perished. These were picked npl-*
the boat of another ship hi a i -w dae- .after,
this vessel was likewise dct,. - .1 f.i; fit ii wa
ter ; and at the persuasions of \ arm, v. ho offer
ed In direct tin nr. Hi y s.- • d tic l.r.at to her
native island in <pic-t I I to it e--c|,iial a t tilde
while she at tile same t.nn a< !l\ induip'rd tic
pleasiap hope of ay.in i t) ctn .- In r e-cap. .
the nionriiitip frier I ,.f her 1
C'itcii. all'll ca a .. --v a<