HUGH HENRY BRACKENRIDGE [Hugh Henry Brackenridge is notable as the author of the most popular book produced west of the Alleghanies before 1800. He was born in Scotland in 1748, but came to America when a boy. His family were in poor financial circumstances, but, largely through his own exertions, he was graduated from Princeton in 1771. His collaboration with his classmate Freneau in a commencement poem has already been mentioned. After his graduation he taught school, edited a magazine, studied divinity, and served as chaplain in the continental army. During this period he wrote a few popular patriotic poems, and delivered some patriotic sermons that were thought worthy of being published. Before the close of the war he turned to the study of law, and in 1781 he removed to Pittsburg. Here he became active in public affairs, and was perhaps unfortunately prominent in connection with the "Whiskey Insurrection" of 1794. The next year he published a long and elaborate "Vindication" of his conduct in connection with this affair. His most important work was "Modern Chivalry; containing the Adventures of a Captain and Teague O'Regan, his servant." The first part of this picturesque satire appeared in 1796, and the less important second part in 1806. The book is a western Don Quixote, and burlesques with western freedom, and in a manner that shows the western point of view, many political and social customs of the country. The selections are from the Philadelphia edition of 1804.] AN ANSWER TO A CHALLENGE [From "Modern Chivalry"] On reflection, it seemed advisable to the Captain to write an answer to the card which Colonel or Major Jacko, or whatever his title may have been, had sent him this morning. It was as follows: SIR, I have two objections to this duel matter. The one is, lest I should hurt you; and the other is, lest you should hurt me. I do not see any good it would do me to put a bullet through any part of your body. I could make no use of you when dead, for any culinary purpose, as I would a rabbit or a turkey. I am no cannibal to feed on the flesh of men. Why then shoot down a human creature, of which I could make no use? A buffaloe would be better meat. For though your flesh might be delicate and tender; yet it wants that firmness and consistency which takes and retains salt. At any rate it would not be fit for long sea voyages. You might make a good barbecue, it is true, being of the nature of a racoon or an opossum; but people are not in the habit of barbecuing any thing human now. As to your hide, it is not worth the taking off, being little better than that of a year old colt. It would seem to me a strange thing to shoot at a man that would stand still to be shot at; in as much as I have been heretofore used to shoot at things flying, or running, or jumping. Were you on a tree, now, like a squirrel, endeavouring to hide yourself in the branches, or like a racoon, that after much eying and spying I observe at length in the crotch of a tall oak, with boughs and leaves intervening, so that I could just get a sight of his hinder parts, I should think it pleasurable enough to take a shot at you. But as it is, there is no skill or judgment requisite either to discover or take you down. me. As to myself, I do not much like to stand in the way of any thing that is harmful. I am under apprehensions you might hit That being the case, I think it most advisable to stay at a distance. If you want to try your pistols, take some object, a tree or a barn door about my dimensions. If you hit that, send me word, and I shall acknowledge that if I had been in the same place, you might also have hit me. TREATING WITH THE INDIANS [From "Modern Chivalry"] J. F. Not long after this, being at a certain place, the Captain was accosted by a stranger in the following manner: Captain, said he, I have heard of a young man in your service who talks Irish. Now, Sir, my business is that of an Indian treaty-maker; and am on my way with a party of kings, and half-kings to the commissioners, to hold a treaty. My king of the Kickapoos, who was a Welsh blacksmith, took sick by the way, and is dead: I have heard of HUGH HENRY BRACKENRIDGE [Hugh Henry Brackenridge is notable as the author of the most book produced west of the Alleghanies before 1800. He was born land in 1748, but came to America when a boy. His family were financial circumstances, but, largely through his own exertions, graduated from Princeton in 1771. His collaboration with his cla Freneau in a commencement poem has already been mentioned. A graduation he taught school, edited a magazine, studied divinity, and as chaplain in the continental army. During this period he wrote a fe ular patriotic poems, and delivered some patriotic sermons that were t worthy of being published. Before the close of the war he turned study of law, and in 1781 he removed to Pittsburg. Here he became in public affairs, and was perhaps unfortunately prominent in conn with the "Whiskey Insurrection of 1794. The next year he publis long and elaborate "Vindication" of his conduct in connection with affair. His most important work was "Modern Chivalry; containin Adventures of a Captain and Teague O'Regan, his servant." The first of this picturesque satire appeared in 1796, and the less important se part in 1806. The book is a western Don Quixote, and burlesques western freedom, and in a manner that shows the western point of view, n political and social customs of the country. The selections are from the Philadelphia edition of 1804.] AN ANSWER TO A CHALLENGE [From "Modern Chivalry"] On reflection, it seemed advisable to the Captain to write a answer to the card which Colonel or Major Jacko, or whatev his title may have been, had sent him this morning. It was a follows: SIR, I have two objections to this duel matter. The one is, les I should hurt you; and the other is, lest you should hurt me I do not see any good it would do me to put a bullet through any part of your body. I could make no use of you when dead, for any culinary purpose, as I would a rabbit or a turkey. I am no cannibal to feed on the flesh of men. Why then shoot down n his crown; hort time, so possible that It astonishes osition. The reat distance. Greek. The supports the for men who uate ideas of carried on in savages that 1? Many of irs, as I have peak of those s, or the meof our trade, have occasion you suppose public? I do ng for men to A hundred man's. I will k or two, and tirely, said the orted down as you mention; ies, and have eatest beauties [ta]tion of a ded bricklayer as dined with f an eye, and t out that he , in a contest to a system; this lad of yours and could wish to have him a while to supply his place. The treaty will not last longer than a couple of weeks; and as the government will probably allow three or four thousand dollars for the treaty, it will be in our power to make it worth your while, to spare him for that time. Your king of the Kickapoos, said the Captain; what does that mean? Said the stranger, It is just this: you have heard of the Indian nations to the westward, that occasionally make war upon the frontier settlements. It has been a policy of government, to treat with these, and distribute goods. Commissioners are appointed for that purpose. Now you are not to suppose that it is always an easy matter to catch a real chief, and bring him from the woods; or if at some expense one was brought, the goods would go to his use; whereas, it is much more profitable to hire substitutes and make chiefs of our own: And as some unknown gibberish is necessary, to pass for an Indian language, we generally make use of Welch, or Low Dutch, or Irish; or pick up an ingenious fellow here and there, who can imitate a language by sounds of his own, in his mouth, and throat. But we prefer one who can speak a real tongue, and give more for him. We cannot afford you a great deal at this time for the use of your man; because it is not a general treaty where 20,000, or 30,000 dollars are appropriated for the purpose of holding it; but an occasional, or what we call a running treaty, by way of brightening the chain, and holding fast friendship. The commissioners will doubtless be glad to see us, and procure from government an allowance for the treaty. For the more treaties, the more use for commissioners. The business must be kept up, and treaties made if there are none of themselves. My Pianksha, and Choctaw chiefs, are very good fellows; the one of them a Scotch pedlar that talks the Erse; the other has been some time in Canada, and has a little broken Indian, God knows what language; but has been of great service in assisting to teach the rest some Indian custom and manners. I have had the whole of them for a fortnight past under my tuition, teaching them war songs and dances, and to make responses at the treaty. If your man is tractable, I can make him a Kickapoo in about nine days. A breech-clout, and leggins, that I took off the blacksmith that died, I have ready to put on him. He must have part |