10
tory, that ſaid more, much more than any ⟨tongue⟩ could utter. The firſt ſounds proceeded from ⟨the⟩ mouths of the moſt patient of Nature’s creatures-from the melancholy cow that had loſt its calf, ⟨and⟩ with frequent lowings invited its return; from ⟨the⟩ mother ewes, that with frequent bleetings ⟨recalled⟩ their lambs, which were friſking out of ſight, ⟨unconſcious⟩ of danger and unmindful of food: ⟨and⟩ which ſolemn and pathetic invitations, after ſuch ⟨a⟩ night, the contemplation of ſuch a ſcene, and ⟨the⟩ diſpoſition of the mind to receive pathetic ⟨impressions⟩, came home with full effect to thoſe who ⟨has⟩ ſuffered but who wiſhed not to complain! If ⟨the⟩ diſtreſſes of the feathered tribe be taken into ⟨the⟩ deſcription, their natural timidity. their ⟨uncertainty⟩ of food, of ſhelter, and domeſtic protection, (illegible text) duly conſidered, trifling as theſe obſervations ⟨may⟩ appear, they certainly help to ſwell the ⟨catalogue⟩ of diſtreſs, to awaken the ſigh of ſenſibility, and ⟨to⟩ teach us that their exiſtence, and their end are (illegible text) the hands of the ſame Creator.
The morning of the 4th of October preſented (illegible text) with a proſpect, dreary beyond deſcription, and (illegible text) moſt melancholy beyond example; and ⟨deformed⟩ with ſuch blaſted ſigns of nakedneſs and ruin, (illegible text) calamity, in its moſt awful and deftructive ⟨moments⟩, has ſeldom offered to the deſponding ⟨obſevations⟩ of mankind. The face of the country ⟨ſeemed⟩ to be entirely changed: the vallies and the ⟨plains⟩, the mountains and the foreſts, that were only ⟨the⟩ day before moſt beautifully clothed with every v(illegible text)are, were now deſpoiled of every charm; and an expected abundance and ſuperfluity of gain, (illegible text) a few hours ſucceeded ſterility and want; and ⟨every⟩ proſpect, as far as the eye could ſtretch, was ⟨visibly⟩ ſtricken blank with deſolation and with ⟨horror.⟩ The powers of vegetation appeared to be an on (illegible text)