Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1837-09-21
MISCELLANY.
FROM THE "RocKY MOUNTAINS, OR AID
VENTURES IN THE FAN w EST"
THE UNLIMITED ONE.
by WASH. IRVING.

ing hearty supper, they were suddenly
surprised by the visit OF an uninvitcd guest
He was ragged, hall naked Indian hunter,
armed with bow and arrows, and had the
carcass oi fine buck ihrown across his shou!
ders Advancing with an alert step, and free
nndeasy air he threw the buck on the ground
and, without waiting Tor an invitation. seat,
cd himself at their mess helped himself " ith
out ceremony, and Chatled In the right and
left in the liveliest and most unemharra.sed
manner. No adroit and veteran dinner hun
ter of metropolis could have acquitted him
self more knowingly. The travellers were
ut first taken by surprise, and could not but
admire the facility with which this ragged
cosmopolle had made himselfal home among
them. While they stared, he went on, mak>
ing the most OF the good cheer upon which
he had so fortunately aligh,ed and W as soon
elbow deep in "pOt luck, ard creased from
the tip of his nose To the hack of his ears
As the company recovered from the sur
prise, they began 10 feel annoyed al this in
truson. Their uninvited guest, unlike the
generality OF his tribe, was come hat dirty
as we'll as ragged and they had no relish for
such messmaie. Hcaping up therefore, an
abundant portion of the "rrovant" upon a
piece of bark, which served for dish, they
invited him Ia confine himself thereto, Instead
OF foraging in the general mess.
lie complied with the most ccommoda:>
ing spirit imaginable; and went on eating
and chatting, and laughing and smearing
himself, until his whole countenance shone
with grease and good humor. In the course
cfhis repast, his attention was caught Nv the
figure OF the gaslronome, who, as usual, was
Surging himself in logged silence. a drol
cut OF The eye showed either that he knew
bjm of old, or perceived al once his charac-
teristics. lie Immediately made him the
Irii oE nj ntriE nd L;al
or three good hits, that caused the sluggish
doll Ia pick up his ears, and delighted all the
company. From this time, The unlimited
guest was taken into favor; his jokes beea
To lie relished his careless, free and easy air
60 be considered singularly amusing !; and, in
iha end; he ,rHs pronounced by the travellers
one OF the meTriest companions and most en-
Pertaining vaga5onds they had met with in
the wilderness.
SuPper being over, the redoubled She trce.
sac .ouaster, for such was the simple name by
which ne announced himself, declared his in =
tentIon of Keeping company wib the party
for day or two, If they had no objection !;
and, by way Of backing his self invitation,
presented the carcass of he buck as an earns
es OF his bunting abilities. by this time, he
had so completely effaced the unfsvorable
impression made by his first appearance,
that he was made welcome TO the Camp, and
! lodging Tor the night. The next morning
at break Of day, he borrowed gun, and was
of ameng the hills, nor was any thing more
seen OF him until few minutes after tie par
~ had encamped for the evening, when he
again made his appearance, in his usual frank
careless manner, and threw down the carcass
OF another noble deer, which he had borne
on his back for a consider able distance.
This evening he was The life of the party,
Liz Il
from all disguise, soon put them in possession
of his history. He had been kind OF prod
issi son in his native village, living loose,
needless life, and disregarding the precepts
and imperative commands Of the chiefs lie
had, in consequence, been expelled from the
village, but NOW, in no wise disheariened nj
this banishment, had belaken himself to the
society OF the border indians, and had led
careless, hapbazard, vagabond life, perfectly
consonant to his humors needless Of the 10
ture, so long he had WHEREIN ithal for the
present, and fearing no lack of food so long
as he had The implements of the chase and a
fair hunting ground.
Finding him very expert as hunter, and
being pleased with his eccentricitss and his
strange and merry humor, Capt. Bonneville
fitted him out handsomely as The Nmrod Of
his party, who all soon become quite attach
ed 10 him. In fact, the doltish guide, who
SeSih6u 40 perfectly ln6ensiOIe 70 rough treat
nsnt of every kind, by which the travellers
bad endeavored TO elbow him out of their So.
ciety, could not Withstand the good humored
bantering and occasionally sharp wit Of She>
wee-she. He evidently quaiIed under his
Jokes, and sat blinkering like an owl in day
fight, when pestered by the houls and peck
ings Of mischievous birds. Al length his
place was found vacant al meal lime A; no one
know when he went off or whittier he had
gone, but he was seen no more, and the vast
surplus that remained when the repast was
over showed what mighty gormandizer
bad departed.
Relieved from this incubus, the little par
~ now went on Cheerily. She wee.she kept
them in tun as we'll as food. HIS hunting
was always succ essiul he was ever ready 10
render any assistance in the camp or on the
march while his jokes, his antics, and The
very cut OF bis countenance, SO lul Of within
snd comicaliiy, kept every one in good hu
NOR.
In this way they iourncyed on until they
arrived on The bnnks Of the Immabah. and
encamped near to the Nez Perces lodges
Here Sheswee- she took sudden notion 10
visit his people, and show off the state of
worldly prosperity TO which he had SO sud
denly sitained. He accordingly departed in
the morning, arrsyed in hunters style, and
we'll appointed with every thing befiiting his
vocation. The buoyancy Of his gait, the
elasticity OF his step, and the hilarity Of his
coUniensnce, showed tina he anticipated, with
chuckiing satisfaction, The surprise he was