The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1849-12-19

,Shem. Madam Shem.
Japhet. 49,. Madam Japhet.
(,Scenc--on board The ark, just as Il be-
gan TO Goai.)
Noah. Shem, have you stopped that
leak? fear not; crowd in the oakum.
i don't like the looks Of this bilge water.
The mammoths on helarboasd side there,
are standing half leg deep in it. +
Shem. Well sir, no wonder. They've
sprung the timbers on that side. say
we must trim ship, or she'll never float.
What if We should drive thc mastodons
and one of the mammoths onto the
starboard quarter'
Noah. Very well. Do so. Jap. will
help you. Do it before you feed. Ora
cious! what a noise these beasts make
wish those internal jackasscs were o.
yer board. The rain pours harder and
harder upon the deck. Ho! Ham:
Climb into the monkey-loit, and shut the
sky light.
! Ham. Sir! What do you say:
: Noah. (Sereaming) Come hcrel
Go shut that sky light,
i, Ham! Aye, aye, Sir! There's such
all uproar could bat just see your lips
move. Think she II swim tonight, ia
+ Their?
Noah. Yes; if she ever swims.
Your mother is coming. Make haste,
boy.
We'll wife, have you made out to sleep
any,
WIFE. Sleep! no. This noise viii
: drive me distracted. Such grunting
and cackling, and ncighing and bray
ing, and Kissing, and squealing, and howl
ing, and chattering, and scrceching, ant
5 believing, and bawling, and roaring, i
,, enough to frighten sleep oct Of exist
ence. Twill be the death of me.
t Noah. Poor thing! see your eye
, look red I'm sorry for you. There'l
be less uproar after feeding and perhap
you'll get some rest.
: Get as nigh the deck as you can
: and stuff your ears with cotton.
Wife. Yes; but the rain pours upo'
, the deck like a torrent of bullets. There
j constant roar in every part Of the
ark. | might as we'll try to sleep in {
thunder cloud!
, Noah. Well, take your own way
And can't the girls sleep' Why. can
8 help it. Take some laudanum.
Wle. Yes; Jeph's wife nodded, 70
e a minute OF so; and then she dreamt tn
tigers had broke loose, and that finish
' ed her nap.
: Noah. Oh, well; we must endure
+, as well as we can. We shall get use'
: to it. Habit is second nature. TT
to amuse yourselves. Call the girls
and you shall all go down and see Ii
feed.
Enter Shem, Ham and Japhct acit
thcsr 'c,res.
We'll done! Here they Gene. babe
and all.
Shcm. Throw bundle Of ccars
+ fodder into this cage.
9: Mrs. Ham. La! pap; what grea
r ugly beasts arc these, with such quee
= eyes, and with horns OH their noses
q They look, for al the world, like hog
r in armor,
Noah. They arc rhinoceroses. Sti
d up the tigers, Ham; and throw them
). quarter of mutton. Women scream.
r Ha! ha, ha! You necd'n. scream
o the beasts can't hurt you; There! there
C now look There's a mouthful of teet
: worth looking at!
e Mrs .Shem. Oh! what a beautifi
d spotted animal here is, sleeping on hi
}, side! How he purs! He looks q
n happy as tom-cat in the ashes. PaI
it mayn't stroke him?
d Shem. Wife! keep away from tn,
leopard! He'll snap your hand o.
d quicker than chain-lightning. Keep I
If way from the cages with that babe, yo
: fool. Father, shall l throw the zebra
n bundle of oat-straw?
: Noah. Yes. And also the quagga
!. Give the asses some oats. These whit
l. bears look sick. It's too warm to SUI
them. Lord! Lord! Where shall "
, find sustenance for all these living ere;
If lures! How much hay is there le
d for the clephants:
IS Ham. Why, not more than matt,
of tons or so.