CHAPTER IV.

MICAH MUMMYCHOG.


About ten years before the period when this narrative begins, Micah
Mummychog had come to this country from the Kennebec River, in the
State of Maine.

He soon purchased a dozen acres of land, partially cleared them, and
built a large-sized, comfortable log house. It was situated not far
from the Dubois house, at a short distance from the bank of the river,
and on the edge of a grove of forest trees.

Micah inhabited his house usually only a few months during the year,
as he was a cordial lover of the unbroken wilderness, and was as
migratory in his habits as the native Indian. On the morning after the
events related in the last chapter, he happened to be at home. While
Adèle was guiding the missionary to his cottage, he was sitting in his
kitchen, which also served for a general reception room, burnishing up
an old Dutch fowling-piece.

The apartment was furnished with cooking utensils, and coarse wooden
furniture; the walls hung around with fishing tackle, moose-horns,
skins of wild animals and a variety of firearms.

Micah was no common, stupid, bumpkin-looking person. Belonging to the
genus Yankee, he had yet a few peculiar traits of his own. He had a
smallish, bullet-shaped head, set, with dignified poise, on a pair of
wide, flat shoulders. His chest was broad and swelling, his limbs