Page:Pretty Story.djvu/18

 arrival in the new country. Here they found nothing but wild nature. Mountains overgrown with inacceſſible foliage, and plains ſteeped in ſtagnated waters. Their ears are no longer attentive to the repeated ſtrokes of induſtrious labour, and the buſy hum of men, inſtead of theſe, the roaring tempeſt and inceſſant howlings of the beaſts of prey fill their minds with horror and diſmay. The needful comforts of life are no longer in their power—no friendly roof to ſhelter them from inclement ſkies; no fortreſs to protect them from ſurrounding dangers. Unaccuſtomed as they were to hardſhips like theſe, ſome were cut off by ſickneſs and diſeaſe, and others ſnatched away by the hands of barbarity. They began however, with great perſeverance, to clear the land of encumbering rubbiſh, and the woods reſound with the ſtrokes of labour; they drain the waters from the ſedged moraſs, and pour the ſun beams on the reeking ſoil; they are forced to exerciſe all the powers of induſtry and œconomy for bare ſubſiſtence, and like their firſt parent, when driven from Paradiſe, to earn their bread with the ſweat of their brows. In this work they were frequently interrupted by the incurſions of the wild beats, againſt whom they defended themſelves with heroic proweſs and magnanimity.