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Literary
December 16, 1826
The Ladies' Garland
Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, West Virginia
What is this article about?
Newspaper notice from Cincinnati Register on Micah T. Flint's poetry volume, highlighting 'The Hunter,' a western narrative poem. Excerpt depicts a tragic aftermath of an Indian raid: massacre of a settlement, abduction and recovery of Emma, pursuit, and the hunter bound to her corpse amid carrion birds, until rescued by woodsmen.
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OCR Quality
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Full Text
FROM THE CINCINNATI REGISTER.
Mr. Micah T. Flint, son of the author of 'Francis Berrian,' has published a small volume of Poetry, which evinces considerable poetic taste. The principal poem is the 'Hunter,' and the scene is laid in the west. 'The following extract contains a description of a scene familiar to the woodman. A party of Indians, who had just made an excursion into Kentucky, and after massacring the individuals of a small settlement, carried off the lovely Emma, the betrothed bride of the Hero, the Hunter. He pursued them with a small band, and recovered his mistress by stratagem. He, in turn, was pursued by the savages, was overtaken, and all his party, with the maiden, was murdered. He was spared for greater torments; he was tied to his dead mistress, to die by degrees, in the wilderness. He thus describes the scene the morning after the bloody deed:
At length, with cool and fragrant breath,
The rosy morn came tripping by:
And smiled away the film of death
Moment from my languid eye.
I saw the carrion birds once more
Around me, a dark divan,
To hold their feast of triumph o'er
Those: turned wrecks of mortal man:
Some rode aloft on outspread wing,
And wheeled in many an airy ring:
While others plucked their dainty food
From those poor, unresisting cheeks:
Or, mounting on some dry branch, stood,
And, satiate, whetted their gory beaks.
Their scanty plumes seemed to wave
Like death's dark banner o'er the grave.
And yet to me they proved a friend,
Never failed the ambient air.
For to the woodsman's practised eye,
Those raven wings a signal flew;
And well by that dark sign, he knew,
That murder had been busy nigh.
At length, by such sure beacon led,
A band of hardy woodsmen came:
The hounds along the mangled dead
Of turn, through the mystic frame:
And roused once more the vital flame,
Whose last faint spark had almost fled.
Mr. Micah T. Flint, son of the author of 'Francis Berrian,' has published a small volume of Poetry, which evinces considerable poetic taste. The principal poem is the 'Hunter,' and the scene is laid in the west. 'The following extract contains a description of a scene familiar to the woodman. A party of Indians, who had just made an excursion into Kentucky, and after massacring the individuals of a small settlement, carried off the lovely Emma, the betrothed bride of the Hero, the Hunter. He pursued them with a small band, and recovered his mistress by stratagem. He, in turn, was pursued by the savages, was overtaken, and all his party, with the maiden, was murdered. He was spared for greater torments; he was tied to his dead mistress, to die by degrees, in the wilderness. He thus describes the scene the morning after the bloody deed:
At length, with cool and fragrant breath,
The rosy morn came tripping by:
And smiled away the film of death
Moment from my languid eye.
I saw the carrion birds once more
Around me, a dark divan,
To hold their feast of triumph o'er
Those: turned wrecks of mortal man:
Some rode aloft on outspread wing,
And wheeled in many an airy ring:
While others plucked their dainty food
From those poor, unresisting cheeks:
Or, mounting on some dry branch, stood,
And, satiate, whetted their gory beaks.
Their scanty plumes seemed to wave
Like death's dark banner o'er the grave.
And yet to me they proved a friend,
Never failed the ambient air.
For to the woodsman's practised eye,
Those raven wings a signal flew;
And well by that dark sign, he knew,
That murder had been busy nigh.
At length, by such sure beacon led,
A band of hardy woodsmen came:
The hounds along the mangled dead
Of turn, through the mystic frame:
And roused once more the vital flame,
Whose last faint spark had almost fled.
What sub-type of article is it?
Poem
What themes does it cover?
War Peace
Death Mortality
What keywords are associated?
Hunter
Poem
Indians
Massacre
Woodsmen
Carrion Birds
Kentucky
West
What entities or persons were involved?
Mr. Micah T. Flint
Literary Details
Title
The Hunter
Author
Mr. Micah T. Flint
Subject
Description Of A Scene Familiar To The Woodman After An Indian Massacre In Kentucky
Key Lines
At Length, With Cool And Fragrant Breath,
The Rosy Morn Came Tripping By:
And Smiled Away The Film Of Death
Moment From My Languid Eye.
I Saw The Carrion Birds Once More
Around Me, A Dark Divan,
To Hold Their Feast Of Triumph O'er
Those: Turned Wrecks Of Mortal Man:
Some Rode Aloft On Outspread Wing,
And Wheeled In Many An Airy Ring:
While Others Plucked Their Dainty Food
From Those Poor, Unresisting Cheeks:
Or, Mounting On Some Dry Branch, Stood,
And, Satiate, Whetted Their Gory Beaks.
Their Scanty Plumes Seemed To Wave
Like Death's Dark Banner O'er The Grave.
And Yet To Me They Proved A Friend,
Never Failed The Ambient Air.
For To The Woodsman's Practised Eye,
Those Raven Wings A Signal Flew;
And Well By That Dark Sign, He Knew,
That Murder Had Been Busy Nigh.
At Length, By Such Sure Beacon Led,
A Band Of Hardy Woodsmen Came:
The Hounds Along The Mangled Dead
Of Turn, Through The Mystic Frame:
And Roused Once More The Vital Flame,
Whose Last Faint Spark Had Almost Fled.