The Expedition of Humphry Clinker

THE EXPEDITION OF HUMPHRY CLINKER 267
He told us, he had inquired for us at Dumfries, and been informed
by a travelling merchant from Glasgow, that we had resolved to
return by the way of Coldstream.—He said, that in passing the
sands without a guide, his horse had knocked up; and he himself
must have perished, if he had not been providentially relieved by
a return post-chaise.—He moreover gave us to understand, that
his scheme of settling in his own country having miscarried, he was
so far on his way to London, with a view to embark for North-
America, where he intended to pass the rest of his days among his
old friends the Miamis, and amuse himself in finishing the educa-
tion of the son he had by his beloved Squinkinacoosta.
This project was by no means agreeable to our good aunt, who
expatiated upon the fatigues and dangers that would attend such
a long voyage by sea, and afterwards such a tedious journey by
land—She enlarged particularly on the risque he would run, with
respect to the concerns of his precious soul, among savages who
had not yet received the glad tidings of salvation; and she hinted
that his abandoning Great-Britain might, perhaps, prove fatal to
the inclinations of some deserving person, whom he was qualified
to make happy for life. My uncle, who is really a Don Quixote in
generosity, understanding that Lismahago’s real reason for leaving
Scotland was the impossibility of subsisting in it with any decency
upon the wretched provision of a subaltern’s half-pay, began to be
warmly interested on the side of compassion.—He thought it very
hard, that a gentleman who had served his country with honour,
should be driven by necessity to spend his old age, among the refuse
of mankind, in such a remote part of the world.—He discoursed
with me upon the subject; observing, that he would willingly offer
the lieutenant an asylum at Brambleton-hall, if he did not foresee
that his singularities and humour of contradiction would render
him an intolerable house-mate, though his conversation at some
times might be both instructive and entertaining: but, as there
seemed to be something particular in his attention to Mrs. Tabitha,
he and I agreed in opinion, that this intercourse should be en-
couraged, and improved, if possible, into a matrimonial union;
in which case there would be a comfortable provision for both;
and they might be settled in a house of their own, so that Mr.
Bramble should have no more of their company than he desired.
In pursuance of this design, Lismahago has been invited to pass
the winter at Brambleton-hall, as it will be time enough to execute