SOMETIME in June, 1787, Doctor SAMUEL BRAKE, a gentleman eminent both for phiſick and ſurgery, and a man indefatigable in the ſearch of curioſities, hearing of the wonderful account of the HERMIT, ſet out with a full determination to go and find him. The Doctor furniſhed himſelf with the beſt intelligence Capt. Buckland could poſſibly give him, and took with him two attendants well armed, and as much proviſion as was neceſſary for ſuch a journey, and being favoured with good weather, they ſoon came to the Allegany mountains:—Here the Doctor diſcovered a certain root never known nor heard of before, which proves a remedy for all diſeaſes.—After a great deal of trouble they found the HERMIT, but it was entirely by accident that they happened at laſt to diſcover him; for the country was very wild, covered with ſhrubs as thick as poſſible, and the trees grew large beyond deſcription.—One day the Doctor diſcovered with his ſpy-glaſs, a very high hill at a conſiderable diſtance; and thought he would go and take an obſervation from the top of that hill; when he arrived there, he ſoon found the old HERMIT's path, juſt as Capt. Buckland had directed.—They followed the path down the valley, and ſoon came to the HERMIT's cave;— nothing was ſeen of the HERMIT for ſometime, and they ſuppoſed he was aſleep in his cave, and not one ſoul durſt venture into his old habitation; at length, whilſt they were liſtening at the mouth of the cave, they diſcovered the HERMIT at a little diſtance, coming with a handful of roots which he had been gathering for food;—he walked in a ſlow and grave manner, and when he ſaw them he came and embraced them;—but did not ſeem to be ſo much ſurpriſed to ſee them as he was when firſt diſcovered by Capt. Buckland, &c. —He invited them in a very friendly manner into his cave, and was overjoyed to ſee them. The cave was very curious, which appeared to be dug out of a ſolid white flint rock: But as a particular deſcription has been given of it, it will be needleſs to ſay any thing further concerning it.—The HERMIT made particular enquiry after Capt. Buckland and Mr. Fielding, and ſaid that he received great ſatisfaction from a viſit which they had made him, and added, that they were the firſt human beings that he had ſeen from the time that he firſt landed on this ſhore, which was about TWO HUNDRED YEARS. Dr. Brake tarried there ſeveral days, 〈…〉 became very intimate with the HERMIT, and found ſevearl things which were not diſcovered before:—Two books in particular, which he brought with him from England, one in poetry, the other in proſe.—The HERMIT appeared to have had a good education when he was young, and diſcovered a ſurpriſing greatneſs of mind. His eyes were good, but his teeth were very poor, he had but little hair on his head, but his beard was very long. He could not articulate his words very diſtinctly, but his language was better than any ſpoken in England at the time he left it, which makes it appear evident that he was an extraordinary genius when he was young. He ſhewed Doctor Brake his books, writings, &c. of which he had a large pile in one corner of his cave, ſome were done 〈◊〉 barks of trees, and ſome o • 〈◊〉 made into a kind of parchment. The Doctor obtained liberty to take a copy of the HERMIT's compoſitions. One contained principally moral ſentiments, and the following ſentences were found written in one of them:—"Young men and young women, beware of ſeducing appearances which may ſurround you and recollect what others have ſu ••• red from the power of headſtrong deſire.—This world is but a wilderneſs—eager paſſions and violent deſires were not made for man.—Pitch upon that courſe of life which is beſt, and habit will render it moſt delightful."

After a while the Doctor determined to try the HERMIT with a little rum, and ſee what the effect would be; but it was with great difficulty that he •• uld perſuade him to drink: The Doctor ſaid that it was an excellent cordial that tended to ſtrengthen the conſtitution, and at laſt the poor innocent HERMIT was perſuaded to drink a little of that horrid bane, which hath ſent thouſands out of the world.—He drank about three quarters of a gill of that poiſon liquor, and in a quarter of an hour there was a viſible alteration in his looks and conduct; and in half an hour he appeared wild and almoſt mad, and attempted to tell a kind of a love ſtory; and in about an hour he was entirely ſenſeleſs, and remained in that ſhocking ſituation until 12 o'clock at night and then died.

Poor old man! he lived about two hundred years in his cave, free from the buſy ſcenes of the world, and enjoying all the happineſs of a retired life! And might perhaps have lived as many more, had he not drank that horrid draught! Curſed liquor! Thouſands have fell a ſacrifice to its bewitching power.

Among the HERMIT's writings was found his WILL, which appeared to have been made ſoon after he was diſcovered.—He had given his cave to Capt. Buckland and Mr. Fielding, as alſo all his writings: His curious cane he willed to one of Capt. Buckland's ſervants, which was all the HERMIT was poſſeſſed of, excepting a few old ſkins which had ſerved to clothe him, thoſe he gave to the other ſervant, as a reward for his kindneſs in ſinging a love ſong to him before they departed.

Doctor Brake was much affected at the ſudden death of the HERMIT, more eſpecially the manner in which he was brought to his untimely death—but the Doctor ſaid he felt no remorſe of conſcience, as he really ſuppoſed that a little of that cordial would ſerve to raiſe his ſpirits, and make him more cheerful with his new viſitors.

The next day the Doctor and his attendants employed themſelves about burying the old gentlemen in as decent a manner as poſſible in his cave, which was done with great ſolemnity and good order.—The Doctor ordered one of his attendants to ſhave the HERMIT, and his beard is carefully preſerved as a very great curioſity, it being at leaſt twelve inches long.

N. B. Doctor Brake mentions that this good old man made it his conſtant cuſtom to devote himſelf to prayer every day, and there is no doubt of his everlaſting happineſs.

☞ Thoſe who do not credit the above, may apply to Doctor BRAKE for better information.