Tales of a Traveller Section 23 - Inn at Terracina

Tales of a Traveller Section 34 - Wolfert Webber; or, Golden Dreams, Part One

In which the industrious and ancient Webber family, long devoted to the cultivation of cabbages in the midst of a growing city, maintains their tranquil rural existence under the shadow of a mighty button-wood tree, whilst contending with the encroachments and changes brought by urban expansion. Amidst this peaceful yet subtly shifting world, the gentle blooming of young Amy and the quiet attentions of a suitor unfold with the tender delicacy of domestic garden blooms, all observed through the prudent and care-worn eyes of Wolfert Webber.

Tales of a Traveller Section 33 - The Devil and Tom Walker, Part Two

In which a miserly man strikes a sinister bargain that trades his integrity for wealth, navigating the treacherous tides of usury and religious hypocrisy with a wary eye toward the inevitable reckoning. The tale unfolds amidst the echoes of colonial superstition and the haunting landscapes of New England, where fortunes and fates are as easily lost as the treasures buried beneath ancient oaks.

Tales of a Traveller Section 32 - The Devil and Tom Walker, Part One

In which a miserly husband and wife, dwelling near a desolate swamp reputedly haunted by the devil’s deeds, harbour a mutual distrust as grim as their poverty, leading the husband into a mysterious and uncanny encounter with a dark and formidable stranger amid the gloomy old Indian fort. This revelation stirs the embers of avarice and discord, as elements of old superstition and shadowy commerce intertwine beneath the towering pines and whispering marshes of a remote Massachusetts inlet.

Tales of a Traveller Section 31 - Kidd, the Pirate

In which the restless and lawless days following the English wresting of New Netherland are vividly recalled, and the notorious Captain Kidd is introduced as a pirate turned pursuer of his own kind, whose buried treasures ignited widespread legends along the eastern coast. The narrator, seeking truth amid rumour, stumbles upon a rusted pistol in calm waters near Manhattan, setting the stage for tales of hidden wealth, devilish bargains, and maritime adventure.

Tales of a Traveller Section 30 - Hell Gate

In which a narrow and tempestuous strait near the city of the Manhattoes is vividly portrayed, its tides and treacherous currents likened to the caprices of a wayward spirit, and the ominous wreckage therein stirs the imagination with tales of pirates and supernatural lore. The narrator reflects on youthful adventures and the murky blend of fact and fable that colours the maritime history of this wild and romantic seascape.