30 
been alleged, that I have learnt to draw the long 
bow among them ; but you are come in a lucky 
moment to vindicate my veracity." 
He then called to him Lord Spencer Hamilton, 
and some of the Cavendishes, who were also on 
the ice, and introduced Mr. West to them as 
one of the American skaters, of whom they had 
heardlhim so often speak, and would not credit 
what he had saidpof their performance ; and l1e 
requested Mr. West to show them what, in Phila- 
delphia, was called the Salute. Mr. West had 
been so long out of practice, that he was at first 
difiident of attempting this dillicult and graceful 
movement: but, after a few trials, and feeling 
-confidence in himself] he at last performed it 
with complete success. Cut of this trivial inci- 
dent, an acquaintance arose between him and 
the young noblemen present. They spoke of 
his talents as a skater; and their praise, in all 
their usual haunts, had such an effect, that, in 
the course of a few days, prodigious crowds 
of the fashionable world, and of all descriptions 
of people, assembled to see the American skater. 
When it was afterwards known to the public 
8