The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1823-01-07
From ne Kentucky Gazette
A REAL. RACkWOODSMAN.

world concurs, and that is TO consider on
morals, religion and rofnements greail
| superior 10 those removed from among u
| 10 distant countries. There is some rea
| son for this sort of self CommendatiOn, btI
| there should be n time agreed on for nc
| knowledgng new settlements To be within
the pale olreGnemcnt, It is unj ust and n
evidence Of great defect both in reelection
aud information, 10 suppose that people
on migrating Ia a new country, lay asd,
| either 4 desire or the means of improve
mrnt, aud that they are never To equal, oI
c.en 10 surpass, the present country III CT
ylilelion.
The subjects of Great Britain do, as we
have been informed by writer in New
York, look about with establishment on Ian
ding in our cities, TO find the people in pre-.
cisely the same dress as themselves, and
not wearing skins .as they had been taught
10 expect. The same astonhhmeni, ~
doubt, strikes MI weH informed persons from
the Atlantic states, On arriving in tho old
settlements of Kentucky; but they may
learn here, from those as well informed M
themselves, that the scna Sorages have re-
moved to the Green river aud Missouri
IilHlilfb. ne Ifhihtltt hlti ildiHfla w
real backwoodsman, as described in the
following article, Is, We believe, the FIRST ac-
count that deserves attention for We con
slider the accounts heretofore published by
Ashe and others, ms fabulous. The costume
of ynihe Such, and his manners are so
much more refined than, our friends IN the
eastern states 1--WE mean the best informed
only) expect, that we fear that ii will be
considered asa boar, and Chat the picture
answers 10 the manners of our most polite
gentlemen aud finest daadicS hui We can
ASSURE them that the writer has descrllsd
no common character, aud that lac is so
considered at Franklin, which ismore than
COO mites west of This place from which
il must appear that Kentucky is no longer
hocltwoods settlement, but near the cen
tire Of population, and will, ifnot strongly
opposed by Mr.. Ashe and his associates,
set up some claim 10 the character of =
moral, religious people, all relief laws to the
contrary Notwithstanding
From The Missouri hteiiigeneer.
THE BEAVER HUNTER.
There appears in the character ofthe in
habltanls who reside Immediately on the
frontier, certain doubtful features that rem
der II difficult 10 determine 10 which side of
the boundary they belong. Thus il Ia with
our bordeIers of Missouri who have taken
up their residence in the ncighborho0d Of
the Indian lands, and in many instances
have adopted the habits, manners and Gus
toms Of the natives.
Michael Shuekwei, or rs he has been
more famliarly denolnnated, Mile Snch,
may he presented az sample OF these vo-
iunteer Bdrbaliaus. Amongst The carly
settlers of Kentucky, Mike Shneh was
known white headed, hardy urchin whom
nobody claimed kin To, and who disclaim
I'd connection with all mankind
lie WIS Injured 10 danger in the course
Of the indian Wars of that period, and
when the celebrated Col. Boon migrated
10 this country, Mike was one Of his nsinc-
rous followers. Advancing MS the settle
ments progressed, for the convenience Of
hunting, he has al length found himself
pushed hey ond the boundary Of that tract
ofcouniry tow Inch the Indian title has been
cMlpsuishcd. At present Nike lShnch
claims portable citizenship or a floating
tile In a residence that he locates for the
time, being wherever he may chance to
lay himself down for the night. His sub
sIstenee he draws from natures grand store
house by means of an old rusty rifle that
has been his constant companion since his
first campaign under General George Ro-
gers Clark.
lie possesses in an eminent degree, "A
knowledge Of al the minutla of trapping,
and he appropriates hls autnmns, the pro-
per season for this branch of his business,
in exploring the small creeks that put into
the Missouri above the settlements. He
is frequently discovered " at the peep of
dawn" bare-headed and bare-looted, pur-
suing the mcanderngs of these water
COURSES, bending under load Of traps, to
learn whether or not his bait has attract
ed the cautious victim or for the pur-
pose OF Locating his traps more advantage
Oualy.
such is thc accuracy of his skill, that
Nike &hHck can make up apack ofbearcr,
when an Indian, with all lis rude know
ledge of natural history, would esteem the
prospect hopeless. A gentleman who was
IN the pursuit of elk, about TIE middle oi
September last, discovered this modern
Crusoe at evening, laden with tie result OF
his flor 5, that by great good fortune
nj this time amounted to about pack
horse load. He proposed TO encamp with
him for the night. Mike muttered kind
of grumbIing assent, and led the way, first
through an extensive halle thieket, thence
descending into a rayine, he proceeded by a
devious route, through a compact grove OF
swamp ash, and at length arrived at a
cheerful fire, that had been previously
kindIed by our hers but for which
the place would have been as drcary as
purgatory is represented to be. The owls
themselves, however pressing their neces-
sites, could scarcely have tapped their
way into the dismal labyrinth, But Mike
aud his punder, as he very properly term
ed il in this instance, for il was the legiti