Eastern times., 1855-11-15
q @oo0 storp.
A Pigeon Hunt on the Ohio.

udNo Speut SOuic years III tHo od0h "oouS'
have ridden wildly with the hunter, and
strolled quietly with the naturalist. excel
not in the chase-I excel not in the knowledge
of natural history-but both | love. In my
memory of backwood's life, these two things
are intimately connected with each other; for
the reason, perhaps, that both were followed
at the same time In the same excursion, l
was hunter, zoologist, botanist, and geologist
When failed to fill my bag with game, it
became the receptacle of rare plants. When
my rifle failed to bring down a beast or
winged bird, my surer hatchet indented the
rock in stu or the stray boulder. Often when
riding madly in the door drive have dragged
nv horse on his launches at the sight of some
tiny flower with new face and often upon
the stand have forgotten my purpose, and
let the red roe bound harmlessly by, while
watching the gambols of the little green lizard
or the tricks of the leaping turantula. After
all, the naturalist was stronger within me than
the hunter though fond of both, loved the
study better than the chase.
And now from the worlds metropolis, as
look back upon the scenes of my backwoods'
life, my mind yields itself up to sweet remem-
brances-sweeter than the retrospect of war
a fresh memory--sweeter than the retrospect
of school and college days, or even the days
of childhood. love to paint those scenes
with words, for while SO occupied | feel as
if they were again passing before me.
Colonel p is splendid specimen of the
backwoods' gen.lemen-there are gentlemen
in the backwoods. His house is the type OF
backwoods' mansion; it is wooden structure,
both walls and roof; no matter. 1t has dis
tributed as much hospitality in its time as
many marble palace this is one of its back
woods characteristics. 1t stands upon the
north bank of the Ohio-that beautiful stream
'La belle riUiere,' as the French colonists, and
before their time the Indians, used TO call it.
1t is from great cities. 1t is in the midst of
the woods-ihough around it are a thousand
acres of 'cleariag.' where you may distinguish
fields of golden wheat, and groves of shining
maize-piants waving aloft their yellowfower
tassels. You may note, too, the broad green
leaf of the Nieotian weed or the bursting
pod Of the snow-whte cotton. In the garden
you will observe the sweet potato (conruLs 6a-
tdtds,) the common one tsolanuna tuberosup.)
the refreshing tomato, the huge watermelon,
cantelopes, aud musk-melons, with many 9TH
e w., IL sc
the red and green pepper (capac'1n) growing
upon trailing plants like convolvuli or vines
and besides them several species legunnposG-
all valuable for the eolonel's cuisine. There
is an orchard too; it is several acres in extent.
1t is filled with fruit-trees you behold the
finest peaches ia the world-the finest apples
the Newton pippins. Besides, there are
luscious pears and plums, and upon the espal-
iers are vines bearing bushels of sweet grapes.
If Colonel P lives in the woods, it cannot
be said that he is surrounded by desert.
There are several substantial Lighthouses
near the main building mansion. They are
the stable, and good horses there are in that sta
ble-the cow-house for milk cattle the barn
to hold the wheat and maize-corn the smoke
house for curing bacon large building for to-
bacco cotton-gin, with Its shed of clap
boards bins for the husk fodder, and several
smaller structures In one corner, you see a
Iow-waled erection that reminds you of ken
mel, and the rich music that from time to time
issues from its apertures convince you that it
is kennel. If you peep into it, you will see
dozen of as fine stag-hounds as ever lifted
trail. The Colonel is somewhat partial TO
these pets, for he is mighty hunter You
may see number of young colts in an adjoin-
ing lot pet deer, buffalo calf that has been
brought from the far prairies, pea-fowl, guinea
hens, turkeys, geese, ducks, and the usual pro-
portion of common fowls. Rail-fences zigzag
off in all directions towards the edge of the
woods. Huge trees, dead and divested of
their leaves, stand up in the cleared fields
Turkey buzzards and carrion crows (cathartes
aura and atratus,) are perched upon their gray
naked limbs upon their summit sits the great
rough-Iegged falcon, Oalco lagopus; J and
above all, cutting sharply against the blue
sky. sails the fork-tailed kite of the south,
ffalco Mississippiensis.)
Just such picture opened before my eyes
as l rode into the clearing of Colonel P,
in the fall of Is49. / had travelled several
hundred miIes-a mere bagatelle in America
to be present at great 'pigeon-hunt, ar
ranged by the Colonel for the qualification Of
bis friends.
On my arrival found the party assembled.
1t consisted of score and half of ladies and
gentlemen, nearly all young people. The pig
cons had not yet made their appearance, but
were looked for every hour. The woods had
assumed the gorgeous tints of autumn, that
liyeIiest of seasons ia the 'far west' Already
the ripe nuts and berries were scattered pro-
fusely over the earth, offering their annual
banquet to Gods wild creatures. The mast
of the beach tree (fagus Syluaticd)-of which
the pigeon is so fond-was showering dowr
among the dead leaves. 1t was the very sea
son at which the birds were accustomed to Wis
it the beechen woods that girdled the Coloneli
plantation. They would no doubt soon ap
pear. With this expectation everything wa