Year: 1860

! Audubon gives, in his " Ornihof0gic1l
Biogr0phy," the following account of a
situation of peril in which be was once
placed-a position which, our readers will
admit, was sufficiently exciting to affect
the nerves of any man:


On. my return (he says from the Up
per Mississippi, found myself obliged to
cross one of the wide prairies which. in
that portion of the United States, vary the
appearance Of the country. The weather
was fine, and all around me was as fresh
and blooming as if il had just issued from
the bosom Of Nature. My knapsack, my
gun and my dog were all had for bag
gage and company. The track which /
followed WAS only an old Indian trail, and
As darkness oyershadowed the prairie,
! felt some desire TO reach at least copse,
! in which | might lie down to rest. The
night-hawks we're skimming over and
around me, attracted by the buzziug wings
of the beetles which formed their food,
and the distant bowling of the wolves,
gave me some hope that | should soon ar
| rive at the skirts of a woodland.


did so, and almost at the same in
slant a freight attracted my eye. | mo-
we'd towards it, full Of confidence that it
proceeded from the camp Of some wander
ING Indians. | was mistaken | discov-
cred by its glare that it was from the
hearth Of a small log cabin, and that tall
figure passed and repassed between it and
me, as if busijy engaged in household ar
rangements.


reached the spot, and presenting my
self at the door, asked tie tall figure
which proved to be woman, if might
take shelter under her roof for the night.
Her voice wt.s gruf and her attire was
! thrown negligently about her. | walked
in took a wooden STOOL and took a wood
en- stool, and quietly seated myself by the
/ fire. The next object that attracted my
attention was a finely formed young Indi-
an, resting his head between lis hands,
with lis elbows on his knees. A iong bow
rested against the log wall near him, while
a quantity Of arrows and two or three rae
! coon skins lay at his feet. lie moved not
lie apparently breathcd not Accus
toned to tie habits Of the Indians, ana
knowing that they pay little attention to
the approach Of civilized strangers, a cir
cumstance which in some countries, is
considered AS evincing the apathy of their
character) | addressed him in French,
language not uufequently partially known
to the people in that neighborhood. He
raised his head, pointed to one Of lis eyes
with bis finger, aud gave me a significant
glance with the o,her The fact vas, that
an hour before this, as he was in the act
of discharging an arrow at a raccoon in
the top Of a tree, !he arrow hal split up
on the cord, and sprung back with such
violence into his right eye as to destroy it
forever.


Feeling hungry, Inquired what sort of
fare could expect. Such a thing as bed
was not to be seen, but many large bear
and buffalo hides lay piled in a corner


drew nay time piece from my breast,
and told the woman that it was late, and
that was fatigued. She had espied my
watch, the richness of which seemed to
operate upon her feelings with electric
Guickness. She tod me that there was
plenty of yenison and jerlled buffalo meat,
and that on removing the ashes | should
find a cake. But my watch had struck





gratified by an immediate sight of it. |
took off the gold chain that secured it
around my neck and presented 1t to her.
She was all ecstacy, spoke Of its beauty
asked me lis value, and put the chain
around her brawny neck, saying how hap
py the possession Of such watch would
make her. Thoughtless, and, as fancied
IL !
but little attention to her talk or move
ments. | helped my dog to a good sup
per Of venison, and was not long in salts
flying the demands Of my appetite. The
Indian rose from his seat, as if in extreme
suffering. He passed and re passed me
several times, and once pinched me on the
side so violently that the pain nearly
brought forth an exclamation of anger
looked at him. His eye me- mine, but
his look was so forbidding that it struck
a chill into the more nervous part Of my
system. lie again seated himself drew
his butcher knife from It's greasy scab-
bard, examined its edge as | would that
of 4 razor suspected dull, replaced it, and
again taking his tomahawk from bis back,
filed the pipe with tobacco, and sent me
expressive glances whenever our hostess
CHANGED to have her back towards US
Ner, until that moment had my senses
been awakened to the danger which |
now suspected to be about me. returned
glance for glance to my companion, and
rested we'll assured that, whatever enemies
| might have, ne was not of their number.
asked the woman for my watch, wound
it up, AMI under Pretence ofwishing to see
how the weather might be on the NOR
row, took up my gun and walked out of
the cabin. slipped ball into each bar
rel, scraped the edges Of my iints renew
ed the priming, and returning to the hut,
gave favorable account of my observa-
tions. took few bear skins, made a
pallet of them, and calling my faithful dog
to my side, lay down, with my gun close
to my body, and in few minutes was, to
all appearance fast asleep. \ short time
I had elapsed. when some voices were