FINAL REVERSES IN BUSINESS 253 



figure among the early settlers of this region, and for 

 the space of three years he enjoyed life as never before; 

 "the pleasures," he said, "which I have felt at Hender- 

 son, and under the roof of that log-cabin, can never be 

 effaced from my heart until after death." But in a 

 community of exacting business men he could never 

 have made a permanent success; he was too good a 

 target not to be riddled by many who were ready to 

 take advantage of his liberality and easygoing ways. 

 Traveling from Frankfort to Lexington in 1810, Wil- 

 son complained that the people were all traders but 

 no readers, even of the newspaper; every man, he 

 said, had "either some land to buy or sell, some law-suit, 

 some coarse hemp or corn to dispose of; and if the 

 conversation does not to lead to any of these, he will 

 force it." 



Many stories, and no doubt much idle gossip, concern- 

 ing Audubon's life and habits, were current at Hen- 

 derson long after he left the village. It was said that 

 he would often go into the woods in his pursuit of birds 

 and remain from home for weeks at a time ; that he was 

 once known to have followed a hawk for three days in 

 succession and in practically a straight course, swimming 

 creeks when necessary, until it finally fell to his gun. 

 When steamboats made their first appearance on the 

 Ohio, they naturally excited the greatest interest, and 

 a favorite pastime of many of the men and boys was 

 diving from the side of a boat into the river. On one 

 of these occasions Audubon is said to have made his 

 appearance in the crowd of sightseers and to have as- 

 tonished everyone by plunging from the bow and emerg- 

 ing from beneath the stern of the vessel after swimming 

 under her entire length. According to traditional ac- 

 counts, Mrs. Audubon, who was also an expert swimmer, 



