Burns — On Alexander Wilson. 179 



of anything. On March 34th, after leaving his baggage in care 

 of a merchant, to be shipped to Lexington, he pushed on via 

 Middletown and Shelbyville, on foot, for Frankfort. Before 

 reaching the latter, he went aside a short distance to examine 

 the remains of an extensive Pigeon roost, wading the deep 

 Benson creek nine or ten times. At one o'clock the birds were 

 flying in with great steadiness and rapidity, at a height beyond 

 gunshot, in several stratas deep. From right to left as far as 

 the eye could reach, the breadth of this vast procession ex- 

 tended, seeming everywhere equally crowded. At four o'clock, 

 Wilson crossed the Kentucky river at Frankfort, yet the living 

 torrent seemed as numerous and as extensive as ever. Several 

 days were spent in this town and in rambling among the 

 stupendous clifts of the river. Lexington was reached on 

 March 29th and considerable time spent in this interesting 

 place. Procuring a saddle horse, he continued his journey to- 

 ward Nashville, Tennessee, 200 miles distant. Somewhere in 

 the neighborhood of Nicholasville, perhaps, he overtook a man 

 mending his stirrup-leathers, who after he had walked around 

 him several times, observed that he appeared to be armed. 

 And small wonder, for Wilson had a loaded pistol in either 

 pocket, a loaded fowling-piece strapped across his shoulders, 

 five pounds of shot in a belt and a poimd of powder in a 

 flask. The stranger proved a most zealous Methodist, and as 

 they traveled together for mutual protection, Wilson found a 

 hymn in his companion's book nearly answering to Jones' song 

 of the "Vicar and Moses" and that soon became a favorite air 

 with them. He labored earnestly to make a convert of Wilson. 

 The spectacle of the latter galloping down hill, with the 

 preacher following as best he could, and shouting his exhor- 

 tions with great vehemence, must have been a refreshing one. 

 He often took care of the ornithologist's horse, while he went 

 ofif into the woods after strange birds. Crossing the Kentucky 

 river for the last time, in a few more miles a descent was again 

 made to Dick's river, and Danville reached in the dark. Near 

 here the Kentucky Warbler was discovered about the middle 

 of the month. 



