52 OFF ON HIS TRAVELS. 



The youth was very lively, starting off at 

 once on his travels, never for an instant doubt- 

 ing his own powers. I saw his first movement, 

 which was a hop, and, what surprised and 

 delighted me, accompanied by a peculiar lifting 

 of the wings, of which I shall have more to 

 say. He quickly hopped through the thin grass 

 till he reached a fence, passed down beside it 

 till a break in the pickets left an open place 

 on the bottom board, sprang without hesitation 

 upon that, and after a moment's survey of the 

 country beyond dropped down on the farther 

 side. Now that was a lane much frequented 

 by negroes, and, being alarmed for his safety, 

 I sent a boy after him, and in a moment had 

 him in my hand. He was a beautiful little 

 creature, having a head covered with downy 

 dark feathers, and soft black eyes, which 

 regarded me with interest, but not at all with 

 fear. All this time, of course, the parents were 

 scolding and crying, and I held him only long 

 enough to look carefully at him, when 1" replaced 

 him on the grass. Off he started at once, di- 

 rectly west, — like the " march of empire," — 

 went through the same fence again, but further 

 down, and, as I could tell by the conduct of the 

 parents, in a few moments was safely through 

 a second fence into a comparatively retired old 

 garden beyond, where I hoped he would be un- 



