190 PROCEEDINGS OF THE INDIANA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 



his friend, Alexander Lawson, dated February 22, 1810, just before starting 

 on this memorable trip, Wilson wrote: "I have therefore resolved to navigate 

 myself a small skiff, which 1 have bought, and named the Ornithologist, down 

 to Cincinnati, a distance of five hundred and twenty-eight iniles." On 

 February 23 he adds: "My baggage is on board — I have just time to des- 

 patch this and set off. The weather is fine, and I have no doubt of piloting 

 my skiff in safety to Cincinnati. Farewell! God bless you!" 



On April 4, he again wrote Lawson, from Lexington, Kentucky, giving a 

 most interesting account of the trip down the river. He did not terminate 

 his river journey at Cincinnati as originally intended, but went on to Louis- 

 ville, 192 miles further, where he arrived March IS. On March 5 when about 

 10 miles below the mouth of the Sciota, he saw his first flock of paroquets. 

 That night he spent on the Kentucky side where he was entertained by a 

 squatter who explained to him the art and mystery of bear- treeing, wolf- 

 trapping, and wild-cat hunting. "But notwithstanding the skill of this 

 great master," Wilson remarks, "the country here is swarming with wolves 

 and wild cats, black and brown; according to this hunter's own confession 

 he has lost sixty pigs smce Christmas last; and all night long the distant 

 howling of the wolves kept the dogs in a perfect uproar of barking." He 

 spent the night of March 16 at Vevay, Indiana, where he found about the 

 only people, during his entire trip, for whom he had a kindly word. The 

 next day he observed a number of turkeys from time to time on the Indiana 

 shore and "lost half the morning in .search of them." "On the Kentucky 

 shore," he remarks, "I was decoyed by the same temptations, but never 

 could approach near enough to shoot one of them." 



On March 18, Wilson reached Louisville where he remained until the 

 24th and where he met Audubon, of which facd, however, he makes no men- 

 tion in either his journal or his letters. But Audubon does. He says: 

 "One fair morning 1 was surprised by the sudden entrance into our counting- 

 room at Louisville of Mr. Alexander Wilson, the celebrated author of the 

 'American Ornithology,' of whose existence 1 had never until that moment 

 been apprised. This happened in March, 1810. How well do I remember 

 him, as he then walked up to me! His long, rather hooked nose, the keenness 

 of his eyes, and his prominent cheekbones, stamped his countenance with a 

 peculiar character. His dress, too, was of a kind not usually seen in that 

 part of the country ; a short coat, trousers, and a waistcoat of gray cloth. His 

 stature was not above the middle size. He had two volumes under his arm, 

 and as he approached the table at which I was working, I thought I discover- 

 ed something like astonishment in his countenance. He, however, immedi- 

 ately proceeded to disclose the object of his visit, which was to procure 

 subscriptions for his work. He opened his books, explained the nature 

 of his occupations, and requested my patronage. I felt siu-prised and grati- 

 fied at the sight of his volumes, turned over a few of the plates, and had al- 

 ready taken a pen to WTite my name in his favor, when my partner rather 



