SUMMER RETREAT KN ARKANSAS. 31 



The exact place of liis birth !;«• cannot tell, as he says 

 that his parents " travelled ' as long as he can remember 

 them. He " 8«iuatteJ " on thr .Mississijjpi at its nearest 

 point to the Retreat, and there erecting a rude camp, 

 commenced hunting for a living, having no probpect 

 ahead but selling out his "preemption right " and im- 

 provements, and again squatting somewhere else. 



Unfortunately, the extent of Arkansas, and the 

 swamp that surrounded Bob's location, kept it out of 

 market until, to use his own language, he " became the 

 ancientest inhabitant in the hull of Arkansaw." And 

 having, in spite of himself, gradually formed acc^uaint- 

 ances with the few residents in this vicinity, and grown 

 into importance from his knowledge of the country, and 

 his hunting exploits, he has established himself for life, 

 at what he calls, the " Wasp's diggins ;" made a potato 

 patch, which he has never had time to fence in ; talked 

 largely of a cornfield ; and hung his cabin round with 

 rifle pouches, gourds, red peppers, and flaming advertise- 

 ments with rampant horses and pedigrees ; these latter 

 ornaments, he looks upon as rather sentimental — but 

 he excui5e.<^ himself on the ground that they look " boss," 

 and he considers such an expression as considerably 

 characteristic of himself. 



We have stated that Bob's mind would puzzle three 

 hundred metaphysicians consecutively, and we as boldly 

 assert that an equal number of physiologists would be 

 brought to a stand by his personal appearance. The 



