286 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST. 



but mine was a true backwoods' affair, a regular yankee 

 Dearborn wagon, with wooden springs, and a variety of 

 flaming daubs of paint, laid on with true backwoods' 

 taste, that is, with no taste at all. There was one thing 

 about it which amused me exceedingly, and that was, a 

 flaring device, or coat of arms, on the most conspicuous 

 panel of the machine. The artist had undoubtedly in- 

 tended it for the British lion and unicorn, but for what 

 purpose I could not devise, as the wagon was not built 

 " to order," but for whoever might wish to purchase it ; 

 and as all kings, princes, and potentates are considerably 

 below par in Yankee land, I was puzzled to account for this 

 strange whim of the wagon-maker. He had attempted no 

 motto ; but over the cipher were two "bending plumes," but 

 the third of the prince of Wales' feathers was omitted, for 

 there was, in fact, no room for it. The unicorn looked 

 more like an enormous ram, with a single horn stuck on 

 the top of his head, than the beast it was intended to 

 represent ; while the lion was in a recumbent position, 

 looking over his right shoulder at his neighbor, with a 

 look which seemed to say, " What strange company bro- 

 ther Jonathan has introduced me to !" But although 

 the wagon had been somewhat disfigured with this paint- 

 ing, yet it had been made of the best white oak and 

 hickory, and was really a tough and useful conveyance. 

 With my friend's close carriage, and my own open 

 wagon, we set forward on our journey ; but the roads 

 were so exceedingly deep, that the chariot stuck fast in 

 the mud just as night came on ; and although I took the 

 whole party into my vehicle, in order to lighten it, my 

 friend's horses were unable to draw it out. A consider- 



