2 1 2 Life of Audubon. 



nole Indian approaching us in his canoe. This poor de- 

 jected son of the woods, endowed with talents of the 

 highest order, although rarely acknowledged by the proud 

 usurpers of his native soil, has spent the night in fishing, 

 and the morning in procuring the superb feathered game 

 of the swampy thickets, and with both he comes to offer 

 them for our acceptance. Alas ! thou fallen one, de- 

 scendant of an ancient line of free-born hunters, would 

 that I could restore to thee thy birthright, thy natural in- 

 dependence, the generous feelings that were once foster- 

 ed in thy brave bosom ! But the irrevocable deed is 

 done, and I can merely admire the perfect symmetry of 

 his frame, as he dexterously throws on our deck the trout 

 and turkeys which he has captured. He receives a re- 

 compense, and without a smile or bow, or acknowledg- 

 ment of any kind, off he starts with the speed of an ar- 

 row from his own bow. 



" Alligators were extremely abundant, and the heads 

 of the fishes which they had snapped off lay floating 

 around on the dark waters. A rifle bullet was now and 

 then sent through the eye of one of the largest, which, 

 with a tremendous splash of its tail, expired. One morn- 

 ing we saw a monstrous fellow lying on the shore. I 

 was desirous of obtaining him, to make an accurate draw- 

 ing of his head, and, accompanied by my assistant and 

 two of the sailors, proceeded cautiously towards him. 

 When within a few yards, one of us fired, and sent 

 through his side an ounce ball, which tore open a hole 

 large enough to receive a man's hand. He slowly raised 

 his head, bent himself upwards, opened his huge jaws, 

 swung his tail to and fro, rose on his legs, blew in a 

 frightful manner, and fell to the earth. My assistant 

 leaped on shore, and, contrary to my injunctions, caught 

 hold of the animal's tail, when the alligator, awakening 

 from its trance, with a last effort crawled slowly towards 



