46 A DISHEARTENING OCCURRENCE. 



to Europe ; but, before his preparations were com- 

 pleted, an unparalleled misfortune threatened to 

 destroy all his prospects and blight his hopes. The 

 occurrence is thus related by him : " An accident 

 which happened to 200 of my original drawings 

 nearly put a stop to my researches in ornithology. 

 I shall relate it merely to show how far enthusiasm 

 for by no other name can I call the persevering 

 zeal with which I laboured may enable the ob- 

 server of nature to surmount the most dishearten- 

 ing obstacles. I left the village of Henderson, 

 in Kentucky, situated on the bank of the Ohio, 

 where I resided for several years, to proceed to 

 Philadelphia on business. I looked to all my 

 drawings before my departure, placed them care- 

 fully in a wooden box, and gave them in charge to 

 a relative, with injunctions to see that no injury 

 should happen to them. My absence was of several 

 months; and when I returned, after having enjoyed 

 the pleasures of home for a few days, I inquired 

 after my box, and what I was pleased to call my 

 treasure. The box was produced and opened ; but 

 readers, feel for me a pair of Norway rats had 

 taken possession of the whole, and had reared a 

 young family amongst the gnawed pieces of paper, 

 which, but a few months before, represented nearly 

 a thousand inhabitants of the air ! The burning 

 heat which instantly rushed through my brain was 



