LIFE OF WILSON. 



lar and buckeye, enriched the scenery on every side; while 

 the voices of the feathered tribes, many of which were to me 

 new and unknown, were continually engaging me in the pur- 

 suit. Emerging from the deep solitude of the forest, the rich 

 green of the grain fields, the farm house and cabins embosomed 

 amidst orchards of glowing purple and white, gave the sweet- 

 est relief to the eye. Not far from the foot of a high moun- 

 tain, called Mulders Hill, I overtook one of those family cara- 

 vans so common in this country, moving to the westward. 

 The procession occupied a length of road, and had a formidable 

 appearance, though, as I afterwards understood, it was com- 

 posed of the individuals of only a single family. In the front 

 went a wagon drawn by four horses, driven by a negro, and 

 filled with implements of agriculture; another heavy loaded 

 wagon, with six horses, followed, attended by two persons; af- 

 ter which came a numerous and mingled group of horses, 

 steers, cows, sheep, hogs, and calves with their bells; next fol- 

 lowed eight boys mounted double, also a negro wench with a 

 white child before her; then the mother with one child behind 

 her, and another at the breast; ten or twelve colts brought up 

 the rear, now and then picking herbage, and trotting ahead. 

 The father, a fresh good looking man, informed me, that he 

 was from Washington county in Kentucky, and was going as 

 far as Cumberland river; he had two ropes fixed to the top of 

 the wagon, one of which he guided himself, and the other was 

 entrusted to his eldest son, to keep it from oversetting in as- 

 cending the mountain. The singular appearance of this moving 

 group, the mingled music of the bells, and the shoutings of the 

 drivers, mixed with the echoes of the mountains, joined to the 

 picturesque solitude of the place, and various reflections that 

 hurried through my mind, interested me greatly; and I kept 

 company with them for some time, to lend my assistance if ne- 

 cessary. The country now became mountainous, perpetually 

 ascending and descending; and about forty-nine miles from 

 Danville I passed through a pigeon roost, or rather breeding 

 place, which continued for three miles, and, from information 



