74 AUDUBON THE NATURALIST. 



vours at self-defence, be his last, was at hand, 

 when suddenly the door opened, and two stout 

 travellers, armed with rifles entered. Offering 

 them a hearty welcome, Audubon instantly 

 made his situation understood. The Indian 

 danced for joy, and the culprits were now the 

 captives. The return of a bright and rosy dawn 

 brought their merited punishment, that which 

 Regulators usually employ for such delinquents. 

 Their cabin was then fired, and its contents be- 

 came the possessions of the young Indian. 



But if Audubon, during his wanderings, had 

 sometimes cause to be suspicious of receptions 

 afforded him by the foresters, he had often rea- 

 son to appreciate with gratitude their friendly 

 hospitality. With these simple inhabitants of 

 the woods, no sense of expediency or compulsory 

 courtesy alloys the kindly welcome, which 

 springs solely from the generous impulse of their 

 hearts. The shelter and refreshment of their 

 humble dwellings and homely fare is unostenta- 

 tiously offered. Their hospitality, mingled thus 

 with no pompous condescension or officious at- 

 tention, is received and remembered with pecu- 

 liarly pleasurable impressions. 



Such an impression was retained by Audubon 

 of an incident which he met with during his 

 travels, when accompanied by his youthful son. 

 They had walked several hundred miles, when, 



