92 WILD SCENES AND WILD HUNTERS. 



card he thrust into my hand. But, as it most unfortunately 

 occurred, I found the office of the " Canal Route" for Phila- 

 delphia, &C.,, was next door to our hotel, and I was tempted, 

 weakly enough, no doubt ! to go in and book my name " clear 

 through." Insensate creature that I was. The canal boats 

 would not start till after dark, so that 1 spent the hours 

 allotted to daylight by the cathedral clocks, in exploring the 

 streets of this dim Cyclopian city. 



The incessant clang of sledge-hammers had become suffi- 

 ciently monotonous when the evening closed in, and I was 

 glad enough to take coach and be transported to the Canal 

 Depot, when the usual vexations and delay consequent, had 

 to be endured. 



Finally, however, we got underweigh, with such a cargo of 

 pigs, poultry and humanity, as even canal boats are seldom 

 blessed with. I stood upon tiptoe for the fresh air in the 

 cabin, until the time had actually come when people must go 

 to bed ; when that awful personage, the Captain, summoned 

 us all together, and informed us that every man, woman and 

 child aboard, must stow his, her or itself away along the face 

 of the narrow walls, in the succession of their registration 

 during the day. Now, it happened that as gentlemen are 

 not usually up before daybreak, that I stood first upon the 

 first list, and was of course entitled to the first choice of 

 hammocks. We panted in the centre of the close-jammed 

 crowd, waiting till the ladies, who always take precedence in 

 America, had been called off. As it happened that this 

 right of choice was finally definitive for the route, and deter- 

 mined whether one should sleep upon a hammock, or the 

 floor, or the tables, for several successive nights it was a 

 matter of no little moment. 



It occurred while the ladies were being disposed of, that I 

 heard above the buzz around me the name of Audubon spoken. 

 My attention was instantly attracted by that magical sound. 



