A Yoimg Naturalist. 17 



arrow to the little rocky glen where the Pewee has 

 his nest. 



"Such are the faint pictures of his childhood, like 

 some old ambrotype, or ancient photograph, with 

 little, but the faded outlines, left ; yet sweet to us 

 with memories, and bright to us with beauty." 



The schools of that day gave no long summer 

 holidays, and on Saturdays, only an occasional 

 half holiday ; but when books were laid aside, he 

 was free to follow the bent of his inclination, and, to 

 his heart's content, explore the valley and hill-side. 



Slavery still existed at that time in the State of 

 New York, and like all his well-to-do neighbors, 

 Jacob Bachman owned slaves. John, merry and 

 daring, was idolized by these servants; especially 

 by George, whose delight it was to accompany his 

 young master into the woods, and to assist him to 

 entrap animals and birds. 



The boy's investigating spirit impelled him, under 

 ma.ny difficulties, to make further research. He 

 writes: "Such were the prejudices existing in the 

 community in those early, unenlightened days, 

 against the supposed trifling pursuits of Natural 

 History, that I pursued my investigations by 

 stealth, and labored without those guides which 

 numerous scientific works now present." 



One day, in Troy, perhaps, he met with several 

 volumes at the book-sellers, that he ardently desired 

 to possess. A happy thought came into the mind 

 of the young, aspiring naturalist : " I will earn the 

 money and buy the books. George will help me to 



