72 WILD SPORTS IN THE FAR WEST. 



in the neighborhood of Yineennes it was full of pools, 

 and on arriving on the prairie, about a mile from that 

 town, the whole space between it and me was one 

 sheet of water. Night coming on, it would have been 

 impossible for me to find my way but for occasional 

 lights in the town, towards which I directed my steps, 

 sometimes over my knees in water, and arrived about 

 seven o'clock in Vincennes, which had not much to 

 boast of as to dryness. The night was dark as pitch, 

 as I groped my way along the unlighted streets in 

 search of quarters. A pair of lonely oxen standing in 

 the street looked at me pathetically, and lowed as 

 I passed close by them. A short distance from them 

 I found the house I w^anted: it belonged to a Penn- 

 sylvanian German, who kept a tavern. I was soon in 

 front of a warm refreshing fire, which, in my present 

 condition, was what I stood most in need of As soon 

 as I was well warmed, I took a survey of the neigh- 

 borhood. Around me was a set of regular conven- 

 tional faces, with American indifference stamped on 

 the countenances of all the company, who, having 

 finished their meal, were sitting round the fire, rocking 

 in their chairs, and picking their teeth. But amongst 

 them I perceived fixed upon me the glances of a pair 

 of real German looking eyes. I addressed theii* owner, 

 and found that I had not been mistaken; he was a 

 German smith and mason, and a very well educated 

 man for his station. We sat talking together by the 

 fire till late in the night. In the heat of conversation, 

 he repeated some of his own poetry, Avhich I listened 

 to patiently, in return for his kind attempts to amuse 

 me. He had been a long time in America, and had 



