CHAPTER IV. 



ARKANSAS, AND "DOWN RIVER " TO NEW ORLEANS. 



Wild turkeys — Spring river — Traces of earlier inhabitants of North 

 America — An eagle — Quack-doctors in Arkansas — My unsuc- 

 cessful hunting-dog — Little Red river — German and Polish 

 settlers — Hilger and Turoski — Encampment of Indians — Their 

 love for ardent spirits — Little Rock — Engagement as stoker on 

 board the " Fox " — Unhealthiness of the stoker's avocations — 

 Quarrel with the captain, and conclusion of the engagement — 

 Night in the woods — A panther — Bear hunt — Great Red river — 

 Slave plantations — Cruelty of the overseers towards the negroes 

 — Large herd of deer — Capture of a panther — Dangerous en- 

 counter with a bear — Excursion with an Indian tribe — Their 

 mode of life — Canoe travelling — The Mississippi — New Or- 

 leans — Its appearance, and unhealthy situation. 



I WAS now in Arkansas. Game seemed to abound. 

 Flocks of wild turkeys filled the forests as thick as 

 partridges in Germany, and deer were equally plenti- 

 ful ; in one day I saw several herds of ten or twelve 

 head each. On the 23rd I came to Spring river, so 

 named from the crystalUne clearness of its waters. I 

 had intended to continue my journey on the following 

 morning, biit my talkative hostess, among other 

 things, spoke of her husband, an old Pennsylvanian, 

 who understood German, and who could give a great 

 deal of information about Indian burial-places. The 

 chance of hearing any thing about the natives was a 

 strong magnet to my curiosity, so I decided to await 



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