314 



AUDUBON 



I 



THE GREAT PINE SWAMP 



I LEFT Philadelphia, at four of the morning, by the coach, 

 with no other accoutrements than I knew to be absolutely 

 necessary for the jaunt which I intended to make. These 

 consisted of a wooden box, containing a small stock of 

 linen, drawing-paper, my journal, colors, and pencils, to- 

 gether with twenty-five pounds of shot, some flints, the 

 due quantum of cash, my gun Tear-jacket^ and a heart as 

 irue to Nature as ever. 



Our coaches are none of the best, nor do they move 

 with the velocity of those of some other countries. It 

 was eight, and a dark night, when I reached Mauch 

 Chunk, now so celebrated in the Union for its rich coal- 

 mines, and eighty-eight miles distant from Philadelphia. 

 I had passed through a very diversified country, part of 

 which was highly cultivated, while the rest was yet in a state 

 of nature, and consequently much more agreeable to 'ne. 

 On alighting, I was shown to the traveller's room, and on 

 asking for the landlord, saw coming towards me a fine- 

 looking young man, to whom I made known my wishes. 

 He spoke kindly, and offered to lodge and board me 

 at a much lower rate than travellers who go there for 

 the very simple pleasure of being dragged on the railway. 

 In a word, I was fixed in four minutes, and that most 

 comfortably. 



No sooner had the approach of day been announced by 

 the cocks of the little village, than I marched out with my 

 gun and note-book, to judge for myself of the wealth of 

 the country. After traversing much ground, and crossing 

 many steep hills, I returned, if not wearied, at least much 

 disappointed at the extraordinary scarcity of birds. So 

 I bargained to be carried in a cart to the central parts of 

 the Great Pine Swamp, and, although a heavy storm was 

 rising, ordered my conductor to proceed. We winded 



