AUDUBON 



45 



Lucy and my boy made me care little what my journey 

 might be. Unfortunately I had no shoes, and my mocca- 

 sins constantly slipping made the wading extremely irksome ; 

 notwithstanding, I walked forty-five miles and swam the 

 Muddy River. I only saw two cabins that day, but I had 

 great pleasure in viewing herds ofDeer crossing the prairie, 

 like myself ankle deep in water. Their beautiful move- 

 ments, their tails spread to the breeze, were perceivable 

 for many miles. A mound covered with trees through 

 which a light shone, gave me an appetite, and I made for 

 it. I was welcomed kindly by the woman of the house, 

 and while the lads inspected my fine double-barrelled gun, 

 the daughters bustled about, ground coffee, fried venison, 

 boiled some eggs, and made me feel at once at home. 



" Such hospitality is from the heart, and when the squat- 

 ter came in, his welcome was not less genuine than that of 

 his family. Night fell; I slept soundly on some bear- 

 skins, but long before day was. ready to march. My host- 

 ess was on the alert; after some breakfast she gave me a 

 small loaf and some venison in a clean rag, and as no 

 money would be received, I gave the lads a flask of gun- 

 powder, a valuable article in those days to a squatter. 



" My way lay through woods, and many small cross- 

 roads now puzzled me, but I walked on, and must have 

 travelled another forty-five miles. I met a party of Osage 

 Indians encamped, and asked in French to stay with them. 

 They understood me, and before long I had my supper of 

 boiled bear's-fat and pecan-nuts, of which I ate heartily, 

 then lay down with my feet to the fire, and slept so soundly 

 that when I awoke my astonishment was great to find 

 all the Indians had gone hunting, and only left two dogs 

 to keep the camp free from wolves. 



" I walked off gayly, my dog full of life, but met no one 

 till four o'clock when I passed the first salt well, and 

 thirty minutes more brought me to Shawanee Town. As 

 I entered the inn I was welcomed by several whom I 



