Incidents of Audubon s Life. 



245 



"A short time had elapsed when some 

 voices were heard, and from the corners of 

 my eyes I saw two athletic youths making 

 their entrance, bearing a dead stag upon a 

 pole. They disposed of their burden, and 

 asking for whisky, helped themselves freely 

 to it. Observing me and the wounded In- 

 dian, they asked who I was, and why the 

 devil that rascal (meaning the Indian, who 

 they knew understood not a word of Eng- 

 lish) was in the house? The mother, for 

 so she proved to be, bade them speak less 

 loudly, made mention of my watch, and 

 took them to a corner, where a conversation 

 took place, the purpose of which required 

 little shrewdness in me to guess. I tapped 

 my dog gently, he moved his tail, and with 

 indescribable pleasure I saw his fine eyes 

 alternately fixed on me, and raised to the 

 trio in the corner. I felt that he perceived 

 danger in my situation. The Indian ex- 

 changed the last glance with me. The lads 

 had eaten and drunk themselves into such 

 a condition that I already looked upon them 

 as hors de combat, and the frequent visits of 

 the whisky bottle to the ugly mouth of theil 

 dam, I hoped would soon reduce her to a 

 like state. Judge of my astonishment when 

 I saw the incarnate fiend take a large carv- 

 ing knife, and go to the grindstone to whet 

 its edge. I saw her pour the water on the 

 turning machine, and watched her working 

 away with the dangerous instrument, until 

 the cold sweat covered every part of my 

 body, in despite of my determination to 

 defend myself to the last. Her task fin- 

 ished, she walked to her reeling sons and 

 said, ' There, that'll soon settle him! Boys, 

 kill yon , and then for the watch!' 



" I turned, cocked my gun locks silently, 

 touched my faithful companion, and lay 

 ready to start up and shoot the first who 

 might attempt my life. The moment was 

 fast approaching, and that night might have 

 been my last in this world, had not Provi- 

 dence made provision for my rescue. All 

 was ready. The infernal hag was advanc- 



ing slowly, probably contemplating the best 

 way of dispatching me, while her sons should 

 be engaged with the Indian. I was several 

 times on the eve of rising and shooting her 

 on the spot, but she was not to be punished 

 thus. The door was suddenly opened, and 

 there entered two stout travelers, each with 

 a long rifle on his shoulder. I bounced up 

 on my feet, and making them most heartily 

 welcome, told them how well it was for me 

 that they should have arrived at that mo- 

 ment. The tale was told in a minute. The 

 drunken sons were secured, and the woman, 

 in spite of her defense and vociferations, 

 shared the same fate. The Indian fairly 

 danced for joy, and gave us to understand 

 that as he could not sleep for pain he would 

 watch over us. 



"You may suppose we slept much less than 

 we talked. The two strangers gave me an 

 account of their once having been them- 

 selves in a similar situation. Day came 

 fair and rosy, and with it the punishment 

 of our captives. 



" They were quite sobered. Their feet 

 were unbound but their arms were securely 

 tied. We marched them into the woods off 

 the road, and having used them as Regu- 

 lators were wont to use such delinquents, 

 we set fire to the cabin, gave all the skins 

 and implements to the young Indian war- 

 rior, and proceeded well pleased toward 

 the settlements." 



At the period at which this incident oc- 

 curred, "Regulator Law" was the high 

 tribunal in the Western States. A savage 

 and outcast population fringed the settled 

 territories, and among these the most das- 

 tardly crimes were current. "Regulator 

 Law " was administered by a body of Amer- 

 ican citizens, and was akin to a vigilance 

 committee in its self-assumed functions. 

 The punishment of felons who could defy 

 or were likely to escape the law of the land 

 was the special duty of the Regulators, and 

 the name acquired a terrible significan(Se in 

 the Western wilds. 



