506 COLONEL BOON. 



" At the rising of the sun, I was on foot, and after a good deal of 

 musing, thought that an Ash tree then in sight must be the very one 

 on which I had made my mark. I felt as if there could be no doubt of 



it, and mentioned my thought to Mr . " Well, Colonel Boon,'" 



said he, " if you think so, I hope it may prove true, but we must have 

 some witnesses ; do you stay here about, and I will go and bring some 



of the settlers whom I know." 1 agreed. Mr trotted off, and I, 



to pass the time, rambled about to see if a deer was still living in the 

 land. But ah ! Sir, what a wonderful difference thirty years makes in the 

 country ! Why, at the time when I was caught by the Indians, you 

 would not have walked out in any direction for more than a mile without 

 shooting a buck or a bear. There were then thousands of buffaloes on 

 the hiUs in Kentucky ; the land looked as if it never would become poor ; 

 and to hunt in those days was a pleasure indeed. But when I was left 

 to myself on the banks of Green River, I dare say for the last time in my 

 Life, a few sig-ns only of deer were to be seen, and, as to a deer itself, I 

 saw none. 



"Mr returned, accompanied by three gentlemen. They look- 

 ed upon me as if I had been Washington himself, and walked to the 

 Ash tree, which I now called my own, as if in quest of a long lost trea- 

 sure. I took an axe from one of them, and cut a few chips off the bark. 

 StUl no signs were to be seen. So I cut again until I thought it was 

 time to be cautious, and I scraped and worked away with my butcher 

 knife, until I did come to where my tomahawk had left an impression in 

 the wood. We now went regularly to work, and scraped at the tree with 

 care, until three hacks as plain as any three notches ever were, could be 



seen. Mr and the other gentlemen were astonished, and, I must 



allow, I was as much surprised as pleased myself. I made affidavit of 



this remarkable occurrence in presence of these gentlemen. Mr 



gained his cause. I left Green River for ever, and came to where we now 

 are ; and. Sir, I wish you a good night." 



I trust, kind reader, that when I again make my appearance with an- 

 other volume of Ornithological Biography, I shall not have to search in 

 vain for the impression which I have made, but shall have the satisfaction 

 of finding its traces stUl unobliterated. I now withdraw, and, in the 

 words of the noted wanderer of the western wilds, " wish you a good 



NIGHT." 



