CHAPTEE Xll. 



Visit from the Eccentkic Natubalist, EArmESQUE — His Delirium 

 AT Discovering a New Plant — Smashes a Fiddle, tbtinq to 

 Capture Bats — Dreadful Journey through a Canb-Bkake — 

 Alarm at a Beak — ^Thb Naturalist Absconds — Daniel Boone, the 

 Famous Hunter — Captured by Indlans — Miraculous Escape — 

 Boone's Ash Tree. 



While resident in Kentucky, Audubon was visited by the 

 eccentric naturalist, Eafinesque, whose manner of life, dress, and 

 oddities of conduct appeared to have greatly amused even one so 

 little attentive to formalities as the ornithologist. The stranger 

 reached the banks of the Ohio in a boat, and carrying on his 

 back a bundle of plants which resembled dried clover. He 

 accidentally addressed Audubon, and asked where the naturalist 

 lived. Audubon introduced himself, and was handed a letter of 

 introduction by the stranger, in which the writer begged to 

 recommend " an odd fish," which might not have been described 

 in published treatises. Audubon innocently asked where the 

 odd fish was, which led to a- pleasant explanation and a com- 

 plete understanding between the two naturalists. 



" I presented my learned guest to my family," writes Audubon, 

 " and was ordering a servant to go to the boat for my friend's 

 luggage, when he told me he had none but what he brought on 

 his back. He then loosened the pack of weeds which had first 

 drawn my attention. The naturalist pulled off his shoes, and 

 while engaged in drawing his stockings down to hide the holes 

 in his heels, he explained that his apparel had suffered from 

 his journey." 



This eccentric's habits were neither tidy nor cleanly. He 



