92 LIFE OF AUDUBON. 



the river, which appeared quite calm. I descended a flight of 

 about seventy steps, and walked and crouched on my hams 

 along a rugged slippery path to the edge of the river, where a 

 man and a skiff are always waiting to take visitors to the 

 opposite shore. I approached as near the falling water as 1 

 could, without losing sight of the objects behind me. In a few 

 moments my clothes were wet. I retired a few hundred yards 

 to admire two beautiful rainbows, which seemed to surround me, 

 and also looked as if spanning obliquely from the American to 

 the Canadian shore. Visitors can walk under the falling sheet of 

 water, and see through it, while at their feet are thousands of 

 eels lying side by side, trying vainly to ascend the torrent. 



" I afterwards strolled through the village to find some bread 

 and milk, and ate a good dinner for twelve cents. Went to 

 bed at night thinking of Franklin eating his roll in the streets 

 of Philadelphia, of Goldsmith travelling by the help of his 

 musical powers, and of other great men who had worked their 

 way through hardships and difficulties to fame, and fell asleep 

 hoping, by persevering industry, to make a name for myself 

 among my coimtrymen. 



" Buffalo, August 25. This village was utterly destroyed by 

 fire in the war of eighteen hundred and twelve, but now has 

 about two hundred houses, a bank, and daily mail. It is now 

 filled with Indians, who have come here to receive their annuity 

 from the government. The chief Eed Jacket is a noble-looking 

 man ; another, called the Devil's Ramrod, has a savage look. 

 Took a deck-passage on board a schooner bound to Erie, Penn- 

 sylvania ; fare one dollar and fifty cents, to furnish my own bed 

 and provisions; my buffalo-robe and blanket served for the 

 former. The captain invited me to sleep in the cabin ; but I 

 declined, as I never encroach where I have no right. The sky 

 was serene, and I threw myself on the deck contemplating the 

 unfathomable immensity above me, and contrasting the comforts 

 which ten days before I was enjoying with my present con- 

 dition. Even the sailors, ignorant of my name, look on me as 

 a poor devil not able to pay for a cabin passage. 



" In our voyage we had safely run the distance to Presque 

 Isle Harbour, but could not pass the bar on account of a violent 

 gale. The anchor was dropped, and we remained on board 



