26o AUDUBON 



of his noble nature, and as I had now succeeded in rous- 

 ing the lion, I judged it time to retreat. So, changing 

 my tone, I begged his pardon, and told him he now looked 

 precisely as I wished to represent him. He laughed, and, 

 returning to his seat, assumed a bold countenance. And 

 now, sir, see the picture ! " 



At some future period I may present you with other 

 instances of the odd ways in which this admired artist 

 gave animation to his sitters. For the present, kind 

 reader, we shall leave him finishing the Commodore, 

 while we return to our proper studies. 



THE COUGAR 



There is an extensive swamp in the section of the State 

 of Mississippi which lies partly in the Choctaw territory. 

 It commences at the borders of the Mississippi, at no 

 great distance from a Chickasaw village situated near 

 the mouth of a creek known by the name of Vanconnah, 

 and partly inundated by the swellings of several large 

 bayous, the principal of which, crossing the swamp 

 in its whole extent, discharges its waters not far from 

 the mouth of the Yazoo River. This famous bayou 

 is called False River. The swamp of which I am speak- 

 ing follows the windings of the Yazoo, until the latter 

 branches off to the northeast, and at this point forms the 

 stream named Cold Water River, below which the Yazoo 

 receives the draining of another bayou inclining towards 

 the northwest and intersecting that known by the name 

 of False River at a short distance from the place where 

 the latter receives the waters of the Mississippi. This 

 tedious account of the situation of the swamp is given 

 with the view of pointing it out to all students of nature 

 who may happen to go that way, and whom I would ear- 

 nestly urge to visit its interior, as it abounds in rare and 



