74 AUDUBON THE NATURALIST. 
vours at self-defence, be his last, was at hand, 
when suddenly the door opened, and two stout 
travellers, armed with rifles entered. Offering 
them a hearty welcome, Audubon instantly 
made his situation understood. The Indian 
danced for joy, and the culprits were now the 
captives. The return of a bright and rosy dawn 
brought their merited punishment, that which 
Regulators usually employ for such delinquents. 
Their cabin was then fired, and its contents be- 
came the possessions of the young Indian. 
But if Audubon, during his wanderings, had 
sometimes cause to be suspicious of receptions 
afforded him by the foresters, he had often rea- 
son to appreciate with gratitude their friendly 
hospitality. With these simple inhabitants of 
the woods, no sense of expediency or compulsory 
courtesy alloys the kindly welcome, which 
springs solely from the generous impulse of their 
hearts. The shelter and refreshment of their 
humble dwellings and homely fare is unostenta- 
tiously offered. Their hospitality, mingled thus 
with no pompous condescension or officious at- 
tention, is received and remembered with pecu- 
liarly pleasurable impressions. 
Such an impression was retained by Audubon 
of an incident which he met with during his 
travels, when accompanied by his youthful son. 
They had walked several hundred miles, when, 
