AUDUBON AND BOONE, 159 
cases, pushing back here and there the falling jars; with so 
little success, however, that before the shock was over, he had 
lost nearly all he possessed. * 
The shock at length ceased, and the frightened females, 
now sensible of their dishabille, fled to their several apart- 
ments. The earthquakes produced more serious consequences 
in other places. Near New Madrid, and for some distance 
on the Mississippi, the earth was rent asunder in several 
places, one or two islands sunk forever, and the inhabitants 
fled in dismay towards the eastern shores. 
Nor was it alone amidst the “elemental rack” that he thus 
seemed to bear a charmed life. He was threatened with 
another, and as stern danger, at the hand of the red man 
once during his Western wanderings. This was, when return- 
ing from the upper Mississippi, he was forced to cross one of 
the wide prairies of that region. We must let him relate it 
in part. Toward the dusk of the evening, wearied with an 
interminable jaunt over the prairie, he approached a light 
that feebly shone from the window of a log hut. He reached 
the spot, and presenting himself at the door, asked a tall 
figure of a woman, whether he might take shelter under her 
roof. Her voice was gruff, and her dress carelessly thrown 
about her person. She answered his question in the affirma- 
tive, when he walked in, took a wooden stool, and quietly 
seated himself by the fire. A finely formed young Indian, 
his head resting between his hands, with his elbows on his 
knees, was seated in the centre of the cabin. A long bow 
stood against the wall, while a quantity of arrows and two or 
three black raccoon skins lay at his feet. He moved not: 
he apparently breathed not. Being addressed in French, he 
raised his head, pointed to one of his eyes with his finger, 
and gave a significant glance with the other. His face was 
covered with blood. It appeared, that an hour before, in the 
act of discharging an arrow at a raccoon, the arrow slipt upon 
the cord, and sprang back with such violence into his right 
