418 WILD SCENES AND WILD HUNTERS. 
inclining towards the north-west, 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 chance to go that way, and whom I would earnestly 
urge to visit its interior, as it abounds in rare and interesting 
productions: birds, quadrupeds and reptiles, as well as mol- 
luscous animals, many of which, I am persuaded, have never 
been described. 
In the course of one of my rambles, I-chanced to meet 
with a squatter’s cabin on the banks of the Cold Water 
River. In the owner of this hut, like most of those adven- 
turous settlers in the uncultivated tracts of our frontier 
districts, I found a person well versed in the chase, and 
acquainted with the habits of some of the larger species of 
quadrupeds and birds. As he who is desirous of instruction 
ought not to disdain listening to any one, who has knowledge 
to communicate, however humble may be his lot, or however 
limited his talents, I entered the. squatter’s cabin, and imme- 
diately opened a conversation with him respecting the situation 
of the swamp, and its natural productions. He told me he 
thought it the very place I ought to visit, spoke of the game 
which it contained, and pointed to some bear and deer skins, 
adding, that the individuals to which they had belonged, 
formed but a small portion of the number of those animals 
which he had shot within it. My heart swelled with delight ; 
and on asking if he would accompany me through the great 
morass, ‘and allow me to become an inmate of his humble but 
hospitable mansion, I was gratified to find that he cordially 
assented to all my proposals. So I immediately unstrapped 
my drawing materials, laid up my gun, and sat down to 
partake of the homely but wholesome fare intended for the 
supper of the squatter, his wife, and his two sons. 
The quietness of the evening seemed in perfect accordance 
