FINAL REVERSES IN BUSINESS 253 
figure among the early settlers of this region, and for 
the space of three years he enjoyed life as never before; 
“the pleasures,” he said, “which I have felt at Hender- 
son, and under the roof of that log-cabin, can never be 
effaced from my heart until after death.” But in a 
community of exacting business men he could never 
have made a permanent success; he was too good a 
target not to be riddled by many who were ready to 
take advantage of his liberality and easygoing ways. 
Traveling from Frankfort to Lexington in 1810, Wil- 
son complained that the people were all traders but 
no readers, even of the newspaper; every man, he 
said, had “either some land to buy or sell, some law-suit, 
some coarse hemp or corn to dispose of; and if the 
conversation does not to lead to any of these, he will 
force it.” 
Many stories, and no doubt much idle gossip, concern- 
ing Audubon’s life and habits, were current at Hen- 
derson long after he left the village. It was said that 
he would often go into the woods in his pursuit of birds 
and remain from home for weeks at a time; that he was 
once known to have followed a hawk for three days in 
succession and in practically a straight course, swimming 
creeks when necessary, until it finally fell to his gun. 
When steamboats made their first appearance on the 
Ohio, they naturally excited the greatest interest, and 
a favorite pastime of many of the men and boys was 
diving from the side of a boat into the river. On one 
of these occasions Audubon is said to have made his 
appearance in the crowd of sightseers and to have as- 
tonished everyone by plunging from the bow and emerg- 
ing from beneath the stern of the vessel after swimming 
under her entire length. According to traditional ac- 
counts, Mrs, Audubon, who was also an expert swimmer, 
