WESTERN STATES. 



339 



Ills dignity IS dcsned with humor and gayety. He has a degree of modest assurance, that be- 

 longs to men who are satisfied with their own qualifications. He deems himself equal to any 

 man, and the abstract conception of a superior, never occurred to him. He never mars his 

 fortunes by an idle distrust of himself; he believes himself capable of accomplishing anything, 

 and the belief renders him so. Hospitality and generosity, which are virtues in common men, 

 are none in the Kentuckian ; they are the eflect of his impulses, a part of his instinct. He is 

 not given to falsehood, for he is not accessible to fear. He is courteous with the civil, and 

 with the ungentle he is also froward. He will fight for any cause or for no cause, but he will 

 not commence the quarrel. His pride is a part of his life, and he defends it ; his honor is the 

 best of his possessions, and he suffers no encroachment. In one respect he is unfortunate ; 

 he has not enough to do ; there are no Indians to be hunted, or forests tcr be cleared ; the 

 country is a garden, the proprietor rich, and his restless spirit is sometimes urged by ennui 

 into the borders of dissipation. 



17. Jlmusements. The rille furnishes part of the amusements of the West. It is used uni- 

 versally, and with unerring skill. The smallest visible mark within its range is hit, and tlie 

 comparative excellence of the piece is a frequent subject for wagers.* To kill a squirrel with 



and repassed me several limes, and once pinched me on 

 the side so violently, that the pain nearly brought forth an 

 exclamation of anger. I looked at him. His eye met 

 mine ; but his look was so forbidding, that it struck a 

 chill into the more nervous part of my system. He again 

 seated himself, drew his butcher knife from its greasy 

 scabbard, examined its edge, as I would that of a razor 

 suspected dull, replaced it, and again taking his toma- 

 hawk from his back, filled the pipe of it with tobacco, and 

 sent me expressive glances whenever our hostess chanced 

 to have her back towards us. Never until this moment 

 had my senses been awakened to the danger which I now 

 suspected to be about me. I returned glance for glance to 

 my companion, and rested well assured that, whatever en- 

 emies I might have, he was not of their number. I asked 

 the woman for my watch, wound it up, and under pre- 

 tence of wishing to see how the weather might probably 

 be on the morrow, took up my gun, and walked out of the 

 cabin. I slipped a ball into each barrel, scraped the edges 

 of my flints, renewed the primings, and returning to the 

 hut, gave a favorable account of my observations. I took 

 a few bear skins, made a pallet of them, and calling my 

 faithful dog to my side, lay down, with my gun close to 

 my body, and in a few minutes was to all appearances 

 fast asleep. A short time had elapsed, when some voices 

 were heard, and from the corner of my eyes I saw two 

 athletic youths making their entrance, bearing a dead stag 

 on a pole. . They disposed of their burden, and asking for 

 whisky, helped themselves freely to it. Observing me 

 and the wounded Indian, they asked who I was, and why 

 the devil that rascal (meaning the Indian, who, they 

 knew, understood not a word of English) was in the 

 house. The mother, — for so she proved to be, bade them 

 speak less loudly, maoe mention of my watch, and took 

 them to a corner, where a conversation took place, the 

 purport of which required little shrewdness in me to 

 guess. I tapped my dog gently, — he moved his tail, and 

 with indescribable pleasure I saw his fine eyes alternately 

 fixed on me and raised towards the trio in the corner. I 

 felt that he perceived danger in my situation. The Indian 

 exchanged a last glance with me. The lads had eaten 

 and drunk themselves into such condition, that I already 

 looked upon them as hors du combat; and the frequent 

 visits of the whisky bottle to the ugly mouth of their dam 

 I hoped would soon reduce her to a like state. Judge of 

 luy astonishment, reader, when I saw this incarnate fiend 

 take a large carving knife, and go to the grind-stone to 

 whet its edge. I saw her pour the water on the turning 

 machine, and watched her working every way with the 

 dangerous instrument, until the sweat covered every part 

 of my body, in despite of my determination to defend 

 myself to the last. Her task finished, she walked to her 

 reeling sons, and said, ' there, that '11 soon settle him ! 

 Boys, kill him, — and then for the watch.' I turned, 

 cocked my gun locks silently, touched my faithful com- 

 panion, and lay ready to start up and shoot the first who 

 might attempt my life. The moment was fast approach- 



ing, and that night niiglit have been my last in this world, 

 had not Providence made preparations for my rescue. All 

 was ready. The infernal hag was advancing slowly, 

 probably contemplating the best way of despatching me, 

 whilst her sons should be engaged with the Indian. I was 

 several limes on the eve of rising and shouting her on the 

 spot: — but she was not to be punished ihus. The door 

 was suddenly opened, and there entered two slout travel- 

 ers, each with a long rifle on iiis shoulder. I bounced up 

 on my feet, and making them most heartily welcome, 

 told them how well it was for ine that they should arrive 

 at that moment. The tale was told in a minute. The 

 drunken sons were secured, and the woman, in spite of 

 her defence and vociferations, shared the same fate. The 

 Indian fairly danced with joy, and gave us to understand 

 that, as he could not sleep for pain, he would watch 

 over us. You may suppose we slept much less than 

 we talked. The two strangers gave me an account 

 of their once having been themselves in a somewhat 

 similar situation. Day came, fair and rosy, and with it 

 the punishment of our captives. They were now quite 

 sobered. Their feet were unbound, but their arms were 

 securely tied. We marched them into the woods off 

 the road, and having used them as Regulators were 

 wont to use such delinquents, we set fiie to the cabin, 

 gave all the skins and implements to the young Indian 

 warrior, and proceeded, well pleased, towards the settle- 

 ments." 



* " Having resided some years in Kentucky, and hav- 

 ing more than once been witness of rifle sports, I will 

 present you witli the results of my observation, how far 

 rifle shooting is understood in that State. Several indi- 

 viduals who conceive themselves expert in the manage- 

 ment of a gun, are often seen to meet for the purpose of 

 displaying their skill ; and betting a trifling sum, put up 

 a target, in the centre of which a common sized nail is 

 hammered for about two thirds of its length. The marks- 

 men make choice of what they consider a proper distance, 

 which may be 40 paces. Each man cleans the interior of 

 his tube, which is called wiping it, places a ball in the 

 palm of his hand, pouring as much powder from his horn 

 upon it as will cover it. This quantity is supposed to be 

 suflicient for any distance within a hundred yards. A 

 shot which comes very close to the nail is considered as 

 that of an indilFerent marksman ; the bending of the nail 

 is somewhat better, but nothing less than hitting it right 

 on the head is satisfactory. One out of three shots gene- 

 rally hits the nail, and should the shooters amount to iialf 

 a dozen, two nails are frequently needed before each can 

 have a shot. Those who drive the nail have a further 

 trial amongst themselves, and the two best shots out of 

 these generally settle the aft'air, when all the sportsmen 

 adjourn to some house, and spend an hour or two in 

 friendly intercourse, appointing, before they part, a day 

 for another trial. This is technically termed ' driving the 

 nail.' Barking off squirrels is delightful sport, and in my 

 opinion requires a greater degree of accuracy tbnn any 



