THE ADVENTURES OF A YOUNG NATURALIST. 



21 



en regretted that he had not been born an Indian. His 

 gravity entirely devoid of sadness, his skill in shooting, and 

 his silent laugh, often led me to compare him to Cooper's 

 " Leather-Stocking ;" but it was " Leather-Stocking " be- 

 come a man of the world and of science. 



Next let me describe my son. Like all children, he was 

 imitative, so had commenced very early to make a collection 

 of insects, and this was sufficient to give him a precocious 

 taste for natural history ; but in his character he was ear- 

 nest and reflective, and very eager for knowledge. Sumi- 

 chrast took pleasure in the boy's intelligence, and often 

 amused himself by arguing with him. From the flashes of 



