282 
THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY 
they would remain within a short circle of this spot, feeding 
on the buds and variety of herbs about it, until the approach 
of dawn, when, instead of departing for other places, they 
would make their lair in the immediate neighbourhood un- 
til the next evening. Under these circumstances, I often 
very cautiously approached the favoured spot, and surprised 
several deer during the day time, and seldom returned 
without killing one, and sometimes more — hence my rea- 
son for making it an invariable rule during my excursions 
to visit the springs. At the salt lick there was a particular 
spot more visited than all others by the deer, ' and into 
this, within a circle of twelve feet, I had, in five successive 
seasons, shot eighty-three deer, most of which fell within 
these bounds; and in order to allow for the variable winds, 
and prevent the animals from scenting me, I had three logs 
in different positions, behind which I would ensconse my- 
self and there await the approach of the unsuspecting game. 
On the day of- my present adventure I- had kept the summit 
of the mountain for several miles, without success, for a breeze 
had arisen shortly after sun rise which rattled through the 
trees, and made it unfavourable for hunting on high ground, 
and indeed the only wild animal I saw, was a bear, that was 
feeding on another ridge across a deep valley, and entirely 
out of reach of my rifle shot; I therefore descended the 
mountain in an oblique direction, towards the salt springs 
which I soon reached, and after finding others had pre- 
ceded me here, I left the spot for another mountain on 
which I intended to pass the remainder of the day, gradu- 
ally working my way home. This mountain was covered 
with chesnut trees, and here it was, that I caught a glimpse 
of the bear, from the other ridge, and found he had disap- 
peared but a short time previous to my arrival on this moun- 
tain ; I followed his track for three miles, for chesnuts lay 
in abundance on the ground, and bears, like hogs, root up 
the leaves in search of food beneath, and it no doubt had 
lingered about here eating its food until my near approach 
gave warning of its danger; this I could discover, as the 
leaves having been wet by the melted frost on the top, a 
path could be traced where the bear in running had turned 
the dried part of the leaves uppermost. I quickened my 
pace along the mountain side and around the turn of the 
mountain, with the hopes of surprising the bear, and after a 
rapid chase for the distance above mentioned, all proved fruit- 
less and I relinquished further pursuit. Warm with this exer- 
cise, and somewhat fatigued, I descended the mountain side, 
and took my seat beside a stream of water which gently wash- 
ed the base of the mountain, and emptied itself in the head 
waters of the Susquehannah. 
It was now mid-day, and the sun shone, unobstructed by 
clouds, on the beautiful sheet of transparentwater, which flow- 
ed its murmuring ripples at my feet. This stream was the out- 
let of a small but beautiful lake, which lay embedded be- 
tween two lofty mountains, crowned with the variegated 
tints of the autumn, while on the unruffled bosom of the lake, 
as on a glassy mirror the dazzling brightness of the noon-day 
sun, glistened with peculiar lustre, and gave additional in- 
terest and beauty to the golden crowned hills, which tow- 
ered their lofty summits toward the heavens. 
I sat eating chesnuts, with my rifle by my side, and amus- 
ing myself with the shoals of little minnows, which kept edg- 
ing their noses against the current; I would chew my chesnuts 
into crumbs, throw to them, and be delighted at their grace- 
ful dexterity, in securing the scattered fragments as they float- 
ed swiftly down the stream — then again I watched the eagles 7 
flight, as with outstretched pinions, he soared majestically 
above the hills, with that independence and grandeur which 
rank him king of birds — and then I raised my eyes to the 
mountain tops, and wondered whether these were among 
the everlasting hills, which nature, in her chaotic move- 
ments, raised from the waters, and stamped on them a dura- 
tion coequal with time. While thus communing with na- 
ture, my mind was insensibly borne from the object which 
first led me from my home; for what reflecting mind can 
behold the surrounding beauties in the wilds of the forest, 
which are intruded on his sight whithersoever he turns his 
head, without having imparted to his feelings the serenity 
and sublimity, which ever there abide during the autumnal 
season of the year; the only noise which strikes the ear, is 
the gurgling brook, which unceasingly runs its troubled 
course, or the hollow roaring of some distant waterfall, 
sometimes loud, and again dying gently into stillness, as 
the passing zephyrs may vary or waft it to the ear; or the 
mournful sounds of the northern breezes when agitating the 
forests, and whirling the sear and yellow leaves from their 
parent stems, and singing mournfully, the requiem of the 
departing beauties of the vegetable world; who, amid all 
these, solitary and reflecting, but may be led on by a train of 
thought, until his mind is involved in that deep contemplation 
from which it requires more than ordinary means to extricate 
it. This was my state, until I was aroused from my reverie 
by that which comprises the chief part of my adventure. 
I had remained sitting on a fallen tree, whose branches 
extended considerably into the water, for perhaps an hour 
and a half, when of a sudden I heard a rustling among the 
leaves on the mountain immediately above my head, which 
at first was so distant, that I thought it merely an eddy of 
the wind, whirling the leaves from the ground, but it in- 
creased so rapidly, and approached so near the spot where 
I sat, that I instinctively seized my rifle, ready in a moment 
to meet any emergency which might offer. 
That part of the mountain where I was seated, was cover- 
ed with laurel and other bushes, and owing to the density 
