32 THE OHIO.
majestic river, forcing commerce to take root and to prosper at every
spot; when I see the surplus population of Europe coming to assist
in the destruction of the forest, and transplanting civilization into its
darkest recesses;—when I remember that these extraordinary changes
have all taken place in the short period of twenty years, I pause, wonder,
and, although I know all to be fact, can scarcely believe its reality.
Whether these changes are for the better or for the worse, I shall not
pretend to say ; but in whatever way my conclusions may incline, I feel
with regret that there are on record no satisfactory accounts of the state
of that portion of the country, from the time when our people first settled
in it. This has not been because no one in America is able to accomplish
such an undertaking. Our IRVINGS and our COOPERS have
proved themselves fully competent for the task. It has more probably
been because the changes have succeeded each other with such rapidity,
as almost to rival the movements of their pen. However, it is not too
late y e t ; and I sincerely hope that either or both of them will ere long
furnish the generations to come with those delightful descriptions which
they are so well qualified to give, of the original state of a country that
has been so rapidly forced to change her form and attire under the influence
of increasing population. Yes; I hope to read, ere I close my
earthly career, accounts from those delightful writers of the progress of
civilization in our western country. They will speak of the CLARKS,
the CROGHANS, the BOONS, and many other men of great and daring
enterprise. They will analyze, as it were, into each component part, the
country as it once existed, and will render the picture, as it ought to be,
immortal.
( 33 )
T H E W I L D T U R K E Y.
MELEAGRIS GALLOPAVO, LINN.
P L A T E V I . FEMALE AND YOUNG.
THE Male Turkey has already been described, and you have seen that
magnificent bird roaming in the forests, approaching the haunts of man,
and performing all the offices for which he is destined in the economy of
nature. Here you have his mate, now converted into a kind and anxious
parent, leading her young progeny, with measured step and watchful
eye, through the intricacies of the forest. The chickens, still covered
with down, are running among her feet in pursuit of insects. One is
picking its sprouting plumelets, while another is ridding itself of a tick
which has fastened upon its little wing.
In addition to what has already been said respecting the manners of
the Wild Turkey, I have a few circumstances to mention, which relate
chiefly to both sexes. Its flight is powerful and rapid, and is composed
of strong flappings, which enable it to rise with ease to the highest
branches of the largest forest trees. When it starts from the ground, it
generally leaves marks which are made by the first motions of its wings,
which are so powerful as raise the withered leaves around it. When the
ground is covered with snow, the impressions are so distinctly defined as
to imitate the form of the pinions. When it leaves its perch, it flaps its
wings only a few times at the outset, and then sails for many hundred
yards, balancing itself as it proceeds, with great steadiness, until it reaches
the ground. If it has flown from its perch with the view of reaching
another, it repeats the flappings at intervals of a hundred yards or so.
On coming to the ground, it is obliged to run for a few yards, its great
weight rendering this necessary to prevent its body from being injured.
The great strength of a full grown Turkey-cock renders it no easy
matter to hold it when but slightly wounded; and once or twice I have
thought myself in jeopardy, when on entering a pen in which six or seven
large cocks had imprisoned themselves, their flutterings and struggles
rendered it extremely difficult to secure them.
The Female Turkey, which is considerably inferior in size to the
c