During the summer and autumnal months, the Lehigh, a small river
of itself, soon becomes extremely shallow, and to float the rafts would
prove impossible, had not art managed to provide a supply of water for
this express purpose. At the breast of the lower dam is a curiously constructed
lock, which is opened at the approach of the rafts. They pass
through this lock with the rapidity of lightning, propelled by the water
that had been accumulated in the dam, and which is of itself generally
sufficient to float them to Mauch Chunk, after which, entering regular
canals, they find no other impediments, but are conveyed to their ultimate
destination.
Before population had greatly advanced in this part of Pennsylvania,
game of all descriptions found within that range was extremely abundant.
The Elk itself did not disdain to browse on the shoulders of the
mountains, near the Lehigh. Bears and the Common Deer must have
been plentiful, as, at the moment when I write, many of both kinds are
seen and killed by the resident hunters. The Wild Turkey, the Pheasant
and the Grouse, are also tolerably abundant; and as to trout in the streams
—Ah, reader, if you are an angler, do go there, and try for yourself.
For my part, I can only say, that I have been made weary with pulling
up from the rivulets the sparkling fish, allured by the struggles of the
common grasshopper.
fi A comical affair happened with the bears, which I shall relate to you,
good reader. A party of my friend IRISH'S raftsmen, returning from
Mauch Chunk, one afternoon, through sundry short cuts over the mountains,
at the season when the huckle-berries are ripe and plentiful, were
suddenly apprised of the proximity of some of these animals, by their
snuffing the air. No sooner was this perceived than, to the astonishment
of the party, not fewer than eight bears, I was told, made their appearance.
Each man, being provided with his short-handled axe, faced
about, and willingly came to the scratch ; but the assailed soon proved
the assailants, and with claw and tooth drove off the men in a twinkling.
Down they all rushed from the mountain; the noise spread quickly;
rifles were soon procured and shouldered; but when the spot was reached,
no bears were to be found ; night forced the hunters back to their homes,
and a laugh concluded the affair.
I spent six weeks in the Great Pine Forest—Swamp it cannot be called—
where I made many a drawing. Wishing to leave Pennsylvania,
and to follow the migratory flocks of our birds to the south, I bade adieu
to the excellent wife and rosy children of my friend, and to his kind nephew.
JEDiAH IRISH, shouldering his heavy rifle, accompanied me, and
trudging directly across the mountains, we arrived at Mauch Chunk in
good time for dinner. Shall I ever have the pleasure of seeing that good,
that generous man again ?
At Mauch Chunk, where we both spent the night, Mr WHITE, the civil
engineer, visited me, and looked at the drawings which I had made
in the Great Pine Forest. The news he gave me of my sons, then in
Kentucky, made me still more anxious to move in their direction, and,
long before day-break, I shook hands with the goodman of the forest,
and found myself moving towards the capital of Pennsylvania, having as
my sole companion a sharp frosty breeze. Left to my thoughts, I felt
amazed that such a place as the Great Pine Forest should be so little
known to the Philadelphians, scarcely any of whom could direct me towards
it. How much is it to be regretted, thought I, that the many
young gentlemen who are there so much at a loss how to employ their
leisure days, should not visit these wild retreats, valuable as they are to
the student of nature. How differently would they feel, if, instead of
spending weeks in smoothing a useless bow, and walking out in full dress,
intent on displaying the make of their legs, to some rendezvous where
they may enjoy their wines, they were to occupy themselves in contemplating
the rich profusion which nature has poured around them, or even
in procuring some desiderated specimen for their Peals's Museum, once
so valuable and so finely arranged ? But alas ! no : they are none of
them aware of the richness of the Great Pine Swamp, nor are they likely
to share the hospitality to be found there.
Night came on, as I was thinking of such things, and I was turned out
of the coach in the streets of the fair city, just as the clock struck ten.
I cannot say that my bones were much rested, but not a moment was to
be lost. So I desired a porter to take up my little luggage, and leading
him towards the nearest wharf, I found myself soon after gliding across
the Delaware, towards my former lodgings in the Jerseys. The lights
were shining from the parallel streets as I crossed them, all was tranquil
and serene, until there came the increasing sound of the Baltimore
steamer, which, for some reason unknown to me, was that evening later
than usual in its arrival. My luggage was landed, and carried home by
means of a bribe. The people had all retired to rest, but my voice was
instantly recognised, and an entrance was afforded to me.