; and sorrowed to think that even such others as
yet rejoiced in their rich forest garb were but enjoying a brief
respite from the axe and flame, being assuredly condemned and marked for
destruction.

Every man here, in fact, is at work "for his own hand;" and as each
proprietor is desirous to make the most he can of his acres, these burn
and destroy on all sides, never feeling satisfied that their land is
cleared whilst a single tree lives to tell where once the forest waved.

In noticing the well-fenced fields, the comfortable dwellings,
substantial offices, and generally excellent condition of these farms,
one can hardly credit the history of the settlement of this Western
country, when it is considered that, amongst these well-cleared and
well-cultivated fields, within the memory of living men, the Indian
ranged and the uncouth buffalo herded, and that the first "white-man"
born west of the Alleghany is still living: by the way, a whimsical
anecdote relating to this gentleman is current in Pittsburg, and which I
here relate as I myself received it.

At a public dinner, Mr. R----, the person alluded to, being present, had
his health proposed and cordially drunk, as "the first white man born
west of the Alleghany." Now Mr. R---- happening to be very
dark-complexioned, a waggish countryman of mine, who was seated next to
him, could not help adding, with a sly air, having repeated the toast,
"and not particularly white either."

"Why that's very true," returned the subject of this jest, with much
good-humour; "and the reason assigned for the exceeding redness of my
skin is in itself not a little illustrative of the late condition of our
country, which is, in fact, the true subject of this toast.

"Shortly after my father had located his family on the Ohio, my mother
was, whilst in the act of fetching water from the stream a little way
outside the stockade within which our dwelling stood, startled by the
near whoop of an Indian warrior, and, on raising her head, perceived
close beside her a chief of the neighbouring tribe; she instantly fled
like a deer; and, being young and active, gained the shelter of the
stockade, within which, however, she fell exhausted, but was so
preserved. Some time after I was ushered into life; and the darkness of
my complexion was always referred to the chance of my mother having been
thus frightened and followed by the young Indian."

"And a mighty natural mode of accounting for the sa