wagon was broken to pieces, the left hind-wheel smashed, and entirely useless. The man applied the spilling rum to use in handful, until life began to return; and as mother saw hopes of my return- ing to her bosom again, she became quieted.
The loading was found to be greatly damaged, with the loss of two barrels of rum, and a great quantity of sugar mixed with dirt and trash. The next task was to prepare some shelter for the night, and in the meantime to mend the broken wheel: it was, however, soon found that the wheel was so badly broken that it could not be mended; and then it was that the old gentleman struck on the fol- lowing plan: he told the negro to cut down a small tree, put the butt on the foremost axle-tree, leave the top end on the ground, and lash the axle-tree fast on the dragging tree. Thus we made a substitute for the broken wheel. By this time night had come on us; a large fire was made, and my mother took her place by the root of a tree, with Joshua by her side, who was about twelve years old, and myself in her arms: she has often told me that she never closed her eyes until day-light appeared next morning; when we made a breakfast of bread, cheese, and molasses gathered from the smashed barrels, and flat and hollowing stones, where it was in puddles.
This hasty breakfast done, and everything made ready, the whip cracked again, and off we started, Joshua walk- ing and my mother carrying me on her back: we had twelve or fifteen miles to travel before we would be in Oldtown. We proceeded on our journey slowly, reached our destination, and found ourselves in Oldtown. Mother much fatigued, worn down, and in low spirits; the wagon, old gentleman, and negro all gone off, and we three left alone in a strange country. But in the morning a neigh-
A HUNTER'S LIFE. 17
bouring gentleman to her mother-in-law, whose name was Joseph Robinett, came by chance into the village to trade; and mother by some means found that he lived near her sister, and prevailed on him to assist her in getting me along to her friends; which place we reached a little after noon. Here we are at Hurley's Branch, and among our friends.
We remained here two or three weeks, until my wounds and bruises were well, or nearly so, when we went to my grandfather's, on the head-waters of the Flintstone, and remained during that fall and winter. The spring follow- ing, mother's friends took her to a small piece of vacant land that was too small to attract the notice of others, and no person had any claim to it: it was very good soil, and something over twenty acres. Here her friends built her up a neat little cabin, and placed herself and her children in it; and we then had a snug home of our own.
In a few weeks our sister came to us, having lost her husband, Mr. Harvey, who died the same winter we left Frederick county. She joined us, and to work went all hands; Joshua and mother to chopping and grubbing, and sister to picking up and burning the grubs and trash that lay over the ground; and soon they had four acres cleared off, and ready for planting corn. This done, they went into it altogether; dug holes for the hills of corn to be planted in, and planted as they went; and when they were done making holes, they were done planting also; and had filled with pumpkins, cucumbers, and such things as they knew would be useful for the table. Their friends helped, and soon it was under a good fence: then when the corn came out of the ground, all hands went into it, and cleaned out all the weeds, and dug up the ground between the hills and in that way they raised nearly one hundred bushels of corn.
2* B
18 FORTY-FOUR YEARS OF
At this time I had an aunt living near, who was always teasing mother to let me stay with her for company for her, as she had no children. And at last mother yielded and let me go with her; and I staid one summer with her and her husband, whose name was John Spurgin He was a good-natured, kind man, but neglectful, lazy, and unlearned: they made it their aim to seduce me from my mother's love and from my home, and take up my home with them; but took good care not to let mother get the least knowledge of their interested design.
They had me so well into their scheme, that I was ready for any movement they might wish me to undertake. So, in September, they had all things in readiness, and a young man to assist in driving their cattle and horses: they then proposed to me to go with them into the prettiest country in the world; and that I should be their adopted son, and all the cattle and horses we could raise should be mine; and that I could stand in the door and see the pretty deer sporting and playing in the glades; and as soon as I was big enough to shoot, I should have a nice rifle to shoot those deer.
Fired with such prospects of sport, I was ready and willing to undertake the journey forthwith. I was put to bed, and told to go to sleep, and they would wake me before day, and take an early start, so that my mother should have no chance of stopping me. Sure enough, I was awakened a long time before day-light; all was ready for a move, with three horses loaded, and the young man Boon had the cattle ready to follow the horses. I was put on one horse, my aunt on another, and uncle drove the third; aunt in the lead. Off we went, as still as possible, that our movements should not be known to my mother until we would be sufficiently out of her power. On we went, without noise, over the mountains towards Cum- berland; and, as the sun began to show its beautiful
A HUNTER'S LIFE. 19
reflection on the high top of the Dan Mountain, westward of the town, we arrived in sight of the valley in which the town was situated. Here was a new scene to me entirely. The whole valley was covered with a dense fog —nothing was to be seen but the high tops of the west- ern mountains, with here and there stripes of sun-light; whilst all around was in uproar, with cows bellowing, calves bleating, dogs barking, cocks crowing, and, in short, all sorts of noises. The fog was so heavy that I could not see any object until within a few paces of it. Here we halted for our breakfast. By that time the sun had driven away all the misty clouds, and the town was in plain view; and I think that there were not more than twenty or thirty houses, and they mostly cabins, sur- rounded by large corn-fields, containing heavy crops of corn.
Breakfast over, we resumed our march for the new country before us : on, on we went ; and in the evening we found ourselves at the Little Crossings; here we halted for the night; the horses and cows were taken to pasture, for few houses of entertainment in those times kept oats or grain of any kind for feeding purposes, in summer, but depended altogether on grass. Supper being ready, we partook with others of a welcome meal, made up of buckwheat cakes, fresh fine butter, delicious honey-combs, venison steak, as also some fine jerk,* and sweet milk, of which we all took a good share.
We had our own bedding with us, which we laid down on the floor, and prepared for resting our tired limbs : soon we were down and sound asleep. The morning came, with a prospect of a good day; and, by the time I could see to walk, I was called up to fetch the cows, while my uncle saddled the horses, and got ready for breakfast.
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* Jerk: this is the fleshy part of the venison, sliced thin, salted, and dried over hot coals till cured : it is excellent eating.
20 FORTY-FOUR YEARS OF
All this being done, and breakfast over, we bid good-bye to Little Crossings, and took the road again for the "Blooming Rose:" this place is a large tract of land, so called in consequence of the great variety of beautiful flowers that adorned the whole tract; and that part of Alleghany county is still known by that name. We tra- velled without halting, save to water our beasts, until late in the afternoon, when we arrived at the residence of my uncle's father.
Here we baited for a month or two, until uncle should seek a home away in the glades of the Buffalo Marsh, where I was to see so many beautiful sights. After a long time of anxious delay, as I thought, and after two or three different visits to the intended home, he at last determined to make a start for it, much to my joy and satisfaction. This day brought us to a home entirely up to my greatest expectations; for then, although late in October,
