Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1835-10-26


I ON Martin Such were some of the cries viii, h
struck my ear.
Directly, Martn-onc of the cand dates for the
House OF Representatives, IA warm Crtcndcn
man. and afterwards ceetcd-mounted the barrel.
assure the reader that he may hear as much ora
tory IN the West on stump as in the East in n
Court House, or in old Fancui itself The i'm
precision OF oddit, soon wears Off and am inclin-
ed 10 believe that the Western manner of cleo
tloneer NJ ~ To the full a> proper. and more hon
est and opcn-handed, than the silent oanvassinr in
the East.
Martin is Il LAWYER, who had quit brick Having
Tor hrei-makng and special pleading. lie is a
man OF strong natural good sense, and sarcastic
and salircal humor, which tells well in candidate.
His speech about half an hour long, and he
was succeeded by Judge Bates, man fgrcat ta-
lent, polished writer, full of classic lore but no
speaker. When he MAS on the Bench IN Arkan-
Nas, IA la"ycr--also formerly Judge, and of whom
may hereafter speak-namcd Hail. was in the
habit oil 'ntcrlarding his speeches al the bar with
frequent Latin quotations. In one causc, pnrtic-
ulaflN, he was very protjlsc of his learning so
much 50, that when Bates delivered the opinion of
the Court, he did il otlland, IN Latin. Hail lis
tened, but only knowing few quotations learned
from law books, hr compelled, 10 the great
amusement of the Bar and the spectators. TO re-
English.
Bates was succeeded by three other candidates.
two oi whom were farmers and the third lawyer
the latter by far the meakcN of all | had cx-
peoled a display Of bombaSt and noisc, aud was
acrccably surprised by good strong sense, keen
Sat1re and almost IN entire freedom from violence
and aleetatlon IN all the speeches. still bet
ter pleased when afterwards saw Cfiltcndcn and
Ss'lef-thc rival candidates for Conerrss-mcct
ON the stump. Robert Crtcndon i, since dead.
lie WIS i brother of John J. C,ilienden Senator
from kentucky, and is universally allowed to have
been more talented man than either OF his broth
crS have listened to him frequently, since then,
ana esteem him one of the most eloquent men
ever heard. His voice was full and rich, his Ian
enose copiouS, strong, and yet brilliant and he
eNcflled equally III pathos and IRONY.
am extending this letter to an understandable
leneth, and with tale of pcrilous adventure, by
foo/, II not by fire, shall close.
In the month of January, 1883 there was an in
undatIon OF the Arkansas. | was living AT that
time opposite Fort Smith and, in company with
my host, got INTO a piroenc, when the rise NJ
the highest, and took trip like fools, seven miles
down the river, 10 the town of Nas Bulcn aior,-
said. After reaching that place, we began to con-
Sider-wbi we had MOI thought Of bciorc--how
we were TO get back and the result Of our Joint
''nliallon> was that, rs II was impossible to yet
back III the piroCuc, We must return on foot The
first four miles were easily accomplished, rs it was
over the upland; but at tho end of that distance
we arrived at the edl,e Of the bottom, through
which We bad about three miles To 90. II was
overlooked in some places to the depth of ton feet,
We looked down upon the canc-lor II was full
f that ariicc-and held anoher consultations
On We passed, however, and commenced no,mdcr-
my through tho water, among the cane. II was gen
orally about deep enough to immersG to our
nrcks and when the reader rcnm bers that il was
in January, h" will doubtless he aware that it was
not very pleasant. " had proceeded but little
way, when my companion lost his reckoning, and
became lost. He turned from home, and COM
ecnccd wandering about in every direction, until
! took the lead as tho oldest woodsman. After
proceeding about mile and IA half with GREAT eau
ton, We came n, length to the bank of a little Gull
~, about fifteen feet wide, as VIC learned by the
break in the cane Here we halted, AMI consult
cd how should cross. | cannot swim an inch
and nothing was left but 10 hunt for oes
We proceeded down the creek until we had
found a small one, when held one end until he
,traddled it, and coonc' it over aud he did me
the same service al the other end. We KEEP, on
ward. The ground became more elevated, and
just got out of the water, found our
selves ON the bank of what is called Garrison's
creek stream about sixty feet wide. At low
water, the banks are twenty-five feet above wa
Ter now the water was level viii, them. We at
tempted TO build raft, but could only find one lop
about twenty feet long, and two others about
eight. We stripped some hickory bark and tied
them together, and straddlcd the further cnd Of
thcm-hut were no sooner ON than the long one
to9ped over, the short ones went under, and did
+, clothes and all ; 50 We gave up that idea. |
then took of the short logs, put end under
my breast, md tricd to cross in that way. 1t
wouldn't do. Over and over went the log and
90, another boun,cous ducking. BY this time it
was getting dark and the air wa, growing keen
and cold Just Thea heard IN axe across the
creek and commenced haooine, which soon
brought man down, splashing through the water,
TO the bank of the creek. advised my compan-
ion to 90 over and hire the man TO fell a tree, on
which could cross, and therefore he took the wa
ter, with his breast end of the long log. lie
kicked away mannly, and when the end Of the
log struck the shore, Jumped of and swan for it.
Having made his bargain with tho stranger, he
went home, and the latter went again to his house
and brought his axe and brand of fire. In tho
mean time ! was nearly frozen. There was only
ono place where | could move, and that was in
circle about six feet in diameter. rounl "A tree.
On one side there man, with fire naring
near him, choppng away at an oak tree four feet
through and on the other was pacing round my
circle, which ! wore as deep, hard and smooth as a
buffalo path At the expiration Of about three
hours the tree came down and barely reached the
shore The upper end was covered with water,
and | had to get on a-straddlc with the water
ocb | .i,J a., ,.l..,