The North-Carolina standard., 1850-06-26
From the Montgomery Advertiser.1

l
\ MEssRs. ED1roRs: Upon Saw Mill Creek, twelve
miles North of Mobile lives aged, intelligent and
highly respectable gentleman, named Thomas Malone.
! was at his house two years ago, and derived much
information respecting pioneer life in Alabama. You
will recolect ia reading pamphlet which publish
ed some time since, that he composed one Of the
guard, who conducted Aaron Burr from the Mobile
river, through the wilderness of Alabama and Geor-
gla to the distant city of Richmond in the spring of
1907: The last time heard from Mr.. Malone, he
was IN feeble condition. sincerely hope that he
may live to read the History of Alabama, in which
ne Will be made to appear in some of the exciting
scenes OF the early settlement of State. In the
meantime send you the following extract
Respectfully A.. J. PICKETT.
EMleRATIoN TO ALABAMA IN 1902. Emigrants
ocked to the Mississippi territory by various routes,
some OF which were difficult and circuitous party
set out from North Carolina in December 1901 con-
ssting of Thomas Malone, young clerk in the Land
Office of Raleigh, John Murell and his family, James
Moore, Goodway Myrick, George Nosworthy, Rober,
Caller, William Murrell and sixty negroes. With
great difficulty they ascended the Blue Ridge with
their Wagons, and descended through its dark por-
ges, into the valley of the Tennessee-constructin
fiat boats at Knoxville, they foated down that river
to the head Of the Muscle Shoals where they disem-
parked at the house of Double Head, Cherokee
ohs4: Placing their effects upon the horses which
had been brought down by from Knoxville, they
departed foot for the Bigby Settlements about
st. Stephens, great distance off, and to which not
solitary direct path led. After fatguing march
they reached the house of Levi Colbert celebrated
Chickasaw Chief, who gave them the necessary direc
tions: Pursuing their journey they upon the
Tombigbee at the "Cotton Gin,'' which had not
long been erected by the Federal Government, to
encourage the Chickasaws in the cultivation of the
great staple.
Desiring to lessen the fatgues of the long and
painful trip, the party, in January 1902 constructed
two canoes at this point, each forty feet long. very
large, bat of miserable workmanship, executed with
no other tools than axes and grubbing hoes. These
they placed in the river, in parallel positions five
of cane. upon which were deposited the effects of the
expedition, which were piled up high above the heads
of the emigrants, who sat down in long rows In
the TWO canoes. few of the men went by land
with the horses towards St. Stephens make prep
aratons for the arrival of the main party. This rude
and singular craft then quite common in savage re-
gions, had proceeded but two miles down the rapid
crooked and swollen sream when tpowerfulIy struck
against log which extended half across the channel
and Immediately disappeared! The cane ligament
which bound the Siamese canoes burst asunder, and
every soul was washed deep under the waves. Those
| who rose again were presently struggling with
the torrent amid the wreck, tossed about the
fury OF the waters Murrell rose, but in his arms
was the lifeless body of daughter! His wife also
came to the surface with babe at her breast, both
happily alive. Malone and others swimming ashore
became active in assisting many of the party limbs
of trees, by reaching to them grape vines and canes
Al lehstn all VINO survived, huddIed upon small
piece of land, surrounded by water
| 1t was now night. The North wind swept over
the gloomy swamp The ducks, in their rapid fight
whizzed through the cold air. The wolves howled
upon the high prairies. The owls screamed and
laughed upon the lofty trees. The mighty timbers
crashed as the angry currents passed by. Such were
the unwelcome sounds that fell upon the ears of this
miserable party! No succor came. No encouraging
voice saluted them, but benumbed with cold they
hovered together to keep alive, shiverng and knock
fhoIr qnIfofo he al
their wet apparel froze fast upon them. Without
spark of fire, they had no way to produce one. 1t
was two miles back to the old camp, and the route
lay over thick cane, water, and small islands. A
resolnte young negro man volunteered to find it. He
plunged into the low grounds, and strangely made
his way to the camp. In the meantime the helpless
pioneers, desparng of his return 5ewailed their con-
dition in deep means and bitter lamentations. The
curtains of one of the darkest nights drawn over
hem and under it they mournfuly counted over the
missing and the drowned! Two long hours passed
away, when the cheerful halloo of the negro was heard
afar off, 1t was answered by a united and sympa-
thetic shout All eyes were turned in that direction.
and in the darkness an indistnct light which
stood the tops Of the distant canes like far off
| Aurora Borealis. 1t was fire, and the noble negro
had brought it from the old camp! AT length he
came with cracking, crashing noise, familiar only
to the ears of those who have walked through the
massive cane swamps of Alabama.
Fires kindled with dry cane and around them
sat the sufferers, until the morning dspeled the
horrld night. 1t was now ascertaned that white
chlld and tweny-one negroes Were entombed beneath
the tide of the angry Tombigbee! The survivors
groped their way to the Cotton Gn without provisions
without hats, without tools, without FIRE arms, without
money, with no clothes EXCEPT those which dropped
upon their limbs, friendess and alone in savage
country, far from their point of destinations and still
farther from their native land ~
Who saved those people from starvation, and who
enabled them to reach Washington county, Alabama,
after journey of one hundred and twenty days from
North Carolina! 1t not the Indians, for one of
them stole negro from the brave Malone, for the re-
turn of whom he had to give his watch. Those ami
mails who cling to their unfortunate masters to the
last moment, and are never once gnlty of the crime
of ingrattude, who hunted up rabbits opossums and
raccoons for their famished owners-they saved the
lives of these people!
To Colon PINE TO INITIATE BLACK WALNUT.
Every kind of wood is easier colored than pne be-
cause there is much rosin in it, which prevents
the dye from entering; but the Scientific American
gives the following directions for dong it, which
may be new to some of our readers:
1.-The pine should be perfectly free Of knots, (as
they will not colo and strong solution of hot log
wood, boiled in vessel for three hours rubbed care
fully all it, and then allowed to dry. It would
be better to have large vessel Of strong logwood
liquor in which to steep the pine for a few days,
such as an old molasses cask. After the ogwood is
dried, solution of copperas should be applied in the
same way the logwood, which will make the color
quite black. BY using strong solution of sumac in
place of the logwood. the wood will become quite
dark when it gets the copperas put it, but it will
not have the rich appearance Of the logwood color
By using alum 10 place of copperas, purple kind
OF color will be made upon the wood" .s4.es
We found upon our table few days since, neat
IL