The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1850-03-21

Y,
enough now, and go putting on as proud as
boy with a new rife; but | have seen the day
when she would not dare 60 so near that point,
or if she did, she would soon be glad to be off,
at any rate. She's a grand creature though,
and goes like hound"
"What are you thinking of, friend Rogers
What day are you thinking of, when that point
was so dangerous? The trees and the banks:
look to me as if there had been no great altera.
ton since your day."
"No, no, the banks and the trees stand just
as they did. | said nothing about them; but
you Yankees are always for skinrng the bear
before you have caught him, and this you call
drar,ng mferenccs.."
"Well, well, own Twas on thewrong scent
for this once, but do tell me the story, for can
not but drnp the inference that you have some
story connected with that bend of the river"
At once the face of the old man became sad
and melancholy. He was silent again, and !
began to repent that had pressed him. He
leaned upon his well-tried rifle, and | thought |
could see his keen eye moisten.
"Did you notice that felt bad when came
and found you here!"
eyes, noticed that you were silent. but did
not know it was because you found ne here,
trying to keep dry under this hemlock."
Con the wrong scent again! But look this
way. Do you see that grave down in that BIT.
tie hollow, with stone at its headl"
81 do, indeed, and wonder had not seen it
before"
cts easy to see things when they are shown
to us. have pointed out many deer to a
young hunter when he was Just going to see it,
and wondered why he had not. Butthat grave,
and that point, and my story arc all connected.
The story, however, is short, and now that we
are here, | must think it all over again, and |
may as we'll think aloud and let you hear it
"lt was many, many years ago, long before
such thing as a steamboat was heard OF, or
even dreamed of, that the event happened l
was young then, strong and full of life and hope;
no one seeing me then, would have thought that
| should ever become this withered old man"
GAS straight as a rifle, and as strong as Il buf.
falo and with an eye and all ear as keen as an
eagles" said |.
"Yes, | can yet split ball on the point of
knife at two hundred yards, but this will not be
long. My hand sometimes trembles. But don't
you talk if you want my story"
"Go on, and will not interrupt you again"
"Well, it is now nearly forty years since |
first saw the glorious Ohio. shouted when
| first saw it; have loved It ever since, and
when die, hope shall be buried on its banks.
On certain day engaged to go down the riv-
cr to Kentucky, with Captain Ward, as he was
removing his family from the East The jour-
ney was long, and at best would b. tedious l
went as Il kind Of pilot, ior wss well acquaint-
ed with the river, and all points Of danger
The country was then full of Indians, and no
settlement Of any note had been made in Ohio.
The whites and the Indians too, were contina-
ally making war upon each other; do not
know who Was to blame. The whiteskilied the
most, and the indians were most cruel. We
purchased an old, crazy, squarc-built boat, be-
tween forty and fifty feet long, and about eight
or ten wide. We contrNed to spike OH single
pine p lauk on each gunncl and this was the on
Iy thing we had to defend us. We had heavy
load, furniture, baggage, horses pigs fowls and
ploushs, besides nearly dozen people. These
consisted of the captain, his wife, and their
young children, widowed sister and her son,
besides several men to manage the boat. When
att.ck us from the shore, but we knew that by
keeping in the middle of the river, We should be
beyond the reach of their rifles, or could be in
few moments. Thus we passed OH for sever
al days, till we supposed We were beyond the
haunts of the Indians One day, just at sunset,
after we had become tired with rowing, we let
our boat drift lazy and carclcssly along the
current. We were just getting ready to put up
for the night. The mother was promising the
children good run on the shore. The widow
was getting out the provisions, and making ar
engagements for our supper. The captain and
his nephew had hold OF the oars, and moved
them only just enough to allow Inc TO steer the
boat.
Rogers said the Captain, suppose we put
i'll this side Of that point, and tie our boat to
one of these big trees and there encamp for the
night
Its right good place, captain, and | like
it. Besides, thought a few moments ago, |
heard wild turkeys just over the hill, and |
should like to have one for supper
$50 We put i'll towards the shore, and had
got within about fifty yards Of that point around
which the steamboat had Just passed, when
heard Il stick crack as if it had been broken by
the foot.
a deer said the captain.
"No, no. [ shouted, row, row for life, or we
are dead
AT that instant, down rushed scores of In.
dians to the shore, with shout that made the
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