Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1861-04-18

chaoo Within one week we were all, with Tia
team and driver hired for tho purpose, on oar
way to the last settlement, in the direction Of
the place where was to establish my forest
home within another having got my family
into comfortable quarters | wac, with pack
gun and ak, making my way through tho path
loss forest towards the locality Of my land
which, though over thirty miles distant, sue
ceedcd in reaching that day before sunsct
found my land, as | was told should, lying on
! the cast bank Of Onion River, and embracing a
noble expansc Of forest meadow land, bounded
north and south by two considerable streams,
that here came in On the same side Of the river,
and less than a milo apart. Here, lodging in
my bark covered shanty, alone in the wilder
ness, with no white inhabitants within thirty
miles Of me on any side, worked through the
whole Of that long simmer and autoain. eat
dewn, burned and cleared up ten acres q lor-
est, built comfortable log house laid Up, IN
part, by the timely assistance Of some transient
land. boxers, and then, as winter approached,
returned to my family in The settlements
Being now with my family again cheer
fully worked through the winter Tor what
could get, bought stout horse, and made 9TH
or preparations for an carly removal in the
spring to our new home in the woods And
accordingly, when May came with my wife and
our Two youngest on the horse, in addition to
the bag Of meal, bedding and clothing, with
which the strong beast was loaded down, and
myself, with pot and kettles, filed with seed
corn, salt, plates knives and forks, slung on
my back and gen and AZ in my hands, aud
with all iny older children placed Ia a row be-
hind me, we, carly ono morning commenced
our toilsomo journey through the Wilderness.
Not being abla to get through, with all cur
encumbrauccs, III one day, We halted q, dark,
threw up bough shauty, and under it. with q
FIRE a; our feet, al! slept souncly, excep; my
sslf, who KEEP: awake to BE- On mygaard against
the wolves and catamounts, which were of;en
heard bowling in the woods round our camp,
aud once came 50 near it, thst could zee their
eyes cleaning in the light Of cur camp fire.
Itwas hard journey FOR os throughout but
we got safely to our new home the next day
and Notwithstanding cur iatiguea. VIC all felt
very happy and grateful. Our long dreaded
journey was over, and we thought our hard
shiTs at an end, happily blind to the terrible
trials We were destined yc; to encounter
In the course OF month, found our bread
stulIs were getting too low to admit Of much
longer delay in procuring new supply, and
with the view of being sure Of having such "a
supply in season, | resolved to makea Journey,
At once, for the purpose, to the settlement on
Lake Champaiu, which was rather shorter
and easier route than the one to the other set
lement whore had lived There were at this
line few families living on the eastern shore
If the lake, at the place which has since grown |
up into the populous village Of Burlington
Among these, the leading man, and life and
oul of the settlement, was one Gideon King, /
who afterwards became the rich man Of the lake 4
ountry. When ! reached my destination as
crated that there were no brcalstuR5 TO he
ad in the place. But King said he had that
ay dispatched a soop to the south end of tho
axe for load OF meal, nouy and other proyis-
)ns, which we're to be brought overland from
albany, and that il would wait for her re.
urn, which would doubtless be within five
ays, should be supplied and in the mcau-
ne he would give me employment Falling
! with this proposition, went to work, and,
n several DAYS, felt no uncasiness But when
ve days had passed, and no sloop made her ap- I
amnco, | expressed my surprise and concern S
} her owner. He, however, seemed to feel no \
pprehensions for Der fate, and, attributing her S
lay to some failure in the arrival of part of her
'rgo from Albany, recommended me to keen {
at work and wait patiently for the sloop, q
hich now, within i day or two, would GER h
inly make her appearance This at last i
to do, though very reluctantly for | u
mellow began 70 feel singular msgiving Ii
'out matters a, home; and feeling tired us a
ell as dejscted, | that night went to bed be. "
re dark, and Immediately fell asleep when q
omed to be at once transported, either in o
eam or vision, to my distant home and placed n
broad maple stump standing about dozen fl
rds IN front OF the door of my cabin, With t,
It being permitted to speak, or make myself q
own, was allowed to SEQ all that was going il
among tho family, who were quietly moving n
and about the house, and preparing for sup II
r for 1t seemed to bo just about the time of Il
evening when | had fallen asleep thirty b.
les OIL perceived that the fresh fish and Ii