Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-12-15
WEsT TENNESSEE,
"reminiscences OF Pioneer Life in the
Big Hatchie Country.


~ A1A~
The poetic vision Of the Greek, IN
looking back through dim antiquity,
when Hon resisted the thunder-bolts
OfAgamemnon's hosts, when the Argos,
freighted with human life, weighed an
ehoT and sailed away 70 the far of col.
ehis in search Of gold, the more mod
ern romance Of Fernando DeSOtO, Juan
Ponce de Leon, Poeahontas and hel
Captain Smith, Daniel Boone and Te-
cumseh Is not more thrilling in interest
to the descendants Of the pioneer set
tiers Of this country than the land of the
Chiekasaws ana LAW CT0SsSSs sAs
Obion, Forked-Deer and the Big
Hatchie country, when in the cradle Of
the wilderness.
On the banks OF q beautiful creek
north Of the river Big Hatehie, n the
early days Of March little less than three
score years ago. my father pitched bis
tent and called It home. There ke
abode Of civilization was first planted
in that traekless wilderness. Then but
/ q lad of less than twelve summers, the
lhaunts of the countless wild beasts
which nIfed the land. are ~ freshly
marked out as If II were but yesterday.
The frightful howl Of the wolf and the
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I became as familiar as household words.
Twas there in childhood I played;
In the untrodden wilderness 1 strayed;
Land Of my youth. whose memories LAST
Linking the present with the past.
Thither my father moved son The
sands Of the old settled part Of Missis-
sippi, south Of latitude thirty-tYo
degrees, a distance Of more than
three hundred miles, thfsugh a
wild, trackless, savage territory. The
fatigue and peril of moving a large fam
/ ay of wbfCe and black, through q say
age wilderness, devoid Of roads OF
bridges, with all the PdropheTHdlia Of
comfortable living, in those days Of
rude travel, was an Undertaking rsGaiE
ing almost supeThamsn endurance and
E~Infexible win-my father proved him.
self equal to it.
In January, 1s- through the ;0nely
vistas of the pineWOods, was seen a lcug
train Of movers. In front rode my
faShs-, on bis faithful and snre-fOOted
I~l62Fle-gray mare, with heaTy holate-s
swinging across the pOmel of his saddle,
with their black beaT-skin covering.
Stern, thoughtful reticent, with indom-
table viii, ne mad -eSalvcd to convey
his precious charge safely through what
ever of peril or difficulty THAI should
nezace him. Following closet behind
vas a large black ecrTyali, containing
mother, grandmother aud the yoHns
children, the eeT-y%d ambulance it
would be called n0w-a-days) my father
had IL made in North Carolina, WITH All
eye single tn its usefulness as 3 sleeping
apartment, 20 well as a travelling vehi-
! Gle; long and broad, deep sizes and
high back, with he9ry leather curtains,
Lined With thick, green baize When
closely buttoned down, anu Deu maue
up in il, was comfortable enough for an
emperor's wife. Il vas the travelling
/ and sleeping apartment & my sac.hE,
grandmother AND three young sisters.
Pragilent in asfSasSH3ent, Ay father
had gone % hobile aEd purchased :
year sUpalJ IF everything require to
? comfortable living in the wildsof the
Big Hatehie-cOffee, tea, rice, sugar,
] -four, spices and medicines, cards, cot
ton and spIunIug-wurrI7, ~ r--10-y
aud kinds of seeds, implements Of hus-
/ Landry, carpenter and blacksmith tools,
and assorted nails, nOtforgetting an am
pie stock Of powder, lead and shot, Sc
Letting twenty head Of choice mich
cows with their calves and yeariings and
| aOOuA blNC S1AE A4DAgEL Va 1lOLA luxe
Ny mother contributed her share In the
necessary preparation for the journey;
every one, both black and white, were
properly and comfortably clad in home
spun elothes-stout overeoats for the
men and long jackets for the women.
The seats and knees of her boys pants
she padded with dressed buckskin this
economic measure is appreciated by all
/ Uhn kovn nnodn NQnn fnrrrnar~G a1pnnrnr
out every night. The train when in
motion presented an imposing appear
ance. The weather being favorable, the
country open pinewoods, noW-and-then
a few miles of northumberland which
happened to lay in our course, we
reached the Choctaw territory at night
fall on the fifth day. There we
remained over until Monday. NV
father considering it necessary to
communicate with the chief, and obtain
safe conduct through his territory.
These little diplomatic arrangements
completed, and the services Of a guide,
or pilot, secured, word was giVSg to
gear up! The second week opened naOn
US heading slowly through the Chocta.
nation, TnSablin. Dyer roots and such
underground as did laaaimpede travel
We made some d1ysl as much as ten
miles, ~oftener, howe eE, not Faore than
six or eight. We were acknowledgements
" delayed for several days, wiNn diff
cult crossings of streams sere to be
made. Often it was found ~inPractica-
BILE to construct bridges; when floats Upon.
toons) were made, and the wagons III
loaded and taken apart, and everything;
packed across by hand. All these .iifi :
culties were met and overcome with a
hearty good viii, and songs of gG1d
cheer. Marvellous had been the stories
told the negroes Of the good things in
store for them in the Big Hatcbie cOun-
try. That it vas literally q land flowing
with milk and honey; so rich in soil,
that you only had to make a hole in
the ground with your heel, drop the
corn into it, and it would grow without
work; the forest hanging with the
most delicious fruits, and the ground
covered with strawberries; even to fat
pigs, ready roasted, and running about
with knife and fork in their backs,
much Of which they wrought into song.
We found the ChOctaws friendly and
well-dispOsed. My father did not, how
ever, relax his vigil, in having a
close watch kept upon the stock dur
ing the night. The cows and hogs were
belled, so as to give the alarm when in
the slightest disturbed. The camp was
infested with Indians every night,
bringing il every variety Of game, with
other eatables, asking to trade. My
father had supplied himself with a good
stock ofbeads and red things. A lively
trade was carried on most every night.
Venison and wild turkeys in abun-
dance, besutifu1 bead baskets, with
every variety of bead-work. A few
loads of powder or q red cotton handker-
chief would pay for 3 fat gobbler or a
saddle Of venison. We Jared sumptu-
ously.
Reaching the Chickasaw Territory,
the Choctaw guide was relieved, my
father making hia many presents for
his faithful services, sending presents 70
his chief a ChickasAw guide was en-
gagged, and the course OF travel decided
upon. To avoid the broken country
along the head waters of the numerous
streams flowing westwardly, a more
easterly direction was advised.
Leaving the lazy and proverbially
filthy Choetaw, we entered the Chicka-
saw Nation-nOble race OF the red man,
first to resist the iron heel of the white
man, famed for their bravery and
ferocious bearing in war, and among the
first t. make q generous and lasting
peace and cultivate the arts of civilian
ton. The country through which We.
travelled was slightly rolling, wood
principally oak and hickory, devoid Of
tangled underground. Travelling
for days without Incident or
difficulty worthy Of mention, We.
reached the thickly settled portion of
the Nation, in the vicinity of which
was situated the principal village,
at which the Chief resided. It
was on a Friday; man and beast needed
rest, and the order was given that we
would lay over till Monday. No travel
was done on the Sabbath. Ny father, q
strict old-side Presbyterian, was true to
his faith in observing the Sabbath, to