The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1889-04-23
AND WEST;
A TALE OF NEW BORN aEIs.
WRITTEN FOR THE PROGRESSIVE FARMER, BY
EDWARD EVERETT HALE.
Copyright by the AuthoF.)
CHAPTER v.


ing of it had not taken as long as the
building Of Noah's. There was a grea
deal of Joking about the name which the
ark should bear. whether it should be called
Sarah, for Sarah Paris, or Miriam, fol
Mrs. Titcomb. Mrs. Titcomb voted every
time for Sarah, and instructed the boystc
do so, but Mr.. Titcomb and Sarah voted
always for Mrs. Titcomb; and, according
as at the discussion there were more Oh
less of those who had had a share OF the
building, the vote went for the n party
or the other. At last it happened that,
on the same moonlight night, n eager
party painted the name SaT all on the port
bow, if might be called, and at a late hour
another party, under the same moon a
little farther advanced in the heavens,
painted Miriam on the star board side of
the cabin. So the ark started Oh her way
with a double name.
One does not often see an ark on the
western waters now though probably a
diligent antiquarian or adventurer might
find one. AS became a party Of New
bury men, half of whom were S~hlp-bulld-
ers, and some of whom had even had a
hand in the building of the Protector, "
the Sarah-Miriam was more staunch and
steaworthy than were most Of her class.
Below, the vessel was what they would
have called on the Merrimac a good hay
scow. The gunwale on each side ran up
rather higher than it would have done for
a hay-scow, but there was not any very
heavy freight to put on board, and all that
one wanted, as John Fairchild said, was
that the "critters and the babies should
not tumble" over. Ample space was re-
served for the critters" fore and aft.
They stood, a little as the "critters "
stand on a Jersey City ferry-boat to-day.
Indeed, there were many occasions on the
voyage where, on a favoring shore, they
were able to land, for green food and
exercise, Amidships, a cabin, we'll enough
protected to stand the weather of June
and July, took up perhaps a half of the
space in the long scow. But it was not
so wide that one could walk on the right
hand and on the left, as one walks on the
guards of a Mississippi steamer to-day.
And it was not so frail but that on the
top there were chairs and a long settle, so
that here was the favorite place for all
parties to sit as they floated along, unless,
indeed, the sun were too severe. AS for
means of motion, the Monongahela, and
afterwards the Ohio itself, took care of
that. Alirivers run to the sea, and these
rivers, as they ran, bore with them the
emigrants who were faring West. 1t is
true that the way was not as direct as the
modern railway engineer would make it.
Sometimes they went north and some
times south, sometimes they went east
and sometimes west; but their progress,
if not fast, was sure, and, as Red Jacket
said of his life, "they lad all the time
there was" CephaS Titcomb and the
other men would growl a little when,
after a good run to the southwest, the
river chose to bend and take them back
again towards the rising sun; but there
was nothing to be gained by growing,
and the women and children were soon
hardened to all signs in the heavens, ex-
cepting to those of threatening or present
rain or lightning.
At night, as sunset drew near, all eyes
were eager to find a good spot on the
broad bank. where the ark might be run
up and tethel ed, where a fire could be
made upon the shore and the pork fried
and the tea made, and where children,
and perhaps beasts, might have a run.
Then the men were apt to sleep on shore;
the women generally preferred the seclu-
sion, and indeed the security of the cabin.
There was more or less talk of risk from
Indians, but Indians they never saw, and
Sarah became quite incredulous of such
stories, as they drifted on. At the earliest
gray Of morning, the fire would be built.
and whoever was responsible for the
cooking came to make the breakfast, and
fn T0aln rnn1- --IoL clo,ll
noon. AS soon as it was light enough to
discern a "sawyer" or a a the ark
would be unmoored, and would be float
ing again upon its way.
The WORD snag has come into the Eng
lish language, and has ameaning generally
known. A "sawyer" was a log firmly
fixed at one end, but working backwards
and forwards with the current. 1t took
its name from the resemblance of it's mo-
ton to that of an old fashioned saw in a
saw-pit.
For the women-folk there was sewing
enough and knitting enough and a reason
able share of time and care was needed to
keep the children from climbing too high,
or from tumbling into the water. There
were two or three books to read, and
Mrs. Titcomb's invaluable scrap-books,
which Sarah had dipped into already;
and there was of cours long talk on the
mysterious future before them. Sarah
never forgot her promise t. kind Parson
Cutler, that she would collect and dry
plants for him, to send back if she ever
had an opportunity and all the boatmen
and all the children were eager in bring
ing contributions to her, from the treas
ures, wholly new of the woodland and
meadow land as it opened upon them.
Long letters home were written to take
the chance of conveyance by a returning
emigrant. But they were within twenty
miles of Fort Harmar before anything
occurred which could be called an adven-
ture.
They had tethered the boat a little
earlier than usual, when three rife shots,
fired together, called their attention to
the other side of the river, and here they
saw the women of another party-people
who by this time they knew perfectly