With Axe and Rifle | Page 4

outside, reminding us that we were in a slave-state. On my father's
return he took his seat by my mother's side, and talked away to prevent
me hearing the conversation which was going on between the other
travellers at the further end of the table, which showed they were as
rough in their manners as in their appearance. However, they did not
otherwise interfere with us.
At an early hour my father begged to be shown a room.
"I guess it's not a very big one," answered our hostess; "but you and
your wife won't mind a trifle like that. There's a bunk in the corner, in
which your young one can stow himself away."
I remember the dismay with which I saw the bunk spoken of. It was in
reality a huge chest with the top propped up, but I tumbled into it
notwithstanding, and was soon fast asleep. At daybreak the next
morning, after a substantial breakfast, in which fried eggs and Johnny
cake formed an important item, we again started off over the same sort
of corduroy road as on the previous evening. On either side were
numerous clearings with log huts, and here and there a more
pretentious store, before each of which several persons were seen
taking their morning drams. My father was an abstemious man, and
although invited to stop and liquor, declined doing so. We drove on as

fast as the horses could go, as he was anxious to cross the river early in
the day. The weather had hitherto been fine, but it now looked
threatening, though as the day advanced the clouds blew off. My father
told my mother that he hoped we should escape the storm.
About mid-day we stopped at another log shanty, similar to the one at
which we had rested for the night, in order to bate the horses. We
afterwards passed through several forests of considerable size, with
more open wild land covered with low bushes, where the rocky soil
afforded no depth for larger vegetation.
The country improved as we approached Green River, growing tobacco,
Indian corn, flax, and buck-wheat, while the numerous parties of blacks
we saw at work on plantations showed that the country was more
thickly populated than any we had hitherto passed through. From
information my father gained, he understood that we should cross
Green River by a ford without difficulty.
"The river is pretty broad about there, and the shallow is not very wide;
so, stranger, you must keep direct for the landing-place, which you will
see on the opposite side. Better drive up than down the stream, but
better still to keep straight across," added his informant.
"Oh, Patrick, must you positively cross that wide extent of water?"
exclaimed my mother as we reached the bank and she surveyed the
broad river flowing by.
"There are marks of wheels on this side, and I make out an easy
landing-place on the other," answered my father.
Having surveyed the ford, my father without hesitation drove in, telling
my mother not to be afraid, as he did not suppose that the water would
reach above the axles.
The stream as it flowed by, bubbled and hissed between the wheels,
making me quite giddy to look at it. The water grew deeper and deeper
until it reached the axles; then in a little time on looking down I saw it
bubbling up through the bottom of the waggon.

My father did not turn his head, but keeping his eyes steadily fixed on
the landing-place, urged on the horses. They had not got more than
half-way over when they began to plunge in a manner which threatened
to break the harness. Again my father shouted and applied his whip
over their backs; the animals seemed every instant as if about to lose
their legs, while the water not only bubbled up through the bottom, but
completely flowed over it. To turn round was impossible, not only from
the construction of the waggon, but from the pressure of water, and in
all probability had the attempt been made an overturn would have been
the consequence.
My mother suppressed her fears, but grasped me tighter than ever.
Presently I heard a dull roar, and looking up the river I saw a
white-crested wave--so it appeared--curling down upon us. My father
saw it too. He leapt from the waggon into the water, which reached
almost up to his shoulders, and seizing the horses' heads, endeavoured
to drag them forward. Every instant the current became stronger and
deeper and deeper. At last it seemed as if the waggon must inevitably
be swept away down the stream. Just then I heard a shout from the
shore, where I saw a black man running rapidly towards us. Without
stopping a moment