Spread of English-Speaking Peoples 133 



wilderness they built themselves a station or stock- 

 ade fort; a square palisade of upright logs, loop- 

 holed, with strong block-houses as bastions at the 

 corners. One side at least was generally formed by 

 the backs of the cabins themselves, all standing in 

 a row; and there was a great door or gate, that 

 could be strongly barred in case of need. Often no 

 iron whatever was employed in any of the buildings. 

 The square inside contained the provision sheds and 

 frequently a strong central blockhouse as well. 

 These forts, of course, could not stand against can- 

 non, and they were always in danger when attacked 

 with fire ; but save for this risk of burning they were 

 very effectual defences against men without artil- 

 lery, and were rarely taken, whether by whites or 

 Indians, except by surprise. Few other buildings 

 rteve played so important a part in our history as 

 the rough stockade fort of the backwoods. 



The families only lived in the fort when there 

 was war with the Indians, and even then not in the 

 winter. At other times they all separated out to 

 their own farms, universally called clearings, as they 

 were always made by first cutting off the timber. 

 The stumps were left to dot the fields of grain and 

 Indian corn. The corn in especial was the stand- 

 by and invariable resource of the Western settler; 

 it was the crop on which he relied to feed his family, 

 and when hunting or on a war trail the parched 

 grains were carried in his leather wallet to serve 

 often as his only food. But he planted orchards 

 and raised melons, potatoes, and many other fruits 



