386 The Winning of the West 



Abingdon was a typical little frontier town of 

 the class that immediately succeeded the stockaded 

 hamlets. A public square had been laid out, round 

 which, and down the straggling main street, the 

 few buildings were scattered; all were of logs, 

 from the court-house and small jail down. There 

 were three or four taverns. The two best were 

 respectively houses of entertainment for those who 

 were fond of their brandy, and for the temperate. 

 There were a blacksmith shop and a couple of 

 stores. 34 The traders brought their goods from 

 Alexandria, Baltimore, or even Philadelphia, and 

 made a handsome profit. The lower taverns were 

 scenes of drunken frolic, often ending in free fights. 

 There was no constable, and the sheriff, when called 

 to quell a disturbance, summoned as a posse those 

 of the bystanders whom he deemed friendly to the 

 cause of law and order. There were many stran- 

 gers passing through; and the better class of these 

 were welcome at the rambling log-houses of the 

 neighboring backwoods gentry, who often them- 

 selves rode into the taverns to learn from the trav- 

 elers what was happening in the great world be- 

 yond the mountains. Court-day was a great occa- 

 sion; all the neighborhood flocked in to gossip, 

 lounge, race horses, and fight. Of course in such 



and appointed Joseph Martin Indian agent, arranged for a 

 treaty with the Cherokees, and provided that any good men 

 should be allowed to trade with the Indians. 



34 One was "kept by two Irishmen named Daniel and 

 Manasses Freil" (szc; the names look very much more Ger- 

 man than Irish). 



