A hunter's life. 183 



Wheu 1 went to my friend's house, I found there two or 

 three other very influential gentlemen, and politics were 

 being vigorously discussed. 



I had been in but a few minutes when I was asked what 

 had brought me to town. I told them that I had been 

 •Irafted to go to Baltimore with the rest. 



" Have you turned fool," was the rejoinder, "to go ann 

 hght against the only people who dare to resist the great- 

 est tyrant with which the earth was ever cursed ? " Then 

 they said to me, " Go you home, and attend to your own 

 business ; and let those who declared the war fight the 

 battles of their own making.'' 



"But," said I, "gentlemen, I have but little property; 

 and after the troops return there will be courts-martial 

 held, and I will be fined, and at a high rate, too ; for I 

 have reported myself to Captain Blair as being ready to 

 march ; though I told him I would not go a step unless I 

 goi the place I was drafted for ; that I had been drafted 

 as one out of two, and tlie privates were eighteen out of 

 two hundred and forty ; and now to be turned into the 

 ranks as a private, was treatment T did not like to put u]i 

 with." 



But I had still determined to go and stay sixty days 

 with them, as that was the time I had to serve. 



" Well," said one of the men, " I know all about the 

 courts-martial ; and I promise to pay every dollar they 

 will ever make off any man who refuses to go." 



I said little more ; but after I went to bed, I considered 

 that it would be of service to me to stay my time out in 

 the army, a< I liad been notified that a commission would 

 be sent to me as captain of the Selby's Port company, and 

 f could thereby learn everything necessary for me to know 

 in order to fill tliat station. 



f rose the following morning, and going to the camp, 

 ♦old the l)oy.> that I would accompany them; and we all 



