A hunter's life. 197 



brother Jeremiah, whom my mother left behind when she 

 moved to Allegany, had been in the employ of a widow, 

 as overseer of her negroes ; that she had moved to Mis- 

 sissippi, and that Jeremiah had gone with her. That news 

 had prevented me from making any inquiries about him ; 

 but in the course of conversation with Mr. Chambers, find- 

 ing that he lived in the same neighborhood where my mo- 

 ther had left Jeremiah, I began to inquire of him concern- 

 ing the family of Brownings. 



He said he was acquainted with several families of that 

 name, and that the head of one of them was a house-car- 

 penter, whose Christian name was Jeremiah. From all I 

 could learn from Mr. Chambers, it was reasonable to be- 

 lieve that the person he spoke of was my brother, whom I 

 had not seen for more than thirty years. 



After making arrangements with Mr. Chambers to de- 

 liver a letter to Jeremiah Browning, I wrote one to him, 

 as nearly as I can recollect, in the following language : 



"Newmarket, Decevihr 22(?, 1823. 



" Dear Sir : — From a conversation with your neigh 

 bor, Mr. Edward Chambers, it seems likely that you are 

 my brother; and I hope and feel sure that you will excuse 

 me if I should be mistaken. 



" Whether I am right in my opinion, you will be able 

 to judge by the following statement. I am the youngest 

 son of Joshua and Nancy Browning ; and after the loss 

 of our father, my mother took her oldest son, Joshua, and 

 myself, and moved to Allegany county, in this State ; 

 leaving the second son, Jeremiah, with the family of 

 Aaron Lee. I had only one sister, called Dorcas, who 

 married ver* young, and much against the will of my 

 mother. If we are brothers, as I have reason to believe, 

 you will do me a great favor by meeting me at this place 

 17* 



