"The Cumberland Mountains 



far apart and uninhabited, orchards and fences 

 in ruins — sad marks of war. 



About noon my road became dim and at 

 last vanished among desolate fields. Lost and 

 hungry, I knew my direction but could not keep 

 it on account of the briers. My path was indeed 

 strewn with flowers, but as thorny, also, as mor- 

 tal ever trod. In trying to force a way through 

 these cat-plants one is not simply clawed and 

 pricked through all one's clothing, but caught 

 and held fast. The toothed arching branches 

 come down over and above you like cruel liv- 

 ing arms, and the more you struggle the more 

 desperately you are entangled, and your 

 wounds deepened and multiplied. The South 

 has plant fly-catchers. It also has plant man- 

 catchers. 



After a great deal of defensive fighting and 

 struggling I escaped to a road and a house, but 

 failed to find food or shelter. Towards sun- 

 down, as I was walking rapidly along a straight 

 stretch in the road, I suddenly came in sight of 

 ten mounted men riding abreast. They un- 

 [27] 



