EPISODES 



277 



else he had travelled was not explained. Mr, Rose kept 

 up about as well as Victor, and I now led the way. 

 Towards sunset we reached the shores of the river, op- 

 posite the mouth of the Cumberland. On a hil!, the 

 property of a Major B., we found a house, and a solitary 

 woman, wretchedly poor, but very kind. She assured us 

 that if we could not cross the river, she would give us food 

 and shelter for the night, but said that, as the moon was 

 up, she could get us put over when her skiff came back. 

 Hungry and fatigued, we laid us down on the brown grass, 

 waiting either a scanty meal or the skiff that was to con- 

 vey us across the river. I had already grated the corn for 

 our supper, run down the chickens, and made a fire, when 

 a cry of" Boat coming! " roused us all. We crossed half 

 of the Ohio, walked over Cumberland Isle, and after a short 

 ferry found ourselves in Kentucky, the native land of my 

 beloved sons, I was now within a few miles of the spot 

 where, some years before, I had a horse killed under me 

 by lightning. 



It is unnecessary to detain you with a long narrative, 

 and state every occurrence till we reached the banks of 

 Green River, We had left Trinity at twelve o'clock of the 

 15th of October, and on the morning of the i8th four 

 travellers, descending a hill, were admiring the reflection 

 of the sun's rays on the forest-margined horizon. The frost, 

 which lay thick on the ground and the fences, glittered in 

 the sheen, and dissolved away; all nature seemed beautiful 

 in its calm repose ; but the pleasure which I felt in gazing 

 on the scene was damped by the fatigue of my son, who 

 now limped like a lamed Turkey, although, as the rest of 

 the party were not much better off", he smiled, straightened 

 himself, and strove to keep up with us. Poor S, was pant- 

 ing many yards behind, and was talking of purchasing a 

 horse. We had now, however, a tolerably good road, and 

 in the evening got to a house, where I inquired if we could 

 have a supper and beds. When I came out, Victor was 



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