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 ] 
