comrades picked him up and ran off with him into the thicket, and while they were accomplishing this, I made a hole through the roof, crawled out, and made good my escape, the Indians seeing and firing at me as I went; and Curry, notwithstanding his split foot, to say nothing of his arm and finger, followed in train and escaped likewise."

A few hours after Anderson had finished his narrative, we reached Kaskaskia, much worn down by fatigue, thirst, and hunger.

CHAPTER IX.

AFTER resting at Kaskaskia about one month, the thoughts of seeing my old Cumberland home began to crowd fast upon me, and soon I felt my heart beating high at a prospect which promised me the happy realization of such a privilege, for just at this time a lawyer of renown, who had visited the above place on some legal business, and having accomplished his mission, remarked in my hearing that he was going to return to Cumberland, whence he had come, and should like to have some young man to accompany him. I told him that I would go, and he with seeming delight replied, "You are my man." My proposal was immediately followed by five others, among whom there was one Indian named Cola, and all of whom were received.

We embarked on board a peroque, and rowed on in a fine glee until we were about to pass an In

dian town where Cape Girardeau now stands, then in possession of Shawnees and Delawares. So well did I know the treachery of these tribes, that I looked for some trouble before we could get by them, and proposed to Love, for that was the lawyer's name, that we should load our guns, but he objected, and upon drawing nearer to the town I proposed again, upon which he said in a peremptory manner, "Sir, I command this peroque. I see no necessity for loading. I am going to call at this place." I thought of the duty a subordinate owes to a superior, and said no more. The boat at length landed, and the Indians flocked to the bank in great numbers. I ran out, and just as I was entering one of the wigwams I heard Love calling me very hurriedly. I returned as quick as I could, and when I reached the peroque, I found much difficulty in getting on board. The Indians had threatened to detain Cola, and a contention was going on—Cola's comrades endeavoring to keep him in the boat, and the Indians struggling to pull him out of it. We, however, succeeded in shoving off, leaving the Indians yelling and threatening to kill us before we should ever get to the Cumberland, and Love

crying out all the time, "Shoot and be d-d." Cola all this time said not a word, nor betrayed the least manifestation of anger. We ran to an island about three miles from the town, and here Love ordered every gun on board to be loaded, with the same authoritative voice that he had before ordered that they should not be loaded. This having been done, Cola went to his wallet, took out his looking-glass and paint, and after completely tattooing his face, began to rage with hostile signs, but the Indians did not pursue us. We rested upon the island, and then untied our cable and floated away again upon the waters of the Mississippi, continuing to row day and night until we reached the mouth of the Ohio, where we found ourselves transported from a rapid and turbulent stream into the calm bosom of that beautiful river. The Mississippi seemed to be mad with the world, the Ohio appeared to be smiling at his folly. We made good speed to the mouth of the Cumberland river, and here the scene again shifted; we now leaving a smiling river to enter one that was actually leaping and laughing, and ascended to Clarksville-not Clarksville of 1858, numbering her thousands, but that

of 1793, consisting of three or four little logcabins. At this point we landed. I bade adieu to my comrades and hurried away to my home in Cage's Bend, where, upon my arrival, my friends gave me such a hearty welcome that it made me call to mind my meeting with Anderson at the Pool of the Two Lost Hunters.