pioneers of the old southwest-第24部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


。。　The　water　being　high　made　a　terrible　roaring；　which　could　be　heard　at　some　distance；　among　the　driftwood　heaped　frightfully　upon　the　points　of　the　islands；　the　current　running　in　every。　possible　direction。　Here　we　did　not　know　how　soon　we　should　be　dashed　to　pieces　and　all　our　troubles　ended　at　once。。。　Our　boats　frequently　dragged　on　the　bottom　and　appeared　constantly　in　danger　of　striking。　They　warped　as　much　as　in　a　rough　sea。　But　by　the　hand　of　Providence　we　are　now　preserved　from　this　danger　also。　I　know　not　the　length　of　this　wonderful　shoal；　it　had　been　represented　to　me　to　be　twenty…five　or　thirty　miles。　If　so；　we　must　have　descended　very　rapidly；　as　indeed　we　did；　for　we　passed　it　in　about　three　hours。〃


On　the　twentieth　the　little　fleet　arrived　at　the　mouth　of　the　Tennessee　and　the　voyagers　landed　on　the　bank　of　the　Ohio。


〃Our　situation　here　is　truly　disagreeable。　The　river　is　very　high　and　the　current　rapid；　our　boats　not　constructed　for　the　purpose　of　stemming　a　rapid　stream；　our　provisions　exhausted；　the　crews　almost　worn　down　with　hunger　and　fatigue；　and　know　not　what　distance　we　have　to　go　or　what　time　it　will　take　us　to　our　place　of　destination。　The　scene　is　rendered　still　more　melancholy　as　several　boats　will　not　attempt　to　ascend　the　rapid　current。　Some　intend　to　descend　the　Mississippi　to　Natchez；　others　are　bound　for　the　Illinoisamong　the　rest　my　son…in…law　and　daughter。　We　now　part；　perhaps　to　meet　no　more；　for　I　am　determined　to　pursue　my　course；　happen　what　will。

〃Tuesday　21st。　Set　out　and　on　this　day　labored　very　hard　and　got　but　little　way。。。。　Passed　the　two　following　days　as　the　former；　suffering　much　from　hunger　and　fatigue。

〃Friday　24th。　About　three　o'clock　came　to　the　mouth　of　a　river　which　I　thought　was　the　Cumberland。　Some　of　the　company　declared　it　could　not　beit　was　so　much　smaller　than　was　expected。。。。　We　determined　however　to　make　the　trial；　pushed　up　some　distance　and　encamped　for　the　night。

〃Saturday　25th。　Today　we　are　much　encouraged；　the　river　grows　wider；。。。we　are　now　convinced　it　is　the　Cumberland。。。。

〃Sunday　26th。。。procured　some　buffalo　meat；　though　poor　it　was　palatable。

〃Friday　31st。。。met　with　Colonel　Richard　Henderson；　who　is　running　the　line　between　Virginia　and　North　Carolina。　At　this　meeting　we　were　much　rejoiced。　He　gave　us　every　information　we　wished；　and　further　informed　us　that　he　had　purchased　a　quantity　of　corn　in　Kentucky；　to　be　shipped　at　the　Falls　of　Ohio　for　the　use　of　the　Cumberland　settlement。　We　are　now　without　bread　and　are　compelled　to　hunt　the　buffalo　to　preserve　life。。。。

〃Monday；　April　24th。　This　day　we　arrived　at　our　journey's　end　at　the　Big　Salt　Lick；　where　we　have　the　pleasure　of　finding　Captain　Robertson　and　his　company。　It　is　a　source　of　satisfaction　to　us　to　be　enabled　to　restore　to　him　and　others　their　families　and　friends；　who　were　entrusted　to　our　care；　and　who；　sometime　since；　perhaps；　despaired　of　ever　meeting　again。。。。〃


Past　the　camps　of　the　Chickamauganswho　were　retreating　farther　and　farther　down　the　twisting　flood；　seeking　a　last　standing　ground　in　the　giant　caves　by　the　Tennesseethese　white　voyagers　had　steered　their　pirogues。　Near　Robertson's　station；　where　they　landed　after　having　traversed　the　triangle　of　the　three　great　rivers　which　enclose　the　larger　part　of　western　Tennessee；　stood　a　crumbling　trading　house　marking　the　defeat　of　a　Frenchman　who　had；　one　time；　sailed　in　from　the　Ohio　to　establish　an　outpost　of　his　nation　there。　At　a　little　distance　were　the　ruins　of　a　rude　fort　cast　up　by　the　Cherokees　in　the　days　when　the　redoubtable　Chickasaws　had　driven　them　from　the　pleasant　shores　of　the　western　waters。　Under　the　towering　forest　growth　lay　vast　burial　mounds　and　the　sunken　foundations　of　walled　towns；　telling　of　a　departed　race　which　had　once　flashed　its　rude　paddles　and　had　its　dream　of　permanence　along　the　courses　of　these　great　waterways。　Now　another　tribe　had　come　to　dream　that　dream　anew。　Already　its　primitive　keels　had　traced　the　opening　lines　of　its　history　on　the　face　of　the　immemorial　rivers。



Chapter　IX。　King's　Mountain

About　the　time　when　James　Robertson　went　from　Watauga　to　fling　out　the　frontier　line　three　hundred　miles　farther　westward；　the　British　took　Savannah。　In　1780　they　took　Charleston　and　Augusta；　and　overran　Georgia。　Augusta　was　the　point　where　the　old　trading　path　forked　north　and　west；　and　it　was　the　key　to　the　Back　Country　and　the　overhill　domain。　In　Georgia　and　the　Back　Country　of　South　Carolina　there　were　many　Tories　ready　to　rally　to　the　King's　standard　whenever　a　King's　officer　should　carry　it　through　their　midst。　A　large　number　of　these　Tories　were　Scotch；　chiefly　from　the　Highlands。　In　fact；　as　we　have　seen；　Scotch　blood　predominated　among　the　racial　streams　in　the　Back　Country　from　Georgia　to　Pennsylvania。　Now；　to　insure　a　triumphant　march　northward　for　Cornwallis　and　his　royal　troops；　these　sons　of　Scotland　must　be　gathered　together；　the　loyal　encouraged　and　those　of　rebellious　tendencies　converted；　and　they　must　be　drilled　and　turned　to　account。　This　task；　if　it　were　to　be　accomplished　successfully；　must　be　entrusted　to　an　offcer　with　positive　qualifications；　one　who　would　command　respect；　whose　personal　address　would　attract　men　and　disarm　opposition；　and　especially　one　who　could　go　as　a　Scot　among　his　own　clan。　Cornwallis　found　his　man　in　Major。　Patrick　Ferguson。

Ferguson　was　a　Highlander；　a　son　of　Lord　Pitfour　of　Aberdeen；　and　thirty…six　years　of　age。　He　was　of　short　stature　for　a　Highlanderabout　five　feet　eightlean　and　dark；　with　straight　black　hair。　He　had　a　serious　unhandsome　countenance　which；　at　casual　glance；　might　not　arrest　attention；　but　when　he　spoke　he　became　magnetic；　by　reason　of　the　intelligence　and　innate　force　that　gleamed　in　his　eyes　and　the　convincing　sincerity　of　his　manner。　He　was　admired　and　respected　by　his　brother　officers　and　by　the　commanders　under　whom　he　had　served；　and　he　was　loved　by　his　men。

He　had　seen　his　first　service　in　the　Seven　Years'　War；　having　joined　the　British　army　in　Flanders　at　the　age　of　fifteen；　and　he　had　early　distinguished　himself　for　courage　and　coolness。　In　1768；　as　a　captain　of　infantry；　he　quelled　an　insurrection　of　the　natives　on　the　island　of　St。　Vincent　in　the　West　Indies。　Later；　at　Woolwich；　he　took　up　the　scientific　study　of　his　profession　of　arms。　He　not　only　became　a　crack　shot；　but　he　invented　a　new　type　of　rifle　which　he　could　load　at　the　breach　without　ramrod　and　so　quickly　as　to　fire　seven　times　in　a　minute。　Generals　and　statesmen　attended　his　exhibitions　of　shooting；　and　even　the　King　rode　over　at　the　head　of　his　guards　to　watch　Ferguson　rapidly　loading　and　firing。

In　America　under　Cornwallis；　Ferguson　had　the　reputation　of　being　the　best　shot　in　the　army；　and　it　was　soon　said　that；　in　his　quickness　at　loading　and　firing；　he　excelled　the　most　expert　American　frontiersman。　Eyewitnesses　have　left　their　testimony　that；　seeing　a　bird　alight　on　a　bough　or　rail；　he　would　drop　his　bridle　rein；　draw　his　pistol；　toss　it　in　the　air；　catch　and　aim　it　as　it　fell；　and　shoot　the　bird's　head　off。　He　was　given　command　of　a　corps　of　picked　riflemen；　and　in　the　Battle　of　the　Brandywine　in　1777　he　rendered　services　which　won　acclaim　from　the　whole　army。　For　the　honor　of　that　day's　service　to　his　King；　Ferguson　paid　what　from　him；　with　his　passion　for　the　rifle；　must　have　been　the　dearest　price　that　could　have　been　demanded。　His　right　arm　was　shattered；　and　for　the　remaining　three　years　of　his　short　life　it　hung　useless　at　his　side。　Yet　he　took　up　swordplay　and　attained　a　remarkable　degree　of　skill　as　a　left…handed　swordsman。

Such　was　Ferguson；　the　soldier。　What　of　the　man？　For　he　has　been　pictured　as　a　wolf　and　a　fiend　and　a　coward　by　early　chroniclers；　who　evidently　felt　that　they　were　adding　to　the　virtue　of　those　who　fought　in　defense　of　liberty　by　representing　all　their　foes　as　personally　odious。　We　can　read　his　quality　of　manhood　in　a　few　lines　of　the　letter　he　sent　to　his　kinsman；　the　noted　Dr。　Adam　Ferguson；　about　an　incident　that　occurred　at　Chads　Ford。　As　he　was　lying　with　his　men　in　the　woods；　in　front　of　Knyphausen's　army；　so　he　relates；　he　saw　two　American　officers　ride　out。　He　describes　their　dress　minutely。　One　was　in　hussar　uniform。　The　other　was　in　a　dark　green　and　blue　uniform　with　a　high　cocked　hat　and　was　mounted　on　a　bay　horse：

〃I　ordered　three　good　shots　to　steal　near　to　and　fire　at　them；　but　the　idea　disgusting　me；　I　recalled　the　order。　The　hussar　in　retiring　made　a　circuit；　but　the　other　passed　within　a　hundred　yards　of　us；　upon　which　I　advanced　from　the　wood　towards　him。　Upon　my　calling　he　stopped；　but　after　looking　at　me　he　proceeded。　I　again　drew　his　attention　and　made　signs　to　him　to　stop；　levelling　my　piece　at　him；　but　he　slowly　cantered　away。　As　I　was　within　that　distance；　at　which；　in　the　quickest　firing；　I　could　have　lodged　half　a　dozen　balls　in　or　about　him　before　he　was　out　of　my　reach；　I　had　only　to　determine。　But　it　was　not　pleasant　to　fire　at　the　back　of　an　unoffending　individual　who　was　acquitting　himself　very　coolly　of　his　dutyso　I　let　him　alone。　The　day　after；　I　had　been　telling　this　story　to　some　wounded　officers；　who　lay　in　the　same　room　with　me；　when　one　of　the　surgeons　who　had　been　dressing　the　wounded　rebel　officers　came　in　and　told　us　that　they　had　been　informing　him　that　General　Washington　was　all　the　morning　with　the　light　troops；　and　only　attended　by　a　French　officer　in　hussar　dress；　he　himself　dressed　and　mounted　in　every　point　as　above　described。　I　AM　NOT　SORRY　THAT　I　DID　NOT　KNOW　AT　THE　TIME　WHO　IT　WAS。*

*Doubt　that　the　officer　in　question　was　Washington　was　expressed　by　James　Fenimore　Cooper。　Cooper　stated　that　Major　De　Lancey；　his　father…in…law；　was　binding　Ferguson's　arm　at　the　time　when　the　two　officers　were　seen　and　Ferguson　recalled　the　order　to　fire；　and　that　De　Lancey　said　he　believed　the　officer　was　Count　Pulaski。　But；　as　Ferguson；　according　to　his　own　account；　〃leveled　his　piece〃　at　the　officer；　his　arm　evidently　was　not　wounded　until　later　in　the　day。　The　probability　is　that　Ferguson's　version；　written　in　a　private　letter　to　his　relative；　is　correct　as　to　the　facts；　whatever　may　be　conjectured　as　to　the　identity　of　the　officer。　See　Draper's　King's　〃Mou