pioneers of the old southwest-第5部分

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d　heart。　Nothing　in　this　frontier　history　impresses　us　more　than　the　joy　of　the　pioneer　at　his　labors。　His　determined　optimism　turned　danger's　dictation　into　an　occasion　for　jollity。　On　the　appointed　day　for　the　〃raising；〃　the　neighbors　would　come；　riding　or　afoot；　to　the　newcomer's　holdingthe　men　with　their　rifles　and　axes；　the　women　with　their　pots　and　kettles。　Every　child　toddled　along；　too；　helping　to　carry　the　wooden　dishes　and　spoons。　These　free　givers　of　labor　had　something　of　the　Oriental's　notion　of　the　sacred　ratification　of　friendship　by　a　feast。

The　usual　dimensions　of　a　cabin　were　sixteen　by　twenty　feet。　The　timber　for　the　building；　having　been　already　cut；　lay　at　handlogs　of　hickory；　oak；　young　pine；　walnut；　or　persimmon。　To　make　the　foundations；　the　men　seized　four　of　the　thickest　logs；　laid　them　in　place；　and　notched　and　grooved　and　hammered　them　into　as　close　a　clinch　as　if　they　had　grown　so。　The　wood　must　grip　by　its　own　substance　alone　to　hold　up　the　pioneer's　dwelling；　for　there　was　not　an　iron　nail　to　be　had　in　the　whole　of　the　Back　Country。　Logs　laid　upon　the　foundation　logs　and　notched　into　each　other　at　the　four　corners　formed　the　walls；　and；　when　these　stood　at　seven　feet；　the　builders　laid　parallel　timbers　and　puncheons　to　make　both　flooring　and　ceiling。　The　ridgepole　of　the　roof　was　supported　by　two　crotched　trees　and　the　roofing　was　made　of　logs　and　wooden　slabs。　The　crevices　of　the　walls　were　packed　close　with　red　clay　and　moss。　Lastly；　spaces　for　a　door　and　windows　were　cut　out。　The　door　was　made　thick　and　heavy　to　withstand　the　Indian's　rush。　And　the　windowpanes？　They　were　of　paper　treated　with　hog's　fat　or　bear's　grease。

When　the　sun　stood　overhead；　the　women　would　give　the　welcome　call　of　〃Dinner！〃　Their　morning　had　not　been　less　busy　than　the　men's。　They　had　baked　corn　cakes　on　hot　stones；　roasted　bear　or　pork；　or　broiled　venison　steaks；　andabove　all　and　first　of　all　they　had　concocted　the　great　〃stew　pie〃　without　which　a　raising　could　hardly　take　place。　This　was　a　disputatious　mixture　of　deer；　hog；　and　bearanimals　which；　in　life；　would　surely　have　companioned　each　other　as　ill！　It　was　made　in　sufficient　quantity　to　last　over　for　supper　when　the　day's　labor　was　done。　At　supper　the　men　took　their　ease　on　the　ground；　but　with　their　rifles　always　in　reach。　If　the　cabin　just　raised　by　their　efforts　stood　in　the　Yadkin；　within　sight　of　the　great　mountains　the　pioneers　were　one　day　to　cross；　perhaps　a　sudden　bird　note　warning　from　the　lookout；　hidden　in　the　brush；　would　bring　the　builders　with　a　leap　to　their　feet。　It　might　be　only　a　hunting　band　of　friendly　Catawbas　that　passed；　or　a　lone　Cherokee　who　knew　that　this　was　not　his　hour。　If　the　latter；　we　can；　in　imagination；　see　him　look　once　at　the　new　house　on　his　hunting　pasture；　slacken　rein　for　a　moment　in　front　of　the　group　of　families；　lift　his　hand　in　sign　of　peace；　and　silently　go　his　way　hillward。　As　he　vanishes　into　the　shadows；　the　crimson　sun；　sinking　into　the　unknown　wilderness　beyond　the　mountains；　pours　its　last　glow　on　the　roof　of　the　cabin　and　on　the　group　near　its　walls。　With　unfelt　fingers；　subtly；　it　puts　the　red　touch　of　the　West　in　the　faces　of　the　menwho　have　just　declared；　through　the　building　of　a　cabin；　that　here　is　Journey's　End　and　their　abiding　place。


There　were　community　holidays　among　these　pioneers　as　well　as　labor　days；　especially　in　the　fruit　season；　and　there　were　flower…picking　excursions　in　the　warm　spring　days。　Early　in　April　the　service　berry　bush　gleamed　starrily　along　the　watercourses；　its　hardy　white　blooms　defying　winter's　lingering　look。　This　bushor　tree；　indeed；　since　it　is　not　afraid　to　rear　its　slender　trunk　as　high　as　cherry　or　crab　applemight　well　be　considered　emblematic　of　the　frontier　spirit　in　those　regions　where　the　white　silence　covers　the　earth　for　several　months　and　shuts　the　lonely　homesteader　in　upon　himself。　From　the　pioneer　time　of　the　Old　Southwest　to　the　last　frontier　of　the　Far　North　today；　the　service　berry　is　cherished　alike　by　white　men　and　Indians；　and　the　red　men　have　woven　about　it　some　of　their　prettiest　legends。　When　June　had　ripened　the　tree's　blue…black　berries；　the　Back　Country　folk　went　out　in　parties　to　gather　them。　Though　the　service　berry　was　a　food　staple　on　the　frontier　and　its　gathering　a　matter　of　household　economy；　the　folk　made　their　berry…picking　jaunt　a　gala　occasion。　The　women　and　children　with　pots　and　basketsthe　young　girls　vying　with　each　other；　under　the　eyes　of　the　youths；　as　to　who　could　strip　boughs　the　fastestplucked　gayly　while　the　men；　rifles　in　hand；　kept　guard。　For　these　happy　summer　days　were　also　the　red　man's　scalping　days　and；　at　any　moment；　the　chatter　of　the　picnickers　might　be　interrupted　by　the　chilling　war　whoop。　When　that　sound　was　heard；　the　berry　pickers　raced　for　the　fort。　The　wild　fruitsstrawberries；　service　berries；　cherries；　plums；　crab　appleswere；　however；　too　necessary　a　part　of　the　pioneer's　meager　diet　to　be　left　unplucked　out　of　fear　of　an　Indian　attack。　Another　day　would　see　the　same　group　out　again。　The　children　would　keep　closer　to　their　mothers；　no　doubt；　and　the　laughter　of　the　young　girls　would　be　more　subdued；　even　if　their　coquetry　lacked　nothing　of　its　former　effectiveness。　Early　marriages　were　the　rule　in　the　Back　Country　and　betrothals　were　frequently　plighted　at　these　berry　pickings。

As　we　consider　the　descriptions　of　the　frontiersman　left　for　us　by　travelers　of　his　own　day；　we　are　not　more　interested　in　his　battles　with　wilderness　and　Indian　than　in　the　visible　effects　of　both　wilderness　and　Indian　upon　him。　His　countenance　and　bearing　still　show　the　European；　but　the　European　greatly　altered　by　savage　contact。　The　red　peril；　indeed；　influenced　every　side　of　frontier　life。　The　bands　of　women　and　children　at　the　harvestings；　the　log　rollings；　and　the　house　raisings；　were　not　there　merely　to　lighten　the　men's　work　by　their　laughter　and　love…making。　It　was　not　safe　for　them　to　remain　in　the　cabins；　for；　to　the　Indian；　the　cabin　thus　boldly　thrust　upon　his　immemorial　hunting　grounds　was　only　a　secondary　evil；　the　greater　evil　was　the　white　man's　family；　bespeaking　the　increase　of　the　dreaded　palefaces。　The　Indian　peril　trained　the　pioneers　to　alertness；　shaped　them　as　warriors　and　hunters；　suggested　the　fashion　of　their　dress；　knit　their　families　into　clans　and　the　clans　into　a　tribe　wherein　all　were　of　one　spirit　in　the　protection　of　each　and　all　and　a　unit　of　hate　against　their　common　enemy。

Too　often　the　fields　which　the　pioneer　planted　with　corn　were　harvested　by　the　Indian　with　fire。　The　hardest　privations　suffered　by　farmers　and　stock　were　due　to　the　settlers　having　to　flee　to　the　forts；　leaving　to　Indian　devastation　the　crops　on　which　their　sustenance　mainly；　depended。　Sometimes；　fortunately；　the　warning　came　in　time　for　the　frontiersman　to　collect　his　goods　and　chattels　in　his　wagon　and　to　round　up　his　live　stock　and　drive　them　safely　into　the　common　fortified　enclosure。　At　others；　the　tap　of　the　〃express〃as　the　herald　of　Indian　danger　was　calledat　night　on　the　windowpane　and　the　low　word　whispered　hastily；　ere　the　〃express〃　ran　on　to　the　next　abode；　meant　that　the　Indians　had　surprised　the　outlying　cabins　of　the　settlement。

The　forts　were　built　as　centrally　as　possible　in　the　scattered　settlements。　They　consisted　of　cabins；　blockhouses；　and　stockades。　A　range　of　cabins　often　formed　one　side　of　a　fort。　The　walls　on　the　outside　were　ten　or　twelve　feet　high　with　roofs　sloping　inward。　The　blockhouses　built　at　the　angles　of　the　fort　projected　two　feet　or　so　beyond　the　outer　walls　of　the　cabins　and　stockades；　and　were　fitted　with　portholes　for　the　watchers　and　the　marksmen。　The　entrance　to　the　fort　was　a　large　folding　gate　of　thick　slabs。　It　was　always　on　the　side　nearest　the　spring。　The　whole　structure　of　the　fort　was　bullet…proof　and　was　erected　without　an　iron　nail　or　spike。　In　the　border　wars　these　forts　withstood　all　attacks。　The　savages；　having　proved　that　they　could　not　storm　them；　generally　laid　siege　and　waited　for　thirst　to　compel　a　sortie。　But　the　crafty　besieger　was　as　often　outwitted　by　the　equally　cunning　defender。　Some　daring　soul；　with　silent　feet　and　perhaps　with　naked　body　painted　in　Indian　fashion；　would　drop　from　the　wall　under　cover　of　the　night；　pass　among　the　foemen　to　the　spring；　and　return　to　the　fort　with　water。

Into　the　pioneer's　phrase…making　the　Indian　influence　penetrated　so　that　he　named　seasons　for　his　foe。　So　thoroughly　has　the　term　〃Indian　Summer；〃　now　to　us　redolent　of　charm；　become　disassociated　from　its　origins　that　it　gives　us　a　shock　to　be　reminded　that　to　these　Back　Country　folk　the　balmy　days　following　on　the　cold　snap　meant　the　season　when　the　red　men　would　come　back　for　a　last　murderous　raid　on　the　settlements　before　winter　should　seal　up　the　land。　The　〃Powwowing　Days〃　were　the　mellow　days　in　the　latter　part　of　February；　when　the　red　men　in　council　made　their　medicine　and　learned　of　their　redder　gods　whether　or　no　they　should　take　the　warpath　when　the　sap　pulsed　the　trees　into　leaf。　Even　the　children　at　their　play　acknowledged　the　red…skinned　schoolmaster；　for　their　chief　games　were　a　training　in　his　woodcraft　and　in　the　use　of　his　weapons。　Tomahawk…throwing　was　a　favorite　sport　because　of　its　gruesome　practical　purposes。　The　boys　must　learn　to　gauge　the　tomahawk's　revolutions　by　the　distance　of　the　throw　so　as　to　bury　the　blade　in　its　objective。　Swift　running　and　high　jumping　through　the　brush　and　fallen　timber　were　sports　that　taught　agility　in　escape。　The　boys　learned　to　shoot　accurately　the　long　rifles　of　their　time；　with　a　log　or　a　forked　stick　for　a　rest；　and　a　moss　pad　under　the　barrel　to　keep　it　from　jerking　and　spoiling　the　aim。　They　wrestled　with　each　other；　mastered　the　tricks　of　throwing　an　opponent；　and　learned　the　scalp　hold　instead　of　the　toe　hold。　It　was　part　of　their　education　to　imitate　the　noises　of　every　bird　and　beast　of　the　forest。　So　they　learned　to　lure　the　turkey　within　range；　or　by　the　bleat　of　a　fawn　to　bring　her　dam　to　the　rifle。　A　well…simulated　wolf's　howl　would　call　forth　a　response　and　so　inform　the　lone　hunter　of　the　vicinity　of　the　pack。　This　forest　speech　was　not　only　the　language　of　diplomacy　in　the　hunting　season；　it　was　the　borderer'