38THE OHIO HUNTER

CHAPTER III.

GO TO HOUSE-KEEPING--MOVE TO HANCOCK, OHIO
--ARRESTED FOR DEBT-.ESCAPE FROM THE CON-
STABLE--ARRIVE AT OUR NEW HOME--SUFFER
MANY PRIVATIONS--ATTACKED BY' INDIANS.--
BEAT THEM DOWN WITH FIST AND CLUB. AND
ESCAPE -APPEAL TO THE INDIAN AGENT.

At this time, I possessed nothing of this world's goods but my clothes, and my wife received little else from her home. We went to housekeeping as best we could. In the year 1833 a new entry was made in the Family Record, and a son was christened George. In the same year my father-in-law moved from Piquay County, Ohio, to Hancock County, in the same State.

At this time, my father-in-law was greatly reduced in property to what he had once been, owing to unsteady habits, and the manner of life we had been leading. I had been engaged with him in horse-racing, horse-trading, dog-fighting, and cock-fighting. In the two former, I was usually unfortunate; but with the latter, most generally successful.

I undertook to go with my father-in-law to his home in the West, but just as I was starting, was arrested for the non-payment of the sum of ten dollars, which at that time it would have been

A RACE WITH A CONSTABLE39

impossible for me to pay. When brought before the magistrate, I dodged the constable, giving leg bail for my appearance at court. I had to run through the town of Circleville, and then nearly a mile across the commons. The further the chase was pursued the further in the rear I left my pursuers, until at length they were lost sight of by me entirely. It was now dark, but I traveled nearly all night, for my father-in-law, with my wife and child, had started early the previous morning. A short time before day-light I lay down in the woods and tried to sleep a little. I had reached the tow-path near Columbus. I thought now I was safe. The moon shone dimly, and I saw two men approaching, they discovered me and said, Is this Mr. Edwards ? I made no reply, but jumped over a, fence into a cornfield, closely followed by my pursuers. My long legs were of excellent service, and again defeated the vigilence of the law. The next day I overtook the teams, and obtained something to eat. While resting a little and conversing with my wife, I saw the constable and two men approaching. I jumped again into a field of deep ploughed ground, and ran about eighty rods. The men dismounted and followed me, but they were not quite my equals for getting over ploughed ground, and then coming to a thick woods, I evaded their most diligent search. The next day I again overtook the wagons and

40THE OHIO HUNTER

obtained fresh supplies of' the needful. We then proceeded together unmolested to the new country for which we had started. The constable gave up the chase, and we had nothing eventful to encounter until after our arrival in the wild woods. To those who have never had any similar experience, it will be impossible for me to describe the hardships and toils, the privations and sufferings of a pioneer life. To go into a dense forest and obtain for subsistence necessary for the support of' a family, with no dependence but your dog and gun, and then be confined to only such fare as you can by this means secure, to live with only the stalwart oak to gaze upon, and only the fierce barking of the wolves, or piteous moan of the panther to echo back your murmurings of discontent. But many a one who reads this book, can draw from actual experience a more truthful picture in their own remembrance than I can delineate with pen, else all these fruitful fields and pleasant landscapes would not be thus charmingly ,spread out before us. Coming generations can have but faint conceptions of what their forefathers have endured that they might live in the enjoyment of ease and plenty. But many more besides myself, have experienced all these things, and rather than repine that I have been one of their number, it is now my proudest boast that I have lived and suffered with them, and were I still young, 17 could ask no happier lot than to

HARD TIMES IN THE WOODS41

penetrate our western wilds further than human feet have ever yet trod, and there with my faithful dog and gun, with ax and maul, to subdue the forest, and render it suitable for the abode of civilized man, and in the great school of nature, to learn the duty His creatures owe to their beneficent Author.

I discovered soon after my arrival in the woods, that there was nothing I could do during the winter that would maintain my family. So I returned to Piquay County to work at day labor during the winter. The distance to be traveled was one hundred and twenty-five miles. I started on foot, with only a little provision in a basket, which I carried on my arm, and not a dollar in my pocket. Wherever night overtook me, I built a fire and lay down and slept until morning. The third night I reached my mother's house, quite glad to get back once more into a land where there was bread enough and to spare. I was not yet quite prepared to meet the constable; but my mother saved me all future trouble by paying the debt, the generous creditor assuming the cost himself. The next day I went to town, met the constable who took my hand good naturedly, and said that he never was outrun before.

I worked hard until I had paid the ten dollars to my mother, and saved a little besides. I then returned to my family. I found them well, but in very destitute circumstances; provisions were

42THE OHIO HUNTER

very scarce, and. my father-in-law said he could not keep them any longer. I took my wife and little boy and went to my brother's. He furnished us a bed, and we furnished our own board. I had a cow that supplied us with milk whenever we were so fortunate as to find her; but in the great wilderness which the larger part of Hancock County then was, it was very easy for her to bid defiance to all pursuit, having been absent on one occasion rather longer than usual, I started with my dog in pursuit of her. Not being accustomed to the great forests of the West, that seemed in their nature, interminable, I lost my way and traveled all day without knowing whither I was going or whether I was every moment drawing nearer to, or receding from, my home. But night at last overtook me, buried deep in the forest. With my flint and pocket knife, I started a fire, and was about camping for the night when a turkey flew upon her roost at no great distance. It was turkey or no supper. I had a famous gun that from the havoc it had made among beasts and fowls, had received the distinguishing appellative of "killall." Killall was leveled straight at her head, and with that precision and skill that seldom failed me, the turkey was soon lying dead at. my feet. This splendid bird, upon examination, proved to have been worthy of a better roasting than it that night received; it would have been dainty meat for wedding guests, but it was

A NICE BREAKFAST.43

that night substantial food for a weary hunter. As soon as the savory odors of the roasting turkey were carried out upon the breeze, the wolves commenced barking ferociously. They came close enough for me to see them, and then old killall answered their rude call, and stopped all further interference on their part.

The next morning, having breakfasted on roast turkey. I set out once more for home. I at length came to a small clearing where a new house had just been built. I went to the house, I found a woman and two small children. They appeared very much frightened as I entered and inquired who lived there. She told me their name was Peterson. I inquired for her husband. She told me he had gone back to the place they came from for another load of goods. I then asked her if she could tell what direction from there Fort Findlay was. She could tell only by pointing toward it, which was northwest. She then asked me where I lived, and I told her in Jackson Township. She said they lived in the same Township. I inquired the section, she said she did not know. I asked to see their deed, and from that learned that their land was in section thirty-one, and I lived in section ten, which lay four miles apart. The hospitable woman gave me some dinner, and I started for home, and reached there just as the shades of twilight were deepening. I found that my protracted stay was creating a

44THE OHIO HUNTER.

great deal of excitement, and no small anxiety at home, and a search was about to be instituted for my recovery.

This was late in the winter, and provisions were becoming extremely scarce. One morning at breakfast my wife told me there was no more bread-stuff in the house, and she guessed that now we should have to starve. I pointed to old killall and told her not while that friend proved faithful. A few days previous to this there had been a load of corn meal sold in Findley, at two dollars per bushel; but as I had no money, I could purchase none, and my gun and the immense forests were the only resources left me now. There was a nice snow on the ground, and deer could be seen at a great distance. I took my wife's brother, a boy about fourteen years old, along with me. We proceeded several miles, when we met a man hunting with neither dog nor gun. I asked him what he was hunting, he replied, he was hunting bees. He said that yesterday, it being quite warm, the bees could be seen in great numbers, and were even now lying quite thick upon the snow. I looked carefully about me for some time, and then discovered the tree. I told my brother-in-law to cut the tree while I went home for the buckets to carry the honey in. I started for home, had about four miles to go. As I was going along, guided by my compass, a large deer started just in front of me. I took aim at him,

A HARVEST OF WILD HONEY45

and he was soon struggling his last. I walked up to him and cut his throat, and left him lying there until I should return. When I reached home and told my wife what I had done, she looked at me rather incredulously for a moment, but seeing me arm myself with the buckets, concluded at last that I must be in earnest, and said, Well, we shall not have to starve for a few days. When I returned, John, for that was my brother-in-1aw's name, had the tree nearly cut down, and I soon finished it. We took out three buckets ful1 of pure honey, but could not put it all in the buckets, so we had to leave the rest until another time. Then we cut a long pole, and with some bark that we could gather, tied the buckets at equal distances from each other along the pole; all things being , arranged, he took one end and I the other, and started for home. When we came to where the deer lay, we cut some bark and hung it up out of the reach of the wolves, and were obliged to leave him there until morning; for it was then too late to return that evening. The next morning we returned and secured the remainder of the honey, and then went for the deer. When we came to it, the wolves were howling madly about it, but could not reach it. We cut it down and carried it home. My wife met us at the door, and said we could live now, for we had meat and wild honey. There was over ten gallons of honey, most of which I took to Findley

46THE OHIO HUNTER

and sold for seventy-five cents per gallon, and bought instead, corn meal, coffee, and tobacco, and went home feeling richer than I think several thousand could make me feel now. This was in January, 1834.

I now thought it best to make some provision for the coming year. I bought ten acres and paid for it by clearing ten acres more. I built me what was denominated a cabin-house, and commenced clearing. When we wanted meat, I would take my gun and go into the woods and kill a deer, or turkey, or some other game with which the forest abounded. I worked very hard the ensuing summer, and by unremitting industry, was enabled to keep the "wolf" from the door. I soon had my land paid for, and by 1836 could raise my own bread. When my ten acres were nearly cleared, I was offered five dollars per acre, and sold it. I then bought forty acres right in the woods. I built another house after the same style as the former, and moved again into the woods. All this time provisions were extremely scarce, and very high. The country was settling very rapidly, and the demand for food much greater than the supply; and all that could be obtained, must be brought from Logan and Champagne Counties, a distance of from eighty to one hundred miles. By the help of some friends in loaning me money, I hired a yoke of cattle and one horse, and commenced hauling flour and meal

A FIGHT WITH INDIANS47

from Urbanna, to supply the people with bread, and prevent their starving. Most of the way the road at that time consisted simply of a track cut through the woods, and most of the time this was so wet and muddy as to be hardly traversable. Not unfrequently would my team become stalled in the mud, and the entire load have to be removed, item by item, and carried for some distance on my shoulder, and the team with the empty wagon helped out of some mire hole. At such times, I was often obliged to wade to my waist in mud and water. There were very few houses along the entire road. I would sometimes travel a whole day without seeing the habitation of human beings. There was no friendly inn along that dreary road, where the weary traveler might find rest, and comfortable stalls inviting his jaded team to pleasant repose; but instead of this, the pioneer of the Maumee Valley reposed upon the bosom of the earth, and turned loose his wayworn team to feed on herbage and flowers, while he himself dressed some unfortunate deer that had been so unwise as to cross his pathway, and made his supper on corn bread and broiled venison, and then lay down by his watch-fire and slept in quietude.

In this manner, I performed seven trips during the summer, and saved many an unhappy family from starvation. When making my third trip, I was attacked by

48THE OHIO HUNTER

a band of Indians. A severe contest ensued, in going up the Blanchard river, through what was then called the twelve-mile woods, there was a deer lick where I always watered my team. While there, I saw four Indians come out of the thicket. One of them leading a horse, approached the spot where I was standing. I soon discovered that they were in a state of intoxication, and my fears were accordingly increased, for to meet so many Indians alone in the woods, and particularly at that time when the white man's encroachments were looked upon by no means favorably, was not very desirable; and liquor does not affect the Indian much more favorably than the white man. They wanted to know how I would trade horses. The reader will, perhaps, remember there was a 1aw against trading with the Indians, and I accordingly told them I did not wish to trade. This did not satisfy them, and they still insisted that I should make them an offer. But having watered my team, I mounted the wagon to proceed on my journey. This they would not permit; but detained me by catching the bridle rein of my horse, and still bantering for a. trade. I at last told them I would trade for ten dollars. This so enraged the Indians that one of them drew a club and struck me upon the nose, making it bleed badly. Before this, I had been very much frightened, but now all fear forsook me and I replied to his civility with a blow from my fist

A FIGHT WITH THE INDIANS49

just over his eye, which laid him senseless at my feet. Another came furiously toward me and attempted to catch my legs. I caught him by the neck, and giving him an underhand lick, soon silenced him. There is a rule among the Indians when a number of them wish to take a spree, that one of the number must keep sober. I noticed that there was one of them that did not appear intoxicated, and I looked to him for protection. But an Indian will always resent an injury done to a comrade. So when they saw the other two lying senseless before them, they were so enraged one grabbed a club and the other drew a butcher knife from under his "waumus." When I saw the knife, I gave him the length of a club that happened to be near, against the side of the head, and brought him to the ground. The knife flew out of his hand and I ran for it, but the other Indian reached it first, and upon gaining the valuable weapon, he ran again into the thicket. On finding myself alone, I sprung for the team and started. I heard one of them say he would go for his gun and shoot me. They started for their wigwams, which were about twenty rods distant. They were weak from the effects of the liquor they had been drinking, else I probably could not have handled so great a number of them as easily. When they reached the wigwams, I heard them quarrelling among themselves. Their squaws 4

50THE OHIO HUNTER

would not let them have their guns, because they were drunk; so I went on as fast as possible, hoping soon to be out of their reach. I had not proceeded far on my way when I met two teamsters, who knew me. Not being very often encouraged by the sight of a white man along that lonely road, we did not pass each other with a cold bow, or some other formal salutation; but usually stopped and held some friendly conversation on the prospects of the country, and our own success or reverses in business. At this time, my face was yet covered with the blood that was still flowing freely, and the first interrogatives were concerning my own personal safety. After the subject had been fully talked over, we determined to go back and kill them all, so we armed ourselves with clubs, and such weapons as the forest could afford, and started in pursuit of them. When they saw us approaching, they again hid themselves in the bushes, and we thought it not best to pursue them further. It was nearly night, and I had to camp again in the woods. I turned my team loose in the forest, and 1aid down by a log and tried to sleep. The night seemed very long. But the morning came at length, and the day following I came out of the woods. After this, I went to the Indian agent, and told him what the Indians had done, and he offered to send a guide with me, and if I could ascertain what Indians it was that had interfered with my

REFLECTIONS51

rights as a traveler, he would bring them to justice. But it was impossible for me to identify the marauders, for Indians all looked alike to me, and so they were left to commit new depredations wherever their revengeful natures should lead them. But they never troubled me any more, and perhaps they would not have done so this time, but for the accursed liquor that had fired their blood.

The Indian is by no means the only race of men that are troubled with a similar weakness; but the strong- minded white man, the crowning glory of' creation, the pillar of strength in the normal condition of nature, will often by his own voluntary act, reduce himself far below the condition of the Indian, and with the same right arm that is sworn to protect and shield the helpless ones that are dependent upon him, wield the weapon that has not unfrequently cost the life of his victim. Aye, how much more freely can I forgive the poor benighted Indian, who, yielding to the impulse of so base a passion as an ungoverned appetite, draws the weapon of death against my life, than I can forgive the man, who living where the light of science and religion is shining in the full beauty of noon- day, and when reason and conscience are unshackled by superstition, will degrade the name of man, by basely yielding all his nobler faculties to the despotism of passion.