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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (April 22, 1900)
1(7 THE OMATTA DAILY BEE: StTtfDAY, APRIL 12 L 1000. i Bey0tidthcLeyeft 1 By RA.CUMMlKGSi (Copyright, ISM, by F A Oummlngs ) IVI'llOmCTION. Many yenrs ago, long before the breaking fcut of tho civil war, the writer of thla book was a civil engineer nnd land surveyor In what was then und Is now called tho At takapas country of Iyoulslana. I had bcon scrtt to Louisiana by my step father to learn the business, It bclns his Intention that, after study and experience, I nhould return to my home In the settle mcnt near tho mouth of tho Gila river on tho went coast of Africa, where ho lived. I left thcro In tho year 1811, being nearly SO years of age, and having no knowledge or acquaintance with tho world except that gained from books and from tho officers end crews of the various vessels that traded t our barracoon. My stepfather was umbltlous nnd had plenty of money, and It was his darling Bchcmo to lay off tho country Into farms, colonize them and establish an Independ ent government upon tho west coast, Portugal held nominal possession of the (district ho wished to locate, and he had obtained a grant of an enormous tract of land for that purpose. This was when tho elavo trade was flourishing, but the growing pressure of tho English and American war Ttflsels crippled him financially, and his ftnrracoon being eventually destroyed be left Africa and settled in Mississippi In 1S5I. These changes Interfered with his plans tfor my education and futuro prospects, nnd 1 was obliged to depend upon myself. Tho deck of a slaver was n wild school In which to learn tho alphabet of life, nnd when tlcorgo Wewncr approached mo with Ills extraordinary schemo ho llttlo know tho past history of his apt pupil. He often wondered Ht my easy adaptation to negro character nnd my knowledge of west coast ethbcrlsh. I commenced 'this narrative thirteen years ego, beforo my stepfather's death. Slnro ho died I havo obtained possession of his (papers and shall soon publish them. They tell a story of tho life of an African elavcr that rivals tho wildest romance In Interest and adventure, wbllo dealing In literal facts. Many of tho actors are yet living more uro dead and at the bottom Of tho fcca. C. J. HRADLEY. CIIAI'TUH I. Tli- I'liilfrKroiinil llnllronil. Ten years previous to tho outbreak of Iho 'late civil war und until the fall of Fort Btimtcr I wasi a resident of tho Htatc of Louisiana. During tho last five years boforo thn war I wan an accredited agent of tho then no torious underground railroad, a corporation whoso history, written and unwritten, con tains enough romantic adventures, hair breadth cucnpew, examples of patient endur nnco and pathetic scenes to furnish the nnnals of n nation. Tho legendu of this road arc so Inter woven with rorr.nnco that It Is difficult In extract tha true from the fnlso. In th's story, howewr, I shall endeavor to present a true narratlvo of events In which I was personally Interested, ns they occurred In tho Dark licit of Louisiana In tho "days before tho war." Flvo yenrs. of my life were passed In the ecrvlce of this underground railroad, nnd I rwas a direct participant In many of tho events liero chronicled. I had a partnor. George L. Wcsncr, a young man nbout 23 years of ago a born loador of men cool and determined, with a warm heart and open hand to tho call of thn frlcndlcMS but as nn rncmy a man to bo feared, for ho was u crack Bhct nnd reckless as n river pirate, end to his cool courage nnd resistless en ergy our success was largoly due. He was ny Ideal then, and although forty years Ho between Hum and now, I thrill with admira tion as I think of him. Ho -was tho son of a sugar planter, and, born a few miles from tho Ilayou Teche, parish of St. Mary's, Louisiana, In tho At takapas country. Ills father was dead, but his mother owned and worked about seventy ncigroca, and until tho year boforo forming my acnualntnnco deorgo managed the plan tation. He was well educated, spoko English, German nnd Trench, and was an accom plished musician, but ho was so thoroughly Imbued with the love of adventuro and danger that It almost unfitted him for busi ness, nnd Interfered with his popularity Among tho conservative planters, -who con stituted tho bulk of tho Attnkapas popula tion. Rut thoy evinced a wholesomo respect lor him, founded, I suspect, upon his phys ical na well as his intellectual qualities, for ho stood six feet In his stockings, was well proportioned and an adept In all ath letic oxcrclses. On tho 10th day of September, 1853. I was Kitting In my doorway, quietly smoking my elgarotto nnd enjoying tho benuty of a Sep tember afternoon. Tho clear nlr of tho pralrlo was cool und fragrant nnd as I was enjoying its froshncss leaning back In my chair I Imagined myself tho happiest of men. I was young, not 30 years of age, f,-ee tfrom debt and owned tho pretty placo I lived on. My business of land surveying brought mo n good Income In addition to the profit of my llttlo plantation. This I worked, with tho assistance of one or two hands hired from tho neighboring planta tion. As my guzo wandered aimlessly around nwny ncross tho pralrlo I could faintly ills rem a speck, Just n Heck of moving brown background upon tho sea of green that rolled to tho odgo of tho horizon. My eyes, prac ticed to such scenes, assured no that It was n mounted man, und with tho nld of my field Klasa I saw that ho was moving SENT FREE TO MEN A Most Remnrknblo Remedy Thut Quickly Restores Lost Vigor To Alcu. lr Fr Trial Package Sent By Mali To All Who Write- Fra trial package of a most remarkable remedy ure being mailed to all who write the State Medical Institute. They curod so many men who had battled or years atruliiet the mental and physical suffering of lost manhood thut the Institute, has decided to (Retribute free trial packages to all who Write. It U a home treatment und ull men Who suffer with any form of sexual weak pen remitting from youthful folly, prema ture loss of strength und momory, weak back, varicocele or emaciation of purts can mow cure themselves at home. The remedy has a pecullurly grateful ef fect 'of warmth and seems to act direct to the desired locution, giving strength and development Just where It Is needed. It cures all the Ills and troubles that coma from years of misuse of tho natural func tions and has been an absolute success In fll cases. A request to the State Medical nstltute, SW Elektron 'llulldlng, Ft. Wayne, nd., stating thut you desire one of their tree trial packages will be compiled with fromptly. Tho Institute la desirous of eachlng that great cluss of men who ure unablo to leave home to be treated and tho free sample will enable them to see how oy It Is to be cured of sexual weakness iwhen the propor remedies are employo-l. The Institute makes no restrictions. Any man who writes will be sent a free earn pie, carefully sealed In a plain package, so that Ha recipient need have no fear of em barrassment or publicity. Header are t ftUMUd to writ without dljr( down the trail that led to my home with his horse at a breakneck gallop. It was Ocorge Wcsner, and as he camo nearer I could seo that he was oxcltcd, an unusual state for him. Ho rodo straight toward tho hitching post as was his wont, slipped the bridle, through tho holo nnd over tho end, and came toward mo biting savagely at the end of his cigarette; he then threw himself down under tho shade of a largo live oak that grow a few yards from tho house, beckoning mo to come out under the tree. 1 did so nnd sat down besldo him. "Charlie," sold he, after we bad smokej awhile, "1 want your assistance In an affair that It Is more than likely you will not meddlo with. Hecaute, if you assist, your neck will be In equal danger with my own." I was a little curious to know what tho reserved, quiet tlcorgo Wesncr had In vlow that mcnared tho anatomy of a person's neck, and laughingly Inquired, "What Is It, Ocorge, steal n mulo or rob n bank?" "Stop your dialling, Charlie! It Is steal n nigger and that In our criminal calondar Is tho greatest crime." "So It Is, bo It Is," I replied. "You had better huy ono If you aro In wnnt." "Cnn't do It, Charlie, l'vo triel nad Cov crly won't sell her." "Covcrly won't sell her! Ah! I under stand. "Then tho nigger Ih a woman nnd belongs to Coverly? l'vo got the whole story." "No, you haven't, but you shall If you have pntlenco to listen. What I havo to tell you happened beforo you camo to Attakapas, und when you havo tho story, you shall be tho Judgo whether I am right nnd shall havo your Biipport. "In September, 1850, I came homo from New Orleans sick; thero was no physician to bo had this sldo of the city. The dls caso developed and my own medical knowl edge told mo It was smallpox. That was enough; every living soul lied In terror and I was nlonc no, not alone although whlte3 and negroes (led In terror. Ono bit of a chat tel, ono child remained Covcrly's Lucy. You havo seen her?" I nodded assent. "Massa Oeorgo hud been very good to her and she refused to leavo him. "This girl remained true, forgetting self In her anxiety for inc. Her unaster sent for her, knowing how fatal tho disease was among negroes nnd ho fcarod for his prop erty. She etlll refused to leave. "Dreading the contagion, he dared not send his other negroes for her. Negroes be ing cash In Attakapas, ho naturally wanted to keep his property. Lucy was valued at $1,000 then, and gavo promlso of futuro beauty. Smallpox scars would not contribute to tho market vuluo of a girl like her. "I had studied medicine nnd had a very good Idea of tho disease and Its niothoj of treatment. I expected that If very sick I should lose my reason, and prepared for It, being determined to pull through unscarrel it possible "I prepared lashings for my nrms and thin cloths to wet and put over my face. This done, 1 culled Lucy to mo nnd explained as fully as I could the course to tako. "I told her I might loso ray nensca, but to Tollow my Instructions nnd not bu afraid, for I should be too weak to Injure her. M am not nfruld, Maisa Georgo. God will take care of us,' was her quiet reply. "At this tlmo I was engaged to MIsa Elslo Covcrly, as you havo probably hoard before. Sho ncnt mo a pollto note of condolence, In which It was evident fear predominated ever her love for me. However, she was my mother's choice, not mine, I was too sick to care nnd my preparations being made, staggerel to tho bed and lay down, to llvo or die, as Providence should determine. "This was the lust I realized for two weekB. A part of tho time I lay In n otupor, but when aroused, as I ufterward learned, was wild and pretty ugly through somo of theso long autumnal nights. "I was weak and holploss, but thanks to Lucy's unceasing euro and forethought was unscarred by tho dread dlseaso. One mid night I awoke. Tho October winds were sweeping ovor the prairie and drovo the; cold rnln In sheets against tho window pancts. Tho enndio burned dim, but by ltd faint light I could easily distinguish the shadow of my faithful nurse. "I spoke; she started from heir chair and camo to my bedside. At ono glanco sha saw that my reason had returned, nnd fall ing on her knees, she prayed as I never hoard man or woman pray beforo, and thanked God that her pruyors had buen an swered. Think, Charlie, she was not then 13 yearsi of age! I tried to give her my hand, but was too weak to raise It; then I naked for tho mirror; Bho hold a small hand-mirror boforo my face. One eager glance I turned away with a sigh of satis faction; tho ordeal was passed; I was un scathed. " 'Aro you alone?' I Inquired. Sho an swered, 'Yco, Blr.' 'Havo any of Mr. Cov crly's family been here?" 'No, sir. Mlrs Elsla sent their man 1)111 over, but she told him not to come ncor enough to catch the disease. I could not mako him hear, scream ns loudly as I could, and so hei only came twlco; nnd thn second tlmo ho had a bag over his head so tho dlseaso wouldn't hit him.' "I lay thero six weeks. It was nearly four moro beforo I was able to venture out. Meanwhile, my mother returned; however, I was weak In body nnd perhaps mind, and would havo no other help but Lucy's. Then, determined to repay her, If I could, I taught her to read (sho already know her letters), and In a few weeks she could read under standing any simple book. "And now, Charlie, comes tho strangest part of this story. I believe that girl Is a white girl. You know such things have happened In Louisiana. It was a long tlmo beforo sho told mo what sho remembers about herself, and Bho did not say then that sho thought alio was white. I'oor child, I don't suppose she did think so, it was lot Incredible to n girl that had spent her life as a nigger slave. Hut sho said thero was something very strango in her flmt recoiled tlons. That sho used to bo petted and loved by u lady who must have been a white lady, nnd that the lady did not talk Eng lish to her, Bho was sure. Sho sayB she knows sho thought that lady was her mother. Now hero is a queer thing, Chat He. When I was getting well Lucy was taking a nap ono day (she had enough sleep to make up I can tell you), lying on n pallet In my room. Sho had a bad dream, nnd cried out In ber sleep, and what sho said was, 'O, non, non. nllez!' Now sho can't speak French when Bho Is uwako and almost no Acadlen. In her sleep she uses tho purest accent. l'e been teaching her Acadlen, by tho way, be caiiBo a language other people don't know might come In handy, but her tendency to make good French of It, tho way French comes back to her, shows It was her first tonguo; that'B ns sure as wo aro ullve here und now. Well, to go back: Sho remembers n scene of lights moving In tho darkness and water stretching around her, nnd a house moving on It. Now that must have been a Journey on the river. Then camo a great sickness, sho was sick, other people were stek, she never saw tho lady aguln, and all sho knows Is that, but for this dim dream that Is not a dream, sho has nlways been a nigger hIuvo, Charlie, she would have been about 3 years old tho year tho yellow fover swept New Orleans out with the wcrst plaguo she has over seen, I tell you I have divined what happened. This child's family wcro strangers, they were nil down with tho fover.' Lucy was left among the negroes to bo taken caro of. She got sick, the negroes sickened and died probably, and this dark-haired baby was sold with the remains of the family prop erty by some one who did not guess or did not want to consider the chances for a hor rlblo blunder. I know the marks of negro blood pretty well; I've recognized It In blue eyed, blond-hatred niggers In a minute, hut I will tell you, finger nails, palms of her hands, wherever you look, thero Is not a sign of It In Lucy. I can do nothing for her here. Perhaps her case nover could be proven beforo tho law, nnd If I made n movo to Investigate old Covcrly would sell her or do something worse right off. Hut I can steal her, nnd that I'm going to do." Of course, I could not be ns sure as Wcs ner that Covcrly's Lucy was a puro white, but still, oven with no romantic sentiments to warp my Judgment, I thought It possible enough that his surmlso was correct. As he said, such thlugs hud happened In the south, nnd his own theory In this case was plausible, enough. As he talked a wild notion bod come Into my head; It attracted mo by Its daredevil quality, nnd I knew, too, that rightly put through It could bo made profitable. When ho stopped speaking without entering on tho question of Lucy's race, I said; "You know that It Is you and not I who havo fallen In love with Covcrly's Lucy, but I honor you and will enter Into nn agreement with you to devote our time to running negroes from this country Into free states. Lucy included. I will assist you to abduct her at all hazards." "It Is agreed," he replied. Wo sat down tcgethcr, and In an hour con- risk my life; others must bear the oxper.se. If you can give me encouragement, say so. Name your time and place. Ilrlng your company, I will unfold the plans, Ilrlng whom you can trust, or If this conspiracy Is made public I am nn exile irom heme or my angry townsmen will suspend mo frcm the nearest tree, nnd as 1 am worth n flno Uttle property in Louisiana, I do not wleh to bo exiled; liking life pretty well, I do not caro to be hanged," "What Is your object? Nothing but money?" "Yen," said I, "love of adventure nnd de sire to destroy the wholo Blavo system," "What Is your address?" he n3ked. This I gavo him, and, promising to write mo a note specifying when nnd where ho would meet me, ho boned me out und this ended my first Interview with Horace Greeley. I took n long walk nftcr the Intervleu nnd half determined to retreat, content with assisting Wesncr to nbduct Lucy, but In cither casp, I was risking my neck, nnd I concluded I should prefer to be hanged ns a groat rnscnl rather than a petty one, nnd continued my preparations. CHAI'illlt III. Tho next day was tho Sabbath. Doth It and Monday passed and 1 had received no news from Mr. Greeley. Tuesday afternoon I found a note at tho hotel clerk's office, requesting mo to remain In my room from 7 o'clock until 8 that even ing. I waited Impatiently for tho hour to como nnd about 7:15 the waiter brought up the card of Mr. Stephens. He was a thlck-hcadcd fellow nnd said that Mr. Eutwlssle wished to see mo nt h!s ofllco and requested mo to accompany him. I inquired who Mr. Entwlssle waa. He ro use and floating upon the bosom of tho ' Hudson, undeniably a perfect success. A crowd of boys nnd men lined the river bank, gazing nnd watching our movements, i and ranking comments. I called two or j three tn step In and try the now boat. Three of the boys did so, nnd I paddled out perhaps a half mile and back again. "Now. gentlemen," said I, "I havo n great ) curiosity to try the capacity of my boat, nnd I would like to havo a few of you step In. I ' will promlso not to drown you." I held her well up to the bank until fifteen men nnd half grown boys were 1 seated on her thwarts, then shoved her off. , Sho iloated handsomely, with her nutiwnl at least ten Inches out. ' This wob better than I expected. We pad dled nround 'for perhaps fifteen minutes, landed, hauled our boat on tho diore, went to the hotel for our dinner, returned and started down tho river in the canoe, arriv ing nt Now York yes, nt Colaon's shop in lees than four hours. I was woll satisfied. cii.vi'Tim v. At tho expiration of n week George Wre ner ono evening walked Into the Astor house. I was glad enough to see him, as I had already another project In my mind, nnd thla was to buy u small siock oi general goods and open a storo near tho Wtuno plantation, n very good location, nnd tho store would have n tendency to helpjmr scheme, extend our ncqualntanco and bring us Into more Immediate- contact with tho free negroes In our district. The purchase of these goods look some- i what longer than wo expected and It waH I tho last of November boforo wo wcro buck In Cairo. Our boats wero packed In two ..1n.l fnr- UrnMtw'a vnr1. ArkfltlSnH. Ono box contained bath boat frames, pad- AT THE WORD, MY DULLET STARTED FIRST. , coded tho plan thnt kept tho plnnters of the southwestern part of Louisiana In a tur moil of excitement for five years and run out of that country nojroes to the value of upward of $300,000. This was occompllshed by two men liv ing In tho district they robbed nnd ono of them owning several slaves and working a plantntlon nt the samo time. During this tlmo wo were nover betrayed nor discovered, and only onco suspected by our neighbors (I mean to our Injury.) This will be ex plained hereafter. CIIAI'TIHt II. My motive for undertaking this dangerous business was lovo of adventure, to assist my friend and some small hope of gain. Wesner's heart was in tho work as It pro gressed. Ho becamo nn enthusiast nnd I much tho same. Heforo starting wo agreed never to write ono word upon tho subject, never to trust a negro with the secret of our Identity or a whlto man with our business savo In one Instance, we never did. Negro testimony, we woll knew, would not bo taken In court, but If we were suspected ovon we would never llvo to seo tho Insldo of a court room, so Btrong would be the feeling against us. Wo arranged a cipher by which wo could write or telegraph In case necessity re quired; this wo committed to memory nnd then destroyed. I afterwards learned that It waa known to "Covorly's Lucy," so It must havo been old to George. As my business called me frequently from homo no notice would bo taken of my ab sence. I, therefore, started immediately for Now York, whore wo expected to mako arrangements with tho leading abolitionists to furnish tho sinews of war, taking pas sago on the Bteamor Fannie Dulllt from Now OrleanB, nnd leaving her at n landing a few miles below tho llttlo town of Oreola, where I owned u woodyard. I had nothing tq do here except to sound Moro (my head man) and loam his views. He was not well, and consequently a little cross, bo I gavo up this Interview for a time, and, hailing a passing steamer, kept on to Cincinnati. The transit by rail to Albany, N. Y., con sumed llttlo time. Prom there I took the steamer, nnd about 7 o'clock p. m., October 8, 1835, found myself ascending tho steps of tho Astor house, then tho leading hotel In New York. When morning came I left the hotel upon n tour of exploration In search of that abomlnntlon to nil southerners, tho office of the New York Tribune. This plnco I preferred to find without asking questions, ns New York was filled with southerners returning from tho various summer resorts. I was well known on the Mississippi and Red rivers, nnd did not care to be reported ai hunting for tho TrlbuuofyTke, so avoided, or at least tried to avoid meeting any south erners, especially Attakapas people. I found tho building, sent up my card as Mr. Smith and requested an Interview with Mr. Greeley. Hcracc. Greeley was at this time In his prime, nnd the most notorious ubolitlonlst In tho wholo union. I confeso I was a trifle nervous ns I en tered tho building. In n very few minutes. I was ushered Into tho room and presence of tho redoubtable Horace, the man of all the world southerners most despised and whoso pen they mcst feurcd. Thero wcro two or threo people In the room writing. Mr. -Greeley was sitting tilted back tn his chair chewing the end of a pine stick und evidently In no very pleas ant mood. Ills spectacles were pushed nbovo his oye3 nnd he scanned mo closely. "Mr. Smith; your business; I can afford you but a few moments," "Mr. Greeley, I must see you alone," I replied, "my business will take hours In stead of minutes. Two minutes will do me today, howover." "These men are sworn to secrecy In all business matters," ho replied. "No, sir: not to me," I answered. Ho opened tho door leudlng to his private office nnd nodded. 1 followed him. "Now, your buslneoa, quickly." "Mr. Greeloy, my name Is not Smith, I am Charles J. Bradley from Tarlsh St. Mary's, Louisiana, I am hero to try to make ar rangements with the leading fros soil men to run negroes from that and adjoining par ishes Into tho free states, "I am a soldier of fortune nnd not a phil anthropist. 1 will mako the venture and piled that he did not know him, though ho know where tho ofllco was; that ho (Steph ens) was a pressman In the Tribune ofllco nnd was sent by Mr. Orccley. I, therefore, concluded that he was all right nnd followed him to tho place of meeting, not, howaveir, without somo suspicions of trouble. He took mo to tho back office of a building situated on a llttlo court, a tow steps from Hroadwny, I havo for gotten tho streot, as I was only thero once. In that ofllco I met Horaco Greeley, Oerrlt 1 Smith, a member of congreFS from tho atato of New York (whoso namo I will not men tion, as ho Is still living), and a gentleman whom they introduced ns Mr. Samuel Eut wlssle. After that night's Interview It was Mr. Entwuselo with whom I chiefly dealt. From words inadvertently spoken and allusions mado I do not think that was his real name, but all checks and drafts were drawn nnd signed or Indorsed by Samuel Entwisslo. Lnter In the evening nnother gentleman mado his appearance. This was Mr, Blrncy of Philadelphia, a former nbolltlon candi date for president. Mr. Greeley briefly stated to the other gentlemen my proposi tion and called upon mo to explain It, which I did, recapitulating to them all tho reader knows and fully explaining my vlowa. Tho proposition advanced by me and ac cepted by them was: For every negro man or woman delivered to tho agent of the underground railroad at any point in Indiana, Illinois, Ohio cr any othor freo stato where they could to best delivered wo wero to receive a sum of $300, and for all children less than C years of ago $150 (all over fi years to count ns men or women). A sum sufficient to cover nil expenses was to bo paid by sight drafts, drawn by mycslf'upon somo financial r.gent of tho Anti-Slavery society nt New York, tho report of tho agent who received tho fugitives being deemed sufficient voucher that our part was fulfilled. Tho Anti-Slavery society was also to pay for such material nnd outfit ns I then wanted to enable us to begin operations, which would amount to nbout $1,500. Somo hesi tancy being shown on their part regarding this Item I cut It short by agreeing to fur nish tho money myself, leaving them tho receipted bills and drawing for tho amount If we wore successful In our first venture. Wo lntonded to use two avenues for trans portation, onn by vessel or steamer from the scacoast or on tho Atchafalaya river, tho other across tho country via the tributaries of tho Red and Arkansas rivers, following tho different bayous, to us well known, and coming out on the bank of tho MUslsslppl nt my woodyard. Hero we could keep n party of ono hundred, If necessary, for months, as tho country around was swamp nnd wilderness, nnd no person over landed thero from tho river except the deckhands of bteamers calling for wood, and they seldom left the bank where tho wood was piled, CIIAPTKH IV. What we most needed was a couplo of boats or canoes capablo of carrying ten men each and built so as to be folded and put Into u box or trunk, for transportation I already had a plan for their construction and had tho drawings of an Ideal boat, but whether theso would develop Into nnythlua; prnctlcal or useful when crltlclscl by a mechanic or on nctual trial was yet to ba demonstrated. Tho next day I called upon Mr. Wilson and told him my plans. Together we went to a blacksmith's shop, whero I showed the smith my drawings, but ho was thick-headed and totally devoid of mechanical Ideas, id l wasted no tlmo with him, but went to n manufacturer of small machinery, one Matthow Coleon, nn Irishman, and a very Ingenious man, who comprehended the Idea as soon ns I explained the drawing. I made a bargain with him tn construct two canoo.j. Theso were a marvel of simplicity, strength carrying capacity nnd llghtneas. One was twenty feet long, six feet wldo at tho center about two feet deep mid would carry twelve men (wo have had flftcon In It); tho other was about eighteen feet long, four feet wide eighteen Inches deep and, wna to bo used moro for exploring nnd working. When tho boats wcro completed we car ried the box containing them to tho river bank, opened It, and In Just twenty-eight ( minutes I stepped Into the cauoe, ready for dies to suit, and a few other little tools, tho wholo wolghlng n trifle over 350 pounds. The other contained tho canoo covers and wolghed about 280 pounds. Boats and utensllj weighed less than 700 pounds. We had several colls of rope, rig ging and bolt ropo and had also provldc'l ourselves with a small tent of No. S duck, simply a fly with no walls or ends. This was similar to ono nlrcady owned by mo and used when surveying. It was about 7 o'clock in tho forenoon, Decembnr 10, 1S5D, when I landed at tho woodyard. Standing beside tho boxes, 1 wutched my partner on tho deck of tho fast receding Htcamcr, an it swept down tho muddy river. Then for the first time a re sizing scnfco of tho work 1 hud tindcrtukon began to sturo mo In tha face. It Is woll known thut back' some miles from tho Mississippi tho waters of tho vari ous Btreams running Into tho Red and Ar kansas rivers make a water course almoat parallel to thei former river. My Idea was to mako a path to the wa'crs of tho St. Francis on ono of Its tributaries, carry our canoes through to the stream and from thonco open a way down tho various creeks and bayous to tho Techo and thcro construct a rendezvous as noar our base of oporatlons ns convenient. My woodyard was situated Just below a little placo called Oreola. West of the yard, at a dlstanco of about cloven miles, was a small stream called Baker crcelt. From tho creek to Bradley's yard was a donso wilderness and through this I deter mined to mako a pnth so plain that parties could get to tho yard In ono day after leav ing the Bteamer. It was Important 'for us to have a reliable man at this end of tho routo--ono whom threats could not intimidate or money Hiy. I found .such a one In Daniel V. Moore, a natlvo of Mississippi; he wa3 afterward u captain In tho confederate army and was shot at Shlloh, so this narrative cannot In jure him. Poor Moore! His parents wero on the steamer L. H, Smith when her boiler ex ploded nt Vldulla In 1810. Both were killed and left him a child, penniless nnd friend less. Since then he had roamt'd the world and finally engaged with mo to tako charge of my woodyard, where ho had been, I be Hove, about two years. To him I unfolded my plans, caroful not to mention Wesner's' name. I felt fetiro of his co-opcratlon, first from his lovo jf ad venture, second from his hatred of tho plant ers, and, lastly, becauso of tho possible chanco to mnko money, which this s'.hcme promised. To him wo owed, In a great measu'c, the succefcs of our work. I had ten men cutting wood .slaves h'red for tho season, but as they camped and worked two miles from tho landl-Jg tbry saw nothing of us. (To bo Continued.) WIIft.E HUILDINO THE OLD MISSIONH of California the good pudrea were assisted by Nuturo'a uncivilized rsce tho Indians then sturdy of form and etroiiKOf limb, duo to their knowledge und use of extracts from roots and herbs thut pr3vented and cured Urlo Arid Poisoning. Tliolr formulas tire used In SAN CURO and SAN CURO CATHARTIC TAHLRTS Sure Cure far Rheumatism, Kidney, Bladder and all Uric Acid Troubles'. Ask tho Druggist for California's Mission Remedies Beautifully Illustrated look mailed free on application to Sa.v Cuno Mkiiicai. Co., Los Angeles, Cnl. 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