David Crockett: His Life and AdventuresAbbott, John S. C. (John Stevens Cabot)
History
David Crockett: His Life and Adventures
Abbott, John S. C. (John Stevens Cabot)
Crockett, Davy, 1786-1836
Thus his tastes, such as they were, were gratified, and he enjoyed what
to him were life's luxuries. He probably would not have been willing to
exchange places with the resident in the most costly mansion in our
great cities. In a few days he got everything comfortable around him.
Crockett's cabin, or rather camp, was on the eastern side of the Obion
River. Seven miles farther up the stream, on the western bank, a Mr.
Owen had reared his log house. One morning, Crockett, taking the young
man Henry and his son with him, set out to visit Mr. Owen, his nearest
neighbor. He hobbled his horse, leaving him to graze until he got back.
They followed along the banks of the river, through the forest, until
they reached a point nearly opposite Owen's cabin. By crossing the
stream there, and following up the western bank they would be sure to
find his hut. There was no boat, and the stream must be swum or forded.
Recent rains had caused it to overflow its banks and spread widely over
the marshy bottoms and low country near by. The water was icy cold. And
yet they took to it, says Crockett, "like so many beavers."
The expanse to be crossed was very wide, and they knew not how deep
they should find the channel. For some distance the water continued
quite shoal. Gradually it deepened. Crockett led the way, with a pole
in his hand. Cautiously he sounded the depth before him, lest they
should fall into any slough. A dense growth of young trees covered the
inundated bottom over which they were wading. Occasionally they came to
a deep but narrow gully. Crockett, with his hatchet, would cut down a
small tree, and by its aid would cross.
At length the water became so deep that Crockett's little boy had to
swim, though they evidently had not yet reached the channel of the
stream. Having waded nearly half a mile, they came to the channel. The
stream, within its natural banks, was but about forty feet wide. Large
forest-trees fringed the shores. One immense tree, blown down by the
wind, reached about halfway across. Crockett, with very arduous labor
with his hatchet, cut down another, so that it fell with the branches
of the two intertwining.
Thus aided they reached the opposite side. But still the lowlands
beyond were overflowed as far as the eye could see through the dense
forest. On they waded, for nearly a mile, when, to their great joy,
they came in sight of dry land. Their garments were dripping and they
were severely chilled as they reached the shore. But turning their
steps up the stream, they soon came in sight of the cabin, which looked
to them like a paradise of rest. It was one of the rudest of huts. The
fenceless grounds around were rough and ungainly. The dismal forest,
which chanced there to have escaped both earthquake and hurricane,
spread apparently without limits in all directions.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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