The disguise that I chose was that of a well-to-do Southern planter, accompanied by a servant--myself on horseback and my servant mounted upon a mule. Spence went with me as servant. We were both of us richly dressed. I carried on my shoulders a pair of field-glasses, and had in my possession a splendid gold watch, which was furnished me as a part of my outfit, and afterward given to me by General Grant. My hair, at that time, was very long, hanging down upon my shoulders. I wore a very broad-brimmed black hat. Every thing being ready, I started out on the road leading to Hernando on the morning of the 24th day of February, 1863. When we were fairly outside of the Federal lines, Spence began to reflect on what the consequences would be if I were found out to be a spy. After riding several miles without saying a word, and appearing to be more than usually serious, he said: "Mr. Bunker, a'n't you gwine right down in among de rebils?" "Yes; why?" "If de secesh dun git us, won't dey hang us both?" "You keep that to yourself; if you don't they will certainly hang us both. Remember what I say: all you have to do is to obey me promptly at all times. You must be my nigger--raised with me, and just a day and a half older than I am. Do you understand me?" "I spects dat I do." "No matter," I continued, "how much I scold or boot you, you must carry out the character of a tip-top genteel nigger waiter; and you must make every body think that you have got the _best master_ in the world. Can you do it?" "I spects dat I can." Spence was too deeply impressed with the reality of the situation to say much; but, however much he feared the consequences of a discovery, he acted well the part assigned him, and that, too, knowing the certain fate awaiting him if my real character should be found out. At the time that I started, the weather had been rainy for some time, and the ground had become completely saturated with water, the roads muddy, and the streams very high. I had gone but about twenty miles, when I found that the bridges across the streams had all been destroyed either by the enemy or swept off by the water, and that they were too high for me to ford them.