Highways and Highway TransportationChatburn, George R.
History
Highways and Highway Transportation
Chatburn, George R.
Roads; Transportation
Wednesday, 15th--We started early from priges made a good days travel
and lodge this night at Mr. Cars on North fork James River.
So he continues with his daily items. It may be interesting to note that
Wedns 22nd--We start early and git to foart Chissel whear we git some
good loaf bread and good whiskey.
On “fryday 24th” they turned out of the main wagon road in order to
go to “Danil Smiths” on the Clinch River, where they arrived Saturday
evening and very hard traveling they found it through the mountains.
Those who have had experience with pack animals in the timber will
relish this incident which occurred soon after the few days’ sojourn at
Smith’s.
Thusd 30th--We set out again and went down to Elk gardin and there
suplid our Selves With Seed Corn and irish tators then we went on a
little way I turned my hors to drive before me and he got scard ran
away threw Down the Saddle Bags and broke three of our powder goards
and Abrams beast Burst open a walet of corn and lost a good Deal and
made a turrable flustration amongst the Reast of the Horses Drakes
mair run against a sapling and nocht it down we cacht them all again
and went on and loged at John Duncans.
They “suplyed” themselves with bacon and meal at “Dunkan’s.” This was
their last chance to get provisions other than the game afforded by
the country. They found this a “verey Bad hilley way.” Were mired in
the mud, fell in the water and got their loads wet. Since they turned
off to go to Smith’s they had been traveling unbroken or dim trails; on
“mond 3rd” after traveling the woods without any track they “git into
hendersons Road,” that is the trail which Boone had recently blazed
for the Transylvania Company. On “Tuesday 4th” they overtook “Col.
henderson and his company Bound for Caintuck,” at Capt. Martin’s where
“they were Broiling and Eating Beef without Bread.” They now formed a
company of about “40 men and some neagros.”
Saturday 8th--We all pack up and started crost Cumberland gap about
one oclock this Day. Met a good many peopel turned back for fear of
the indians but our Company goes on Still with good courage.
News of the depredations of the Indians frightened many and caused them
to turn back. The Henderson party were able to pursuade some of these
to remain. On the 9th they met “another Companey going Back they tell
such News abram and Drake is afraid to go aney farther there we camp
this night.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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