Ned Myers, or, a Life Before the MastCooper, James Fenimore
History
Ned Myers, or, a Life Before the Mast
Cooper, James Fenimore
Myers, Ned, approximately 1793-1849; Seafaring life
We could not see the town of Annapolis, which turned out to be up-stream
from us, though we afterwards ascertained that we were within a mile or
two of it. The fishermen walked in the direction of the town, and
disappeared. All we wanted now was tolerably good weather, with a fair
wind, or, at least, with less wind. The blow had driven in the fishermen,
and we thought it wise to be governed by their experience. Nothing
occurred in the course of the day, the weather remaining the same, and we
being exposed to the rain, with no other cover than trees without leaves.
There were many pines, however, and they gave us a little shelter.
At dusk, Littlefield lighted a fire, and began to cook his fowls. The
supper was soon ready, and we eat it with a good relish. We then went to
sleep, leaving Barnet on the look-out. I had just got into a good sleep,
when I was awoke by the tramp of horses, and the shouting of men. On
springing up, I found that a party of five horsemen were upon us. One
called out--"Here they are--we've found them at last." This left no doubt
of their errand, and we were all retaken. Our arms were tied, and we were
made to mount behind the horsemen, when they rode off with us, taking the
road by which we had come. We went but a few miles that night, when
we halted.
We were taken the whole distance to Halifax, in this manner, riding on
great-coats, without stirrups, the horses on a smart walk. We did not go
by Cornwallis, which, it seems, was not the nearest road; but we passed
through Horton, and crossed the bridge, beneath which we had Waded through
the mud. At Horton we passed a night. We were confined in a sort of a
prison, that was covered with mud. We did not like our berths; and,
finding that the logs, of which the building was made, were rotten, we
actually worked our way through them, and got fairly out. Littlefield, who
was as reckless an Irishman as ever lived, swore he would set fire to the
place; which he did, by returning through the hole we had made, and
getting up into a loft, that was dry and combustible. But for this silly
act, we might have escaped; and, as it was, we did get off for the rest of
the night, being caught, next morning, nearly down, again, by the bridge
at Windsor.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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