And now, just a word in regard to the rendezvous, lest some there be who may not understand how an island can be situated inland, or where this particular place is located. In Williamsburg district, where the Great Pedee is joined by Lynch’s Creek, the united streams are divided for a certain distance by a swampy piece of land with here and there solid ground upon it. The rivers come together again at the mouth, thus forming what we call Snow’s Island. Desperate indeed must be the fortune of those who would seek such a refuge, for a guide was necessary in order to lead one safely across the swamp-lands on either side of the river to the few places where a man might lie down without fear of being drowned. The only advantage it could possess was that the enemy might not come upon it readily, and never gain the solid portion of the surrounding country without being piloted by those who knew well the devious passages. Now you can understand why Gabriel’s brother was dubbed the “Swamp Fox” by those who sought so vainly to entrap him, and you may also have some faint idea of the hardships which we two lads knew must be encountered before we could gain the rendezvous, for more than two-thirds of the journey must be made over morass and swamp not unlike that which I have just been describing. However, we had little care, time, or thought for the dangers to be encountered, because we were fleeing from that peril which seemed greater than any we could meet, and it was by no means imaginary. We had already seen the chief men of Charleston marched under heavy guard to the prison-ships, where were horrors so great that it would chill the blood of one to describe them, and if Sir Henry Clinton’s forces dared lay hands upon the leading citizens of South Carolina, we knew full well that two lads like ourselves would have but short shrift if peradventure they had cause to suspect us of what they were pleased to call treason. Our plan, if indeed we had a plan at that time, was to take a boat up Cooper River, thence into the West River to that portion of St. John’s Parish where was located Gabriel’s home, and trust to the chance of getting horses there; strike straight across the country to Gardine’s Ferry, and thence to Snow’s Island as the disposition of the British forces would allow. Since we could not form a company of Minute Boys very well with but two members, before setting out we cast about for such of our acquaintances as were sufficiently strong in the backbone to permit of their sharing the dangers with us, and the first to whom we unfolded our plan was Archie Gordon.