The Wild Huntress: Love in the Wilderness — John Shaqi
The Wild Huntress: Love in the WildernessReid, Mayne
General
The Wild Huntress: Love in the Wilderness
Reid, Mayne
Latter Day Saint pioneers -- Fiction; Ute Indians -- Fiction
"How the secretary will smile, when he sees his name immortalised upon
my map, by a lake never to be dried up, and which hereafter is to be
known by the elegant and appropriate appellation of `Jones!'" Under
just such influence are these absurd titles bestowed; and the
consequence is, that amid the romantic defiles of the Rocky Mountains,
we have our ears jarred by a jumble of petty and most inappropriate
names--Smiths, Joneses, Jameses, and the like--while, from the sublime
peaks of the Cascade range, we have "Adams," "Jackson," "Jefferson,"
"Madison," and "Washington," overlooking the limitless waters of the
Pacific. This last series we could excuse. The possession of high
qualities, or the achievement of great deeds, ennobles even a common
name; and all these have been stamped with the true patent. In the
associated thoughts that cling around them, we take no note of the
sound--whether it be harsh or harmonious. But that is another question,
and must not hinder us from entering our protest against the
nomenclature of Smith, Jones, and Robinson!
Beyond Dresden, my road could no longer be termed a road. It was a mere
trace, or lane, cut out in the forest--with here and there a tree
"blazed," to indicate the direction. As I neared the point of my
destination, I became naturally curious to learn something about it--
that is, about Swampville--since it was evident that this was to be the
_point d'appui_ of my future efforts at colonisation--my depot and port
entry. I should have inquired had I found any one to inquire _from_;
but, for ten miles along the road, I encountered not a human creature.
Then only a "darkey" with an ox-cart loaded with wood; but, despairing
of information from such a source, I declined detaining him. The only
intelligence I was able to draw from the negro was that; "da `city' o'
Swampville, massr, he lay 'bout ten mile furrer down da crik." The "ten
mile down da crik" proved to be long ones; but throughout the whole
distance I saw not a creature, until I had arrived within a mile or so
of the "settlement!"
I had been already apprised that Swampville was a new place. Its fame
had not yet reached the eastern world; and even in Nashville was it
unknown, except, perhaps, to the Land-Office. It was only after
entering the Reserve, that I became fully assured of its existence; and
there it was known as a "settlement" rather than a "city." For all
that, Swampville proved to be not so contemptible a place; and the
reason I had encountered so little traffic, while approaching it, was
that I had been coming in the _wrong direction_--in other words, I had
approached it _from behind_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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