Part 2 (2/2)
I was resolved not to sell him into slavery He had served us faithfully It was he who first toldin my misfortune, he endeavoured--both by industry on his own part, and by encouraging his fellow-labourers--to rateful soil yield me a return His efforts had been vain, but I deterave him his liberty He would not accept it He would not part from us He is there!”
As the narrator said this, he pointed to Cudjo, who stood hanging by the door-post; and, delighted at these co his white teeth in a broad and affectionate smile
Rolfe continued:--
”When the sale was completed, and the account settled, I found that I had just five hundred pounds left I had now so; and I resolved to reat valley of the Mississippi I knew that there ain in a far upon it
”Just at this ti advertisements in the newspapers, about a new city which was then being built at the junction of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers It was called 'Cairo,' and as it was situated on the fork between two of the largest and able rivers in the world, it could not fail in a few years to becoest cities in the world So said the advertisement There were maps of the new city everywhere, and on these were represented theatres, and banks, and court-houses, and churches of different religious deno with these, s the town--so that the inhabitants riculturist These lots were offered very cheap, thought I; and I did not rest, night nor day, until I had purchased one of them, and also a small farm in the adjacent country
”Almost as soon as I had made the purchase, I set out to take possession Of course, I took withtwins and about nine years old I did not intend to return to Virginia any more Our faithful Cudjo accompanied us to our far Western home
”It was a severe journey, but not so severe as the trial that awaited us on our arrival at 'Cairo' As soon as I caht of the place, I saw, to use an expressive phrase, that I had been 'sold' again There was but one house, and that stood upon the only ground that was not a swamp Nearly the whole site of the proposed city was under water, and the part not wholly inundated consisted of a dark morass, covered with trees and tall reeds! There were no theatres, no churches, no court-houses, no banks, nor any likelihood there ever would be, except such as ht be built to keep back the water froh hotel, filled with swearing boat up at the hotel, proceeded in search of my 'property' I found my town-lot in a marsh, which took me over the ankles in et a boat to visit it; and after sailing all over it without being able to touch bottousted
”By the next stea, I embarked for Saint Louis-- where I sold both lot and farm for a mere trifle
”I need not say that I was mortified at all this I was almost heart-broken when I reflected onwife and children I could have bitterly cursed both America and the A would have been as unjust as ieously swindled; but the sa had happened to me in my own country, and I had suffered in the same way by those who professed to be my friends
There are bad enerosity and inexperience It does not follow that all are so; and we hope far less than the half--for it must be remembered that the bad points of one country are ood ones When I look to the scheland, and which have enriched a few accoues, by the ruin of thousands of honest lishreater swindlers than ourselves It is true I have been deceived by the from a foolish and ill-directed education I should have been equally ill-treated in the purchase of a horse at Tattersall's, or a pound of tea in Piccadilly, had I been equally unacquainted with the value of the articles We both, as nations, have erred Neither of us can, with grace, cast a stone at the other; and as forto his falishlish similar Why, then, shouldjealousy between them?”
CHAPTER SEVEN
THE CARAVAN AND ITS FATE
Our host continued:--
”Well, my friends, I was in Saint Louis I had now left out of my three thousand pounds not quite an hundred; and this would soon melt away should I remain idle What was I to do?
”There happened to be a young Scotchman at the hotel where I had put up
He was, likefrom the 'old country,' we soon became acquainted, and, very naturally under the circumstances, shared each other's confidence I told hiinia and Cairo, and I believe that he really felt sympathy for me In return, he detailed to me part of his past history, and also his plans for the future He had been for several years employed in a copper mine, away near the centre of the Great American Desert, in the mountains called Los Mimbres, that lie west of the Del Norte river
”They are a wonderful people these same Scotch They are but a slobe Go where you will, you will find the, yet, in the s of attache the marts of London--the commerce of India--the fur trade of America--and the mines of Mexico Over all the American wilderness you will meet them, side by side with the backwoods-pioneer hiround From the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic Sea, they have impressed with their Gaelic names rock, river, and mountain; and ain, they are a wonderful people
”Well; my Saint Louis Scotchman had come from his mine upon a visit of business to the United States, and was now on his return by Saint Louis and Santa Fe His as along with hi Mexican wo for a small caravan of Spanish people, ere about to start for New Mexico With these he intended to travel, so as to be in safety fro the route
”As soon as he understoodme a lucrative situation in the usted as I then ith the treatment I had received in the United States, I embraced his proposal with alacrity; and, under his superintendence, I set aboutjourney that lay before us The money I had left, enabled on and two pair of stout oxen This was to carry my wife and children, with such furniture and provisions as would be necessary on the journey I had no need to hire a teamster, as our faithful Cudjo was to accoe a team of oxen than Cudjo For myself I purchased a horse, a rifle, with all the paraphernalia that are required by those who cross the great prairies My boys, Harry and Frank, had also a sinia: and Harry was very proud of theprepared, we bade adieu to Saint Louis, and set forth upon the wild prairies
”Ours was but a se one which crosses annually to Santa Fe had taken its departure some weeks before There were about twenty ons The men were nearly all Mexicans, who had been to the United States to procure soovernor of Santa Fe They had the cannon along with thees and caissons
”My friends, I need not tell you the various incidents that befell us, in crossing the great plains and rivers that lie between Saint Louis and Santa Fe Upon the plains we fell in with the pawnees; and near the crossing of the Arkansas, we encountered a small tribe of Cheyennes; but neither of these bands offered us any molestation When ere nearly two months on our journey, the party left the usual trail taken by the traders, and struck across to one of the head tributaries of the Canadian river This they did to avoidthe Arapahoes, ere hostile to the Mexican people We kept down the banks of this strea ard, travelled up the latter We travelled upon the right or southern bank, for we had forded the Canadian on reaching it
”It soon becah and difficult country It was theof the second day, after we had turned ard up the Canadian river We were ress, as the trail we had to folloas intersected at frequent intervals with 'arroyos' running into the river froh quite dry; and every now and then ere compelled to stop the whole train until we levelled in the banks, and ons to pass