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RUGBY, TENNESSEE

BEI NG

SOME ACCOUNT OF THE SETTLEMENT FOUNDED

ON THE CUMBERLAND PLATEAU

BY

THE BOARD OF AI D TO LAND OWNERSHI P, LI MI TED

A COMPANY I NCORPORATED I N ENGLAND, AND AUTHORI SED TO HOLD

AMD DEAL, I N LAND BY ACT OF THE LEGI SLATURE OF

TI I E STATE OF TENNE3SEJS

BY

THOMAS HUGHES

PRESI DENT OF THE BOARD

WI TH A REPORT ON THE SOI LS OF THE PLATEAU

BY THE HON. F. W. KI LLEBBKW, A. M. Ph. D

COMMI SSI ONER OF AGRI CULTURE FOB THE STATE

MACMI LLAN AND CO.

1881

" Ther e need be no hesi t at i on i n af f i r mi ng t hat col oni sat i on i n t he

pr esent st at e of t he wor l d i s t he ver y best af f ai r of busi ness i n whi ch

t he capi t al of an ol d and weal t hy count r y can possi bl y engage. "

JOHN STUART MI LL.

" I s i t possi bl e t hat I , who get i ndef i ni t e quant i t i es of sugar -

homi ny, cot t on, bucket s, cr ocker y war e, and l et t er paper , by si mpl y

si gni ng my name once i n t hr ee mont hs t o a cheque i n f avour of John

Smi t h and Co. , t r ader s, get t he f ai r shar e of exer ci se t o my f acul t i es

by t hat act , whi ch nat ur e i nt ended f or me i n maki ng al l t hese f ar -

f et ched mat t er s i mpor t ant t o my comf or t ? I t i s John Smi t h hi msel f ,

and hi s car r i er s, and deal er s, and manuf act ur er s ; i t i s t he sai l or , t he

hi de- dr esser , t he but cher , t he negr o, t he hunt er , and t he pl ant er ,

who have i nt er cept ed t he sugar of t he sugar and t he cot t on of t he

Page 2 of 67

cot t on. They have got t he educat i on, I onl y t he commodi t y. Thi s

wer e al l ver y wel l i f I wer e necessar i l y absent , bei ng det ai ned by wor k

of my own, l i ke t hei r s, wor k of t he same f acul t i es, t hen shoul d I be

sur e of my hands and my f eet ; but now I f eel some shame bef or e my wood-

chopper , my pl oughman, and my cook, f or t hey have some sor t of sel f -

suf f i ci ency, t hey can cont r i ve wi t hout my ai d t o br i ng t he day and year

r ound, but I depend on t hem, and have not ear ned by use a r i ght t o

my ar ms and f eet " E. W. EMEKSOK.

PREFACE.

THI S book i s t he best answer whi ch t he f ounder s of

Rugby, Tennessee, can at pr esent make t o t he l ar ge

and r api dl y i ncr easi ng number of quest i ons whi ch

f c r each t hem f r om al l par t s of t he Uni t ed Ki ngdom

CO

>_ about t hat set t l ement . These i nqui r i es, speaki ng

< r oughl y, ar e addr essed mai nl y t o t hr ee poi nt s ( 1)

The cl ass of per sons f or whom t he pl ace i s i nt ended ;

( 2) What i t i s l i ke ; ( 3) I t s pr ospect s.

^ Par t I . of t he book deal s wi t h t he f i r st quest i on ;

" i f , and I hope wi l l suf f i ci ent l y i ndi cat e t he vi ews of t he

g f ounder s. They wi l l gl adl y wel come any per sons who

l i ke t o j oi n t hem; but t hose whom t hey have speci al l y

i n t hei r mi nds ar e, young men of good educat i on and

o smal l capi t al , t he cl ass whi ch, of al l ot her s, i s most

x> over cr owded t o- day i n Engl and. The exper i ence of

t he past si x mont hs has pr oved t hat such an out l et

PB

uj i ndeed t hat many such ar e needed. I t has al so

q pr oved t hat , except i n r ar e i nst ances, t he young men

< who go out ar e not abl e at once t o ear n t hei r l i vi ng,

and t hat t hey shoul d not be sent out under t he age

of ei ght een at ear l i est . The Boar d st r ongl y r ecom-

mend t hat boys and young men shoul d be pl aced, f or

a year at l east , wi t h one of t he pr esent set t l er s t o

448066

VI PREFACE.

l ear n t hei r busi ness, whi ch can be done at a cost of

f r om 60 t o 70 f or t he year ' s boar d, l odgi ng, and

t eachi ng.

The l et t er s t o t he Spect at or , whi ch f or m Par t I I . ,

wr i t t en on t he spot l ast aut umn ( and r epr i nt ed by

ki nd per mi ssi on of t he Edi t or s) , gi ve my own f i r st

Page 3 of 67

i mpr essi ons of t he si t e and sur r oundi ngs, mor e accu-

r at el y, I bel i eve, t han anyt hi ng I coul d now wr i t e on

t he subj ect . They ar e pr i nt ed wi t hout al t er at i on, i n

or der t hat t hey may r emai n, and be t aken as, f i r st

i mpr essi ons onl y. At t he same t i me I may add t hat

on goi ng over t he pr oof s I see scar cel y anyt hi ng whi ch

I shoul d have t o modi f y wer e I t o si t down now t o

wr i t e t hem over agai n.

Par t I I I . , and especi al l y Col onel K { Hebr ew' s r epor t

and t he gl ossar y, wi l l enabl e r eader s t o j udge of t he

pr esent condi t i on and pr ospect s of t he set t l ement .

Col onel I vi l l ebr ew i s t he Mi ni st er of " Agr i cul t ur e of

t he St at e of Tennessee, and t he hi ghest aut hor i t y on

al l mat t er s connect ed wi t h l and i n t hose par t s.

The Boar d i s gl ad t o t ake t hi s oppor t uni t y of

t hanki ng hi m f or hi s val uabl e paper , whi ch, cor ni ng

f r om an ent i r el y i ndependent quar t er , may be saf el y

r el i ed on as t o t he qual i t y and capabi l i t i es of t he soi l

on t he pl at eau, i n and ar ound Hugby. They have

al ways war ned i nt endi ng set t l er s t hat t hey wi l l have

t o wor k har d, and wi t h i nt el l i gence, i n or der t o suece< ; t ni t cs

l ed f or t h ni ne saddl e- hor ses, bear i ng t he comf or t abl e

hal f - Mexi can saddl es, wi t h wooden st i r r ups, i n use

CHAP, n. ] THE CUMBEKLAND MOUNTAI NS. 41

her e. Our choi ce was qui ckl y made ; and, t hr owi ng

coat s and wai st coat s i nt o t he wagon, whi ch t he man-

ager good- nat ur edl y got i nt o hi msel f , sur r ender i ng hi s

hor se f or t he t i me, we j oi ned t he caval cade i n our

shi r t s.

A l i ght er - hear t ed par t y has sel dom scr ambl ed

t hr ough t he Tennessee mount ai n r oads on t o t hi s

pl at eau. We wer e l ed by a second Et oni an, al so si x f eet

and upwar ds i n hi s st ocki ngs, whose Panama st r aw hat

and whi t e cor dur oys gl eamed l i ke a beacon t hr ough t he

deep shadows cast by t he t al l pi ne t r ees and whi t e oaks.

The geol ogi st br ought up t he r ear , and bet ween r ode t he

r est of us al l publ i c school men, I t hi nk, anot her

Et oni an, t wo f r om Eugby, one Har r ow, one Wel l i ngt on

t hr ough deep gul l i es, t hr ough f our st r eams, i n one of

whi ch I near l y came t o gr i ef f r om not f ol l owi ng my

l eader ( but my gal l ant l i t t l e nag pi cked hi msel f up l i ke a

goat f r om hi s f l ounder i ng amongst t he boul der s) ; and so

up t hr ough mor e open gr ound t i l l we r eached t hi s ci t y

of t he f ut ur e, and i n t he dusk saw t he br i ght gl eam

of l i ght under t he ver andahs of t wo si ght l y wooden

houses. I n one of t hese, t he t empor ar y r est aur ant , we

wer e seat ed i n a f ew mi nut es at an excel l ent t ea

( col d beef and mut t on, t omat oes, r i ce, col d appl e t ar t ,

mapl e syr up, et c. ) ; and dur i ng t he meal t he news

passed r ound t hat t he hot el , bei ng as yet unf ur ni shed,

and ever y ot her pl ace f i l l ed wi t h wor kpeopl e, we

must al l ( except t he geol ogi st and t he Wel l i ngt oni an,

who had a r oom over t he of f i ce) pack away i n t he

next f r ame house, whi ch had been wi t h di f f i cul t y

r eser ved f or us. I f i t had been a quest i on of men

onl y, no one woul d have gi ven i t a t hought ; but our

par t y had now been swol l en by t wo young l adi es, who

Page 4 of 67

42 A NEW HOME FI RST I MPKESSI ONS. [ PAHT n.

had hur r i ed down bef or e us t o vi si t t hei r br ot her , a

set t l er on t he pl at eau, and by anot her young Engl i sh-

man, who had accompani ed t hem.

A puzzl e, you wi l l al l ow, when you hear a descr i p-

t i on of our . t enement . I t i s a f our - r oomed t i mber

house, of moder at e si ze, t hr ee r ooms on t he gr ound

f l oor , and one l ong l of t upst ai r s. You ent er t hr ough

t he ver andah on a common r oom, 20 f eet l ong by

1 4 f eet br oad, openi ng out of whi ch ar e t wo chamber s,

14 f eet by 10 f eet . One of t hese was, of cour se, at

once appr opr i at ed t o t he l adi es. The second, i n spi t e

of my r emonst r ances, was devot ed t o me, as t he

Nest or of t he par t y ; and on ent er i ng i t I f ound an

excel l ent bed ( whi ch had been made by t wo of t he

Et oni ans) , and a gr eat basi n f ul l of wi l d- f l ower s on

t he t abl e. Ther e wer e f our smal l beds i n t he l of t , f or

whi ch t he seven dr ew l ot s ; t wo of t he l oser s spr ead

r ugs on t he f l oor of t he common r oom, and t he t hi r d

swung a hammock i n t he ver andah.

Up dr ove t he mul e wagon wi t h l uggage, and t he

way i n whi ch bi g and l i t t l e boxes wer e deal t wi t h and

di st r i but ed f i l l ed me wi t h r espect and admi r at i on f or t he

r i si ng gener at i on. The house i s r i ngi ng behi nd me

wi t h si l ver y and bass l aught er , and j okes as t o t he

shor t ness of accommodat i on i n t he mat t er of washi ng

appl i ances, whi l e I si t her e wr i t i ng i n t he ver andah,

t he l i ght f r om my l amp t hr owi ng out i nt o st r ong r el i ef

t he st ems of t he near est t r ees. Above, t he vaul t i s

bl ue br . yond al l descr i pt i on, and st udded wi t h st ar s as

br i ght as t hough t hey wer e al l Venuses. The kat ydi ds

ar e maki ng del i ght f ul musi c i n t he t r ees, and t he

summer l i ght ni ng i s pl ayi ng over t he West er n heaven;

whi l e a gent l e br eeze, cool and r ef r eshi ng as i f i t

CHAP, i i . ] THE CUMBERLAND MOUNTAI NS. 43

came st r ai ght of f a West er n sea, i s j ust l i f t i ng, ever y

now and t hen, t he cor ner of my paper .

Wer e I young agai n, but as I am not l i kel y t o be

t hat , I r ef r ai n f r om boot l ess cast l e- bui l di ng, and shal l

t ur n i n, l eavi ng wi ndows wi de open f or t he kat ydi d' s

chi r p and t he di vi ne br eeze t o ent er f r eel y, and wi sh-

i ng sl eep as sound as t hey have al l so wel l ear ned, t o

my cr owded nei ghbour s i n t hi s enchant ed sol i t ude.

VACUUS VI ATOR.

CHAPTEK I I L

LI FE I N TENNESSEE.

RUGBY, TENNESSEE.

Page 5 of 67

I " WAS r oused at f i ve or t her eabout s on t he mor ni ng

af t er our ar r i val her e by a vi si t f r om a bi g dog bel ong-

i ng t o a nat i ve, not qui t e a mast i f f , but mor e l i ke t hat

t han anyt hi ng el se, who, seei ng my wi ndow wi de open,

j umped i n f r om t he ver andah, ^ nd came t o t he bed t o

gi ve me good- mor ni ng wi t h t ai l and muzzl e. I was

gl ad t o see hi m, havi ng made f r i ends t he pr evi ous

eveni ng, when t he deci si on of hi s deal i ngs wi t h t he

st r ay hogs who came t o cal l on us f r om t he nei ghbour -

i ng f or est had won my hear t ; but as hi s si ze and at t en-

t i ons somewhat i mpeded my necessar i l y scant y abl ut i ons,

I had t o mot i on hi m apol oget i cal l y t o t he wi ndow,

when I t ur ned out . He obeyed at once, j umped out ,

l ai d hi s muzzl e on t he si l l , and sol emnl y, and, I

t hought , somewhat pi t yi ngl y, wat ched my pr oceedi ngs.

Meant i me, I hear d sounds whi ch announced t he up-

r i si ng of " t he boys, " and i n a f ew mi nut es sever al

appear ed i n f l annel shi r t s and t r ouser s, bound f or one

of t he t wo r i ver s whi ch r un cl ose by, i n gul l i es 200 f eet ,

bel ow us. They had hear d of a pool 1 f eet deep, and

f ound i t , t oo ; and a most del i ci ous pl ace i t i s, sur -

r ounded by gr eat r ocks, l yi ng i n a copse of r hodo-

dendr ons, azal eas, and magnol i as, whi ch l i t er al l y f or m

CHAP, m. ] LI FE I N TENNESSEE. 45

t he under wood of t he pi nes and whi t e oak al ong t hese

gul l i es. The wat er i s of a t emper at ur e whi ch al l ows

f ol k whose bl ood i s not so hot as i t used t o be t o l i e

f or hal f an hour on i t s sur f ace, and pl ay about wi t hout

a sensat i on of chi l l i ness. On t hi s occasi on, however , I

pr ef er r ed t o l et t hem do t he expl or i ng, and so at 6. 15

went of f t o br eakf ast .

Thi s i s t he r egul ar hour f or t hat meal her e, di nner

at t wel ve, and t ea at si x. Ther e i s r eal l y no di f f er ence

bet ween t hem, except t hat we get por r i dge at br eakf ast

and a gr eat abundance of veget abl es at di nner . At al l

of t hem we have t ea and f r esh wat er f or dr i nk, pl at es

of beef or mut t on, appl e sauce, r i ce, t omat oes, peach

pi es or puddi ngs, and sever al ki nds of br ead. As t he

Engl i sh gar den f ur ni shes unl i mi t ed wat er and ot her

mel ons, and as t he set t l er s young Engl i shmen, who

come i n t o see us br i ng sacks of appl es and peaches

wi t h t hem, and as, mor eover , t he most sol vent of t he

boys i nvest ed at Ci nci nnat i i n a gr eat squar e box f ul l

of t i nned vi ands of al l ki nds, you may see at once t hat

i n t hi s mat t er of pr ovender we ar e not genui ne obj ect s

ei t her f or admi r at i on or pi t y.

I must conf ess her e t o a sl i ght di sappoi nt ment .

Havi ng ar r i ved at an age mysel f when di et has become

a mat t er of i ndi f f er ence, I was r at her chuckl i ng as

we came al ong over t he comi ng shor t - commons up

her e, when we got f ai r l y l oose i n t he woods, and t he

excel l ent di sci pl i ne i t woul d be f or t he boys, especi al l y

t he Londoner s, t o di scover t hat t he human ani mal can

be kept i n r ude heal t h on a f ew dai l y cr acker s and

appl es, or a sl ap- j ack and t ough por k. And now,

behol d, we ar e act ual l y st i l l l i vi ng amongst t he f l esh-

pot s, whi ch I had f ondl y bel i eved we had l ef t i n your

Page 6 of 67

46 A NEW HOME FI RST I MPRESSI ONS. [ PART n.

East er n Egypt ; and I am bound t o add, " t he boys "

seem as pr ovoki ngl y i ndi f f er ent t o t hem as i f t hei r

bear ds wer e get t i ng gr i zzl ed. One l i ves and l ear ns;

but I quest i on whet her t hese St at es ar e qui t e t he pl ace

t o br i ng home t o our Angl o- Saxon r ace t he f act t hat

we ar e an over - f ed br anch of t he uni ver sal br ot her hood.

Tanner , I f ear , has f ast ed i n vai n.

Br eakf ast was scar cel y over when t her e was a

must er of caval r y. Ever y hor se t hat coul d be spar ed

or r equi si t i oned was i n demand f or an expl or i ng r i de t o

t he west , and soon ever y char ger was best r i d by " a boy"

i n f r ee- and- easy gar ment s, and car r yi ng a bl anket f or

campi ng out . Away t hey went under t he pi nes and

oaks, a mer r y l ot , headed by our geol ogi st , who knows

t he f or est by t hi s t i me l i ke a nat i ve, and whose shock -

i ng ol d st r aw bl azed ahead i n t he mor ni ng sun l i ke,

shal l we say, " t he hel met of Navar r e, " or Essex' s whi t e

hat and pl umes bef or e t he Tr ai n Bands, as t hey cr owned

t he r i dge wher e Fal kl and f el l , and hi s monument now

st ands, at t he bat t l e of Newbur y. Char l es Ki ngsl ey' s

l i nes came i nt o my head, as I t ur ned pensi vel y t o my

t abl e i n t he ver andah t o wr i t e t o you :

" When al l t he wor l d i s young, l ad, and al l t he t r ees ar e gr een,

And ever y goose a swan, l ad, and ever y l ass a queen,

Then hei gh f or boot and hor se, l ad, and r ound t he wor l d away,

Young bl ood must have i t s cour se, l ad, and ever y dog hi s day! "

Our t wo l asses ar e, undoubt edl y, queens out her e. The

t hought occur s, ar e our swans our vi si ons, al r eady so

br i ght , of spl endi d cr ops, and si mpl e l i f e, t o be r ai sed

and l i ved i n t hi s f ai r yl and t o pr ove geese ? I hope

not . I t woul d be t he downf al l of t he l ast cast l e i n

Spai n I am ever l i kel y t o bui l d.

On r eachi ng our abode I was awar e of t he f or est er

CHAP, m. ] LI FE I N TENNESSEE. 47

comi ng acr oss f r om t he Engl i sh gar den, of whi ch he has

char ge, f ol l owed by a young nat i ve. He wal ked up t o

me, and announced t hat t hey wer e come acr oss t o t i dy

up, and Hack t he boot s. Her e was anot her shock, t hat

we shoul d be f ol l owed by t he l umber of ci vi l i sat i on so

cl osel y ! Wi l l boot s be bl acked, I wonder , i n t he New

Jer usal em? I was at f i r st i ncl i ned t o pr ot est , whi l e

t hey made a col l ect i on, and set t hem out on t he ver -

andah, but t he si ght of t he l adi es' neat l i t t l e hi gh- l ows

made me pause. These, at any r at e, i t seemed t o me,

shoul d be bl acked, even i n t he Mi l l enni um. Next mi nut e

I was so t i ckl ed by a l i t t l e i nt er l ude bet ween t he f or est er

and t he nat i ve, t hat al l i dea of r emonst r ance vani shed.

The l at t er , cont empl at i ng t he boot s and bl acki ng- pot

and br ushes f r om under t he shapel ess pi ece of ol d

f el t whi ch he wor e by way of hat , of t he same mys -

Page 7 of 67

t er i ous col our as t he r agged shi r t and br eeches, hi s onl y

ot her gar ment s j oi ned hi s hands behi nd hi s back, and

sai d, i n t hei r sl ow way, " Look ' er e, Mr . Hi l l , ai n' t t hi s

' er e pay- day ? " The dr i f t was per f ect l y obvi ous. Thi s

ci t i zen had no mi nd t o t ur n shoebl ack, and f el t l i ke

di schar gi ng hi msel f summar i l y. Mr . Hi l l , who was

, al r eady busi l y sweepi ng t he ver andah, put down hi s

br oom, and af t er a shor t col l oquy, whi ch I di d not

qui t e cat ch, sei zed on a boot and br ush, and began

shi ni ng away wi t h an ar t i st i c st r oke wor t hy of one of

t he Shoebl ack Br i gade at t he London Br i dge St at i on.

The nat i ve l ooked on f or a mi nut e, and t hen sl owl y

uncl asped hi s hands. Pr esent l y he pi cked up a boot ,

and l ooked r ound i t dubi ousl y. I now t ook a hand

mysel f . I f t her e was one ar t whi ch I l ear ned t o per -

f ect i on at school , and st i l l pr i de mysel f on, i t i s shi ni ng

a boot . I n a mi nut e or t wo my boot was begi nni ng

48 A NEW HOME FI RST I MPRESSI ONS. [ PART n.

" t o soar and si ng, " whi l e t he f or est er ' s was al r eady a

t hi ng of beaut y. The nat i ve, wi t h a gr unt , t ook up

t he spar e br ush, and began sl owl y r ubbi ng. The vi ct or y

was compl et e. He comes now and spends t wo hour s

ever y mor ni ng over I ds new accompl i shment , evi dent l y

del i ght ed wi t h t he oppor t uni t y i t gi ves hi m f or l oaf i ng

and wat chi ng t he habi t s of t he st r ange occupant s, f or

whom al so he f et ches many t i n pai l s of wat er f r om t he

wel l , i n a sl ow, vague manner . He has even vol un-

t eer ed t o " f i x up" t he l adi es' r oom and f i l l t hei r bat h

( an of f er whi ch has been decl i ned wi t h t hanks) , but I

doubt whet her he wi l l ever t ouch t he poi nt of a genui ne

" shi ne. "

They ar e a cur i ous peopl e, t hese nat i ves, t he f or est er

( an Engl i shman some t hi r t y year s i n t hi s count r y) ,

t ol d me, as we wal ked of f t o exami ne t he Engl i sh

gar den, but I must keep hi s exper i ences and my own

obser vat i on f or separ at e t r eat ment . The Engl i sh gar -

den i s t he most advanced, and, I t hi nk, t he most i m-

por t ant and i nt er est i ng f eat ur e of t hi s set t l ement . I f

young Engl i shmen of smal l means ar e t o t r y t hei r

f or t unes her e, i t i s wel l t hat t hey shoul d have t r ust -

wor t hy gui dance at once as t o what ar e t he best cr ops

t o r ai se. " Wi t h t hi s vi ew Mr . Hi l l was pl aced, i n t he

spr i ng of t hi s year , i n char ge of t he onl y cl ear ed

space avai l abl e. Al l t he r est i s beaut i f ul open f or est -

l and. You can r i de or dr i ve al most anywher e under

t he t r ees, but t her e i s no cul t i vat ed spot f or many

mi l es, except smal l pat ches her e and t her e of car el essl y

sown mai ze and mi l l et , and a r ood or t wo of sweet

pot at oes.

The f or est er had a har d st r uggl e t o do anyt hi ng

wi t h t he gar den at al l t hi s season. He was onl y put

CHAP, i n. ] LI FE I N TENNESSEE. 49

i n command i n May, si x weeks at l east t oo l at e. He

coul d onl y obt ai n t he occasi onal use of a t eam, and hi s

Page 8 of 67

dut i es i n t he f or est , and i n gr adi ng and super i nt endi ng

t he wal ks, i nt er f er ed wi t h t he gar den. Manur e was

out of t he quest i on, except a l i t t l e ashes, whi ch he

pai nf ul l y gat her ed her e and t her e f r om t he r eckl ess

l og- f i r es whi ch abound i n t he woods. He cal l s hi s

gar den a f ai l ur e f or t he year . But as hal f - an- acr e,

whi ch was wi l d f or est - l and i n May, i s cover ed wi t h

wat er - mel ons and cant al upes, as t he t omat oes hang i n

huge bunches, r ot t i ng on t he vi nes f or want of mout hs

enough t o eat t hem, as t he Li ma beans ar e yi el di ng at

t he r at e of t wo hundr ed and f i f t y bushel s an acr e, and

as cabbages, sweet pot at oes, beet s, and squash, ar e i n

equal l y pr odi gal abundance, t he pr ospect of maki ng a

good l i vi ng i s beyond al l quest i on, f or any one who

wi l l set t o wor k wi t h a wi l l .

I n t he af t er noon I i nspect ed t he hot el , near l y com-

pl et ed, on a knol l i n t he f or est , bet ween t he Engl i sh

gar den and t hi s f r ame house. I t i s a si ght l y bui l di ng,

wi t h deep ver andahs pr et t i l y l at t i ced, f r om whi ch one

get s gl i mpses t hr ough t he t r ees of magni f i cent r anges

of bl ue f or est - cover ed mount ai ns. We have named i t

t he Tabar d, at t he suggest i on of one of - our Amer i can

member s, who, bei ng i n Engl and when t he ol d Sout h-

war k host el r y f r om whi ch t he Cant er bur y Pi l gr i ms

st ar t ed was br oken up and t he mat er i al s sol d by

auct i on ( t o make r oom f or a hop st or e) , bought some of

t he ol d bani st er s, whi ch he has r ever ent l y kept t i l l now.

They wi l l be put up i n t he hal l of t he new Tabar d,

and mar ked wi t h a br ass- pl at e and i nscr i pt i on, t el l i ng,

I t r ust t o many gener at i ons, of t he pl ace f r om whi ch

t hey came. The Tabar d, when f i ni shed, as i t wi l l be

E

50 A NEW HOME FI EST I MPRESSI ONS. MI "

i n a f ew days, wi l l l odge some f i f t y guest s ; and, i n

spi t e of t he absence of al cohol i c dr i nks, has ever y

chance, i f pr esent i ndi cat i ons can be t r ust ed, of har -

bour i ng and sendi ng out as cheer y pi l gr i ms as f ol l owed

t he Mi l l er and t he Host , and t ol d t hei r wor l d- f amous

st or i es as t hey r ode t hr ough Kent f i ve hundr ed year s

ago.

The dr i nk quest i on has r ear ed i t s bal ef ul head her e,

as i t seems t o do al l over t he wor l d. The var i ous

wor ks had gone on i n peace t i l l t he l ast t en days, when

t wo young nat i ves " t ot ed over " some bar r el s of whi sky,

and br oached t hem i n a shant y, on a smal l l ot of no-

man' s l and i n t he woods, some t wo mi l es f r om hence.

Si nce t hen t her e has been no peace f or t he manager .

Fi r st , one or t wo l abour er s wer e suddenl y mi ssi ng f r om

t he wor k on t he r oad ; t hen a mechani c became i ncom-

pet ent her e and t her e, on t he hot el , or at t he saw- mi l l s;

t i l l on Sat ur day l ast t he cr i si s came, and some t went y

men got dr unk and gambl ed al l t hr ough Sunday, get -

t i ng ver y near a f r ee f i ght i n t he end ; and on Monday

hal f t he wor k col l apsed. Happi l y t he f eel i ng of t he

communi t y i s vi gor ousl y t emper at e, so ener get i c mea-

sur es ar e on f oot - t o r oot out t he pest . A wi se St at e

l aw enact s t hat no l i quor st or e shal l be per mi t t ed,

Page 9 of 67

under heavy penal t i es, wi t hi n f our mi l es of an i ncor -

por at ed school ; so we ar e pushi ng on our school - house

and or gani si ng a boar d t o gover n i t . Meant i me, we

have evi dence of unl awf ul sal e ( i n quant i t i es l ess

t han a pi nt ) and of encour agi ng gambl i ng, by t hese

pest s, and hope t o make an exampl e of t hem at t he

next si t t i ng of t he Count y Cour t . Thi s i nci dent l : as

deci ded t he quest i on f or us. I f we ar e t o have i nf l u-

encQ wi t h t he poor whi t es and bl acks, we must be

CHAP, i n. ] LI FE I N TENNESSEE. 61

above suspi ci on our sel ves. So no l i quor wi l l be pr o-

cur abl e at t he Tabar d, and t hose who need i t wi l l have

t o i mpor t f or t hemsel ves.

A br i dl e- pat h l eads f r om t he hot el down t o t he

Cl ear For k, one of t he st r eams at t he " j unct i on of whi ch

t he t own si t e i s si t uat e. The descent i s about 200 f eet ,

and t he st r eam, when you get t o i t , f r om 3 f eet t o 5

f eet wi de, a mount ai n st r eam, wi t h deep pool s and bi g

boul der s. Your col umns ar e not t he pl ace f or descr i p-

t i ons of scener y, so I wi l l onl y say t hat t hese gor ges

of t he Cl ear For k and Whi t e Oak ar e as f i ne as any of

t hei r si ze t hat I know i n Scot l and, and not unl i ke i n

char act er , wi t h t hi s di f f er ence, t hat t he chi ef under -

wood consi st s of r hododendr on ( cal l ed l aur el her e) ,

azal ea, and a ki nd of magnol i a I have not seen bef or e,

and of whi ch I cannot get t he name. I passed huge

f aggot s of r hododendr on, 12 f eet and 14 f eet l ong, l yi ng

by t he wal ks whi ch had been cl ear ed away r ut hl essl y

whi l e gr adi ng t hem. They ar e t hr ee mi l es l ong, and

cost under 100, a j udi ci ous out l ay, I t hi nk, even

bef or e an acr e of l and has been sol d. They have been

named t he Lover s' Wal ks, appr opr i at el y enough, f or no

mor e wel l - adapt ed pl ace coul d possi bl y be f ound f or

t hat t i me- honour ed busi ness, especi al l y i n spr i ng, when

t he whol e gor ges under t he t al l pi nes and whi t e oak

ar e one bl aze of pur pl e, yel l ow, and whi t e bl ossom.

On my r et ur n t o t he pl at eau, my f i r st day' s exper i -

ences came t o an end i n a way whi ch no l onger sur -

pr i sed me, af t er t he boot - bl acki ng and t he Lover s'

Wal ks. I was hai l ed by one of " t he boys, " who had

been unabl e t o obt ai n ' a mount , or had some busi ness

whi ch kept hi m f r om expl or i ng. He was i n f l annel s,

wi t h r acquet i n hand, on hi s way t o t he l awn- t enni s

52 A NEW HOME FI EST I MPRESSI ONS. [ PART n

gr ound, t o whi ch he of f er ed t o pi l ot me. I n a mi nut e

or t wo we came upon an open space, mar ked, I see on

t he pl ans, " Cr i cket Gr ound, " i n whi ch r ose a f i ne

st r ong pal i ng, encl osi ng a squar e of 150 f eet , t he up-

r i ght s bei ng si x " f eet hi gh, and cl ose enough t o keep

not onl y hogs out but t enni s- bal l s i n. Tur f t her e was

none, i n our sense, wi t hi n t he encl osur e, and what

t her e must have once been as a subst i t ut e f or t ur f had

been car ef ul l y cl ear ed of f on space suf f i ci ent f or one

f ul l - si zed cour t , whi ch was wel l mar ked out on t he

Page 10 of 67

har d sandy l oam. A bet t er gr ound I have r ar el y seen,

except f or t he young spr out s of oak and ot her scr ub,

whi ch her e and t her e wer e st r uggl i ng up, i n a l ast

ef f or t t o asser t t hei r " anci ent , sol i t ar y r ei gn. " At

any r at e t hen and t her e, upon t hat cour t , I saw t wo

set s pl ayed i n a st yl e whi ch woul d have done cr edi t

t o a count y mat ch ( t he young l ady, by t he way, who

pl ayed f ar f r om t he wor st game of t he f our , i s t he

champi on of her own count y) . Thi s was t he openi ng

mat ch, t he r acquet s havi ng onl y j ust ar r i ved f r om

Engl and, t hough t he cour t has been t he obj ect of t en-

der sol i ci t ude f or si x weeks or mor e t o t he f our Eng-

l i shmen al r eady r esi dent her e, or near by. The Rugby

Tenni s Cl ub consi st s t o- day of seven member s, f i ve

Engl i sh and t wo nat i ve, and wi l l pr obabl y r each t wo

f i gur es wi t hi n a f ew days, on t he r et ur n of t he boys.

Meant i me t he ef f ect of t hei r f i r st pr act i ce has been t hat

t hey have r esol ved on put t i ng a chal l enge i n t he Ci n-

ci nnat i and Chat anooga paper s of f er i ng t o pl ay a mat ch

best out of f i ve set s wi t h any cl ub i n t he Uni t ed

St at es. Such ar e i nf ant communi t i es i n t hese l at i -

t udes !

You may have been st ar t l ed by t he addr ess at t he

CHAP, i n. ] LI FE I N TENNESSEE. 53

head of t hi s l et t er . I t was adopt ed unani mousl y on

our r et ur n ' i n t wi l i ght f r om t he t enni s - gr ound, and

appl i cat i on at once made t o t he St at e aut hor i t i es f or

r egi st r at i on of t he name, and est abl i shment of a post -

of f i ce. I t was shar p pr act i ce t hus ' t o st eal a mar ch on

t he t hr ee Et oni ans, st i l l f ar away i n t he f or est . Had

t hey been pr esent , possi bl y Thames mi ght have pr e-

vai l ed over Avon. VACUUS VI ATOE.

CHAPTER I V.

A FOREST RI DE.

EUGBY, TENNESSEE.

THERE ar e f ew mor e i nt er est i ng exper i ences t han a r i de

t hr ough t hese sout her n f or est s. The scr ub i s so l ow

and t hi n, t hat you can al most al ways see away f or l ong

di st ances amongst pi ne, whi t e oak, and chest nut t r ees;

and ever y now and t hen at r i dges wher e t he t i mber i s

t hi n, or wher e a cl ump of t r ees has been r ut hl essl y

" gi r dl ed, " and t he bar e, gaunt skel et ons onl y r emai n

st andi ng, you may cat ch gl i mpses of mount ai n r anges

of di f f er ent shades of bl ue and gr een, st r et chi ng f ar

away t o t he hor i zon. You can' t l i ve many days up

her e wi t hout get t i ng t o l ove t he t r ees even mor e, I

t hi nk, . t han we do i n wel l - kempt Engl and; and t hi s

out r age of " gi r dl i ng, " as t hey cal l i t st r i ppi ng t he

bar k f r om t he l ower par t of t he t r unk, so t hat t he

t r ees wi t her and di e as t hey st and st r i kes one as a

ki nd of househol d cr uel t y, as i f a man shoul d cut of f

or di sf i gur e al l hi s wi f e' s hai r . I f he want s a t r ee f or

l umber or f i r ewood, ver y good. He shoul d have i t .

Page 11 of 67

But he shoul d cut i t down l i ke a man, and t ake i t

cl ean away f or some r easonabl e use, not l eave i t as a

scar ecr ow t o bear wi t ness of hi s r eckl essness and l azi -

ness. Happi l y not much mi schi ef of t hi s ki nd has

been done yet i n t he nei ghbour hood of Rugby, and a

CHAP, i v. ] A FOEEST HI DE. 55

st op wi l l now be put t o t he wr et ched pr act i ce. Ther e

i s anot her , t oo, al most as ghast l y, but whi ch, no doubt ,

has mor e t o be sai d f or i t . At l east hal f of t he l ar gest

pi nes, al ongsi de of t he sandy t r act s whi ch do dut y f or

r oads, have a l ong, gapi ng wound i n t hei r si des, about

a yar d f r om t he gr ound. Thi s was t he nat i ve way of

col l ect i ng t ur pent i ne, whi ch oozed down and accumu-

l at ed at t he bot t om of t he gash ; but I r ej oi ce t o say

i t no l onger pays, and t he cust om i s i n di suse. I t

must be suppr essed al t oget her , but car ef ul l y and gent l y.

I t seems t hat i f not per si st ed i n t oo l ong, t he poor ,

dear , l ong- suf f er i ng t r ees wi l l cl ose up t hei r wounds,

and not be much t he wor se ; so I t r ust t hat many of

t he scor ed pi nes, spr i ngi ng f or t y or f i f t y f eet i nt o t he

ai r bef or e t hr owi ng out a br anch, whi ch I passed i n

sor r ow and anger on my f i r st l ong r i de, may yet out -

l i ve t hose who out r aged t hem. Havi ng got r i d of my

spl een, exci t ed by t hese t wo di abol i c cust oms, I can

r et ur n t o our r i de, whi ch had ot her wi se not hi ng but

del i ght i n i t .

The manager , an i nval uabl e- guest f r om New Yor k,

a doct or who had ser ved on t he Sani t ar y Commi ssi on

t hr ough t he war , and I , f or med t he par t y. The man-

ager dr ove t he l i ght buggy, whi ch hel d one of us al so,

and t he hand- bags ; whi l e t he ot her r ode by t he si de,

wher e t he r oad al l owed, or bef or e or behi nd, as t he

f ancy sei zed hi m. We wer e bound f or a sol i t ar y guest -

house i n t he f or est , some sevent een mi l es away, i n t he

nei ghbour hood of a cave and wat er f al l , whi ch even her e

have a r eput at i on, and ar e somet i mes vi si t ed. We

al l owed t hr ee and a hal f hour s f or t he j our ney, and i t

t ook al l t he t i me. About f i ve mi l es an hour on wheel s

i s al l you can r eckon on, f or t he count r y r oads, sandy

56 A NEW HOME FI RST I MPRESSI ONS. I PABT n

t r acks about 1 f eet br oad, ar e j ust l ef t t o t ake car e of

t hemsel ves, and whenever t her e i s a suf f i ci ent decl i vi t y

t o gi ve t he r ai n a chance of washi ng al l t he sur f ace

of f t hem, ar e onl y a heap of boul der s of di f f er ent si zes.

But , af t er al l , f i ve mi l es an hour i s as f ast as you car e

t o go, f or t he pl ay of t he sunl i ght amongst t he var i ed

f ol i age, and t he new f l or a and f auna, keep you con-

st ant l y i nt er est ed and amused. I never r egr et t ed so

much my i gnor ance of bot any, f or I count ed some f our -

t een sor t s of f l ower s i n bl oom, of whi ch gol den- r od and

Mi chael mas dai sy wer e t he onl y ones I was qui t e sur e

I knew and, by t he way, t he dai sy of Par nassus, of

whi ch I f ound a si ngl e f l ower gr owi ng by a spr i ng.

The r est wer e l i ke home f l ower s, but yet not i dent i cal

wi t h t hem, at l east I t hi nk not ; and t he doubt

Page 12 of 67

whet her one had ever seen t hem bef or e or not was

pr ovoki ng. The bi r ds f ew i n number wer e al l

st r anger s t o me ; buzzar ds, of whi ch we saw f i ve at one

t i me, qui t e wi t hi n shot , and sever al ki nds of hawk

and woodpecker , wer e t he most common ; but at one

poi nt , qui t e a number of what l ooked l i ke ver y bi g

swi f t s, but wi t hout t he dash i n t hei r f l i ght of our bi r d,

and wi t h wi ngs mor e l i ke cur l ews' , wer e ski mmi ng

over t he t r ee t ops. I onl y hear d one not e, and t hat

r at her sweet , a cat - bi r d' s t he doct or t hought \ but he

was al most as much a st r anger i n t hese woods as I .

Happi l y, however , he was an ol d acquai nt ance of t hat

del i ght f ul i nsect t he " t umbl e- bug, " t o whi ch he i nt r o-

duced me on a sandy bi t of r oad. My new acquai nt -

ance t ook no not i ce of me, but went on r ol l i ng hi s

l ump of accumul at ed di r t t hr ee t i mes hi s own si ze

backwar ds wi t h hi s hi nd l egs, as i f hi s l i f e depended

on i t . Pr esent l y hi s l ump came r i ght M$ agai nst a

CHAP, i v. ] A FOREST RI DE. 57

st one, and st opped dead. I t was a " caut i on " t o see

t hat bug st r ai n t o push i t f ur t her , but i t woul dn' t

budge al l he coul d do. Then he st opped f or a moment

or t wo, and evi dent l y made up hi s smal l mi nd t hat

somet hi ng must be wr ong behi nd, f or no bug, he wel l

knew, coul d have pushed har der t han he. So he

qui t t ed hol d wi t h hi s hi nd l egs, and t ur ned r ound t o

t ake a good l ook at t he si t uat i on, i n or der , I suppose,

t o see what must be done next . At any r at e he pr e-

sent l y caught hol d agai n on a di f f er ent si de, and so

st eer ed successf ul l y past t he obst acl e. Ther e wer e a

number of t hem wor ki ng about , some si ngl e and some

i n pai r s, and so f ul l of humour ar e t hei r doi ngs t hat I

shoul d have l i ked t o wat ch f or hour s.

We got t o our j our ney' s end about dusk, a f i ve-

r oomed, si ngl e- st or i ed, wooden house, bui l t on sup-

por t s, so as t o keep i t of f t he gr ound. We went up

f our st eps t o t he ver andah, wher e we sat whi l e our

host ess, a smal l t hi n New Engl ander , pr obabl y sevent y

or upwar ds, but as br i sk as a bee, bust l ed about t o get

supper . The t abl e was l ai d i n t he mi ddl e r oom, whi ch

opened on t he ki t chen at t he back, wher e we coul d see

t he st ove, and hear our host ess' s di scour se. She boi l ed

us t wo of her f i ne whi t e chi ckens admi r abl y, and ser ved

wi t h hot br ead, t omat oes, sweet pot at oes, and sever al

pr eser ves, of whi ch I can speak wi t h speci al pr ai se of

t he huckl eber r y, whi ch gr ows, she sai d, i n gr eat

abundance al l r ound. The boys, we hear d, had been

t her e t o br eakf ast af t er sl eepi ng out , and not havi ng

had a squar e meal si nce t hey st ar t ed f r om Eugby.

Lucki l y f or us her chi ckens ar e a ver y numer ous as wel l

as beaut i f ul f ami l y, or we shoul d have f ar ed badl y.

She and her husband supped af t er us, and t hen

58 A NEW HOME FI RST I MPRESSI ONS. [ PART 11.

came and sat wi t h us i n t he bal cony, and t al ked away

Page 13 of 67

on al l manner of t opi cs, as i f t he chances of di scour se

wer e f ew, and t o be made t he most of . They had l i ved

dur i ng t he war at Jamest own cl ose by, a vi l l age of some

ei ght or t en houses, and had seen t he Feder al and Con-

f eder at e caval r y pass t hr ough agai n and agai n. They

had never mol est ed her or her s i n any way, but had a

f ancy f or poul t r y, whi ch mi ght have pr oved f at al t o

her whi t e f ami l y but f or her Yankee wi t . She and

her husband managed t o f i x up a f al se f l oor i n one of

t hei r r ooms i n whi ch t hey f ed t he r oost er s ; so whenever

a pi cket came i n si ght her cal l woul d br i ng t he whol e

f ami l y out of t he woods and cl ear i ng i nt o t he r ef uge,

wher e t hey r emai ned peacef ul l y amongst cor n- cobs t i l l

t he danger had passed. She had not hi ng but good t o

say of her nat i ve nei ghbour s, except t hat t hey coul d

make not hi ng of t he count r y. " The Lor d had done al l

he coul d f or i t , " she summed up, and " Bost on must t ake

hol d of t he bal ance. " We hear d t he owl s al l ni ght , as

wel l as t he kat ydi ds, but t hey onl y seemed t o empha-

si se t he f or est st i l l ness. The ol d l ady' s beds, t o whi ch

we r et i r ed at t en, af t er our l ong gossi p i n t he bal cony,

wer e sweet and cl ean, and I escaped per f ect l y scat he-

l ess, a r ar e exper i ence, I was assur ed, i n t hese f or est

shant i es. I was bound however t o admi t , i n answer

t o our host ess' s sear chi ng i nqui r i es, t hat I had seen

and sl ai n, t hough not f el t , an i nsect suspi ci ousl y l i ke

a Br i t i sh B f l at .

The cave whi ch we sought out af t er br eakf ast was

wel l wor t h any t r oubl e t o f i nd. We had t o l eave t he

buggy and hor ses hi t ched up and scr ambl e down a

gl en, wher e pr esent l y, t hr ough a t angl e of gr eat r hodo-

dendr on bushes, we came out i n f r ont of a huge r ock,

CHAP, t v. ] A FOREST RI DE. 59

wi t h" t he l i t t l e i r on- st ai ned st r eam j ust bel ow us, and

beyond, at t he t op of a sandy sl ope of per haps 1 5 or 2

f eet , t he cave, l i ke a l ong bl ack eye under a r ed eye-

br ow, gl ar i ng at us. I coul d det ect no f i ssur e i n t he

sandst one r ock ( t he eyebr ow) , whi ch hung over i t f or i t s

whol e l engt h. The cave i s sai d t o r un back mor e t han

300 f eet , but we di d not t est i t . Ther e woul d be good

si t t i ng r oom f or 300 or 400 peopl e al ong t he f r ont ,

and i t i s so obvi ousl y f i t t ed f or a convent i cl e t hat I

coul d not hel p peopl i ng i t wi t h f ugi t i ve sl aves, and

f ancyi ng a bl ack Moses pr eachi ng t o t hem of t hei r

comi ng exodus, wi t h t he r hododendr ons i n bl oom al l

r ound. Mai denhai r gr ows i n t uf t s about t he damp f l oor ,

and a cr eepi ng f er n, wi t h a br i ght r ed ber r y, t he name

of whi ch t he doct or t ol d me, but I have f or got t en, on

t he damp r ed wal l s. What t he nook must be when

t he r hododendr ons ar e al l abl aze wi t h bl ossom I hope

some day t o sea

We had hear d of a f i ne spr i ng somewher e i n t hi s

par t of t he f or est , and, i n ai d of our sear ch f or i t , pr e-

sent l y t ook up a boy whom we f ound l oaf i ng r ound a

smal l cl ear i ng. He was bar eheaded and bar ef oot ed,

and wor e an ol d, br own, r agged shi r t t ur ned up t o t he

el bows, and ol d, br own, r agged t r ouser s t ur ned up t o

t he knees. I was r i di ng, and i n answer t o my i nvi t a-

Page 14 of 67

t i on he st epped on a st ump and vaul t ed up behi nd me.

He never t ouched me, as most boys woul d have done,

but sat up behi nd wi t h per f ect ease and bal ance as we

r ode al ong a young cent aur . We soon got i nt i mat e,

and I f ound he had never been out of t he f or est , was

f our t een, and st i l l at ( occasi onal ) school . He coul d

r ead a l i t t l e, but coul dn' t wr i t e.

I t ol d hi m t o t el l hi s mast er , f r om me, t hat he ought

60 A NEW HOME FI RST I MPRESSI ONS. [ PART n.

t o be ashamed of hi msel f , whi ch he pr omi sed t o do wi t h

gr eat gl ee ; al so, but not so r eadi l y, t o consi der a pr o-

posal I made hi m, t hat i f he woul d wr i t e t o t he man-

ager wi t hi n, si x mont hs t o ask f or i t , he shoul d be " pai d

one dol l ar . I f ound t hat he knew not hi ng of t he f l ower s

or but t er f l i es, of whi ch some dozen di f f er ent ki nds

cr ossed our pat h. He j ust r eckoned t hey wer e al l

but t er f l i es, as i ndeed t hey wer e. He knew, however ,

a good deal about t he t r ees and shr ubs, and mor e about

t he f or est beast s. Had seen sever al deer onl y yest er -

day, and an ol d opossum wi t h ni ne young, a number

whi ch t ook t he doct or ' s br eat h away. Ther e wer e l ot s

of f oxes i n t he woods, but he di d not see t hem so of t en.

Hi s f ace l i ght ed up when he was pr omi sed t wo dol l ar s

f or t he f i r st opossum he woul d t ame, and br i ng acr oss

t o Eugby. Af t er gui di ng us t o t he spr i ng, and hunt i ng

out an ol d wooden cup amongst t he bushes, he went of f

cheer i l y wi t h t wo quar t er - dol l ar bi t s i n hi s pocket , an

i nt er est i ng young wi l d man. Wi l l he ever br i ng t he

opossum ? I doubt : but shal l be sor r y not t o see hi s

open wonder i ng f ace agai n.

We got back wi t hout f ur t her i nci dent ( except f l ush-

i ng qui t e a number of quai l , whi ch must be l ovel y

shoot i ng i n t hese woods) , and f ound t he boys at home,

and har d at l awn- t enni s and wel l - di ggi ng. The hogs

ar e becomi ng an obj ect of t hei r deci ded ani mosi t y; and

havi ng hear d of a Yankee not i on a sor t of t weezer s,

whi ch r i ng a hog by one mot i on, i n a second t hey ar e

goi ng t o get i t , and t hen t o cat ch and r i ng ever y gr unt er

who shows hi s nose near t he asyl um. Out of t hi s t her e

shoul d come some f un shor t l y.

VACUUS VI ATOR,

CHAPTEE V.

THE NATI VES.

RUGBY, TENNESSEE.

WHEN al l i s sai d and sung, t her e i s not hi ng so i nt er -

est i ng as t he men and women who dwel l on any

cor ner of t he ear t h ; so, bef or e gi vi ng you any f ur t her

det ai l s of our sur r oundi ngs, or doi ngs, or pr ospect s, l et

me i nt r oduce you t o our nei ghbour s, so f ar as I have

as yet t he pl easur e of t hei r acquai nt ance. And I am

gl ad at once t o acknowl edge t hat i t , i s a, pl easur e, not -

Page 15 of 67

wi t hst andi ng al l t he t al k we have hear d of " mean

whi t es, " " poor whi t e t r ash, " and t he l i ke, i n novel s,

t r avel s, and Newspaper s. I t may possi bl y be t hat we

have been f or t unat e, and t hat our nei ghbour s her e ar e

no f ai r speci mens of t he " poor whi t es " of t he Sout h.

Thi s, and t he next t hr ee count i es, ar e i n t he nor t h-

west er n cor ner of Tennessee, bor der i ng on Kent ucky.

They ar e ent i r el y mount ai n l and. Ther e ar e ver y

f ew negr oes i n t hem, and t hey wer e st r ongl y Uni oni st

dur i ng t he war . At pr esent t hey ar e Eepubl i can,

al most t o a man. Ther e i s not one Democr at i c of f i ci al

i n t hi s count y, and, I am t ol d, t hat onl y t hr ee vot es

wer e cast f or t he Democr at i c candi dat es at t he l ast

St at e el ect i ons. They ar e over whel med by t he vot e

of - west er n and cent r al Tennessee, whi ch car r i es , / t he

St at e wi t h t he sol i d Sout h ; but her e Uni on men can

62 A NEW HOME FI RST I MPRESSI ONS. [ PART n.

speak t hei r mi nds f r eel y, and cover t hei r wal l s wi t h

pi ct ur es i n col our ed br oad- sheet of t he her oes of t he

war , Li ncol n, Gover nor Br ownl ow, Gr ant and hi s

capt ai ns. They ar e poor al most t o a man, and l i ve i n

l og- hut s and cabi ns whi ch, at home, coul d scar cel y be

r i val l ed out of I r el and. Wi t hi n t en mi l es of t i n' s

pl ace t her e ar e possi bl y hal f - a- dozen ( I have seen t wo)

whi ch ar e equal i n accommodat i on and comf or t t o

t hose of good f ar mer s i n Engl and. The best of t hese

bel ongs t o our near est nei ghbour , wi t h whom a par t y

of us di ned, at noon, t he or t hodox hour i n t he moun-

t ai ns, some weeks si nce. He i s a wi r y man, of mi ddl e

hei ght , pr obabl y f i f t y- f i ve year s of age, upr i ght , wi t h

f i nel y cut f eat ur es, and an eye t hat l ooks you r i ght i n

t he f ace. He has been on hi s f ar m t went y year s, and

has cl ear ed some f i f t y acr es, whi ch gr ow cor n, mi l l et ,

and veget abl es, and he has a f i ne appl e or char d. We

shoul d cal l hi s f ar mi ng ver y sl ovenl y, but i t pr oduces

abundance f or hi s needs. He sat at t he head of hi s

t abl e l i ke an ol d nobl eman, ver y qui et and cour t eous,

but qui t e r eady t o speak on any subj ect , and especi al l y

of t he f i ve year s of t he war t hr ough whi ch he car r i ed

hi s l i f e i n hi s hand, but never f l i nched f or an hour

f r om hi s f ai t h. Hi s wi f e, a sl i ght , el der l y per son,

whose r egul ar f eat ur es showed t hat she must have

been ver y good- l ooki ng, di d not si t down wi t h us, but

st ood at t he bot t om of t he t abl e, di spensi ng her good

t hi ngs. Our dr i nk was t ea and col d spr i ng wat er ;

our vi ands, chi ckens, ducks, a st ew, ham, wi t h a pr o-

f usi on of veget abl es, appl e and huckl eber r y t ar t s,

and sever al pr eser ves, one of whi ch ( some ki nd of

cher r y, ver y common her e) was of a l ovel y gol d col our ,

and of a f l avour whi ch woul d make t he f or t une of a

CHAP, v. ] THE NATI VES. 63

London past r y- cook. A pr of usi on of wat er - mel ons and

appl es f i ni shed our r epast ; and no one need ask a

bet t er ; but I am bound t o add t hat our host ess has

t he name f or gi vi ng t he best squar e meal t o be had

i n t he f our count i es. I t woul d be as f ai r t o t ake

Page 16 of 67

t hi s as an aver age speci men of f ar mer s' f ar e her e,

as t hat of a nobl eman wi t h a Fr ench cook of f ar e of

t he gent r y at home. Our host i s a keen spor t sman,

and showed us hi s f l i nt - l ock r i f l e, si x f eet l ong, and

wei ghi ng 1 8 I bs. ! He car r i es a f or ked st i ck as a r est ,

and, we wer e assur ed, get s on hi s game about as

qui ckl y as i f i t wer e a handy West l ey- Ki char ds, and

sel dom mi sses a r unni ng deer . The vast maj or i t y of

t hese mount ai neer s ar e i n ver y di f f er ent ci r cumst ances.

Most , but not al l of t hem, own a l og cabi n and mi nut e

pat ch of cor n r ound i t , pr obabl y al so a f ew pi gs and

chi ckens, but seem t o have no desi r e t o make any

ef f or t at f ur t her cl ear i ng, and qui t e cont ent t o l i ve

f r om hand t o mout h. They cannot do t hat wi t hout

hi vi ng t hemsel ves out when t hey get a chance, but

ar e most uncer t ai n and exasper at i ng l abour er s. I n t he

f i r st pl ace, t hough abl e t o st and gr eat f at i gue i n hunt -

i ng, and per f ect l y i ndi f f er ent t o weat her , t hey ar e not

physi cal l y so st r ong as aver age Engl i sh or Nor t her n

men. Then t hey ar e never t o be r el i ed on f or a j ob.

As soon as one of t hem has ear ned t hr ee or f our

dol l ar s, he wi l l pr obabl y want a hunt , and go of f f or i t

t hen and t her e, spend a dol l ar on powder and shot ,

and t hese on squi r r el s and opossums, whose ski ns may

possi bl y br i ng hi m i n t en cent s, as hi s week' s ear ni ngs.

I t i s usel ess t o r emonst r at e, unl ess you have an agr ee-

ment i n wr i t i ng. An Engl i shman, who came her e

l at el y t o f ound some manuf act ur es, l ef t i n sheer

64 A NEW HOME FI RST I MPRESSI ONS. [ PART n.

despai r and di sgust , sayi ng he had f ound at l ast a

pl ace wher e no one seemed t o car e f or money. I do

not say t hat t hi s i s t r ue, but t hey cer t ai nl y seem t o

pr ef er l oaf i ng and hunt i ng t o dol l ar s, and ar e of t en t oo

l azy, or unabl e, t o count , hol di ng out t hei r smal l change

and t el l i ng you t o t ake what you want . Temper at e

as a r ul e, t hey ar e sadl y weak when wi l d- cat whi sky

or " moonshi ne, " as t he f avour i t e i l l i ci t bever age of

t he mount ai ns i s cal l ed cr osses t hei r pat h. Thi s i s

t he gr eat t r oubl e on pay ni ght s at al l t he wor ks whi ch

ar e st ar t i ng i n t hi s di st r i ct . The i nevi t abl e boot h

soon appear s, wi t h t he usual accompani ment of car ds

and di ce, and pr obabl y a t hi r d of your men ar e t hence-

f or t h wi t hout a di me, and ut t er l y unf i t f or wor k on

Mondays, i f you ar e l ucky enough t o escape danger ous

r ows amongst t he dr i nker s. The St at e l aws gi ve

summar y met hods of suppr essi ng t he nui sance, but

t hey ar e har d t o wor k, and t hough publ i c sent i ment i s

vehement l y host i l e t o whi sky, t he t empt at i on pr oves

i n ni ne cases out of t en t oo st r ong. The mount ai neer s

ar e i n t he mai n wel l - gr own men, t hough sl i ght , shock-

i ngl y badl y cl ot hed, and sal l ow f r om chewi ng t obacco ;

suspi ci ous i n al l deal i ngs at f i r st , but hospi t abl e,

maki ng ever yt hi ng t hey have i n t he house, i ncl udi ng

t hei r own beds, f r ee t o a st r anger , and f r equent l y

r ef usi ng payment f or l odgi ng or f ood. They ar e al so

ver y honest ; cr i mes agai nst pr oper t y bei ng of ver y

r ar e occur r ence. The ot her day, a Nor t her n gent l eman

vi si t i ng her e expr essed hi s f ear s of bei ng r obbed t o a

nat i ve f ar mer . The l at t er , af t er i nqui r i ng whet her t her e

wer e any pr i sons and pol i ce i n New Engl and, what

Page 17 of 67

t hese wer e f or , and whet her hi s i nt er r ogat or had l ocks

t o hi s own door s and saf es and bar s t o hi s wi ndow-

CHAP, v. ] THE NATI VES. 65

shut t er s i n Bost on, r emar ked, " Wai , I ' ve l i ved her e

man and. boy f or f or t y year , and never had a bol t t o

my house, or cor n l of t , or smoke- house ; and I ' l l t el l

you what ; I ' l l gi ve you a dol l ar f or ever y l ock you

can f i nd i n Scot t count y. " The cat t l e, sheep, and

hogs wander per f ect l y unguar ded t hr ough t he f or est ,

and I have not yet hear d of a si ngl e i nst ance of a

st ol en beast .

Ther e i s a r ough wat er mi l l on a cr eek cl ose by,

cal l ed Buck' s Mi l l , whi ch was r un by t he owner f or

year s unt i l he sol d i t a f ew mont hs ago on t he f ol -

l owi ng syst em : He put t he r unni ng gear and st ones

up, and above t he l at t er a wooden box, wi t h t he char ge

f or gr i ndi ng meal mar ked out si de. He vi si t ed t he mi l l

once a f or t ni ght , l ooked t o t he machi ner y, and t ook

away what ever coi n was i n t he box. Fol ks br ought

t hei r cor n down t he st eep bank i f t hey chose, gr ound

i t at t hei r l ei sur e, and t hen, i f t hey wer e honest , put

t he f ee i n t he box ; i f not , t hey went of f wi t h t hei r

meal , and a consci ousness t hat t hey wer e r ogues. I

pr esume Buck f ound hi s pl an answer , as he pur sued i t

up t o t he dat e of sal e.

I n shor t , si r , I have been dr i ven t o t he concl usi on,

i n spi t e of al l t r adi t i onal l eani ngs t he ot her way, t hat

t he Lor d has much peopl e i n t hese mount ai ns, as I

t hi nk a young Engl i sh deacon, l at el y or dai ned by t he

Bi shop of Tennessee, wi l l f i nd, who passed her e yest er -

day on a buggy, wi t h hi s young wi f e and chi l d, and

t wo boxes and t en dol l ar s of t he goods of t hi s wor l d,

on hi s way t o open a chur ch mi ssi on i n a nei ghbour -

i ng count y. I hear d yest er day a st or y whi ch shoul d

gi ve hi m hope as t o t he f emal e por t i on, at any r at e,

of hi s possi bl e f l ock. They ar e dr eadf ul sl at t er ns, wi t h-

F

66 A NEW HOME FI RST I MPRESSI ONS. [ PART n,

out an i nkl i ng of t he gr eat Pal mer st oni an t r ut h t hat

di r t i s mat t er i n i t s wr ong pl ace. A mount ai n gi r l ,

however , who had, st r ange t o say, t aken t he f ancy t o

go as housemai d i n a Knoxvi l l e f ami l y, gave out t hat

she had been conver t ed. Doubt s bei ng expr essed and

quest i ons asked as t o t he gr ounds on whi ch she based

t hi s assur ance, she r epl i ed t hat she knew i t was al l

r i ght because now she swept under neat h t he r ugs.

When one get s on st or i es of quai nt and r eady r epl i es

i n t hese par t s, one " sl ops over on bot h shoul der s. "

Her e ar e a coupl e whi ch ar e cur r ent i n connect i on wi t h

t he war , upon whi ch, nat ur al l y enough, t he whol e mi nd

of t he peopl e i s st i l l dwel l i ng, bei ng as much occupi ed

wi t h i t as wi t h t hei r ot her par amount subj ect , t he i m-

Page 18 of 67

medi at e f ut ur e devel opment of t he unbounded r esour ces

of t hese St at es, whi ch have been r eal l y opened f or t he

f i r st t i me by t hat t er r i bl e agency. An act i ve Seces -

si oni st l eader i n a nei ghbour i ng count y, i n one of hi s

st ump speeches bef or e t he war had announced t hat

t he Sout her ner s, and especi al l y Tennessee mount ai n

men, coul d whi p t he whi t e- l i ver ed Yanks wi t h pop-

guns. Not l ong si nce, havi ng been amnest i ed and r e-

const r uct ed agai n t o a poi nt when he saw hi s way t o

r unni ng f or a St at e of f i ce, he was r emi nded of t hi s

sayi ng at t he begi nni ng of hi s canvass : " Wai , yes, "

he sai d, " I own t o t hat , and I st and by i t st i l l , onl y

t hose mean cusses [ t he Yanks] woul dn' t f i ght t hat

way. "

The ot her i s of a ver y di f f er ent st amp, and wi l l

hol d i t s own wi t h many wor l d- wi de st or i es of gr acef ul

compl i ment s t o f or mer enemi es by ki ngs and ot her

bi gwi gs. Gener al Wi l der , one of t he most successf ul

and gal l ant of t he Nor t her n cor ps commander s i n t he

CHAP, v. ] THE NATI VES. 67

war , has est abl i shed hi msel f i n t hi s St at e, wi t h whose

cl i mat e and r esour ces he became so f ami l i ar i n t he

campai gn whi ch ended under Look- out Mount ai n. He

has bui l t up a gr eat i r on i ndust r y at Chat anooga, i n

f ul l si ght of t he bat t l e- f i el ds f r om whi ch 14, 000 bodi es

of Uni on sol di er s wer e car r i ed t o t he nat i onal cemet er y.

Ear l y i n hi s Chat anooga car eer he met one of t he most

f amous of t he Sout her n cor ps commander s ( For r est , I

bel i eve, but am not sur e as t o t he name) , who, on

bei ng i nt r oduced, sai d, " Gener al , I have l ong wi shed

t o know you, because you have behaved t o me i n a

way f or whi ch I r eckon you owe me an apol ogy as

bet ween gent l emen. " Wi l der r epl i ed i n ast oni shment

t hat t o hi s knowl edge t hey had never met bef or e, but

t hat he was qui t e r eady t o do al l t hat an honour abl e

man ought . " Wel l , now, Gener al , " sai d t he ot her

" you r emember such and such a f i ght [ nami ng i t ] .

By ni ght you had t aken ever y gun I had, and I con-

si der t hat qui t e an ungent l emanl y advant age t o t ake

of a man anyhow. "

By t he way no man bear s mor e f r ank t est i mony t o

t he gal l ant r y of t he Sout her n sol di er s t han Gener al

Wi l der , or admi t s mor e f r ankl y t he odds whi ch t he

super i or equi pment of t he Feder al s t hr ew agai nst t he

Conf eder at e ar mi es. Hi s cor ps, mount ed i nf ant r y ar med

wi t h r epeat i ng r i f l es, wer e equal , he t hi nks, t o at l east

t hr ee t i mes t hei r number of as good sol di er s as t hem-

sel ves wi t h t he or di nar y Sout her n ar ms. Ther e ar e

f ew pl easant er t hi ngs t o a hear t y wel l - wi sher , who has

not been i n Amer i ca f or t en year s, t han t he change

whi ch has t aken pl ace i n publ i c sent i ment , i ndi cat ed

by such f r ank admi ssi ons as t he one j ust r ef er r ed t o.

I n 1870, any expr essi on of admi r at i on f or t he gal l ant r y

68 A NEW HOME FI RST I MPRESSI ONS. [ PAKT n.

Page 19 of 67

of t he Sout h, or of r espect or appr eci at i on of such

men as Lee, Jackson, Longst r eet , or Johnson, was r e-

cei ved ei t her si l ent l y or wi t h st r ong di sappr oval . Now

i t i s qui t e t he ot her way, so f ar as I have seen as yet ,

and I cannot but hope t hat t he l ast scar s of t he mi ght y

st r uggl e ar e heal i ng up r api dl y and t hor oughl y, and

t hat t he ol d sect i onal hat r ed and scor n l i e si x f eet

under gr ound, i n t he nat i onal cemet er i es :

" No mor e shal l t he war - cr y sever ,

Or t he i nl and r i ver s r un r ed ;

We have bur i ed our anger f or ever ,

I n t he sacr ed gr aves of t he dead.

Under t he sod and t he dew,

Wai t i ng t he Judgment - day ;

Love and t ear s f or t he bl ue !

Tear s and l ove f or t he gr ay ! "

No man can l i ve f or a f ew weeks on t hese Cumber l and

Mount ai ns wi t hout r espondi ng wi t h a hear t y " Amen. "

VACUUS VI ATOR.

CHAPTER VI .

OUR FORESTER.

RUGBY, TENNESSEE.

NOTHI NG woul d sat i sf y our f or est er but t hat some of

us shoul d r i de over wi t h hi m, some ni ne mi l es t hr ough

t he f or est , t o see Gl ades, t he f ar m upon whi ch he has

been f or t he l ast ei ght year s. He l ed t he way, on hi s

yel l ow mar e, an ani mal who had near l y gi ven us sor e

t r oubl e her e. The head st abl eman t ur ned al l t he hor ses

out one day f or a shor t r un, and she bei ng amongst t hem,

and l ovi ng her ol d home best , went of f st r ai ght f or Gl ades

t hr ough t he woods, wi t h ever y hoof af t er her . Lucki l y,

Al f r ed, t he f or est er ' s son, was t her e, and guessi ng what

was t he mat t er , j ust r ode her back, al l t he r est f ol l ow-

i ng. The r i de was l ovel y, gl or i ous peeps of di st ant

bl ue r anges, and t he f or est j ust br eaki ng out al l over

i nt o gol ds, and ver mi l i ons, and pur pl es, and r usset s. We

onl y passed t wo smal l f ar ms on t he way, bot h r am-

shackl e, and so t he t r eat of comi ng suddenl y on some

hundr ed acr es cl ear ed, dr ai ned, wi t h l ar ge t hough

r ough f ar m bui l di ngs, and bear i ng t he l ook of bei ng

car ed f or , was i ndescr i babl y pl easant . Mr s. Hi l l and

her son Al f r ed r ecei ved us, bot h wor t hy of t he head of

t he house ; mor e I cannot say. They r un t he f ar m

i n hi s absence wi t h scar cel y any hel p, Al f r ed havi ng

al so t o at t end t o a gr i st and saw mi l l i n t he nei gh-

70 A NEW HOME FI RST I MPRESSI ONS. [ PART n.

I nj ur i ng cr eek. Ther e wer e a f i ne mar e and f i l l y i n

t he yar d, as t ame as pet dogs, comi ng and shovi ng

Page 20 of 67

t hei r noses i nt o your pocket s and coaxi ng you f or

appl es. The hogs ar e good Ber kshi r e br eed, t he sheep

Cot swol ds. The cows ( i t i s t he onl y pl ace wher e we

have had cr eam on t he mount ai ns) Al der ney or shor t -

hor ns. The house i s a l ar ge l og cabi n, one bi g r oom, wi t h

a deep open f i r epl ace, wher e a gr eat pi ne- l og smoul der ed

at t he back acr oss pl ai n i r on dogs ; a bi g hear t h i n

f r ont , on whi ch pi t ch- pi ne chi ps ar e t hr own when you

f eel i ncl i ned f or a bl aze. The r oom i s car pet ed and

hung wi t h phot ogr aphs and pr i nt s, a r i f l e and shot

gun, and i mpl ement s of one ki nd or anot her . A smal l

col l ect i on of books, most l y t heol ogi cal , and f ounded on

t wo bi g Bi bl es ; t wo r ocki ng and hal f a dozen ot her

chai r s, a t abl e, and t wo beds i n t he cor ner s f ar t hest

f r om t he f i r e, compl et e t he f ur ni t ur e of t he r oom, whi ch

opens on one si de on a deep ver andah, and on t he ot her

on a l ean- t o, whi ch ser ves f or ki t chen and di ni ng- r oom,

and ends i n a smal l , spar e bedr oom. A l of t above,

i nt o whi ch t he f ami l y di sappear ed at ni ght , compl et es

t he accommodat i on. I need not dwel l on our supper ,

whi ch i ncl uded t ender mut t on, chi ckens, appl e t ar t ,

cust ar d puddi ng, and al l manner of veget abl es and

cakes. Mr s. Hi l l i s as not abl e a cook as her husband

i s a f or est er . Af t er supper we dr ew r ound t he bi g f i r e-

pl ace, and soon pr evai l ed on our host t o gi ve us a sket ch

of hi s l i f e, by way of encour agement t o hi s t hr ee young

count r ymen who sat r ound, and ar e goi ng t o t r y t hei r

f or t unes i n t hese mount ai ns :

" I was bor n and br ed up i n one of Lor d Denbi gh' s

cot t ages, at Ki r by, i n War wi ckshi r e. My f at her \ \ as

empl oyed on t he gr eat pl ace, t hat ' s Nunehar n Paddocks,

CHAP, vi . ] OUR FORESTER. 71

you know. He was a l abour er , and br ought up si xt een

chi l dr en, not one of whom, except me, has ever been

summonsed bef or e a Just i ce, or got i nt o any ki nd of

t r oubl e. I went t o school t i l l about ni ne, but I was

al ways l ongi ng t o be out i n t he f i el ds at pl ough or bi r d-

keepi ng ; so I got away bef or e I coul d do much r eadi ng

or wr i t i ng. But I kept on at Sabbat h school , and l ear nt

mor e t her e t han I di d at t ' ot her . The young l adi es

used t o t each, and t hey' d set us pi eces and t hi ngs t o l ear n

f or t hem i n t he week. ' My Csesar ' [ t he onl y ej acul a-

t i on Amos al l ows hi msel f ; he cannot r emember wher e

he pi cked i t up] , how I woul d wor k at my pi ece t o get

i t f or Lady Mar y ! I ' ve f ai r l y cr i ed over i t somet i mes,

but I al ways managed t o get i t , somehow. Af t er a bi t ,

I was t aken on at t he house. At f i r st I di d odd j obs,

l i ke cl eani ng boot s and car r yi ng messages ; and t hen I

got i nt o t he gar den, and f r om t hat i nt o t he st abl e ; and

t hen f or a bi t wi t h t he keeper s ; and t hen i nt o l i ver y,

t o wai t on t he young l adi es. So you see I l ear nt some-

t hi ng of ever yt hi ng, and was happy and ear ni ng good

wages. But I want ed t o see t he wor l d, so I t ook ser -

vi ce wi t h a gent l eman who was a bi g r ai l way cont r act or .

I used t o dr i ve hi m, and do anyt hi ng a' most t hat he

want ed. I st ayed wi t h hi m ni ne year s, and ' t was

whi l e goi ng about wi t h hi m t hat I met my wi f e her e.

We got mar r i ed down i n Kent , t hi r t y- si x year s ago.

Yes [ i n answer t o a l aughi ng comment by hi s wi f e] ,

Page 21 of 67

I want ed some one t o mi nd me, i n t hose days. That

poachi ng t r oubl e came about t hi s way. I had char ge

f or my mast er of a pi ece of r ai l way t hat r an t hr ough

Lor d ' s pr eser ves, i n Wal es. Ther e wer e ver y st r i ct

r ul es about t r espassi ng on t he l i nes t hen, because f ol ks

t her e di dn' t l i ke our l i ne, and had been put t i ng t hi ngs

72 A NEW HOME FI RST I MPRESSI ONS. [ PART n.

on i t t o upset t he t r ai ns. One day I saw t wo keeper s

comi ng down t he l i ne, wi t h a l abour er I knew bet ween

t hem. He was al l cover ed wi t h bl ood f r om a wound

i n hi s head. * Why/ sai d I , ' what ' s t he mat t er now ? '

' I ' ve been out of wor k, ' he sai d, ' t hi s t hr ee weeks, and

I was di ggi ng out a r abbi t t o get somet hi ng t o eat ,

when t hey came up and br oke my head. ' Fr om t hat

t i me t he keeper s and I quar r el l ed. I summonsed t hem,

and got t hem f i ned f or t r espassi ng on t he l i ne; and

t hen t hey got me f i ned f or t r espassi ng on t hei r cover s.

We wat ched one anot her l i ke hawks. I ' d of t en l i e out

at ni ght f or hour s i n t he col d, i n a di t ch, wher e I knew

t hey' d want t o cr oss t he l i ne, and t hen j ump up and

cat ch t hem; and t hey' d do t he same by me. Once

t hey got me f i ned 3 : 10s. f or poachi ng. I r emember

i t wel l I was t hat r i l ed, I sai d t o t he j ust i ces r i ght

out , ' How l ong do you t hi nk i t ' l l t ake me, gent l emen,

t o pay al l t hat money, wi t h har es onl y I s. a- pi ece ? '

Then I weut i n f or i t . I r emember ed t he t ext , ' What

t hy hand f i ndet h t o do, do i t wi t h t hy mi ght . ' I di d i t .

I used t o cr eep al ong at ni ght , al l up t he f ences, and

f eel f or t he pl aces whe' r e t he har es came t hr ough and

set my wi r es; and I ' d of t en have t en gr eat ones scr eam-

i ng and f l oppi ng about l i ke mad. And t hat ' s what t he

keeper s wer e, t oo. I ' ve gi ven a whol e bar r owf ul of har es

away t o t he poor f ol k of a mor ni ng. Wel l , I know [ i n

answer t o an i nt er pel l at i on of Mr s. Hi l l ] yes, ' t was al l

wr ong, and I was a wi l d chap i n t hose days. Then I

began t o hear t al k about Amer i ca, and al l t her e was f ( >r a

man t o see and do t her e, so I l ef t my mast er , and we came

over , t went y- seven year s ago. At f i r st I t ook char ge

of gent l emen' s gar dens i n New Yor k and New Jer sey.

Then we went t o Mi chi gan, wher e I coul d ear n al l I

CHAP, vi . ] OUK FORESTER. 73

want ed. Money was of no account t her e f or a good

l i mn i n t hose days, but t he cl i mat e was dr eadf ul si ckl y,

and we had our baby, t he f i r st we had i n t wel ve year s,

and want ed t o l i ve on br ead and wat er so as we coul d

save hi m. So we went up r i ght amongst t he I ndi ans,

t o a pl ace t hey cal l Gr and Tr aver s, a wonder f ul heal t hy

pl ace, on a l ake i n t he pi ne- f or est count r y, as i t was

t hen. I went on t o a pr omont or y, wher e t he f or est

st ood, not l i ke i t does her e, but t he t r ees t hat t hi ck

you had scar ce r oom t o swi ng an axe. Wel l , i t was a

beaut i f ul heal t hy pl ace, and we and baby t hr ove, and I

soon made a f ar m; and t hen f ol k began t o f ol l ow af t er

us ; and bef or e I l ef t t her e wer e t went y- t hr ee saw- mi l l s,

Page 22 of 67

cut t i ng up f r om 80, 000 t o 150, 000 f eet a day, week i n

and out . They' ve st r i pped t he count r y so now t hat

t her e' s no l umber f or t hose mi l l s t o cut , and most of

t hem have st opped. 1^ used t o have a boat , wi t h j ust a

smal l sai l , and I ' d t ake my st uf f down i n t he mor ni ng,

and t r ade i t of f t o t he l umber - men, and t hen sai l back

at ni ght , f or t he wi nd changed and bl ew back i n t he

eveni ngs most par t of t he year . Wel l , t hen, t he war

came, and f or t wo year s I kept t hi nki ng whet her I

oughn' t t o do my par t t o hel p t he Gover nment I ' d

l i ved under so l ong. Besi des, I hat ed sl aver y. So i n

t he t hi r d year I made up my mi nd, and l i st ed i n t he

Mi chi gan Caval r y. I t ook t he whol e mat t er bef or e

t he Lor d, and pr ayed I mi ght do my dut y as a sol di er ,

and not hur t any man. Wel l , we j oi ned t he Caval r y,

near 60, 000 st r ong down i n t hese par t s; and I was

at Knoxvi l l e, and up and down. I t was awf ul , t he

l anguage and t he ways of t he men many of t hem at

l east swear i ng, and dr i nki ng, and st eal i ng any ki nd of

t hi ng t hey coul d l ay hands on. Many' s t he pl an f or

74 A NEW HOME FI RST I MPRESSI ONS. [ PART n.

st eal i ng I ' ve br oken upon, t el l i ng t hem t hey wer e t her e

t o sust ai n t he f l ag, not t o r ob poor f ol ks. I spoke ver y

pl ai n al l al ong, and got t he men, many of t hem any

way, t o l i st en. I got on f amousl y, t oo, because I was

never away pl under i ng, and my hor se was al ways r eady

f or any ser vi ce. An of f i cer woul d come i n, af t er we

had had a l ong day' s wor k, t o say a despat ch or mess -

age must go, and no hor se i n our company was f i t t t

go but mi ne, so t he or der l y must have hi m ; but I

al ways sai d no, I was qui t e r eady t o go mysel f , but

woul d not par t company f r om my hor se. The onl y

t i me I t ook what was not mi ne was when we sur pr i sed

a Conf eder at e convoy, and got hol d of t he st or es t hey

wer e car r yi ng. Ther e t hey wer e l yi ng al l al ong t he

r oads, gr eat coat s and bl anket s, and meal bags, and

good boot s, wi t h Engl i sh mar ks on t hem. My Caesar ,

how our men wer e dest r oyi ng t hem ! I got t oget her

a l ot of t he poor st ar vi ng f ol k out of t he woods t hat

bot h si des had been l i vi ng on, and l oaded t hem up

wi t h meal and bl anket s. My Cf f i sar , how I l oved t o

scat t er t hem Engl i sh boot s ! They never had seen

such bef or e. No, si r [ i n r epl y t o one of us] , I never

f i r ed a shot al l t hat t i me, but I had hundr eds f i r ed

at me. I ' ve been i n t he r i f l e pi t s, and now and agai n

seen a f el l ow dr awi ng a bead on me, and I ' d duck down

and hear t he bul l et pi nge i nt o t he bank cl ose above.

" They got t o empl oy me a good deal car r yi ng de-

spat ches and scout i ng. That ' s how I got t ook at l ast .

We wer e at a pl ace cal l ed St r awber r y Pl ai ns, wi t h

Br eckenbr i dge' s Di vi si on pr et t y near al l r ound us. I

was sent out wi t h t wel ve ot her men, t o t r y and dr aw

t hem out , t o show t hei r f or ce and posi t i on ; and so we

di d, but t hey wer e t oo qui ck f or us. Out t hey came,

CHAP, vi . ] OUR FORESTER. 75

Page 23 of 67

and i t was a r ace back t o our l i nes down a st eep cr eek.

My hor se mi ssed hi s f oot i ng, and down we r ol l ed over

and over , i nt o t he wat er . When I got up, I was up

t o my mi ddl e, and, f i r st t hi ng I knew, t her e was a

r ebel , who swor e at me f or a G d d Yankee, and

f i r ed hi s si x- shoot er at me. The shot passed under

my ar m, and, bef or e he coul d f i r e agai n, an of f i cer

or der ed hi m on, and gave me i n char ge. I was t aken

t o t he r ear , and mar ched of f wi t h a l ot of pr i soner s.

The r ebel s t r eat ed me as i f I ' d been t hei r f at her , af t er

a day or t wo. I spoke out t o t hem about t hei r swear -

i ng and ways, j ust as I had t o our men ; and I mi ght

have been t i ght al l t he t i me I was a pr i soner , onl y I ' m

a t emper ance man. They put me on t hei r hor ses on

t he mar ch, and I was gl ad of i t , f or I was hur t by my

r ol l wi t h my hor se, and bad about t he chest . Af t er

about si x days I got my par ol e, wi t h f i ve ot her s. They

wer e har d pr essed t hen, and di dn' t want us t ot i ng

al ong. Then we st ar t ed nor t h, wi t h not hi ng but j ust

our uni f or ms, and t hey f ul l of ver mi n. The f i r st house

we st r uck I asked wher e we coul d f i nd a Uni on man

about t her e. They di dn' t know any one, di dn' t t hi nk

t her e was one i n t he count y. I sai d t hat was bad, as

we wer e par ol ed Uni on sol di er s, and t hen al l was

changed. They t ook us i n and want ed us t o use t hei r

beds, whi ch we woul dn' t do, because of t he ver mi n on

us. They gave us al l t hey had, and I saw t he women,

f or I coul dn' t sl eep, cover i ng us up wi t h any spar e

cl ot hes t hey' d got , and wat chi ng us al l ni ght l ong.

They sent us on t o ot her Uni on houses, and so we got

nor t h. I was t oo i l l t o st ay nor t h at my ol d wor k, so

I sol d my f ar m and came sout h t o Knoxvi l l e, wher e I

had come t o know many ki nd, good peopl e i n t he war .

76 A NEW HOME FI RST I MPRESSI ONS. [ PART i t .

They wer e ver y ki nd, and I got wor k at t he i mpr ove-

ment s on Mr . Di ckenson' s f ar m ( a model f ar m we had

gone over ) , and i n ot her gent l emen' s gar dens. But I

di dn' t get my heal t h agai n, so ei ght year s ago I came

t o t hi s pl ace on t he mount ai ns, whi ch I knew was

heal t hy, and woul d sui t me. Wel l , t hey al l sai d I

shoul d be st ar ved out i n t wo year s and have t o qui t ,

but bef or e t hr ee year s wer e out I was sel l i ng t hem

cor n, and bet t er bacon t han t hey' d ever had bef or e.

Some of ' em begi n t o t hi nk I ' m r i ght now, and t her e' s

a deal of i mpr ovement goi ng on, and i f t hey' d onl y, as

I t el l ' em, j ust put i n al l t hei r t i me on t hei r f ar ms,

and not go l oaf i ng r ound gunni ng, cont ent ed wi t h cor n-

dodger s and a bi t of por k, and gi ve up whi sky, t hey

mi ght al l do as wel l as I ' ve done. I shoul d l i ke t o go

back once mor e and see t he ol d count r y ; but I mean

t o end my days her e. Ther e' s no such count r y t hat

I ever saw. The Lor d has done al l f or us her e. And

i t seems l i ke dr eams t hat I shoul d l i ve t o see a Rugby

up her e on t he mount ai ns. I mean t o t ake a l ot i n

t he t own, or cl ose by, and cal l i t Nuneham Paddocks.

So I shal l l ay my bones, you see, i n t he same pl ace,

as i t wer e, t hat I was r ear ed i n. "

I do not pr et end t hat t hese wer e hi s exact wor ds,

t he whol e had t o be condensed t o come wi t hi n your

Page 24 of 67

space, but t hey ar e not f ar of f . I t was now past ni ne,

t he t i me f or r et i r i ng, when Amos t ol d us t hat he

al ways ended hi s day wi t h f ami l y pr ayer s. A psal m

was r ead, and t hen we knel t down, and he pr ayed f or

some mi nut es. Ext empor ar y pr ayer s al ways exci t e my

cr i t i cal f acul t y, but t her e was no t hought or expr essi on

i n t hi s I coul d have wi shed t o al t er . Then we t ur ned

i n, I , af t er a pi pe i n t he ver andah, i n one cl ean whi t e

bed, and . t wo of t he boys i n t he bi g one i n t he oppo-

CHAP, vi . ] OUR FORESTER, 77

si t e cor ner . Ther e I soon dozed of f , wat chi ng t he bi g,

smoul der i ng whi t e pi ne- l og away i n t he dept h of t he

chi mney- nook, and t he l ast f l i cker i ngs of t he knobs of

pi t ch- pi ne i n f r ont of i t , bet ween t he i r on dogs, and

wonder i ng i n my mi nd over t he br ave st or y we had

j ust been l i st eni ng t o, so si mpl y t ol d ( of whi ch I f ear I

have succeeded i n gi vi ng a ver y poor r ef l ect i on) , and

whet her t her e ar e not some t her e cannot , I f ear , be

many such l i ves l yi ng about i n out - of - t he- way cor -

ner s, of mount ai n, or pl ai n, or ci t y. My l ast consci ous

specul at i on was whet her , af t er al l , t he Uni on woul d have

been saved i f al l Uni on sol di er s had been Amos Hi l l s.

I waked ear l y, j ust , bef or e dawn, and was wat chi ng

al t er nat el y t he ember s of t he bi g l og, st i l l agl ow i n

t he deep chi mney, and t he whi t e l i ght begi nni ng t o

br eak t hr ough t he honeysuckl es and vi nes whi ch hung

over t he ver andah, and shaded t he wi de- open wi ndow,

when t he cl ock st r uck f i ve. The door opened sof t l y,

and i n st epped Amos Hi l l i n hi s st ocki ngs. He cam 3

t o t he f oot of our beds, pi cked up our di r t y boot s, and

st ol e out agai n as noi sel essl y as he had ent er ed. The

next mi nut e I hear d t he bl acki ng br ushes goi ng vi gor -

ousl y, and knew t hat I shoul d appear at br eakf ast wi t h

a shi ne on i n whi ch I shoul d have r eason t o gl or y, i f

I wer e pr epar i ng t o wal k i n Bond St r eet , i nst ead of

t hr ough t he scr ub on t he Cumber l and Mount ai ns. I

t ur ned over f or anot her hour ' s sl eep ( br eakf ast bei ng

at 6. 30 shar p) , but not wi t hout f i r st consi der i ng f or

some mi nut es whi ch of us t wo i f t hi ngs wer e f i xed

up st r ai ght i n t hi s bl under i ng ol d wor l d ought t o be

bl acki ng t he ot her ' s boot s. The concl usi on I came t o

was t hat i t ought not t o be Amos Hi l l .

VACUUS VI ATOR.

CHAPTEE VI I .

THE NEGEO " NATI VES. "

RTJGBT, TEI TOESSEE.

THEKE i s one i nconveni ence i n t hi s desul t or y mode of

cor r espondence, t hat one i s apt t o f or get what one

has t ol d al r eady, and t o r epeat onesel f . I have wr i t t en

somet hi ng of t he whi t e nat i ve of t hese mount ai ns ;

have I sai d anyt hi ng of hi s dar k br ot her ? The

subj ect i s becomi ng a mor e and mor e i nt er est i ng and

i mpor t ant one ever y day, t hr ough al l t hese r egi ons.

Page 25 of 67

I n t hese mount ai ns, t he negr o, per haps, can scar cel y

be cal l ed a nat i ve. Ver y f ew bl ack f ami l i es, I am

t ol d, wer e t o be f ound her e a year or t wo si nce. My

own eyes assur e me t hat t hey ar e mul t i pl yi ng r api dl y.

I see mor e and mor e bl ack men amongst t he gangs on

r oads and br i dges, and come acr oss queer l i t t l e encamp-

ment s i n t he woods, wi t h a pi l e of l ogs smoul der i ng

i n t he mi dst , r ound whi ch st and t he mi r t h - pr ovoki ng

f i gur es of smal l bl ack ur chi ns, who st ar e and gr i n at

t he i nt r uder on hor seback, t i l l he r i des on under t he

gol d and r usset and gr een aut umnal copi ng of hi ckor i es,

chest nut s, and pi nes.

I am comi ng t o t he concl usi on t hat wher ever wor k

i s t o be had, i n Tennessee, at any r at e, t her e wi l l t he

negr o be f ound. He seems t o gat her t o a cont r act or

l i ke t he buzzar ds, whi ch one sees over t he t r ee- t ops, t o

CHAP, vn. ] THE NEGRO " NATI VES. " 79

car r i on. And unl ess t he whi t e nat i ves t ake t o " put t i ng

i n al l t hei r t i me, " what ever wor k i s goi ng wi l l not

l on<* r emai n wi t h t hem. The negr o wi l l l oaf and shi r k

o o

as of t en as not when he get s t he chance, but he has not

t he whi t e cr avi ng f or knocki ng of f al t oget her as soon as

he has a coupl e of dol l ar s i n hi s pocket ; has no st r ong

hunt i ng i nst i nct ; and has not acqui r ed t he ar t of l et t i ng

hi s pi ck dr op l i st l essl y i nt o t he gr ound wi t h i t s own

wei ght , and st oppi ng t o admi r e t he scener y af t er ever y

hal f - dozen st r okes.

The negr o i s much mor e obedi ent , mor eover , and

manageabl e, obedi ent t o a f aul t , i f one can bel i eve

t he many st or i es one hear s of hi s r eadi ness t o commi t

smal l mi sdemeanour s and cr i mes, and not al ways smal l

ones, at t he bi ddi ng of hi s empl oyer s. Ther e i s one

t i l i ng, however , whi ch an equal l y unani mous t est i mony

agr ees i n decl ar i ng t hat he wi l l not do, and t hat i s, sel l

hi s vot e, or be dr agooned i nt o gi vi ng i t f or any one but

hi s own choi ce ; he may, i ndeed, be scar ed f r om vot i ng,

but cannot be " squar ed ; " a si ngul ar t est i mony, sur el y,

of hi s pr ospect i ve val ue as a ci t i zen.

Equal l y st r ong i s t he evi dence of hi s r esol ut e det er -

mi nat i on t o get hi s chi l dr en educat ed. I n some Sout her n

St at es t he chi l dr en ar e, I bel i eve, kept apar t , but i n t he

onl y mount ai n school I have had t he chance of seei ng,

bl ack and whi t e chi l dr en wer e t oget her . They wer e not

i n cl ass, but i n t he f r ont of t he bar n- l i ke bui l di ng used

bot h f or chur ch and school , havi ng j ust come out f or

t he di nner - hour . Ther e was a l ar ge, sandy, t r ampl ed

pl ace under t he t r ees, by no means a bad pl ay- gr ound,

on whi ch a f ew of t he most ener get i c, t he bl acks i n t he

maj or i t y, wer e pl ayi ng at some game as we came up, t he

myst er i es of whi ch I shoul d have l i ked t o st udy. But t he

80 A. NEW HOME FI RST I MPRESSI ONS. [ PART n.

Page 26 of 67

l onger we st ayed t he l ess chance t her e seemed of t hei r

goi ng on, and t he game r emai ns a myst er y t o me st i l l .

" Wher e t hese chi l dr en, some f i f t y i n number , came f r om,

i s a pr obl em ; but t her e t hey wer e f r om somewher e.

And ever ywher e, I hear , t he bl acks ar e f or ci ng t he

r unni ng wi t h r espect t o educat i on, and gr eat number s

of t hem ar e showi ng a t hr i f t and ener gy whi ch ar e

l i kel y t o make t hem f or mi dabl e compet i t or s i n t he

st r uggl e f or exi st ence, at any r at e i n al l St at es sout h

of Kent ucky.

I n one depar t ment ( a ver y smal l one, no doubt ) , t hey

wi l l have cr owded out t he nat i ve whi t es i n a ver y shor t

t i me, i f I may j udge by our exper i ence i n t hi s house.

We number t wo l adi es and si x men, and our whol e

ser vi ce i s done by one boy. Our f i r st exper i ment was

wi t h a young nat i ve, who " r ear ed up " on, t he f i r st

mor ni ng at t he i dea of havi ng t o bl ack boot s. Thi s

pr ej udi ce, I t hi nk I t ol d you, was r emoved f or t he

moment , and he st ayed f or a f ew days. Wher e i t was

he " weakened on us" I coul d not l ear n f or cer t ai n, but

i ncl i ne t o t he bel i ef t hat i t was ei t her havi ng t o car r y

t he r acquet s and bal l s t o t he l awn- t enni s gr ound, or t o

get a f i r e t o bur n i n or der t o boi l t he wat er f or a f our

o' cl ock t ea. Bot h t hese ser vi ces wer e or der ed by t he

l adi es, and I t hought I saw si gns ( t hough I am f ar

f r om cer t ai n) t hat hi s manl y soul r ose agai nst f emi ni ne

command. Be t hat as i t may, of f he went wi t hout

war ni ng, and soon af t er Amos Hi l l ar r i ved, wi t h al most

pat het i c apol ogi es and a negr o boy, shor t of st at ur e,

huge of mout h, f abul ous i n t he appar ent age of hi s

gar ment s, named Jef f . He had no ot her name, he t ol d

us, and di d not know whet her i t si gni f i ed Jef f er son or

Geof f r ey, or wher e or how he got i t , or anyt hi ng about

CHAP, vi i . ] THE NEGRO " NATI VES. " 81

hi msel f , except t hat he had got OUT pl ace at $5 a mout h,

at whi ch he showed hi s i vor y, " some ! "

Fr om t hi s t i me al l was changed. Jef f , i t i s t r ue,

af t er t he f i r st t wo days, gave pr oof s t hat he was not

conver t ed, l i ke t he whi t e housemai d who had l ear ned

t o sweep under t he mat s. Hi s sweepi ng and t i dyi ng

wer e deci dedl y t hose of t he si nner ; and he ent i r el y

abandoned t he onl y har d wor k we set hi m, as soon as

i t was out of si ght f r om t he asyl um. I t was a pat h

l eadi ng t o a shal l ow wel l , whi ch t he boys had dug at

t he bot t om of t he gar den. The l ast t went y yar ds or

so ar e on a st eeper i ncl i ne t han t he par t next t he

house : so Jef f st udi ousl y compl et ed t he pi ece i n si ght

of t he house, and never put pi ck or shovel on t he

r emai nder , whi ch l ay behi nd t he f r i endl y br ow of t he

sl ope. But i n al l ot her di r ect i ons, wher e t he wor k

was mai nl y odd j obs, a r espect abl e ki nd of l oaf i ng, Jef f

was al ways t o t he f or e, acqui t t i ng hi msel f t o t he best ,

I t hi nk, of hi s abi l i t y.

We di d not get f ul l command of hi m t i l l t he ar r i val

of a young Texan cat t l e - dr i ver , who t aught us t he

pecul i ar cr y f or t he negr o, by appendi ng a hi gh " Ho "

Page 27 of 67

t o hi s name, or r at her r unni ng t hem t oget her , so t hat

t he whol e sounded " Hoj ef f ! " as near l y as possi bl e one

syl l abl e. Even t he l adi es pi cked up t he cr y, and

t hencef or war d Jef f s subst i t ut e f or t he " Anon, anon,

si r ! " of t he El i zabet han wai t er was i nst ant aneous. He

bui l t a camp - oven, l i ke t hose of t he Vol unt eer s at

Wi mbl edon, and neat er of const r uct i on, f r om whi ch he

suppl i ed a r easonabl y const ant pr ovi si on of hot wat er

f r om 6 A. M. , of cour se cut t i ng hi s own l ogs f or t he

f i r e. Hi s hi ghest achi evement was i r oni ng t he l adi es'

cot t on dr esses, whi ch t hey decl ar ed he di d not ver y

G

82 . A NEW HOME FI RST I MPRESSI ONS. [ PART i t

badl y. Most of us ent r ust ed hi m wi t h t he washi ng

of f l annel shi r t s and socks, whi ch at any r at e wer e

f ai t hf ul l y i mmer sed i n suds, and hung up t o dr y under

our eyes. The l aundr y was an ar my t ent , pi t ched at

t he back of t he asyl um, wher e Jef f spent near l y al l

hi s t i me when not under or der s, gener al l y munchi ng

an appl e, of whi ch t her e was al ways a sack l yi ng

about , a pr esent f r om some r anch- owner , or br ought

over f r om t he gar den, and open t o manki nd at l ar ge.

I never coul d f i nd out whet her he coul d r ead. One

eveni ng he came up pr oudl y t o ask whet her " hi s mai l "

had come, and sur e enough when t he mai l ar r i ved

t her e was a post - car d, whi ch he cl ai med. We t hought

he woul d ask one of us t o r ead i t f or hi m, but wer e

di sappoi nt ed. He had a habi t of cr ooni ng over and

. over agai n al l day some scr ap of a song. One of t hese

exci t ed my cur i osi t y exceedi ngl y, but I never succeeded

i n get t i ng mor e t han t wo l i nes out of hi m,

" Oh my ! oh my ! I ' ve got a hundr ed dol l ar s i n a mi ne ! "

One had a cr ave t o hear what came of t hose hundr ed

dol l ar s. I t seems i t i s so al most uni ver sal l y. The near -

est appr oach t o a compl et e negr o di t t y whi ch I have

been abl e t o st r i ke i s one whi ch t he Texan gi ves, wi t h

a wonder f ul r ol l of t he wor d " char i ot , " whi ch cannot

be expr essed i n pr i nt . I t r uns :

The Debbi e he chase me r ound a st ump,

Gwi ne f or t o car r y me home;

He gr ab f or me at eber y j ump,

Gwi ne f or t o car r y me home.

Swi ng l ow, sweet cha- y- ot .

Gwi ne f or t o car r y me home.

The Debbi e he make one gr ab at me,

Gwi ne, et c.

CHAP, vn. ] THE NEGRO " NATI VES. " 83

Page 28 of 67

He mi ssed me, and my soul goed f r ee,

Gwi ne, et c.

Swi ng l ow, et c.

Oh ! wun' t we have a gay ol d t i me,

Gwi ne, et c.

A eat i n' up o' honey, and a dr i nki n' up o' wi ne.

Gwi ne, et c.

Swi ng l ow, et c.

Thi s, Si r , I t hi nk you wi l l agr ee wi t h me, t hough

pr eci ous, i s obvi ousl y a f r agment onl y. I t t ook our

Texan many mont hs t o pi ck i t up, even i n t hi s mut i -

l at ed condi t i on.

But , af t er al l , Jef f ' s char act er and capaci t y come

out most i n t he di r ect i on of boot s. I t i s f r om hi s

at t i t ude wi t h r egar d t o t hem t hat I i ncl i ne t o t hi nk

t hat t he Bl ack r ace have a gr eat f ut ur e i n t hese St at es.

You may have gat her ed f r om pr evi ous l et t er s t hat

t her e i s a cl ear , t hough not a wel l mar ked, di vi si on i n

t hi s set t l ement as t o bl acki ng. Amos Hi l l bui l ds on

i t deci dedl y, and woul d have ever y f ar mer appear i n

bl acked boot s, at any r at e on Sunday. The opposi t i on

i s l ed by a young f ar mer of gr eat ener gy and f amous

t emper , who, havi ng been " st r apped, " or l ef t wi t hout

a penny, t hr ee hundr ed mi l es f r om t he Paci f i c coast ,

amongst t he Mexi can mi nes, and havi ng made hi s

hands keep hi s head i n t he wi l dest of ear t hl y set t l e-

ment s, has a st r ong cont empt f or al l ameni t i es of

cl ot hi ng, whi ch i s shar ed by t he geol ogi st and ot her s.

How t he poi nt wi l l be set t l ed at l ast I cannot guess. I t

st ands over whi l e t he l adi es ar e st i l l her e, and I havo

act ual l y seen t he " st r apped " one gi vi ng Ms wondr ous

boot s a sl y l i ck or t wo of bl acki ng on Sunday mor ni ng.

But , anyhow, t he bl acks wi l l be cor di al l y on t he

84 A NEW HOME FI RST I MPRESSI ONS. [ PART u,

si de of pol i sh and t he ar i st ocr acy. Thi s one mi ght

per haps have ant i ci pat ed; but what I was not pr e-

par ed f or was Jef f s appar ent passi on f or boot s. I

own a f i ne st r ong pai r of shoot i ng - boot s, whi ch he

wor shi pped f or f i ve mi nut es at l east ever y mor ni ng.

As my l ast day i n t he asyl um dr ew on I coul d see

he was t r oubl ed i n hi s mi nd. At l ast , out i t came.

Wat chi ng hi s chance, when no one was near , he si dl ed

up, and poi nt i ng t o t hem on t he squar e chest i n t he

ver andah whi ch ser ved f or bl acki ng - boar d, he sai d,

" I ' d HI : 3 t o buy dem boot s. " Af t er my f i r st ast oni sh-

ment was over , I expl ai ned t o hi m t hat I coul dn' t

af f or d t o sel l t hem f or l ess t han about si x weeks of hi s

wages, and t hat , mor eover , I want ed t hem f or mysel f ,

as I coul d get none such her e. He was much di sap-

poi nt ed, and mut t er ed f r equent l y, " I ' d Hke t o buy

dem boot s ! " but my hear t di d not sof t en.

Per haps I ought r at her t o be gi vi ng your r eader s

Page 29 of 67

mor e ser i ous exper i ences, but somehow t he negr o i s

apt t o r un one out i nt o chaf f . However , I wi l l con-

cl ude wi t h one f act , whi ch seems t o me a ver y st r i ki ng

conf i r mat i on of my vi ew. Al l Amer i cans ar e r eadi ng

t he Foot s Er r and, a power f ul novel , f ounded on t he

st at e of t hi ngs af t er t he war i n t he Kukl ux t i mes. I t

i s wr i t t en by a Sout her n Judge, obvi ousl y a f ai r and

cl ever man, but one who has no mor e f ai t h i n t he

negr o' s power t o r ai se hi msel f t o anyt hi ng above hew-

i ng wood and dr awi ng wat er f or t he " Caucasi an " t han

Chi ef - Just i ce Taney hi msel f . I n al l t hat book t her e i s

no i nst ance of t he dr awi ng of a mean, cor r upt , or

depr aved negr o; but t hey ar e r epr esent ed as f ul l of

pat i ence, t r ust f ul ness, shr ewdness, and power of many

ki nds. VACUUS VI ATOR,

THE OPENI NG DAY.

KUGBY, TENNESSEE.

OUR openi ng day dr ew near , not wi t hout r ousi ng t he

most ser i ous mi sgi vi ngs i n t he mi nds of most of us

whet her we coul d possi bl y be r eady t o r ecei ve our

guest s. I nvi t at i ons had been i ssued t o our nei gh-

bour s f r i ends, as we had l ear nt t o est eem t hem

i n Ci nci nnat i , Knoxvi l l e, Chat anooga, whose hospi -

t al i t i es we had enj oyed, and who had expr essed a cor di al

sympat hy wi t h our ent er pr i se, and a desi r e t o vi si t us.

We l ooked al so f or some of our own ol d member s f r om

di st ant New Engl and, i n al l pr obabi l i t y sevent y or

ei ght y guest s, t o l odge and boar d, and convey f r om

and back t o t he r ai l way, seven mi l es over our new

r oad, no smal l under t aki ng, under our ci r cumst ances.

But t he hot el was st i l l i n t he hands of t he cont r act or ,

f r om whom, as yet , onl y t he upper f l oor s had been

r escued. The st ai r case want ed bani st er s, and t he hal l

and l i vi ng- r ooms wer e st i l l onl y hal f - wai nscot ed, and

f ul l of car pent er s' benches and pl ast er er s' t r ays ; wbi l e

t he f ur ni t ur e and cr ocker y l umber ed up t he bi g bar n,

or st ood about i n cases on t he br oad ver andah. As f or

our r oad, i t was spl endi d, so f ar as i t went , but some

t wo mi l es wer e st i l l mer el y a f or est t r ack, f r om whi ch

al l t r ees and st umps had been r emoved, but t hat was

86 A NEW HOME FI RST I MPRESSI ONS. [ PAKT i t

al l . The br i dge, t oo, over t he Cl ear For k st r eam, by

whi ch t he t own si t e i s ent er ed, had onl y t he f i r st cr oss -

t i mber s l ai d f r om pi er t o pi er , whi l e t he appr oaches

seemed t o l i e i n hopel ess wel t er i ng conf usi on, di f f i cul t on

hor seback, i mpossi bl e on wheel s. HoWevor , t he manager

decl ar ed t hat we shoul d dr i ve over t he br i dge on Sat ur -

day af t er noon, and t hat t he cont r act or shoul d be out of

t he hot el by Monday mi d- day. Wi t h t hi s we wer e

obl i ged t o be cont ent , t hough i t was r unni ng t hi ngs

f i ne, as we l ooked f or our guest s on t hat Monday af t er -

noon, and t he openi ng was f i xed f or t he next mor ni ng.

However , as t he manager sai d, so i t came t o pass.

Br i dge and r oad wer e decl ar ed passabl e by t he named

t i me, t hough ner vous per sons may wel l have t hought

Page 30 of 67

t wi ce bef or e at t empt i ng t he f or mer i n t he heavy omni -

buses hi r ed f or t he occasi on ; and we wer e abl e t o get

possessi on, and move f ur ni t ur e and cr ocker y i nt o t he

hot el , t hough t he car pent er s st i l l hel d t he unf i ni shed

st ai r casa

So f ar , so good ; but st i l l ever yt hi ng, we f el t , depended

on t he weat her . I f t he gl or i ous days we had been havi ng

hel d, al l woul d be wel L The pr omi se was f ai r up t o

Sunday eveni ng, but at sunset t her e was a change.

Amos Hi l l shook hi s head, and t he geol ogi st ' s aner oi d

bar omet er gave omi nous si gns. They pr oved onl y t oo

cor r ect . Ear l y i n t he ni ght t he r ai n set i n, and by

daybr eak, when we wer e al r eady ast i r , a st eady, sof t ,

sear chi ng r ai n was comi ng down per pendi cul ar l y, whi ch

l ast ed, wi t h scar cel y a br eak, cl ear t hr ough t he day,

and t i l l mi dni ght . Wi t h f eel i ngs of bl ank despai r we

t hought of t he new r oad, sof t ened i nt o a Sl ough of

Despond, and t he hast i l y t hr own- up appr oaches t o t he

br i dge gi vi ng way under t he l aden omni buses, and

CHAP, vm. j THE OPENI NG DAY. 87

wai t ed our f at e. I t was, as usual , bet t er t han we

l ooked f or . The mor ni ng t r ai n f r om Chat anooga woul d

br i ng our sout her n guest s i n t i me f or ear l y di nner , i f

no br eak- down happened; and sur e enough, wi t hi n hal f -

an- hour of t he expect ed t i me, up came t he omni buses,

escor t ed t o t he hot el door by t he manager and hi s son,

on hor seback; and t he Bi shop of Tennessee, wi t h hi s

chapl ai n, t he Mayor of Chat anooga, and a number of

t he l eadi ng ci t i zens of t hat ci t y and of Knoxvi l l e, de-

scended i n t he r ai n. I n f i ve mi nut es we wer e at our

ease and happy. I f t hey had al l been Engl i shmen on

a pl easur e- t r i p, t hey coul d not have t aken t he down-

pour mor e cheer i l y as a mat t er of cour se, and pl easant ,

r at her t han ot her wi se, af t er t he l ong dr ought . They

di ned, chat t ed, and smoked i n t he ver andah, and t hen

t r ot t ed of f i n gum coat s t o l ook r ound at t he wal ks,

gar dens, st r eet s, and bui l di ngs, escor t ed by " t he boys. "

The manager r epor t ed, wi t h pr i de, t hat t hey had come

up i n an hour and a quar t er , and wi t hout any ki nd of

cont r et emps, t hough, no doubt , t he new r oad was deep

i n pl aces.

Al l anxi et y was over f or t he moment , as t he nor t her n

t r ai n, br i ngi ng our Ci nci nnat i and New- Engl and f r i ends,

was ' not due t i l l af t er dar k. We sat down t o t ea i n

det achment s f r om si x t o ei ght , when, i f al l went wel l ,

t he nor t her ner s woul d be about due. The t abl es wer e

cl ear ed, and r el ai d once mor e f or t hem, and ever y pr e-

par at i on made t o gi ve t hem a war m wel come. " Ni ne

st r uck, and st i l l no si gn of t hem ; t hen t en, by whi ch

t i me, i n t hi s ear l y count r y, al l but some f our or f i ve

anxi ous soul s had r et i r ed. We sat r ound t he st ove i n

t he hal l , and l i st ened t o t he war st or i es of t he Mayor

of Chat anooga, and our host of t he Tabar d, who had

88 A NEW HOME FI RST I MPRESSI ONS. [ PART u

Page 31 of 67

ser ved on opposi t e si des i n t he t er r i bl e campai gns i n

t he sout h of t hi s St at e, whi ch had ended at Mi ssi onar y

Ri dge, and f i l l ed t he nat i onal cemet er y of Chat anooga

wi t h 14, 000 gr aves of Uni on sol di er s. But nei t her

t he i nt er est of t he st or i es t hemsel ves, nor t he pl easur e

of seei ng how compl et el y al l bi t t er ness had passed out

of t he nar r at or s' mi nds, coul d keep our t hought s f r om

dwel l i ng on t he pi t ch- dar k r oad, sodden by t hi s t i me

wi t h t he r ai n, and t he mauvai s pas of t he br i dge.

El even st r uck, and now i t became t oo ser i ous f or

anyt hi ng but anxi ous peer i ngs i nt o t he bl ack ni ght , and

consi der at i ons as t o what coul d be done. We had

or der ed l ant er ns, and wer e on t he poi nt of st ar t i ng f or t he

br i dge, when f ai nt sounds, as of men si ngi ng i n chor us

came t hr ough t he dar kness. They gr ew i n vol ume,

and now we coul d hear t he omni buses, f r om whi ch

came a r ol l of " John Br own' s body l i es moul der i ng i n

t he gr ave, " gi ven wi t h a swi ng and pr eci si on whi ch

t ol d of ol d campai gner s. That st i r r i ng mel ody coul d

har dl y have been mor e wel come t o t he f i r st l i ne wai t i ng

f or suppor t s, on some har d- f ought bat t l e- gr ound, t han i t

was t o us. The omni buses dr ew up, a dense cl oud r i si ng

f r om t he dr enched hor ses and mul es, and t he si nger s

got out , st i l l keepi ng up t hei r chor us, whi ch onl y ceased

on t he ver andah, and must have r oused ever y sl eeper

i n t he set t l ement . The Ol d Bay St at e, Ohi o, and Ken-

t ucky had sent us a set of as st al war t good f el l ows as

ever sang a chor us or at e a beef st eak at mi dni ght ; and

whi l e t hey wer e engaged i n t he l at t er oper at i on t hey

t ol d how, f r om t he br eakdown of a f r ei ght - t r ai n on

t he l i ne, t hei r s had been t hr ee hour s l at e; how t he

dar kness had kept t hem t o a f oot ' s- pace ; how t he l ast

omni bus had gi ven out i n t he heavy pl aces, and had t o

CHAP, vi i i . ] THE OPENI NG DAY. 89

be const ant l y hel ped on by a pai r of mul es det ached

f r om one of t he ot her s. " Al l ' s wel l t hat ends wel l , "

and i t was wi t h a j oyf ul sense of r el i ef t hat we pi l ot ed

such of our guest s as t he hot el coul d not hol d acr oss t o

t hei r cot s i n t he bar r acks at one i n t he mor ni ng. By

ni ne, t he gl or i ous sout her n sun had f ai r l y vanqui shed

r ai n and mi st , and t he whol e pl at eau was abl aze wi t h

t he aut umn t i nt s, and ever y l eaf gl eami ng f r om i t s

r ecent shower - bat h. Rugby out di d her sel f , and " l eapt

t o musi c and t o l i ght " i n a way whi ch ast oni shed even

her ol dest and most ent husi ast i c ci t i zens, some hal f -

dozen of whom had had near l y t wel ve mont hs' exper i -

ence of her moods and t emper s. Br eakf ast began at

si x, and ended at ni ne, and f or t hr ee hour s bat ches of

wel l - f ed vi si t or s wer e t ur ned out t o saunt er r ound t he

wal ks, t he Engl i sh gar dens, and l awn- t enni s gr ounds,

unt i l t he hour of el even, f i xed by t he bi shop f or t he

openi ng ser vi ce. The chur ch bei ng as yet onl y some

si x f eet above gr ound, t hi s cer emony was t o be hel d i n

t he ver andah of t he hot el . Meant i me, bi shop and chap-

l ai n wer e busy among " t he boys, " or gani si ng a choi r t o

si ng t he hymns and l ead t he r esponses. The whol e

popul at i on wer e gat her i ng r ound t he hot el , some f our

or f i ve buggi es, and per haps t went y hor ses hal t er ed t o

t he near est t r ees, showed t he i nt er est exci t ed i n t he

Page 32 of 67

nei ghbour hood. I n addi t i on t o t he seat s i n t he ver -

andah, chai r s and benches wer e pl aced on t he gr ound

bel ow f or t he sur pl us congr egat i on, behi nd whom a

f r i nge of whi t e and bl ack nat i ves r egar ded t he pr o-

ceedi ngs wi t h gr ave at t ent i on. Punct ual t o t i me, t he

bi shop and hi s chapl ai n, i n r obes, t ook t hei r pl aces at

t he cor ner of t he ver andah, and gave out t he f i r st ver ses

of t he " Ol d Hundr edt h. " Ther e was a moment ' s pause,

90 A NEW HOME FI RST I MPRESSI ONS. [ PAR* 11

\ vhi l e t he newl y- or gani sed choi r exchanged gl ances as t o

who shoul d l ead of f , and t he pause was f at al t o t hem.

For on t he bi shop' s l ef t st ood t he st al war t New- Eng-

l ander who had l ed t he pi l gr i ms of t he pr evi ous eveni ng

i n t he " John Br own " chor us. He, unawar e of t he

epi scopal ar r angement s, and of t he consequent vest ed

r i ght s of " t he boys, " br oke out wi t h, " Al l peopl e t hat

on ear t h do dwel l , " i n a voi ce whi ch car r i ed t he whol e

assembl y wi t h hi m, and at once r educed " t he boys, " t o

humbl e f ol l ower s. They had t hei r r evenge, however ,

when i t came t o t he second hymn at t he end of t he

ser vi ce. I t was " Jer usal em, t he gol den, " whi ch i s

appar ent l y sung t o a di f f er ent t une i n Bost on t o t hat i n

use i n Engl and ; so, t hough our musi cal guest st r uggl ed

manf ul l y t hr ough t he f i r st l i ne, and had al most di scom-

f i t ed " t he boys" by sheer f or ce of l ungs, number s pr e-

vai l ed, and he was br ought i nt o l i ne.

The ser vi ce was a shor t one, - consi st i ng of t wo psal ms.

" Lor d, who shal l dwel l i n t hy t aber nacl e?" and " Except

t he Lor d bui l d t he house, " t he chapt er of Sol omon' s

pr ayer at t he dedi cat i on of t he Templ e, hal f a dozen of

t he Chur ch col l ect s, and a pr ayer by t he bi shop t hat

t he t own and set t l ement mi ght be bui l t up i n r i ght eous -

ness and t he f ear and l ove of God, and pr ove a bl essi ng

t o t he St at e. Then, af t er t he bl essi ng, t he gat her i ng

r esol ved i t sel f i nt o a publ i c meet i ng af t er Amer i can

f ashi on. The Boar d spoke t hr ough t hei r r epr esent a-

t i ves, and bi shop, j udge, gener al manager , and vi si t or s

exchanged f r i endl y or at or i cal buf f et s, and wi shes and pr o-

pheci es f or t he pr osper i t y of " t he New Jer usal em " i n

t he sout her n hi ghl ands. A mor e genui ne or heal t hi er

act of wor shi p i t has not been our good f or t une t o at t end

i n t hese l at e year s.

CHAP, vi n. ] THE OPENI NG DAY. 91

Di nner began i mmedi at el y af t er war ds, and t hen t he

company scat t er ed agai n, some t o sel ect t own l ot s, some

t o t he best vi ews, t he bi shop t o or gani se a vest r y, and

i nduce t wo of " t he boys " t o become l ay r eader s, pend-

i ng t he ar r i val of a par son ( i n whi ch he was emi nent l y

successf ul ) ; t he chapl ai n t o t he Cl ear For k, wi t h one of

t he boys' f i shi ng- r ods, af t er bl ack' bass; and a mot l ey

cr owd t o t he l awn- t enni s gr ound, t o see some set s pl ayed

whi ch woul d have done no di scr edi t t o Wi mbl edon, and

exci t ed much wonder and some ent husi asm amongst

nat i ves and vi si t or s. A cheer f ul eveni ng f ol l owed, i n

whi ch t he new pi ano i n t he hot el si t t i ng- r oom di d good

Page 33 of 67

ser vi ce, and many war and ot her st or i es wer e t ol d r ound

t he bi g hal l st ove. Ear l y t he next mor ni ng t he omni buses

began car r yi ng of f t he vi si t or s, and by ni ght Rugby had

set t l ed down agai n t o i t s or di nar y l i f e, not , however ,

wi t hout a sense of st r engt h gai ned f or t he wor k of

bui l di ng up a communi t y whi ch shal l know how t o

compor t i t sel f i n good and bad t i mes, and shal l hel p,

i nst ead of hi nder i ng, i t s sons and daught er s i n l eadi ng

a br ave, si mpl e, and Chr i st i an l i f e. 1 am, Si r , et c.

VACUUS VI ATOR.

- PART I I I .

BOARD OF AI D TO LAND OWNERSHI P.

OPENI NG THE TOWN SI TE OF RUGBY,

OCTOBER 5, 1880.

CHAPTEE I .

ADDRESS OF THE PRESI DENT.

I AM anxi ous t o t ake t hi s oppor t uni t y t he f i r st publ i c

one I have had t o r emove an i mpr essi on whi ch

seems t o have got abr oad, t hat t he set t l ement we ar e

pl ant i ng on t hese mount ai ns and openi ng t o- day i s

i nt ended t o be an Engl i sh col ony i n a somewhat ex-

cl usi ve sense. Not hi ng can be f ur t her f r om t he wi shes

and i nt ent i ons of t he f ounder s. I n a sense i t i s an

Engl i sh col ony, no doubt , because at pr esent al l t he

set t l er s ar e Engl i sh ; but we hope t hat t hi s wi l l ver y

soon cease t o be so. Our set t l ement i s open t o al l

who l i ke our pr i nci pl es and our ways, and car e t o come

her e t o make homes f or t hemsel ves : f r eel y, wi t hout

r eser ve or condi t i on of any ki nd whi ch does not bi nd

us Engl i sh al so. Al t hough t he maj or i t y of us t he

member s of t hi s boar d ar e Engl i sh, we have al r eady

amongst us a l ar ge, and I am happy t o say an i ncr eas -

i ng number of Amer i can ci t i zens. Leadi ng men, not

onl y i n Bost on wher e t he ent er pr i se was f i r st under -

CHAP, i . ] OPENI NG ADDEESS. 93

t aken but i n New Yor k, Phi l adel phi a, and Ci nci nnat i

bel ong t o us, and ar e as ear nest and act i ve i n t he wor k

as any of our Engl i sh member s. They ar e as f i r ml y

convi nced as we, t hat t he f ut ur e of our own r ace ; and

i ndeed of t he wor l d, i n whi ch our r ace i s so cl ear l y

dest i ned t o pl ay t he l eadi ng par t ; can never be what i t

shoul d be, unt i l t he most cor di al al l i ance, t he most

i nt i mat e r el at i ons, have been est abl i shed f i r ml y, wi t h-

out any r i sk or possi bi l i t y of di st ur bance or mi sunder -

st andi ng bet ween i t s t wo gr eat br anches. We know

of no way i n whi ch t hi s can be br ought about bet t er

t han by such ef f or t s as t hi s we ar e maki ng, i n whi ch

Engl i shmen and Amer i cans can st and shoul der t o

shoul der , and wor k wi t h one mi nd and one hear t f or

t he same gr eat end. I f we knew of any such bet t er

ways we woul d gl adl y exchange our own f or t hem.

Page 34 of 67

These, t hen, ar e our vi ews, whi ch we have al r eady

endeavour ed t o expr ess on mor e t han one occasi on i n

t hi s St at e. And her e l et me t ake t he oppor t uni t y of

expr essi ng our cor di al t hanks f or , and appr eci at i on of ,

t he mor e t han f r i endl y spi r i t wi t h whi ch we have been

met her e, i n our adopt ed home of East er n Tennessee.

We have been t he guest s al r eady, by speci al i nvi t at i on,

of t he ci t i zens of Chat t anooga and Knoxvi l l e, and have

r ecei ved i nvi t at i ons f r om Memphi s, Nashvi l l e, and

Loui svi l l e, whi ch we gr eat l y r egr et not t o have been abl e

t o accept . I n shor t , we have on al l si des met not onl y

wi t h a l avi sh and t hought f ul hospi t al i t y, but wi t h

assur ances of sympat hy and cor di al under st andi ng and

appr eci at i on, whi ch have gone f ar t o st r engt hen our

pur pose and r emove al l f ear s of f ai l ur e i n t hi s mount ai n

home, wher e we ar e t r yi ng our ' pr ent i ce hands on

pr obl ems whi ch we shal l need al l t he st r engt h and al l

94 BOARD OF AI D TO LAND OWNERSHI P. [ PART i n.

t he wi sdom we can get hol d of t o sol ve sat i sf act or i l y.

And whi l e expr essi ng our t hanks, l et me add my own

conf i dent bel i ef t hat our ki nd nei ghbour s, many of whom

I t r ust ar e her e t o- day, wi l l not f i nd any r eason t o r e-

gr et t he f r ank and gener ous wel come whi ch t hey have

gi ven t o a band of st r anger s.

And now, t ur ni ng t o t he busi ness on hand, l et me

say, at l east f or mysel f , t hat I do not know how any

gr oup of men and women, gat her ed t oget her t o- day i n

any par t of t he wor l d, can be engaged i n a mor e ab-

sor bi ngl y i nt er est i ng, or i ndeed i n a mor e r esponsi bl e,

and I wi l l add sol emn, wor k t han t hat t o whi ch I hope

most of us have now made up our mi nds t o put our

hands ear nest l y, her e, i n t hi s pl ace, at t hi s t i me. For

we ar e about t o open a t own her e i n ot her wor ds, t o

cr eat e a new cent r e of human l i f e, human i nt er est s,

human act i vi t i es i n t hi s st r angel y beaut i f ul sol i t ude ;

a cent r e i n whi ch, as we t r ust , a heal t hy, hopef ul ,

r ever ent , or i n one wor d godl y, l i f e shal l gr ow up f r om

t he f i r st , and shal l spr ead i t sel f , so we hope, over al l

t he ' nei ghbour i ng r egi on of t hese sout her n hi ghl ands.

Now sur el y, j ust t o put t hi s i dea i nt o wor ds ought t o

be enough t o sober t he spi r i t s and br ace up t he ener gi es

of t he l i ght est - hear t ed and st r ongest amongst us. He

t o whom t he wor k does not commend i t sel f i n t hi s l i ght

had bet t er not put hi s hand t o i t at al l i n t hi s pl ace.

We ar e her e, t hen, t o- day i n t hi s year 1880

as pi oneer s ; f ol l owi ng, I hope and bel i eve, as t r ue an

i nst i nct , or I shoul d r at her say as t r ue a cal l , as any

t hat has been l eadi ng our f at her s acr oss t he At l ant i c t o

t hi s l and of pr omi se f or t he l ast quar t er of a mi l l enni um.

Ther e seem t o be as cl ear i ndi cat i ons now, as i n t he

ear l y year s of t he sevent eent h cent ur y, i n t he pol i t i cal

CHAP, i . ] OPENI NG ADDRESS. 95

and soci al condi t i ons of al l t he ol d set t l ed nat i ons

Page 35 of 67

of Chr i st endom and i n none mor e t han our own

Engl and t hat t hi s i s a swar mi ng t i me of t he r ace ; a

t i me of gr eat movement s of popul at i on, whi ch no human

power can check, but whi ch may be ei t l j er l ef t t o wor k

t hemsel ves out by r ul e of t humb, wi t hout i nt el l i gent

di r ect i on and gui dance, or or der ed and di r ect ed f r om

t he f i r st on di st i nct pr i nci pl es. Wel l , t hose who ar e

i nt er est ed i n t hi s ent er pr i se have no doubt as t o whi ch

of t hese al t er nat i ves i s t o be pr ef er r ed. We ar e t o do

our best t o or gani se our i nf ant communi t y on such

l i nes and pr i nci pl es as our own exper i ence and obser v-

at i on, and t he st udy of t he ef f or t s of t hose who have

gone bef or e us, seem t o poi nt out as t he r i ght and t r ue

ones.

Wel l , t hen, how ar e we t o set about t hi s gr eat

wor k ? What i s t o be our st ar t i ng- poi nt ? What t he

i dea whi ch we ar e t o t r y t o r eal i se ? Thi s i s our f i r st

need. We must spar e no pai ns t o cl ear our mi nds on

t hi s poi nt . Unl ess we do so, we shal l get no coher -

ence and consi st ency i n our l at er ef f or t s. We shal l be

pul l i ng di f f er ent ways, and bui l di ng up a Babel and

not a communi t y, whi ch sooner or l at er wi l l shar e t he

f at e of al l Babel s, whi ch t he Lor d wi l l come down and

scat t er abr oad. I n t hi s sear ch, t hen, l et us see whet her

t he wor d I have al r eady used wi l l not gi ve us our cl ue.

We want t o est abl i sh a communi t y. What does t hat

i mpl y ? Thi s much, at any r at e, t hat we shoul d al l

have somet hi ng i n common ; t hat we shoul d r ecogni se

some bond whi ch bi nds us al l t oget her , and endeavour ,

each and al l of us, t o keep t hi s i n vi ew, t o st r engt hen i t

i n al l ways. But what bond what i s i t t o be t hat t hose

who come t o l i ve her e ar e t o have i n common? Thi s

96 BOARD " OF AI D TO LAND OWNERSHI P. [ PART i n.

wor d communi t y has gai ned an unenvi abl e char act er i n

our day. We can scar cel y t hi nk of a communi t y

wi t hout comi ng upon t he t r aces of t hose who have kept

and ar e keepi ng t he Ol d Wor l d i n a st at e of danger ous

di st r ust and al ar m, and even i n t he New Wor l d have

gi ven some omi nous si gns of si ni st er l i f e. Cer t ai nl y

we can al l agr ee at once t hat we have no sympat hy

what ever wi t h t he st at e communi sm of Eur ope, r epr e-

sent ed by Lasal l e and Kar l Mar x, and on t hi s cont i nent

by ver y i nf er i or , and even mor e vi ol ent and anar chi c,

per sons. We have no vi si on what ever t o r eal i se of a

pat er nal st at e, t he owner of al l pr oper t y, f i ndi ng easy

empl oyment and l i ber al mai nt enance f or al l ci t i zens,

r eser vi ng al l pr of i t s f or t he communi t y, and payi ng no

di vi dends t o i ndi vi dual s. Agai n, whi l e r espect i ng t he

mot i ves and l i ves of many of t hose who have f ounded

or ar e car r yi ng on communi st i c exper i ment s her e and

i n Eur ope, we have no desi r e or i nt ent i on t o f ol l ow i n

t hei r st eps. We ar e cont ent wi t h t he l aws r el at i ng t o

pr i vat e pr oper t y and f ami l y l i f e as we f i nd t hem, f eel -

i ng qui t e abl e t o modi f y t hem f or our sel ves i n cer t ai n

di r ect i ons as our cor por at e consci ence r i pens, and be-

comes i mpat i ent of some of t he evi l s whi ch have

r esul t ed f r om t hat over st r ai ned desi r e of possessi on and

wor shi p of possessi ons whi ch mar ks our day. But i t

i s t i me t o l eave negat i on and t o get upon posi t i ve

Page 36 of 67

gr ound. As a communi t y, we must have somet hi ng i n

common. What i s i t t o be, and how ar e we goi ng t o

t r eat i t ?

Wel l , i n t he f i r st pl ace, t her e i s t hi s l ovel y cor ner

of God' s ear t h whi ch has been i nt r ust ed t o us. What ,

as a communi t y, i s our f i r st dut y wi t h r egar d t o i t ?

Ther e can be no hesi t at i on about t he answer . I t i s, t o

CHAP, i . ] OPENI NG ADDRESS. 97

t r eat i t l ovi ngl y and r ever ent l y. We can add l i t t l e,

per haps, t o i t s nat ur al beaut y, but at l east we can be

car ef ul t o spoi l i t as l i t t l e as possi bl e. We may t ake

car e t hat our chi l dr en, or whoever our successor s may

be her e, shal l not have cause t o say " See what a

gl or i ous chance t hose ol d f el l ows had when t hey came

her e i n 1880, and how t hey t hr ew i t away! Thi s

t own mi ght have been t he most beaut i f ul on t hi s con-

t i nent , and l ook what t hey made of i t ! "

How, t hen, ar e we goi ng t o t r eat our si t e, so t hat

t hi s r epr oach may never f ol l ow our memor i es ? Fi r st

as t o t he l ayi ng out of our t own her e. We must do

t hi s wi t h a vi ew t o t he common good, and wi t h car e

t hat nei t her conveni ence nor beaut y i s negl ect ed. And

as t he gui di ng r ul e we may st ar t wi t h t hi s, t hat t her e

shal l be ampl e pr ovi si on f or al l publ i c want s f r om t he

f i r st . We have her e t wo beaut i f ul st r eams whi ch wi l l

be a del i ght f or ever t o t hose who dwel l her e, i f t hey

ar e l ef t f r ee f or t he use and enj oyment of al L Ther e-

f or e, i n l ayi ng out t he t own we have r eser ved a st r i p of

var i ous wi dt hs al ong t he banks, whi ch wi l l r emai n

common pr oper t y, and al ong whi ch we hope t o see

wal ks and r i des car ef ul l y l ai d out , and kept i n or der

by t he muni ci pal aut hor i t i es. We have al r eady i n a

r ough way, made a begi nni ng by car r yi ng a r i de

al ong t he banks of t he Cl ear For k and Whi t e Oak

St r eams. Then t her e must be r eser vat i ons f or par ks,

gar dens, and r ecr eat i on gr ounds. I n t he pr esent

pl ans, pr ovi si on has been made f or t hese pur poses.

Ther e i s Beacon Hi l l , t he hi ghest poi nt , f r om whi ch

t her e i s a vi ew of t he whol e sur r oundi ng count r y such

as f ew t owns i n t he ol d or new wor l d can boast .

Thi s al so wi l l be common pr oper t y, and t he Engl i sh

H

98 BOARD OF AI D TO LAND OWNERSHI P. [ PART m.

gar dens, l awn t enni s, and cr i cket gr ound, whenever t he

muni ci pal i t y ar e abl e t o t ake t hem of f t he hands of t he

Boar d. What , i f anyt hi ng mor e i s r equi r ed, I hope we

may consi der and det er mi ne at once, and I can assur e

you t hat t he Boar d i s anxi ous t o consul t wi t h, and

meet t he wi shes of , t hose who pr opose t o make homes

her e. Our wi sh i s t o pr eser ve t he nat ur al beaut i es of

t hi s pl ace f or t he peopl e who l i ve and vi si t her e, and

make t hem a const ant means of educat i ng t he eye

and mi nd. Wi t h t hi s exampl e and i deal bef or e t hei r

Page 37 of 67

eyes, we may hope t hat t he l ot s whi ch pass i nt o t he

hands of pr i vat e owner s wi l l al so be handl ed wi t h an

eye t o t he common good. Pr i vat e pr oper t y must be,

of cour se, f enced i n, but t he f ences may sur el y be made

wi t h some r egar d t o ot her s t han t he owner s. I t i s

hoped t hat t he i mper vi ous wal l s and f ences, so common

i n Engl and, may be avoi ded, and t hat , i n deal i ng wi t h

l awns and t r ees, we may each of us bear hi s par t i n

pr oduci ng a beaut i f ul pi ct ur e.

Next comes t he quest i on of bui l di ngs, and her e we

must bear i n mi nd t hat t hese ar e, i n f act , or shoul d

be, t he expr essi on i n t i mber , br i ck, and st one, of t he

t hought of men and women as t o t he ext er nal con-

di t i ons under whi ch f ol k shoul d l i ve. Consi der f or a

moment t he di f f er ent i mpr essi ons i n t hi s mat t er whi ch

t he vi si t or car r i es away f r om t he st r eet s of Chest er , or

Wel l s, or Sal i sbur y, and f r om t hose of a t own i n our

manuf act ur i ng di st r i ct s. Now we hope t hat f r om t he

f i r st vi si t or s wi l l car r y away f r om t hi s pl ace t he f eel -

i ng t hat we her e have under st ood somet hi ng of what

homes shoul d be. Of cour se we must act pr udent l y and

cut our coat s accor di ng t o our cl ot h. We have no

money t o spar e f or super f l uous decor at i on, and our

CHAP. i . j OPENI NG ADDRESS. 99

f i r st bui l di ngs, bot h publ i c and pr i vat e, must be si mpl e

and even r ough i n mat er i al s and const r uct i on. But

t her e i s no r eason what ever why t hey shoul d not , at

t he same t i me, be si ght l y and good i n f or m and pr o-

por t i on. And at t hi s I hope we shal l al l ai m.

We shal l t r y t o set you a good exampl e i n t he

publ i c bui l di ngs. These wi l l * consi st , i n t he f i r st

i nst ance, of a chur ch and school house, and t hen of a

cour t - house and t own- hal l , whi ch wi l l be bui l t as soon

as we can see our way t o doi ng so pr udent l y, and can

make ar r angement s wi t h t he Gover nment of t he St at e

f or our est abl i shment as a count y t own. We shal l al so

pr omot e, so f ar as we can, good habi t s i n t hi s mat t er

of bui l di ng, by pr ovi di ng pl ans and model s of houses

of di f f er ent si zes, such as we t hi nk wi l l sui t t he si t e,

and do us cr edi t as a communi t y. Of cour se ever y

man wi l l bui l d hi s house accor di ng t o hi s own f ancy,

and use i t f or what ever pur pose he pl eases, except f or

t he sal e of i nt oxi cat i ng l i quor s, whi ch wi l l be st r i ct l y

pr ohi bi t ed ; but i f , as a communi t y, we can gui de hi s

f ancy i n cer t ai n di r ect i ons, we shal l be gl ad, and con-

si der t hat we have done good ser vi ce.

So f ar , t hen, I hope, we have t r avel l ed t he same

r oad wi t hout di sagr eement . We shal l be al l of one

mi nd, I t hi nk, as t o t he pr eser vat i on of al l nat ur al

beaut y her e i n t he t r eat ment of gr ounds and bui l di ngs ;

and t he sense of a common i nt er est and l i f e whi ch an

ampl e pr ovi si on of publ i c bui l di ngs and gr ounds wi l l

secur e t o our communi t y.

Shal l I car r y you wi t h me i n t he next st ep ?

Hi t her t o we have been concer ned onl y i n t he f i r st and

most necessar y wor k of housi ng our sel ves, but now, we

Page 38 of 67

have t o ask whet her , af t er we ar e housed, and l i vi ng i n

100 BOAED OF AI D TO LAND OWNERSHI P. [ PABT i n,

our houses, t he i dea of a common l i f e and common

i nt er est s must cease, and t he i sol at ed st r uggl e f or

exi st ence, i n whi ch ever y man' s hand wi l l be f or hi m-

sel f and agai nst hi s nei ghbour , must begi n. The sur -

vi val of t he f i t t est i s r ecogni sed as a nat ur al l aw, whi ch

means t hat men wi l l al ways l i ve upon, and not f or ,

one anot her . Ar e we pr epar ed t o accept i t uncon-

di t i onal l y, or t o t r y how f ar i t can be modi f i ed by r eason

and agr eement ? I , mysel f , have no doubt t hat i t can

and ought t o be so modi f i ed, and t hat we have a good

oppor t uni t y her e f or maki ng t he at t empt . And t her e

i s, f or t unat el y, no quest i on as t o t he di r ect i on whi ch

t hat ef f or t shoul d t ake i n t he f i r st i nst ance.

We have al l of us a number of i mper at i ve want s

whi ch must be pr ovi ded f or and sat i sf i ed day by day.

We want f ood, cl ot hes, f ur ni t ur e, and a gr eat var i et y

of t hi ngs besi des, whi ch our nur t ur e and cul t ur e have

made al l but essent i al t o us. These must al l be

pr ovi ded her e, ei t her by each of us f or hi msel f , or by

some common machi ner y. Wel l , we bel i eve t hat i t

can be done best by a common machi ner y, i n whi ch

we shoul d l i ke t o see ever y one t ake a hand. We

have a " commi ssar y" al r eady est abl i shed, and have

used t hat wor d r at her t han " st or e " t o i ndi cat e OUT

own wi shes and i nt ent i ons, as a " commi ssar y " i s espe-

ci al l y a publ i c i nst i t ut i on. Our wi sh i s t o make t i n' s

commi ssar y a cent r e of suppl y, and. t hat ever y set t l er ,

or , at any r at e, ever y househol der her e, shoul d become

a member and par t owner of i t . The machi ner y by

whi ch t hi s can be done i s per f ect l y f ami l i ar i n Engl and.

I f i t i s adopt ed, t he cost pr i ce of est abl i shi ng t he pr e-

sent commi ssar y, as i t st ands, wi l l be di vi ded i nt o

smal l shar es of f i ve dol l ar s each, so t hat t he poor est

CHAP, i . ] OPENI NG ADDRESS. 101

set t l er may not be i nconveni enced by t he out l ay f or

member shi p. Ever y one wi l l get what ever pr of i t s ar e

made on hi s own consumpt i on, ad t he busi ness wi l l be

di r ect ed and super i nt ended by a boar d or counci l

chosen by t he member s t hemsel ves. I n t hi s way

agai n we shal l have a common i nt er est and common

pr oper t y, and i n t he suppl yi ng of our own dai l y want s

shal l f eel t hat i f one member suf f er s, al l suf f er ; i f one

r ej oi ces, al l r ej oi ce. I n t hi s way, t oo, i f we pl ease, we

may be r i d once f or al l of t he evi l s whi ch have t ur ned

r et ai l t r ade i nt o a keen and anxi ous and, gener al l y, a

di shonest scr ambl e i n ol der communi t i es : r i d of adul -

t er at i on, of f al se pr et ences, of i ndebt edness, of bank -

r upt cy. Tr ade has been a pot ent ci vi l i ser of manki nd,

but onl y so f ar and so l ong as i t has been kept i n i t s

pl ace as a ser vant . As a mast er and an i dol , i t has

pr oved a dest r oyer i n t he past , l i ke al l ot her i dol at r i es,

and i s pr ovi ng i t sel f so i n t he pr esent i n many pl aces

we know of . Let us, as a communi t y, t ake hol d of i t

Page 39 of 67

and mast er i t her e f r om t he f i r st , and never r el ease our

gr asp and cont r ol of i t .

Ther e i s anot her di r ect i on i n whi ch l i ke common

act i on may be t aken at once. The company wi l l f or

many year s own l ar ge t r act s of l and r ound t he t own

si t e whi ch ar e wel l adapt ed t o r ai si ng and past ur i ng

cat t l e. We i nt end t o est abl i sh t hi s i ndust r y her e at

once, and desi r e t o do so on t he same l i nes as t hose

al r eady i ndi cat ed wi t h r espect t o t he commi ssar y.

When i t has been set t l ed, t her ef or e, what amount of

capi t al wi l l be r equi r ed t o make t he exper i ment on

t he most f avour abl e condi t i ons, set t l er s wi l l be i nvi t ed

t o subscr i be i n smal l shar es f or such por t i on as t hey

pl ease, and t he bal ance wi l l be t aken by t he company.

102 BOARD OF AI D TO LAND OWNERSHI P. [ PAET HI ,

The common her d wi l l be managed by a commi t t ee

el ect ed by t he shar ehol der s. I t i s pr obabl e t hat con-

si der abl e di f f i cul t y maj f coccur i n managi ng a l ar ge her d

i n t hi s count r y, but t he exper i ment can be made

gr adual l y and at once, and t he Boar d ar e r eady t o gi ve

al l t he hel p i n t hei r power .

As t i me goes on, many ot her openi ngs of a l i ke ki nd

may occur , but t hese wi l l , f or t he pr esent , be suf f i ci ent

t o est abl i sh and keep al i ve t he cor por at e f eel i ng, whi ch

i s t he mai n st r engt h of al l heal t hy communi t i es.

I f any of you shoul d doubt whet her such ar r ange-

ment s as t hese wi l l not i nt er f er e wi t h, and dwar f , t he

ener gy and ent er pr i se of an i nf ant communi t y, and keep

f r om i t t he abl est and most vi gor ous ki nd of men, I

woul d submi t t hat t her e wi l l be f ul l scope f or al l ener gy

i n ot her di r ect i ons. No doubt t her e i s a heal t hy and

wor t hy r i val r y wl i i ch shoul d exi st i n ever y communi t y ;

but sur el y t hi s may wel l be sat i sf i ed i n t he devel op-

ment of t he number l ess pr oduct i ve i ndust r i es f or whi ch

t hi s r egi on of f er s so wi de a f i el d. Who shal l gr ow

t he best cor n, t obacco, f r ui t ; who shal l r ai se t he best

st ock on t hei r own f ar ms ; pr oduce t he best ar t i cl es,

be t hey what t hey may ; wr i t e t he best books or

ar t i cl es ; t each best , gover n best ; i n a wor d, l i ve most

nobl y, sur el y her e may wel l be scope enough f or al l

ener gy, wi t hout t he r i val r y of shop- keepi ng, and t he

t r i cks of t r ade, t he adul t er at i on, puf f i ng and f ever i sh

meannesses whi ch f ol l ow t oo sur el y i n i t s t r ai n.

I must t ake you yet one st ep hi gher , and t hen I

have done. Hi t her t o, we have been deal i ng wi t h t he

out si de onl y of our l i ves her e, and quest i oni ng how f ar

t he i dea of a communi t y can be heal t hi l y r eal i sed i n

r el at i on t o t hese vi si bl e mat er i al t hi ngs whi ch we can

CHAP, i . ] OPENI NG ADDRESS. 103

see and t ast e and handl e. But we al l know, and

conf ess t o our sel ves, i f not t o ot her s, t hat no success

i n deal i ng wi t h or handl i ng t hese can sat i sf y us as

Page 40 of 67

men or at any r at e ought t o sat i sf y us t hat we ar e

one and al l i n cont act wi t h and l i vi ng i n a wor l d i n

whi ch we. have t o do wi t h ot her t hi ngs t han t hose

whi ch r ust and mot h can cor r upt . But her e at once,

i t may be ur ged, we ar e f i ght i ng agai nst t he Zei t Gei st

t he spi r i t of our t i me nowher e so st r ong and so

deci ded as her e i n Amer i ca i f we make any ef f or t t o

deal as a communi t y wi t h t he i nvi si bl e. Her e, at any

r at e, we may be t ol d, exper i ence speaks emphat i cal l y

t hat men must be l ef t f r ee t o f ol l ow t he gui di ngs of

t hei r own consci ences. You may possi bl y succeed, we

may be t ol d, i n suppl yi ng t he mat er i al want s of al l

by one cent r al or gani sat i on st ar t ed at once, but t he

spi r i t ual want s you wi l l l eave, i f you ar e wi se, t o f i nd

t hei r own sat i sf act i on, and t o devel op i n such di r ect i ons

and by such met hods as chance may det er mi ne.

Now l et me say at once, and wi t h emphasi s, t hat

t her e wi l l be no at t empt her e t o i nt er f er e wi t h i ndi -

vi dual f r eedom. Ever y one wi l l be f r ee t o wor shi p i n

hi s own way, and t o pr ovi de f or what ever r el i gi ous

mi ni st r at i ons he r equi r es, out of hi s own f unds, and

accor di ng t o hi s own i deas. But , t hi s bei ng gr ant ed,

i s t her e not st i l l somet hi ng whi ch we may pr of i t abl y

at t empt as a communi t y ? We t hi nk t her e i s, and

have accor di ngl y appr opr i at ed cer t ai n l ot s as a means

of suppor t i ng publ i c wor shi p and r el i gi ous mi ni st r a-

t i ons her e.

We ar e put t i ng up a t empor ar y bui l di ng as a

chur ch, i n whi ch t he exper i ment wi l l be t r i ed whet her

t he member s of di f f er ent Chr i st i an denomi nat i ons can

104 BOARD OF AI D TO LAND OWNERSHI P. [ PARJ m

not agr ee wel l enough t o use one bui l di ng f or t hei r

sever al act s of wor shi p. I n i t , I t r ust , t her e wi l l

al ways be hear d t he Common Pr ayer of t hat Li t ur gy,

whi ch bot h i n Engl and and Amer i ca has pr oved i t sel f

t he best expr essi on t hr ough many gener at i ons of t he

j oys, hopes, and aspi r at i ons of a l ar ge por t i on of t hose

who speak our l anguage, and has r i sen f r om i nnumer -

abl e gat her i ngs al l r ound t he gl obe l aden wi t h conf es -

si ons of our shor t comi ngs, and appeal s f or gui dance

and st r engt h i n t he mi ght y wor k whi ch has been l ai d

upon our r ace.

I am, per sonal l y, not wi t hout hope t hat t he meani ng,

and beaut y, and val ue of common pr ayer s wi l l commend

t hemsel ves t o our communi t y, and t hat al l our ci t i zens

may l ear n t o f eel t hei r pat hos and t hei r gr andeur , and

t o use t hem wi t h comf or t and pr of i t , t hough t hey may

not be member s of t he Nat i onal Chur ch of Engl and, or

of t he Epi scopal Chur ch of t hi s count r y. But , as t her e

wi l l undoubt edl y be al so a desi r e f or ot her f or ms of

wor shi p i n whi ch mor e di r ect expr essi on can be gi ven

( i n t he opi ni on of t he wor shi pper s) t o t he f l eet i ng as

wel l as t he per manent hopes and f ear s of er r i ng, and

r ej oi ci ng, and peni t ent , men and women, we shal l be

gl ad i f t hey wi l l use t he same bui l di ng wi t h us, as a

pl edge of Chr i st i an br ot her hood and an acknowl edg-

ment t hat , however f ar apar t our cour ses may seem t o

Page 41 of 67

l i e, we st eer by one compass and seek one por t .

I t ake i t t hat some at l east amongst you may have

det ect ed a not ewor t hy gap i n what I have been sayi ng

i n t hi s openi ng addr ess. The pr ospect uses and pam-

phl et s of t he numer ous cor por at i ons and i ndi vi dual s

who ar e j ust now engaged i n t hi s wor k of set t l i ng and

devel oui ng t he unoccupi ed l ands on t hi s gl or i ous con-

CHAP, i . ] OPENI NG ADDRESS. 105

t i nent ar e f ul l of f i gur es and st at ement s showi ng t he

r api di t y wi t h whi ch enor mous gai n wi l l be made i n t he

sever al r egi ons t o whi ch t hey desi r e t o at t r act set t l er s.

Thi s bei ng so, you may f ai r l y ask, what have I , st andi ng

her e as t he r epr esent at i ve of t he f ounder s of t hi s

set t l ement , t o say upon t hi s subj ect ?

I answer t hem br oadl y and f r ankl y : we have not hi ng

t o say. We bel i eve t hat our l ands have been wel l

bought , and t hat t hose who set t l e her e and buy f r om

us wi l l get good val ue f or t hei r money, and wi l l f i nd i t

as^ easy as i t i s at al l wel l t hat i t shoul d be t o make a

l i vi ng her e. Beyond t hi s we ar e not car ef ul t o t r avel .

Whet her t he l ands wi l l doubl e or quadr upl e i n val ue

bef or e you have f ai r l y l ear ned how t o l i ve on t hem ;

whet her you wi l l make f i ve, or t went y, or one hundr ed,

per cent on your i nvest ment s, we of f er no opi ni on.

You can j udge f or your sel ves of t he chances, i f t hese

ar e your mai n ai ms. Speaki ng f or mysel f ~however , I

must say t hat I l ook wi t h di st r ust r at her t han wi t h

hope on ver y r api d pecuni ar y r et ur ns. I am ol d-

f ashi oned enough t o pr ef er sl ow and st eady gr owt h. I

l i ke t o gi ve t he cr eam pl ent y of t i me t o r i se bef or e you

ski m i t .

The wi se men wai t ; i t i s t he f ool i sh hast e, r

And, er e t he scenes ar e i n t he sl i des woul d pl ay,

And whi l e t he i nst r ument s ar e t uni ng, dance.

So f ar as I have been abl e t o j udge, t hese new set t l e-

ment s ar e bei ng, as a r ul e, dwar f ed and demor al i sed by

hur r yi ng f or war d i n t he pur sui t of gai n, al l owi ng t hi s

t o become t he absor bi ng pr opensi t y of each i nf ant com-

muni t y. Then f ol l ows, as sur el y as ni ght f ol l ows day,

t hat f ever i sh act i vi t y of mer cant i l e specul at i on whi ch i s

106 BOAKD OF AI D TO LAND OWNERSHI P. [ PART HI .

t he gr eat danger and, t o my mi nd, t he gr eat di sgr ace of

our t i me. I f i t must come i t must , but , so f ar as we

ar e concer ned, i t shal l get no hel p or f ur t her ance her e.

On t he ot her hand, al l t hat hel ps t o make heal t hy,

br ave, modest , and t r ue men and women wi l l get f r om

us al l t he cor di al sympat hy and hel p we ar e abl e t o

gi ve. I n one wor d, our ai m and hope ar e t o pl ant on

t hese hi ghl ands a communi t y of gent l emen and l adi es ;

Page 42 of 67

not t hat ar t i f i ci al cl ass whi ch goes by t hose gr and

names, bot h i n Eur ope and her e, t he j oi nt pr oduct of

f eudal i sm and weal t h, but a soci et y i n whi ch t he hun^ -

bl est member s, who l i ve ( as we hope most i f not al l of

t hem wi l l t o some ext ent ) by t he l abour of t hei r own

hands, wi l l be of such st r ai n and cul t ur e t hat t hey wi l l

be abl e t o meet pr i nces i n t he gat e, wi t hout embar r ass -

ment and wi t hout sel f - asser t i on, shoul d any such st r ange

per sons ever pr esent t hemsel ves bef or e t he gat e t ower

of Rugby i n t he New Wor l d

CHAPTER H.

LATEST VI EWS.

( Repr i nt ed f r om Febr uar y Number of Macmi l l an' s Magazi ne. )

So many per sons have shown a desi r e t o know mor e

of t hi s ent er pr i se t han can be gat her ed f r om t he

or i gi nal pr ospect us, or t he pamphl et s whi ch have

f ol l owed i t , t hat i t may be wel l t o gi ve her e some

f ur t her account of what has been done hi t her t o, and

what i s cont empl at ed.

Fi r st , as t o t he cl ass of per sons who may be advi sed

t o go t o Rugby, Tennessee, wi t h a vi ew t o set t l ement

t her e. Ever y one not of i ndependent means i nt endi ng .

t o make t he exper i ment shoul d ask hi msel f ser i ousl y

t he quest i on, " Am I pr epar ed f or some year s, dur i ng

t he wor ki ng hour s of t he day, t o l i ve t he l i f e of a

peasant ? or , i n ot her wor ds, t o ear n my l i vi ng out of

t he soi l by my own l abour ? " Unl ess he can answer ,

and answer conf i dent l y, i n t he af f i r mat i ve, he had

bet t er not go. I f he can, he may go saf el y, as he wi l l

f i nd t her e as gr eat var i et y of occupat i ons . t o choose

f r om as i n any par t of t he Uni t ed St at es, or our

col oni es. Soi l , cl i mat e, si t uat i on, al l poi nt t o a var i ed

i ndust r y. The set t l er may r ai se sheep, cat t l e, or hogs ;

he may gr ow any ki nd of f r ui t or veget abl es, or

( shoul d he pr ef er t o f ol l ow t he l ead of t he f ew nat i ve

108 BOARD OF AI D TO LAND OWNERSHI P. [ PART i n.

f ar mer s of t he di st r i ct ) cor n, mai ze, and ot her cer eal s ;

he may devot e hi msel f t o t he cul t ur e of poul t r y, or

bees ; he may t ake t o l umber i ng, and hel p t o suppl y

t he saw- mi l l s wi t h l ogs, or t he mer chant s wi t h st aves

f or casks. One or mor e of t hese i ndust r i es he wi l l

have t o l ear n t o l i ve by, unl ess i ndeed he chances t o

be a good mechani c. For car pent er s, masons, and

br i ckmaker s, who know t hei r busi ness, t her e i s a good

openi ng at good wages ; but t hese ar e i n demand

ever ywher e i n new count r i es.

I have sai d t hat t he set t l er wi l l have t o l ead a

peasant ' s l i f e dur i ng wor ki ng hour s ; and i t i s t hi s

l i mi t at i on, " dur i ng wor ki ng hour s, " whi ch f or ms one

of t he chi ef at t r act i ons of t he set t l ement . For at

ot her t i mes, when hi s wor k i s done, he wi l l f i nd

hi msel f i n a cul t i vat ed soci et y, wi t hi n easy r each of al l

t he r eal essent i al s of ci vi l i sat i on, begi nni ng wi t h a

Page 43 of 67

good l i br ar y. I n shor t , whoever i s r eady " t o put

hi msel f i nt o pr i mar y r el at i ons wi t h t he soi l and nat ur e,

and t o t ake hi s par t br avel y wi t h hi s own hands i n.

t he manual l abour of t hi s wor l d " ( as Mr . Emer son,

put s i t i n hi s counsel s t o young Amer i cans, i n Man t he

Ref or mer } , wi l l f i nd her e as f avour abl e condi t i ons f or

hi s ver y sensi bl e exper i ment as he i s l i kel y t o get i n

any par t of t he wor l d.

Assumi ng t hen our young Engl i shman r eady t o

accept t hese condi t i ons, and t o st ar t i n l i f e, r esol ut e t o

pr ove t hat he can make hi s t wo hands keep hi s head,

and need be under obl i gat i ons t o no one f or a meal or

a r oof , how i s he t o get t o t he scene of hi s exper i ment ,

and what shoul d he t ake wi t h hi m i n t he shape of

out f i t ?

Fi r st , as t o out f i t . The l ess of i t he t akes t he

CHAP, i i . ] LATEST VI EWS. 109

bet t er . One of t he f i r st and most val uabl e l essons

whi ch hi s new l i f e wi l l t each hi m i s, t hat ni ne- t ent hs

of what he has been used t o consi der t he necessar i es

of l i f e ar e onl y l umber . A good chest , or even a bi g

l eat her bag, ought t o hol d al l hi s wor l dl y goods f or t he

t i me bei ng. Two or t hr ee st out sui t s of cl ot hes, and

sever al pai r s of st r ong boot s and gai t er s, wi t h f l annel

shi r t s, and a good suppl y of under cl ot hi ng ( i ncl udi ng

a l eat her wai st coat f or t he f ew bi t t er l y col d wi nt er days)

and socks, wi l l be ampl e. Sl op cl ot hes of al l ki nds he

can get i n Amer i ca as cheap as at home, and not much

wor se; but t hey won' t wear , especi al l y t he boot s. These

l at t er , I t ake i t , i t wi l l al ways answer hi s pur pose t o

get f r om Engl and, payi ng t he ver y heavy dut y.

I f he i s a spor t sman he may t ake hi s shot gun and

r i f l e, but t hese must not be new, or t hey wi l l be l i abl e

t o dut y. I f he has none of hi s own, he had bet t er

buy i n t he Uni t ed St at es, wher e al l ki nds of spor t i ng

weapons ar e ver y good, and cheaper t han t he Engl i sh

woul d be af t er payment of dut y. For a r evol ver he

wi l l have no mor e occasi on t han i n Engl and. I n t hi s

par t of Tennessee t hey ar e onl y si l l y and somewhat

danger ous t oys ; and I am gl ad t o say t hat t he magi s -

t r at es of t hi s, and al l t he nei ghbour i ng count i es, ar e

f i ni ng sever el y when cases of wear i ng ar ms ar e br ought

bef or e t hem.

As t o a f i shi ng- r od and t ackl e, I am doubt f ul what

t o advi se. Ther e ar e t wo most t empt i ng- l ooki ng

st r eams, wi t h pool s and st i ckl es whi ch vi vi dl y exci t e

one' s pi scat or i al ner ves at f i r st si ght , and gi ve r eason-

abl e hope t hat monst er s of t he deep must haunt t her e.

But f ur t her acquai nt ance di spel s t he pl easant i l l usi on.

What ever t he cause may be pr obabl y because t her e

110 BOARD OF AI D TO LAND OWNERSHI P. [ PART i n.

has never been, a cl ose - t i me i n t hese st r eams si nce

Page 44 of 67

t he cr eat i on, and t he nat i ves ar e wast ef ul as wel l

as ver y keen spor t smen a bass of t hr ee or f our i nches

l ong i s t he bi ggest f i sh t o be hear d of .

That some sensi bl e under st andi ng wi l l soon be

est abl i shed as t o t he f i shi ng t her e i s much r eason t o

hope ; but , as i t wi l l t ake some year s i n any case

bef or e i t can be wor t h whi l e t o t hr ow a l i ne t her e,

t he young set t l er had bet t er per haps l eave hi s angl i ng

gear at home.

And t he same may be sai d f or t ool chest s, and

i mpl ement s of al l ki nds. I f a youngst er has a f avour i t e

set whi ch he has been usi ng i n t hose excel l ent wor k-

shops whi ch some of our publ i c school s have at l ast

est abl i shed, sent i ment may be al l owed t o car r y t he

day, and he may f i nd i t wor t h whi l e t o t ake hi s pr oved

t ool s wi t h hi m. Ot her wi se, he wi l l avoi d much

t r oubl e and annoyance at t he cust om- house by goi ng

wi t hout , and wi l l get t he ar t i cl es when he want s t hem

qui t e as good and not much dear er , at Ci nci nnat i .

Hi s chest or bag wi l l of cour se f i nd a cor ner f or

some phot ogr aphs and ot her home memor i al s, and

possi bl y f or a f avour i t e book or t wo. But of t hese

l at t er he may be savi ng, as he wi l l f i nd a good f r ee

l i br ar y al r eady on t he spot .

The gr eat t hi ng i s t o r emember i n al l hi s pr epar a-

t i ons t hat he i s goi ng t o t r y an exper i ment , whi ch

may not succeed. I f i t shoul d, he can easi l y r un home

i n a year or t wo f or hi s " l ar es and penat es. " I f not ,

i t wi l l be ver y much bet t er f or hi m not t o have t o

br i ng t hem away. Thi s woul d l ook l i ke def eat , whi l e

no such i nf er ence coul d f ai r l y be dr awn f r om t he

packi ng up of one box, and t he di st r i but i on amongst

CHAP, i i . ] LATEST VI EWS. I l l

t hose whom he l eaves behi nd hi m i n t he set t l ement of

what ever wi l l not f i t i nt o i t .

But he must have some money al so ? Yes, but

ver y l i t t l e wi l l ser ve hi s t ur n ; i n f act I had al most

sai d t he l ess t he bet t er . I f he i s at al l i n ear nest

about what he i s doi ng, a week or t wo wi l l be enough

t o t ur n r ound i n, see t he pl ace and t he nei ghbour hood,

set t l e what he i s best f i t t ed f or , and make ar r ange-

ment s t o begi n wor ki ng at t hat par t i cul ar busi ness.

I f f or t hat week he even t akes a r oom at t he hot el ,

and l i ves t her e t he most cost l y cour se open t o hi m

i t wi l l onl y cost hi m some 2. For a much smal l er

sum he can be put up at one of t he boar di ng- houses.

At t he end of t hat t i me he ought t o be abl e at l east

t o ear n enough t o keep hi msel f . 1 He wi l l , i f he i s

wi se, at once become a shar ehol der i n t he t own com-

mi ssar y ( or suppl y associ at i on) , whi ch wi l l cost hi m

$5 or 1 ; and he may al so l i ke t o j oi n t he cl ub

( whi ch cont r ol s t he l awn - t enni s gr ound and t he

musi cal gat her i ngs, and ot her wi se cat er s f or t he soci al

l i f e of t he set t l ement ) , and t o suppor t t he vest r y or t he

choi r . But we may t ake 5 as t he maxi mum sum

Page 45 of 67

whi ch i t wi l l need t o make hi m f r ee of al l t he nascent

i nst i t ut i ons of t he i nf ant set t l ement ; and i f he can

command anot her 10 t o t i de hi m over a week or

t wo' s f ai l ur e of empl oyment or heal t h, he wi l l have

qui t e as much of t he mammon of unr i ght eousness as i s

at al l l i kel y t o be good f or hi m at st ar t i ng.

I am speaki ng now onl y of young men not yet of

age, who Seem l i kel y t o be t he gr eat maj or i t y of t he

1 The exper i ence of t he l ast f ew mont hs has pr oved t hat young men

goi ng out wi t hout pr evi ous t r ai ni ng cannot ear n enough t o suppor t

t hemsel ves at once. They shoul d ar r ange t o boar d f or a year at l east

wi t h one of t he f ar mer s, whi ch t hey can do f or 60.

112 BOARD OF AI D TO LAND OWNERSHI P. [ PART nu

set t l er s at pr esent . For ol der men no l onger under

di sabi l i t y, who cont r ol t hei r own f unds and may be

supposed t o know t hei r own mi nds, of cour se t he case

i s di f f er ent . Command of capi t al may make a gr eat

di f f er ence t o t hem i n t hei r st ar t , as many openi ngs ar e

occur r i ng of whi ch a man wi t h f unds under hi s i m-

medi at e cont r ol wi l l be abl e t o avai l hi msel f . And

even f or younger men, wher e t hey or t hei r f r i ends can

af f or d such an out l ay, i t wi l l pr obabl y be desi r abl e t o

make some ar r angement wi t h one of t he pr esent

set t l er s, by whi ch boar d and i nst r uct i on may be

obt ai ned at a ver y r easonabl e cost , wi t h t he pr ospect

possi bl y of a par t ner shi p i n f ut ur e. I onl y wi sh t o

say t hat , so f ar as I can j udge, any young man who

can command such an out f i t and sum as I have named,

i n addi t i on t o hi s j our ney money, and goes out wi t h a

r esol ut e det er mi nat i on t o get on by har d wor k, may

st ar t f or Eugby wi t h good pr ospect s of maki ng an

i ndependence under pl easant and whol esome condi t i ons

of l i f e.

The cost of get t i ng out wi l l depend i n some measur e

on whet her t he emi gr ant i s abl e, or desi r ous, t o avai l

hi msel f of t he ar r angement s made by t he Boar d. I f

he can do t hi s, he may get t o Sedgemoor , t he Rugby

st at i on on t he Ci nci nnat i Sout her n Rai l way, f or f i f t een

gui neas, f i r st - cl ass; 1 2 : 1 Os. i nt er medi at e, and 8 : 1 Os.

st eer age. Thi s r out e i s by Phi l adel phi a, and t he t r ai n

f or Ci nci nnat i i s i n wai t i ng al ongsi de t he pi er , wher e

t he st eamer s of t he Amer i can l i ne l and t hei r passenger s.

I f he pr ef er s, or i s obl i ged, t o go by New Yor k, hi s

sea- voyage wi l l be at t he or di nar y f ar es ; but t he agent

of t he Boar d at New Yor k wi l l f ur ni sh hi m wi t h t i cket s

t o Sedgemoor at a r educed char ge.

CHAP, i i . ] LATEST VI EWS. 113

Goi ng as f ast as he can, he has t hi r t y- si x hour s'

r ai l way af t er l andi ng t o get t o Sedgemoor . As, how-

ever , he wi l l pr obabl y l i ke, at any r at e, t o sl eep at

Ci nci nnat i on hi s r oad ( even i f he shoul d be abl e

st er nl y t o wai ve asi de t he at t r act i ons of t he east er n

ci t i es) , we may l ook f or hi m t her e some t hr ee days

Page 46 of 67

af t er hi s ar r i val i n Amer i ca.

Sedgemoor i s a smal l cl ear i ng i n t he mi ddl e of t he

f or est , t hr ough whi ch t he r ai l way has been r unni ng f or

t he l ast t hi r t y mi l es. He i s al r eady some 1200 f eet

above t he sea l evel , as he has been cr eepi ng up by

gent l e i ncl i nes ever si nce he ent er ed t he f or est count r y.

Fr om t hi s poi nt t he l i ne descends agai n gr adual l y t o

t he Sout h, t i l l i t r eaches t he Tennessee r i ver and i t s

t er mi nus at Chat anooga. But when he i s l anded at

Sedgemoor he i s st i l l some 600 f eet bel ow t he l evel of

Rugby, and he commences t he ascent at once. Ther e

i s a br oad r oad, gr aded r i ght away f r om t he st at i on t o

t he t own f or si x mi l es and upwar ds, t hr ough l and

bel ongi ng t o t he Boar d, and he begi ns t he ascent

wi t hi n one hundr ed yar ds of t he l i ne. As soon as he

i s up t hi s f i r st ascent t he r oad r uns al most al l t he way

al ong t he r i dge of a wat er - shed, t o t he Cl ear For k r i ver ,

upon t he f ur t her bank of whi ch t he t own of Rugby

l i es. The dr i ve shoul d be i nst r uct i ve t o hi m, not

mai nl y f or t he char i n of t he scener y, or t he gl i mpses

he wi l l get her e and t her e of t he di st ant bl ue moun-

t ai ns of Nor t h Car ol i na away t o t he east , but f or t he

speci men i t wi l l gi ve hi m of t he sor t of wor k he wi l l

soon be empl oyed on. Most l i kel y hi s f i r st j ob wi l l

be t o cl ear si mi l ar l and at so many dol l ar s an acr e,

ei t her f or t he Boar d or some of t he set t l er s. The

whol e of t he r i dge on ei t her si de t hi s r oad i s speci al l y

I

114 BOARD OF AI D TO LAND OWNEKSHI P. [ PART nt .

adapt ed f or f r ui t - gr owi ng ; so t he f ar ms ar e l ai d out i n

f or t y or f i f t y acr es, wi t h onl y a smal l f r ont age t o t he

r oad. Set t l er s who wi sh t o st ar t i n f r ui t and veget abl e

cul t ur e, can buy l ar ger t r act s t o t he r ear at smal l er

pr i ces, i f t hey wi sh t o secur e a l ar ger ar ea f or

f ut ur e use.

A year hence, i t i s hoped t hat , on cr ossi ng t he Cl ear

For k Br i dge, t he vi si t or wi l l f i nd hi msel f opposi t e t o a

publ i c bui l di ng whi ch wi l l ser ve as a gat e- house t o t he

t own, and wher e a r egi st er wi l l be kept of al l t he i n-

habi t ant s f or t he conveni ence of st r anger s ; but as t he

gat e- house at pr esent onl y exi st s on paper , he wi l l have

t o go t o t he of f i ce of t he Boar d, some t hr ee- quar t er s of

a mi l e f ur t her on, i n t he cent r e of t he t own of t he

f ut ur e, f or any i nf or mat i on he may need. On t he

way he wi l l pass t he chur ch, f r ont i ng t he mai n avenue

al ong whi ch hi s way l i es, and wi l l see t he commi ssar y

and t he boar di ng- houses l yi ng back on what wi l l be

i mpor t ant si de st r eet s. A number of pr i vat e houses

i n di f f er ent st ages of bui l di ngs f ew, I f ear , f i ni shed

as yet , t he suppl y of bui l di ng mat er i al s bei ng sadl y

behi nd t he demand l i ne t he mai n avenue, t i l l i t

t er mi nat es i n a sweep whi ch wi l l br i ng hi m t o t he

Tabar d, t he hot el , whi ch st ands al most on t he hi ghest

poi nt at t he west end of t he t own, wi t hi n a coupl e of

hundr ed yar ds or so of t he t hi ckl y- wooded gul l y, some

t wo hundr ed f eet deep, t hr ough whi ch t he second

st r eam, t he Whi t e Oak, r uns t o i t s j unct i on wi t h t he

Page 47 of 67

Cl ear For k hal f a mi l e away. At t he Tabar d, i f not

at t he of f i ce, he wi l l f i nd t he manager and ot her

of f i ci al s of t he Boar d, and wi l l obt ai n al l such advi ce

and assi st ance as he may need, bot h wi t h r espect t o

hi s i mmedi at e housi ng, and t o hi s f ut ur e pl ans.

CHAP. i i . 1 LATEST VI EWS. 115

I t may be wel l t o r ef er shor t l y, i n concl usi on, t o

sever al poi nt s on whi ch a good deal of mi sunder st and-

i ng seems st i l l t o exi st .

And f i r st as t o t he commi ssar y, t o whi ch r ef er ence

has been al r eady made. Doubt s seem st i l l t o haunt

some mi nds as t o t he i nt ent i ons of t he Boar d i n r e-

spect of t he f r eedom of t r ade at Kugby. We can best

answer , per haps, by r epeat i ng what was sai d i n t he*

addr ess del i ver ed by t he r epr esent at i ve of t he Boar d

on t he 5t h of Oct ober 1880, whi ch cont ai ns t he t r ut h,

t he whol e t r ut h, and not hi ng but t he t r ut h :

" We have al l of us a number of i mper at i ve want s whi ch

must be pr ovi ded f or and sat i sf i ed day by day. We want f ood,

cl ot hes, f ur ni t ur e, and a gr eat var i et y of t hi ngs besi des, whi ch

our nur t ur e and cul t ur e have made al l but essent i al t o us.

These must al l be pr ovi ded her e, ei t her by each of us f or hi m-

sel f or by some common machi ner y. Wel l , we bel i eve t hat i t

can be done best by a common machi ner y, i n whi ch we shoul d

l i ke t o see ever y one t ake a hand. We have a ' commi ssar y '

al r eady est abl i shed, and have used t hat wor d r at her t han ' st or e '

t o i ndi cat e our own wi shes and i nt ent i ons, as a commi ssar y i s

especi al l y a publ i c i nst i t ut i on. Our wi sh i s t o make t hi s com-

mi ssar y a cent r e of suppl y, and t hat ever y set t l er , or at any r at e

ever y househol der her e, shoul d become a member and par t -

owner of i t The machi ner y by whi ch t hi s can be done i s

per f ect l y f ami l i ar i n Engl ant e i n waggon- l oads t hi s year al l r ound her e f or want

of bands t o pi ck t hem. One man of f er ed me 200 bushel s of

spl endi d appl es i f I woul d come and f et ch t hem away.

Ti mber i s goi ng t o be a bi g t hi ng. I am now maki ng i n-

qui r i es as t o t he possi bi l i t y of suppl yi ng t he nor t h count r y

col l i er i es f r om her e, and hope t o br i ng t he Br i t i sh t i mber -

mer chant t o a sense of hi s si ns. Set t l i ng on t hese heavi l y

t i mber ed l ands means har d wor k f or t he f i r st f ew year s : but

seei ng t hat your t i mber i s wor t h many t i mes t he pr i ce you gi ve

f or your l and, and t hat you i ncr ease t he val ue of your l and

many t i mes mor e by cl ear i ng i t , you evi dent l y get a consi der abl e

qui d f or your quo i n t he shape of har d wor k.

Al l t hi s mount ai n i s coal l and, and ever y t on wi l l have t o be

got out some t i me or anot her , t hough t he dat e cannot be gi ven

as yet . But seei ng t hat her e al one of t he Amer i can cont i nent

or of t he wor l d as f ar as I know coal and r ed hemat i t e l i e

cheek by j owl al ong a bi g f aul t , whi ch t hr ows car boni f er ous

agai nst l ower si l ur i an r ocks, i t i s not di f f i cul t t o i nf er bl ast

f ur naces at no di st ant dat e ; and t he t hi ng i s i mpr oved by t he

r ecent di scover y and par t i al devel opment i n t he mount ai ns east

of her e, of heavy beds of magnet i c or e, whi ch ar e sai d t o show

a hi gher per cent age of met al l i c i r on t han any or e hi t her t o

handl ed her e or el sewher e.

Just r ound t he t own her e t her e i s no gr eat devel opment of

Page 48 of 67

coal , but bui l di ng st one and f i r e and br i ck cl ay enough t o bui l d

London, whi ch i s al l as i t shoul d be, as i t i s t o be f ear ed t hat

t he Smoke Pr event i on Act woul d not wor k wel l i n t hi s sect i on.

But t her e i s a ver y pr et t y wat er power on t he t wo st r eams

Cl ear For k and Whi t e Oak, whi ch meet her e. We ar e movi ng

t o get t he f i r st t o wor k f or a wat er suppl y, whi ch i a ur gent l y

needed.

The pr esent popul at i on of Rugby i s about 120. The hot el

has been r unni ng si nce t he 5t h i nst . , and has har dl y had a bed

vacant si nce t hat t i me. Ther e i s a " boar di ng- house, " a " bar -

r acks, " an " asyl um, " an of f i ce, and var i ous shant i es, and a " com-

mi ssar y " or st or e, whi ch has been put on a co- oper at i ve f oot i ng.

K

130 BOARD OF AI D TO LAND OWNERSHI P. [ PART 111.

A l i br ar y has been f or med, and we have al r eady got pr omi ses,

pr i vat e and of f i ci al , of near l y 4000 vol umes ! Thi s necessi t at es

a good bui l di ng, f or whi ch we ar e pendi ng r ound t he hat . I t i t

r eaches you I hope t he t i l e wi l l depar t heavi er by a f ew copper s.

As f or t he t enni s cl ub, whi st , et c. , and t he r est , t hey ar e wr i t t en

i n t he books of Vacuus Vi at or , so you wi l l see t hat we have

what i s known as a " bul l y t i me " on t hi s cont i nent .

I f you know of any good f el l ows who ar e t hi nki ng of t he

St at es, I bel i eve t hey can' t do bet t er t han come her e, f or a l ook

at t he pl ace at any r at e. Sheep i s t he t hi ng, i n t he opi ni on of

good j udges at any r at e, t o begi n wi t h ; t hen mi xed f ar mi ng as

t he pl ace get s cl ear ed.

Then, i n answer t o t he quest i on what ki nd of l i f e

wi l l have t o be l ed t her e, I wi l l r ead you t he l ast

l et t er r ecei ved f r om a nephew of mi ne, aged t went y -

one, a Mar l bur i an, who wi t h hi s younger br ot her , l at e

a schol ar of West mi nst er , aged ni net een, whose heal t h

br oke down at school , i s set t l ed on a Texan r anche,

a l ong way f r om Rugby no doubt , but wi t h f ar l ess

advant ageous sur r oundi ngs t han set t l er s at Rugby wi l l

have :

7t h Mar ch 1881.

The success of Hal and mysel f i s now assur ed, and we know

i t The f i r st spr i ng I was her e was t he dr ought , when nobody

r ai sed anyt hi ng, whi ch was di scour agi ng. Last year we di d

f ai r l y f or our f i r st year of f ar mi ng and sheep, but t hi s year f i nds

us wel l ahead of our busi ness. Our sheep coul d not be doi ng

bet t er . Last year ' s exper i ence i n t he l ambi ng season t aught us

what was necessar y t o have f or t he pr oper management of t he

l ambs, and our syst em of l ambi ng- pens and past ur i ng i s super b.

The l ambs ar e dr oppi ng l i ke hai l ( ei ght t o- day) , and t hey ar e at

once dr af t ed of f i nt o t he past ur e, wher e t hey r emai n f or a f ew

days t i l l t he ewes " t ake" pr oper l y t o t hem. Each, l amb i s

mar ked wi t h a r ed spot or l i ne on a par t of i t s body, and t he

ewe i s mar ked i n t he pani e way on t he f ame par t of i t s body, so

t hat we know exact l y whi ch l amb bel ongs t o whi ch ewe ; and a

r ecor d i s kept of t he dat e t he l amb i s bor n, and of i t s mar k, so

as 10 know when i t can wi t h saf et y be al l owed t o r un wi t h t he

Page 49 of 67

CHAP, i n. ] ADDRESS TO RUGBY SCHOOL. 131

f l ock. When a f ew days ol d, and t he ewe has t aken pr oper l y

t o t he l amb, t hey ar e t ur ned i nt o t he f i el d wher e t he oat s ar e

comi ng up spl endi dl y. Thi s br i ngs a f l ush of mi l k on t he ewe,

and gi ves t he l amb a good st ar t . The l ast l amb bor n t o- day

made our f i f t i et h l amb. We have had sever al weeks of t he most

gl or i ous weat her ; i n our shi r t sl eeves f r om mor ni ng t o ni ght ,

and yet not t oo hot t o wor k al l t hr ough t he day, and we have

had a t r emendous l ot of wor k l at el y. We have about f our acr es

of oat s gr owi ng wel l , and t wo days ago I put i n about an acr e

of cor n ; and t p- day I haul ed up t he " camp t r i cks- " t o t he t ent

at t he Schul z f i el d, as I am goi ng t o camp up t her e and pl ough

up f or cor n. Our spr i ng oni ons ar e comi ng up spl endi dl y, and

t hi s mor ni ng I put i n our seed sweet pot at oes, f r om whi ch gr ow

t he vi nes whi ch ar e pl ant ed out l at er on. The vi nes pr oduce

t he pot at oes, so t o speak. I have a seed- bed wi t h beet s, cabbages,

l et t uces, squashes, and caul i f l ower s i n, and some of t hem ar e

begi nni ng t o come up ; and I have a bed of ver y ear l y cor n i n,

and I expect we shal l be t he f i r st r ound her e t o have r oast i ng

ear s ; and my gr ound f or beans, mel ons, and t omat oes, et c. , i s

al l pl oughed and r eady t o be pl ant ed as soon as spr i ng has

r egul ar l y set i n at l east as soon as al l chance of col d has gone,

f or spr i ng has set i n some t i me ; t he gr ass i s gr owi ng up gr een,

and t he wi l d f l ower s and bushes ar e al l openi ng, and t he ni ght s

ar e get t i ng qui t e war m. We pl ant ed out si xt een f r ui t t r ees

appl es and peaches, and t hey ar e al l doi ng wel l ; and t he com-

f r eys have been gr een f or weeks, and we ar e pl ant i ng out a l ar ge

pat ch of t hem t hi s spr i ng ; you have no i dea how usef ul t hey

ar e i n case of a si ck ewe. I f or get whet her I t ol d you t hat t he

gr ass seeds di d not come t o anyt hi ng, but t hat t he cl over i s al l

comi ng up and l ooki ng wel l . I t hi nk i t i s goi ng t o pr ove a ver y

val uabl e addi t i on t o t he her bage her e. We pl ant ed i t on about

hal f an acr e i n t he past ur e, and have f enced of f a l i t t l e pat ch t o

keep t he sheep and cal ves of f , and l et i t r un t o seed. We ar e

st i l l get t i ng pl ent y of mi l k f r om ol d " Gent l e, " and wi t hi n a f ew

weeks we shal l have mor e mi l k t han we shal l know what t o do

wi t h, unl ess we get a pi g, as we have sever al good cows goi ng t o

cal ve. The Engl i sh ewes begi n t o l amb t he day af t er t o- mor r ow,

and Fl or a, t he col l i e t hat Mr . Hewet t sent me, pups t o- mor r ow ;

and we have t wo hens har d at wor k si t t i ng, and t he whol e

" boi l i ng" of t hem ar e cackl i ng and l ayi ng, so we ar e i ncr easi ng

t o a gr eat ext ent And l ast l y, I f or got ol d Mol l y t he mar e.

132 BOARD OF AI D TO LAND OWNERSHI P. [ PART m.

She has gone of f t o her ol d r ange pr epar at or y t o havi ng a col t ;

and anot her mar e of our s who r uns bet ween her e and Boer ne i s

al so goi ng t o have a col t . Oh ! and t hen t he cat ; she' s goi ng

t o have ki t t ens. I t hi nk I ' ve t ol d you about ever yt hi ng now.

We have al l had a f i t of l et t er - wr i t i ng t o- ni ght . At t hi s t i me of

year I f ear we negl ect i t a good deal . Fr om dayl i ght t o l at e at

ni ght we ar e kept agoi ng I assur e you. Fi r st i t ' s cooki ng

br eakf ast , and mi l ki ng, and separ at i ng newl y- bor n l ambs and

t hei r ewes f r om t he f l ock, t hen t ur ni ng out t he f l ock and dr af t -

i ng t he ol der l ambs and ewes i nt o t he f i el d, and hol di ng r ef r act -

or y ewes f or t he l ambs t o suck. Then t her e' s pl oughi ng or

pl ant i ng al l day ; t hen t he f l ock comes i n, and mor e new l ambs

t o f i x, and mor e suckl i ng and f eedi ng ; t hen supper t o cook and

washi ng- up t o do ; and by t he t i me one has f i ni shed supper one

f eel s as t hough one coul d f al l asl eep at t he t abl e. I t ' s gl or i ous

Page 50 of 67

f un t hough, and we enj oy t he l i f e i mmensel y. I have t o shave

now ; i t i s my Sunday mor ni ng' s j ob. Hal i s j ust of f ( 11 P. M. )

t o hi s t ent up by t he sheep- pen, wher e he has hi s cot and sl eeps

ever y ni ght now. You have no i dea how wel l he i a l ooki ng ;

you woul d har dl y know hi m.

You wi l l have gat her ed f r om t he l at t er t hat t hey ar e

set t l er s of t wo year s' st andi ng, and, I may add, t hat t hey

have had about 700 of capi t al bet ween t hem.

You may t ake t hi s, t hen, as a f ai r sampl e of t he sor t

of l i f e whi ch set t l er s at Rugby wi l l have t o l ead, at

any r at e f or sever al year s. I t means har d and con-

st ant manual l abour at one or anot her ki nd of f ar mi ng

oper at i ons. Unl ess a young man i s pr epar ed f or t hi s

he had bet t er not go. Does i t cr oss your mi nds t hat

i f t hi s be so your pr esent educat i on i s a mi st ake ; and

a ver y bad pr epar at i on f or t he l i f e t o whi ch many of

you wi l l have t o t ur n i n t he f ut ur e? That i s nat ur al

enough, but an er r or . Depend upon i t , t he hi gher

cul t ur e of al l ki nds you can get now, t he happi er and

bet t er backwoodsmen you wi l l be, - i f t hat shoul d pr ove

t o be your dest i ny. And l et me r emi nd you t hat t he

CHAP, i n. ] ADDRESS TO RUGBY SCHOOL. 1 33

wor t h of manual l abour , as a par t of t he hi ghest educa-

t i on, i s get t i ng t o be mor e and mor e openl y r ecogni sed

by t he most successf ul and l abor i ous men i n al l r anks.

Mr . Gl adst one, f or i nst ance, has agai n and agai n advo-

cat ed i t s cl ai ms, and bear s pr act i cal t est i mony t o t he si n-

cer i t y of hi s bel i ef i n hi s own met hod of t aki ng r el axat i on.

The l at e Mr . Br assey i nvar i abl y gave t he advi ce " above

al l , t each hi m some handi cr af t t hor oughl y, " t o t he cr owds

of peopl e who used t o consul t hi m about t hei r sons.

One of t he most r i si ng of t he j uni or member s of t he

pr esent Gover nment goes st r ai ght t o di ggi ng i n hi s

gar den whenever he get s a hol i day. Besi des, i s t he

t r ut h not admi t t ed now i n t hi s, and I bel i eve al most

al l t he ot her publ i c school s, by t he est abl i shment of

wor kshops, i n whi ch car pent er i ng, t ur ni ng, and ot her

handi cr af t s ar e t aught ? I onl y wi sh i t had been so i n

my day, f or I have f el t t he want of such t r ai ni ng al l

my l i f e. I n my l ast year at school I was head of bi g

si de, bot h of cr i cket and f oot bal l ; and i f t he boys who

f i l l t hose oner ous and r esponsi bl e post s happen t o be

pr esent , t hey wi l l bear me out , t hat he who hol ds t hem

has ver y l i mi t ed t i me t o gi ve t o i nf er i or i ndust r i es, such,

f or i nst ance, as t he cul t i vat i on of Gr eek I ambi cs or Lat i n

Al cai cs. And, l ooki ng back over much t hat one has t o

r egr et i n t he shape of mi sspent t i me, I am not at al l

sur e t hat I r epent t he hour s t aken f r om Gr eek and

Lat i n ver ses and gi ven t o or gani si ng bi g si de mat ches

and pl ayi ng t hem. But of t hi s I am qui t e sur e, t hat I

shoul d have been a bet t er and happi er , as wel l as a

handi er , man al l my l i f e, i f I had been abl e t o gi ve a

good por t i on of t hose hour s t o such wor k as you have

al l of you t he chance of l ear ni ng on t he ot her si de of

t he school cl ose.

Page 51 of 67

134 BOARD OF AI D TO LAND OWNERSHI P. [ PART 111.

" But i s t her e not hi ng mor e t han t hi s ? Sur el y

we have hear d of l awn t enni s, and bat hi ng, and

shoot i ng par t i es comi ng home car r yi ng deer on pol es

t hr ough t he f or est ? " Yes, you have hear d such

st or i es no doubt mor e t han enough of t hem most

l i kel y. Wr i t er s who have never been near t he pl ace

and know not hi ng of t he ci r cumst ances, have been

f unny and sever e on t he f act t hat t he f i r st set t l er s

made a t enni s gr ound bef or e t hey began cl ear i ng, or

di ggi ng, or pl oughi ng. They di d so, i n f act , because t hey

had not hi ng el se t o do. The t i t l es wer e not per f ect ed,

so we coul dn' t sel l t hem l and, and t hey coul dn' t wor k

on i t . And I doubt i f t hey coul d have done a mor e

sensi bl e t hi ng. I n t he same way t hey di d bat he a good

deal , i n a f amous pool , t en f eet deep, l yi ng i n t he r hodo-

dendr on bushes j ust bel ow t he t own si t e ; and ever y

now and t hen went out shoot i ng and br ought back a

deer . Ther e wi l l al ways be sl ack t i mes i n t he busi est

l i ves, when such past i mes ar e excel l ent , and I shoul d

advi se ever y set t l er t o t ake a good shot gun and r i f l e

wi t h hi m, and f i sl i i ng- r od t oo, f or bef or e l ong we hope

t o have f i ne bass and ot her f i sh i n our t wo f i ne st r eams.

But t hese wi l l onl y be t he f r i nge of t he l i f e ; t he st apl e

of i t wi l l be har d cont i nuous wor k, f or some year s at

anyr at e, t i l l f ar ms ar e cl ear ed, f r ui t t r ees bear i ng, and

f l ocks and her ds have mul t i pl i ed. Those who pr ef er

ot her ways of passi ng any l ei sur e t i me t hey may have

on t hei r hands wi l l f i nd a f amous l i br ar y on t he spot ,

cont r i but ed by t he publ i sher s, and var i ous publ i c so-

ci et i es, i n Amer i ca.

I don' t ' know t hat t her e i s anyt hi ng mor e t hat I

need say, and I have al r eady out r un my t i me. I woul d

onl y beg you al l , i n concl usi on, t o r emember t hat I am

CHAP, i n. ] ADDRESS TO RUGBY SCHOOL. 135

not her e t o pr each an exodus t o any of you boys who

can see your way t o an honest l i vi ng by honest wor k

at home her e i n Engl and. That i s t he best l i f e f or

your sel ves and f or your count r y. But f or t hose who

. f i nd af t er l eavi ng school t hat t hey have no such out -

l ook i n Engl and, I undoubt edl y bel i eve t hat t hey can' t

do bet t er t han go back t o t he l and ; and t hat t hey wi l l

not easi l y f i nd a br i ght er or mor e hopef ul pl ace i n

whi ch t o t r y such an exper i ment t han Rugby, Tennes-

see ; whi l e t he name of t hei r new home wi l l keep up

not onl y a sense of cont i nui t y i n t hei r l i ves, but t he

memor y of t hi s ol d wor l d Rugby, t o whi ch, as t he

year s go on, t hey wi l l f eel an ever - gr owi ng debt of

af f ect i on and gr at i t ude.

CHAPTEE I V.

COLONEL KI LLEBREW' S REPORT.

THE f ol l owi ng r epor t has been pr epar ed by t he Mi ni st er

of Agr i cul t ur e f or t he St at e of Tennessee :

Page 52 of 67

The Soi l .

I t i s not cl ai med t hat t he soi l of Bugby, or t he Cum-

ber l and pl at eau, i s r i ch. On t he cont r ar y, i t i s gener -

al l y poor , or at most onl y of medi um qual i t y. I t i s a

r ar e t hi ng i n t he Uni t ed St at es t o f i nd r i ch soi l , pl ent y

of t i mber , per f ect heal t hf ul ness and desi r abl eness of

cl i mat e, cheap l and, conveni ent mar ket s, and easy

access t o means of t r anspor t at i on, al l combi ned. That

Bugby possesses al l t hese essent i al s t o a happy home,

except r i ch soi l , no one, i t i s bel i eved, wi l l deny. I t

i s equal l y t r ue t hat t he soi l , by pr oper cul t ur e and

handl i ng, can be i mpr oved and made t o yi el d r e-

muner at i ve cr ops.

The soi l may be di vi ded i nt o f i ve cl asses:

1. Thi n sandy soi l , r est i ng upon sandst one, whi ch

comes near t he sur f ace. Thi s i s unf r ui t f ul , bot hj r om

or i gi nal pover t y of const i t ut i on and f r om a want of

dept h. For t unat el y i t does not occupy a l ar ge ar ea,

but i s conf i ned f or t he most par t t o t he hi gh l ands

adj oi ni ng st r eams. Ti mber scr ubby.

2. Sandy soi l , l i ght , but deep. Upon t hi s t he most

JHAP. i v. ] COLONEL KI LLEBREW' S REPORT. 137

succul ent and nut r i t i ous gr asses gr ow, and f ur ni sh a

l ar ge amount of excel l ent past ur age. The pr evai l i ng

t i mber i s chest nut , oak, and pi ne.

3. Sandy soi l , i ncumbent upon a mul at t o cl ay.

Thi s, by r eason of i t s cl ayey f oundat i on, whi ch enabl es

i t t o cat ch and pr eser ve f er t i l i si ng mat er i al , i s t he best

of al l t he upl and soi l s of t he mount ai n, and cover s by

f ar t he l ar gest ar ea, especi al l y on t he l ands bel ongi ng

t o t he Rugby col ony. I t i s nat ur al l y f er t i l e upon

t he nor t h hi l l - si des, havi ng i n such pl aces a bl ack

col our , r esembl i ng t he bl ack pr ai r i e l ands of I l l i noi s.

The bl ack soi l however i s ver y l i mi t ed. The gener al

char act er i st i cs of t hi s cl ass of soi l i s a l i ght gr ayi sh or

yel l owi sh col our , wi t h a mul at t o subsoi l . The l at t er

i s ver y r et ent i ve, and hol ds al l f er t i l i ser s appl i ed.

Ext ensi ve whi t e oak f or est s occur upon i t . Wher e

t her e i s a modi f i cat i on of t hi s soi l by t he pr esence of

smal l angul ar gr avel t he t i mber var i es, and r ed oak,

bl ack oak, hi ckor y, and pi ne, ar e associ at ed wi t h t he

whi t e oak. Gr ape vi nes gr ow abundant l y upon such

soi l s.

4. The al l uvi um al ong t he wat er cour ses, whi ch i s

bl ack i n col our , f r i abl e and pr oduct i ve. The amount

of t hi s soi l i s i nconsi der abl e.

5. Gl ebe l auds t he beds pr obabl y of ol d mar shes,

i n whi ch has accumul at ed a l ar ge mass of veget abl e

debr i s. The soi l of t hi s i s somet i mes bl ack, mor e

of t en ashen i n col our , and al ways char ged wi t h humi c

aci d t o such a degr ee as t o be unpr oduct i ve, unl ess

t hor oughl y dr ai ned and sweet ened by aer at i on. No

Page 53 of 67

t i mber wi l l f l our i sh i n such pl aces except swamp

mapl e, sweet gum, and ot her ki nds adapt ed t o wet

l ands.

138 BOARD OF AI D TO LAND OWNERSHI P. [ PART i n.

The most i mpor t ant , because t he most abundant i n

quant i t y, i s t he t hi r d cl ass ment i oned. Though com-

par at i vel y t hi n and i nf er t i l e, not hi ng i s r i sked i n say -

i ng t hat , i n or i gi nal st r engt h and pr oduct i veness, i t i s

f ar super i or t o any soi l s f ound i n New Engl and out si de

t he val l eys, and not one - hal f t he expense need be

i ncur r ed i n br i ngi ng i t t o a hi gher degr ee of f er t i l i t y,

f or t hr ee r easons :

1st , The subsoi l i s not so por ous as t he subsoi l i n

New Engl and, wher e t he dr i f t ed pebbl es commi ngl ed

wi t h sand l i e beneat h al l t he soi l s on t he el evat ed

l ands.

2d, Thi s soi l under consi der at i on wi l l , on account

of t he cl i mat e, gr ow a much l ar ger number of gr een

cr ops, whi ch can be ut i l i sed i n addi ng humus.

3d, Bot h t he soi l of New Engl and and t he soi l of

t he pl at eau need t he appl i cat i on of l i me, and t hi s

ar t i cl e can be bur ned and appl i ed f or one- t hi r d t he

cost t o t he_ l ands of t he pl at eau t hat i t can be appl i ed

t o t he soi l s of New Engl and : 1st , because l i me- r ack

i s abundant and cheap, and i s f ound i n many val l eys

bel ongi ng t o and cont i guous t o t he l ands of t he com-

pany; and 2d, because f uel bot h coal and wood,

exi st s i n such quant i t i es as t o be pr act i cal l y wi t hout

cost .

The l and can f ur t her be i mpr oved by sowi ng t he

cowpea and t ur ni ng under t he vi nes. The cl i mat e and

soi l ar e bot h adapt ed t o t he gr owt h of t hi s l egume, and,

i n t he exper i ence of t he best pl ant er s sout h, no r eno-

vat or not even cl over i s equal t o t he haul m of t he

pea. But cl over al so gr ows wel l on t hi s soi l . The

wr i t er has seen i t gr owi ng at Gr eut l i t hr ee f eet hi gh,

upon a soi l f ar mor e sandy and f ar l ess pr oduct i ve

CHAP, i v. ) COLONEL KI LLKBKEW' S REPORT. 139

nat ur al l y, t han upon t he l ands of t he company. No

f er t i l i ser was appl i ed t o i t except t wo bushel s of

pl ast er per acr e, at a cost of l ess t han $1 per acr e.

Rye i s anot her gr een cr op t hat may be gr own wi t h

success upon t he si l i co- ar gi l l aceous soi l s of t he pl at eau,

al so buckwheat , bot h of whi ch ar e r egar ded as excel -

l ent cr ops f or r enovat i ng t he soi l .

The most r api d i mpr ovement i n t he soi l , however ,

can be obt ai ned by t he sowi ng of one or t wo cr ops of

cowpeas dur i ng t he year . One of t hese may be t aken

of f f or f odder and % t he ot her t ur ned under . I n t hi s

way t he soi l may be cont i nual l y i mpr oved wi t hout t he

Page 54 of 67

l oss of a si ngl e cr op. Nor i s t hi s mer e sur mi se. I t

has been done agai n and agai n, not onl y on t he

pl at eau but on t he sandy soi l s of West Tennessee.

I t may be l ai d down as a gener al r ul e t hat al l l auds

whi ch r est upon a cl ayey f oundat i on can be r api dl y

i mpr oved by t he appl i cat i on of manur es, gr een or dr y ;

and af t er manur es have been appl i ed f or sever al year s

i n successi on, t he l and becomes a gar den moul d r i ch

enough t o pr oduce any cr op, and as easy t o keep up

t her eaf t er as t he most f er t i l e vi r gi n soi l . The l ands of

t he pl at eau have been kept i n a condi t i on of compar a-

t i ve i nf er t i l i t y by t he per ni ci ous habi t of annual l y

bur ni ng t he l eaves, t hus dest r oyi ng t he mat er i al f or

humus, and exposi ng t he soi l t o t he par chi ng i nf l uence

of t he sun, dr awi ng away al l humi di t y, wi t hout whi ch-

t her e can be no i mpr ovement i n t he pr oduct i ve

capaci t y of any soi l .

The Gr asses whi ch do wel l .

Her de gr ass ( Agnost i s wdyar i s) and or char d gr ass

( Dact yl i s gl i mevat a) bot h gr ow wel l upon t he moun-

140 BOARD OF AI D TO LAND OWNERSHI P. [ PAKT I I L

t ai n. The f i r st , when occasi onal l y t op- dr essed wi t h

st abl e manur e, wi l l yi el d gr and cr ops f or many year s

i n successi on. Cl over , as has been ment i oned, wi l l

al so gr ow wel l by t he appl i cat i on of a smal l quan-

t i t y of sul phat e of l i me ( pl ast er of Par i s) i n t he spr i ng.

Espar set t e or sanf oi n ( Onobr ychi s sat i va) wi l l sui t t he

sandy soi l s of t he pl at eau, and f ur ni sh an ar t i cl e of

hay equal i n ever y par t i cul ar t o t he best cl over hay.

Gama gr ass woul d al so be f ound t o be a val uabl e acces -

si on t o t he f or age cr ops of t he pl at eau.

Cr ops.

I t i s not assumed t hat cor n and wheat wi l l do

r emar kabl y wel l , or be ver y pr of i t abl e on t he Cumber -

l and pl at eau. The f i r st r equi r es r i ch al l uvi al soi l f or

a heavy cr op. I n t he nat ur al st at e of t he soi l i n t hi s

r egi on, l ar ge yi el ds of cor n cannot be expect ed.

Fr om t went y t o t went y- f i ve bushel s per acr e i s as

much as can be expect ed, and of t en i t wi l l f al l bel ow

t hese f i gur es. But by f ol l owi ng t he di r ect i ons her ei n

gi ven f or t he i mpr ovement of t he soi l , af t er a f ew

year s a heavi er yi el d may be expect ed. Cor n i s a

gr eat exhaust er of t he soi l , and t her ef or e t he set t l er s

shoul d be exceedi ngl y car ef ul not t o r ai se f r equent

cr ops of i t on t he same pi ece of l and. Thi s shoul d be

especi al l y so unt i l t he l and i s br ought up t o a hi gh

degr ee of pr oduct i veness. The l and shoul d not be put

i n cor n mor e t han once i n ever y f i ve year s. On such

l and a cor n cr op i s not pr of i t abl e. Rai se as l i t t l e as

possi bl e, and suppl y i t s pl ace wi t h ot her t hi ngs.

Wheat .

Wheat wi l l not make a r emuner at i ve cr op upon t he

Page 55 of 67

CHAP, i v. ] COLONEL KI LLEBREW' S REPORT. 141

vi r gi n soi l of t he pl at eau, but exper i ment s have de-

monst r at ed t he f act t hat , by t he appl i cat i on of t wo

cor ds of manur e t o t he acr e, f i f t een bushel s may be

r ai sed. The best cour se t o pur sue wi t h t hi s cr op i s t o

sow af t er a pea f al l ow ; and when t he . wheat cr op i s

har vest ed t he succeedi ng summer br eak t he l and and

sow agai n i n peas, t he haul m of whi ch wi l l be r eady

t o t ur n under i n t i me t o sow a cr op of wheat t he

same aut umn. By cont i nui ng t hi s pr act i ce f r om year

t o year , ai di ng t he l and wi t h occasi onal dr essi ngs of

manur e, ver y good wheat cr ops may be pr oduced on

t he same f i el d f or a successi on of year s. The wr i t er

has known some ver y poor sandy soi l s t o be br ought

t o a hi gh degr ee of f er t i l i t y by pur sui ng t hi s met hod.

I t i s wor t hy of t r i al by t he col oni st s.

Oat s.

The r emar ks made above i n r ef er ence t o cor n ar e

al so appl i cabl e t o oat s. They exhaust t he pr oduct i ve

capaci t y of t he soi l ver y r api dl y. Ther ef or e t hey

shoul d be sown on t he same pi ece of l and onl y at l ong

i nt er val s. No wi se f ar mer can af f or d t o exhaust hi s

soi l i n or der t o get a par t i cul ar cr op, especi al l y a

second cr op, f r om hi s l and. To bui l d up, and not t o

exhaust , i s t r ue wi sdom. He t hat does t hus wi l l get

r i ch, whi l e t he opposi t e pol i cy i nevi t abl y l eads t o

pover t y.

Eye.

The cl i mat e of Rugby i s wel l sui t ed t o r ye. Wher -

ever t he soi l i s i n good condi t i on i t wi l l do wel l . I t

r equi r es good r i ch soi l . Rye makes a f i ne wi nt er

past ur e. When pl oughed under i n t he spr i ng, af t er i t

142 BOARD OF AI D TO LAND OWNERSHI P. [ PABTTI I .

get s a f ai r st ar t i n gr owt h, i t makes a f i ne f er t i l i ser ,

I t can t her ef or e be sown wi t h pr of i t f or a f al l and

wi nt er past ur age, and al so used f or a f er t i l i ser t he next

spr i ng or summer .

Sweet Pot at oes.

Sweet pot at oes do wel l on t he sandy soi l on t he

pl at eau. They l ove a sandy l oam, and r equi r e onl y a

moder at el y r i ch soi L I f ver y r i ch t hey r un t oo much

t o vi nes and l eaves. St abl e manur e wel l r ot t ed, and

wood ashes, ar e excel l ent " f er t i l i ser s f or t hem. Wher e

t he soi l i s sui t abl e and t he season good, t he yi el d

shoul d be f r om sevent y- f i ve t o one hundr ed bushel s

per acr e. Fur t her sout h, and i n a l ower l at i t ude, t he

yi el d per acr e i s much gr eat er , of t en r eachi ng f r om

t wo t o t hr ee hundr ed bushel s.

For t he or di nar y pur poses of sust ai ni ng l i f e not hi ng

i s cheaper or bet t er . For cat t l e, hor ses, or hogs, t hey

have been pr oved by exper i ment s t o be equal t o cor n,

Page 56 of 67

bushel f or bushel . They cont ai n qui t e as much nut r i -

ment , and ar e mor e heal t hy. They ar e f ed ei t her r aw,

or af t er t hey have been cooked.

At Rugby sweet pot at oes can be made val uabl e f or

mar ket i ng. They ar e a t r opi cal pr oduct i on, and ar e

much sweet er gr own i n a war m cl i mat e. I n Ci nci n-

nat i and ot her nor t her n ci t i es t hey command hi gh

pr i ces, and especi al l y t he ear l y ones. Ther e i s no

good r eason why t hose ci t i es shoul d not dr aw t hei r

mai n suppl y f r om t he Cumber l and pl at eau. As t he

sweet pot at o l oves a hot soi l , i t shoul d be pl ant ed on

t he sout h hi l l - si des or sl opes. Wi t h good cul t i vat i on

one hundr ed and f i f t y bushel s may be pr oduced wi t h

ease upon an acr e of l and.

CHAP, i v. ] COLONEL KI LLEBREW' S REPORT. 143

I r i sh Pot at oes.

The I r i sh pot at oes r ai sed on t he hi gh Cumber l and

l ands ar e ver y super i or , havi ng an excel l ent f l avour .

They ar e gr eat l y super i or t o t hose r ai sed i n t he val l eys

of East or Mi ddl e Tennessee. They . ar e " al so ver y

pr oduct i ve on t hese l ands. I n t hem t he f ar mer s of

Eugby have an unf ai l i ng sour ce of i ncome. Al l

t he cot t on St at es dr aw t hei r suppl i es of t hi s uni -

ver sal ar t i cl e of f ood f or wi nt er consumpt i on f r om

t he St at es nor t h of t hem. Ear l y pot at oes can be

r ai sed i n t he sout her n St at es ; but l at e ones f or wi nt er

do not do wel l Knoxvi l l e, Chat anooga, and At al ant a,

wi l l al ways be good mar ket s f or good wi nt er pot at oes.

Hundr eds of bar r el s r ai sed i n t he nor t h ar e sol d ever y

spr i ng i n Knoxvi l l e at good pr i ces.

Whi l e t her e must ever r emai n a good mar ket i n t he

sout h f or wi nt er pot at oes, Ci nci nnat i wi l l f ur ni sh a

mar ket f or t he ear l y ones. They can be put i nt o t hi s

mar ket f r om Rugby sever al days per haps t en days,

ear l i er t han t hey can be f r om Ohi o or Nor t her n Ken-

t ucky. The ver y ear l y ones command ver y hi gh pr i ces.

The soi l sui t ed f or I r i sh pot at oes i s a r i ch l oam.

I t cannot be t oo r i ch. They wi l l do but l i t t l e good

on exhaust ed or ver y poor l and. Wel l r ot t ed st abl e

manur e, wood ashes, gr ound bone, hai r , pl ast er , f or est -

l eaves, ar e al l good f er t i l i ser s f or t hem. Wood ashes

ar e per haps t he best of al l .

Ear l y pot at oes shoul d be pl ant ed i n Febr uar y i f

possi bl e, and i f t he soi l i s sui t abl y manur ed, 300

bushel s per acr e i s not consi der ed an exor bi t ant cr op.

Near Jer sey ci t y t hi s number of bushel s has been

of t en gat her ed. A sout her n exposur e i s best i f ear l y

144 BOARD OF AI D TO LAND OWNERSHI P. [ PART i n.

mat ur i t y i s desi r ed. But f or a l at e cr op, t he gr ound

shoul d al ways be, when pr act i cabl e, l ow - bot t om or

nor t h hi l l - si des. Our f al l seasons ar e gener al l y dr y

Page 57 of 67

and hot , and t her ef or e such gr ound shoul d be chosen

as woul d be l east af f ect ed by heat and dr ought . The

ear l y cr op can be pl ant ed ear l y i n Febr uar y, and t he

l at e one t he l ast of June or ver y ear l y i n Jul y. The

best var i et i es of ear l y pot at o yet i nt r oduced ar e t he

Ear l y Bose and Snow Fl ake, and f or t he l at e cr op t he

Peachbl ow, Pi nk Eye, and Mount ai n Spr out . Nor t her n

gr own seed, especi al l y f or t he ear l y cr op, i s deci dedl y

t he best ; but i f a second cr op of ear l y pot at oes i s

gr own t hey make t he best seed. Thi s can be done i n

t hi s cl i mat e by di ggi ng t he f i r st cr op i n June, exposi ng

t hem t o t he ai r f or a f ew days, and t hen pl ant i ng t hem

i n l and wel l pr epar ed. Thi s pr act i ce i s becomi ng ver y

common about Nashvi l l e.

Veget abl es.

Near l y al l veget abl es wi l l do wel l i n t he cl i mat e of

Eugby, wher e t he soi l i s i n good condi t i on. But

i t must be bor ne i n mi nd t hat al l t he veget abl es,

l i ke cor n and I r i sh pot at oes, r equi r e r i ch f ood. I t

i s i n vai n t o expect good r et ur ns wi t hout good car e

and r i ch soi l .

I f gar deni ng f or t he Ci nci nnat i mar ket shoul d be

t he obj ect of any of t he col oni st s, t hey had bet t er

r ai se a gener al assor t ment , and not conf i ne t hemsel ves

t o a f ew ar t i cl es, so t hat i f one f ai l s ot her s may

succeed. I n gar deni ng, i t i s never saf e t o r el y upon

one or t wo ar t i cl es. Besi des, i f t he gar dener has t o

at t end mar ket , he had bet t er go wi t h a f ul l assor t ment

and suppl y.

CHAP. nr . COLONEL KI LLEBREW' S REPORT. 145

Ther e i s one veget abl e t o whi ch we i nvi t e especi al

at t ent i on, and t hat i s

Cabbage,

Per haps no veget abl e i s so uni ver sal l y eat en, and

l ar gel y consumed, i n t he Uni t ed St at es, as cabbage.

I t f or ms a par t of t he dai l y f ood of near l y ever y f ami l y

dur i ng t he gr eat est par t of t he year . I t i s pecul i ar l y

t he poor man' s f ood. The r eason i s t wof ol d ; f i r st ,

because most per sons ar e f ond of i t ; and second,

because mor e f ood can be pur chased of i t f or a smal l

sum t han of near l y anyt hi ng el se. I t comes i nt o use

ear l y i n June, and cont i nues i n mar ket unt i l next

spr i ng, f r equent l y unt i l t he next cr op i s r eady f or use.

I t i s al ways i n demand. I t i s easi l y kept t hr ough t he

wi nt er . And i n t he sout h, i n t hose l ocal i t i es wher e

t he soi l and cl i mat e ar e sui t abl e f or i t s gr owt h, no

cr op wi l l pay bet t er .

The set t l er s at Rugby must bear i n mi nd t hat

sout h of Tennessee i t cannot be gr own, except i n hi gh

mount ai nous r egi ons. I t s habi t at i s a col d cl i mat e.

Hence i n t he hot sout her n st at es i t does no good.

They must depend on t he nor t h f or t hei r f al l and

wi nt er suppl y. Her e, t her e i s t hi s wi de r egi on, f r om

Wi l mi ngt on t o New Or l eans, wi t h al l t he i nt er i or t o

Page 58 of 67

be suppl i ed. The Cumber l and pl at eau i s t he near est

r egi on sui t abl e f or t he gr owt h of f i ne cabbage. Even

at Knoxvi l l e, wi t l i a count r y nor t h of i t moder at el y

wel l adapt ed t o i t s gr owt h, l ar ge quant i t i es of i t ar e

br ought f r om Vi r gi ni a ever y wi nt er and spr i ng, and

sol d. No doubt t hi s i s t r ue of Chat t anooga and

Nashvi l l e al so.

The Cumber l and l ands and cl i mat e ar e admi r abl y

L

146 BOARD OF AI D TO LAND OWNERSHI P. [ PART i n.

sui t ed f or cabbage. Wher e t he l ands ar e made r i ch

wi t h bar n- yar d manur e, or wi t h bone dust , phosphat e,

or guano, al l of whi ch ar e admi r abl e f er t i l i ser s f or i t ,

i t can be gr own i n gr eat per f ect i on. The wr i t er saw

a head gr own i n t he gar den of Eugby, by Mr . Hi l l , on

poor , ol d l and, whi ch wei ghed, about t he 6t h Oct ober

l ast , bef or e i t was done gr owi ng, t en pounds.

Mr . Hosi er , at Sunbr i ght , has f r equent l y r ai sed

heads wei ghi ng f r om f i f t een t o t went y pounds, as t he

wr i t er i s i nf or med.

Ear l y cabbage can no doubt be pr of i t abl y r ai sed f or

t he Ci nci nnat i mar ket . But i t i s l at e cabbage whi ch

can be most pr of i t abl y r ai sed, f or t he Chat t anooga,

At al ant a, and ot her sout her n mar ket s.

That cabbage can be made a pr of i t abl e cr op at

Eugby, wi t h t he l i ber al use of f er t i l i ser s, i s suscept i bl e

of t he cl ear est demonst r at i on. I f t he pl ant s ar e t hr ee

f eet apar t , 4840 can be gr own on an acr e. I f t wo

and a hal f f eet 6969 per acr e. The l at t er di st ance i s

suf f i ci ent l y f ar apar t i f t he cr op i s r ai sed by hand.

The f or mer i s bet t er , i f a pl ough i s used i n cul t i vat i on.

Suppose t he pl ant s make heads whi ch wei gh, on an

aver age, f i ve pounds, and t hat t hey wi l l yi el d i n

mar ket a cent a pound. Then an acr e pl ant ed t wo

and a hal f f eet apar t woul d pr oduce $348* 45 wor t h

of cabbage, and at t hr ee f eet i t woul d amount t o

$242 - 00. I f but hal f a cent a pound i s r eal i sed, a<*

cl ear pr of i t , t he r esul t woul d be i n t he one case

* 1 7 4 ' 2 2 and i n t he ot her $121- 00 per acr e. Wi t h

a good season, good cul t ur e, and wi t h t hor ough f er t i l i sa-

t i on, t her e i s ever y pr obabi l i t y t hat t he heads can be

made t o aver age ei ght or t en pounds. The wr i t er saw

cabbage sel l i ng i n Knoxvi l l e at r et ai l , by t he smal l

CHAP, i v. ] COLONEL KI LLEBREW S REPORT. 147

deal er s, Januar y 4t h 1881, at f our cent s a pound

The wi nt er pr i ce i s usual l y as much as t wo and a hal f

cent s a pound wi t h t he huckst er s. Of cour se t he pr o-

ducer can get no such pr i ces at whol esal e.

No speci al ski l l i s r equi r ed t o r ai se or t ake car e of

cabbage. Asi de f r om pl ant i ng, i t r equi r es no mor e

car e or l abour t han cor n. I t can be easi l y kept

Page 59 of 67

t hr ough t he wi nt er unt i l spr i ng. The mam poi nt

al ways t o be kept i n mi nd i s, t hat i t i mper at i vel y

r equi r es r i ch and wel l pul ver i sed soi l , or t he l i ber al

use of st i mul at i ng f er t i l i ser s. Lat e cabbage shoul d by

al l means be pl ant ed on l ow moi st bot t om l ands, or

on nor t h hi l l - si des. The gr ound cannot be made t oo

r i ch f or i t . Ear l y cabbage shoul d have a sout her n

exposur e.

The best var i et i es ar e, f or ear l y, Ear l y " Wyman, and

Ear l y Jer sey Wakef i el d ; f or l at e, Lar ge Lat e Dr um-

head, and Lar ge Fl at Dut ch. Under al l ci r cumst ances

i t i s saf e t o assume t hat cabbage wi l l yi el d as cl ear

pr of i t one hal f - cent a pound, and f r equent l y much

mor e.

Fr ui t Gr owi ng.

Al l t he f r ui t s of t he t emper at e zone, possi bl y ex -

cept i ng peaches, as f ar as t est ed, do wel l on t he t abl e-

l and of Tennessee.

Appl es.

Appl es do r emar kabl y wel l , and can be made a

gr eat success. Those gr own on t hi s pl at eau have

a f i ne f l avour , f i ne col our , and ar e cr i sp and del i ci ous.

Thi s has been cl ear l y pr oved by t he or char ds of Mr .

Engl and and Dodge and Son, Whi t e Count y, Mr . Hi l l

of War r en, and Mr . Cal dwel l of Fr ankl i n. The l at t er

148 BOARD OF AI D TO LAND OWNERSHI P. [ PART 111.

bor e away al l t he pr emi ums f or f i ne appl es at t he f ai r s

i n Nashvi l l e f or sever al year s i n successi on. Hi s

or char d occupi ed a posi t i on on t he mount ai n, about

1900 f eet above t he sea. The f r ui t gr own i n t hese

or char ds has been pr onounced equal t o t he best

nor t her n appl es. The appl e- t r ees on al l t he Cumber -

l and l ands ar e heal t hy and t hr i f t y.

For t hi s f r ui t t her e i s a wi de and r eady mar ket i n

sout her n ci t i es. I n t he Cot t on st at es, i t must be

r emember ed, t hat t he appl e i s not much gr own, and

t he f r ui t i s qui t e i nf er i or . Thei r wi nt er suppl y i s

dr awn near l y ent i r el y f r om t he nor t h and nor t h- west .

Even i n Knoxvi l l e, wi t h a count r y sur r oundi ng i t

t ol er abl y wel l adapt ed t o t he appl e, especi al l y on t he

hi gh r i dges, hundr eds, per haps t housands, of bar r el s

of wi nt er appl es, ar e br ought ever y year f r om New

Yor k, Mi chi gan, Ohi o, and ot her St at es, and sol d at

hi gh pr i ces. The same st at ement i s no doubt t r ue of

Nashvi l l e, Chat t anooga, and At al ant a.

Ci nci nnat i wi l l f ur ni sh a mar ket f or ear l y appl es,

and t he sout her n ci t i es f or wi nt er mar ket i ng. For

t he r eason t hat appl es do best i n a moder at el y col d

cl i mat e, t he gr ound sel ect ed f or t hem shoul d be as

hi gh as possi bl e, and on t he nor t her n sl opes, or on t he

t ops of " r i dges. Besi des t hi s, t he best soi l i s usual l y

f ound on t he nor t h si de of hi l l s.

Page 60 of 67

The f ol l owi ng var i et i es have been t est ed i n Ten-

nessee, many of t hem on t he Cumber l and l ands, and

ar e known t o sui t t hi s cl i mat e, and t o be of excel l ent

qual i t y. Most of t hem, and possi bl y al l , can be had

at t he nur ser i es of War d and Br ot her s, London, Ten-

nessee, or at Bi r d and Dew' s, Knoxvi l l e. Bot h f i r ms

ar e r el i abl e.

CHAP, i v. ] COLONEL KI LLEBREW' S REPORT. 149

Wor l d' s Wonder , Ni ckoj ack, Tennessee Eed, St i nson,

Gol den Eed, Fal l awat er , Vol unt eer or Peer i e, Wi nesap,

Gol den Russet t , Shockl ey, Gr i me' s Gol den, Ber r y Eed,

St r i ped Pai r mai n, Mount ai n Spr out , Pumpki n Li mber

Twi gg, Ear l y St r awber r y, Ear l y Har vest , Muskmel l on,

Engl and' s Seedl i ng, Gr avenst ei n, Peck' s Pl easant ,

Nor t her n Spr y, St i ne.

Do not pur chase wi nt er appl e- t r ees i n t he nor t h, or

t he r esul t wi l l be f al l f r ui t .

One ot her i t em ; t he char act er of t he same appl e

i s gr eat l y changed f or t he bet t er i f pl ant ed on t he

mount ai n. The Li mber Twi g f or i nst ance, whi ch on

t he mount ai n i s an excel l ent r osy - cheeked appl e, i s

a gr een t ough appl e when pl ant ed i n t he val l ey.

Pear s.

The pear , l i ke t he appl e, does not do wel l i n a hot

cl i mat e. But f ew ar e r ai sed i n t he sout her n st at es.

The suppl y i s br ought f r om t he nor t h and f r om Cal i -

f or ni a. They ar e sol d by r et ai l at f r om f i ve t o t en

cent s each. On t he Cumber l and l ands pear s wi l l do

wel l i f pl ant ed i n deep, good soi l , and especi al l y i f

pl ant ed on t he nor t h si de or on t he t op of t he hi l l s.

The mar ket wi l l al ways be unl i mi t ed i n t he sout h,

especi al l y f or good wi nt er pear s.

Wi nt er var i et i es and st andar d t r ees ar e r ecom-

mended. Dwar f t r ees mi ght be pl ant ed bet ween t he

r ows of st andar ds, and t hus economi se space. The

dwar f s wi l l be near l y wor n out by t he t i me t he

st andar ds ar e i n f ul l bear i ng. I f t he dwar f s ar e

pl ant ed f our i nches bel ow t he poi nt of uni on wi t h

t he qui nce- st ock, i t wi l l of t en become a st andar d by

t hr owi ng out l at er al r oot s.

150 BOARD OF AI D TO LAND OWNERSHI P. [ PART m.

The f ol l owi ng var i et i es wer e sel ect ed f r om one

hundr ed speci mens of f r ui t f r om El l wanger and

Bang' s, Rochest er , N. Y. , and ar e known f r om t r i al

t o be of f i r st qual i t y, and t o do wel l i n t hi s cl i mat e :

namel y, Bar t l et t , Buf f i n, Ki r t l and Seckel , Jal oni sa

d' Font eney, Duchess d' Angul eme ( spl endi d) , Loui se

Bonne de Jer sey, Vi car of Wakef i el d ( excel l ent f or

wi nt er ) , Ho wel l , Bel l e Lucr at i ve, Beur r e de Aangor e,

Seckel , Tyson, Shel don, Beur r e Bosc, Beur r e Gi f l ' or d

( ver y ear l y) , Bel l f l owet , Beur r e Di el , Cl ai r geau, Cl app' s

Page 61 of 67

Favour i t e, Swan' s Or ange. Of t hese t he Duchesse,

Vi car of Wakef i el d, Bel l e Lucr at i ve, Howel l , Shel don,

Beur r e Bosc, Beur r e Gi f f or d, Cl app' s Favour i t e, and

Swan' s Or ange ar e unsur passed. Most of t he above

l i st ar e summer and f al l pear s.

I t i s bel i eved t hat qui nces, cher r i es, pl ums, and

nect ar i nes wi l l al l do wel l at Eugby.

Gr apes.

Gr apes, when pl ant ed i n deep soi l , wher e t he r ock

does not appr oach t oo near t he sur f ace, unquest i onabl y

wi l l do wel l on t he t abl e- l and. The por osi t y of t he

soi l i n many pl aces, and t he absence of a heavy cl ay

subsoi l , secur e f or t he r oot s of t he vi ne, a dr y, heal t hy

bed, and t hus pr event r ot and mi l dew, t he gr eat enemy

of t he gr ape vi ne i n heavy cl ay soi l s. Gr apes r equi r e

a r i ch, deep, l oose, por ous soi l . Such pl aces may be

f ound at i nt er val s on t he pl at eau. I t i s i n vai n t o

expect a heavy cr op of gr apes on poor soi l . The vi ne

wi l l be unt hr i f t y, and t he cr op f r om i t l i ght . Fer t i l i se

wel l wi t h wood ashes. , wel l r ot t ed manur e, bone dust ,

or gr ound bone, or somet hi ng of t he ki nd, or one need

not expect heal t hy vi gor ous vi nes, and good cr ops on

CHAP, i v. ] COLONEL KI LLEBREW' S REPORT. 151

poor l and. Wi t hout t hese, one may as wel l expect a

heavy cr op of cor n on poor l and.

I f gr apes ar e r ai sed f or mar ket , Ci nci nnat i wi l l be

t he best poi nt f or t he ear l y, and t he sout her n ci t i es

f or t he l at e. At Chat t anooga and Knoxvi l l e, t he

season bei ng ear l y and hot , t he l at est gr apes ar e

gener al l y r i pe and exhaust ed by t he 20t h, or at l east

by t he l ast of Sept ember . Ther e i s al ways a demand

f or mor e af t er t he home suppl y i s exhaust ed. Thi s i s

suppl i ed by gr apes f r om Lake Er i e.

The season at Eugby, owi ng t o i t s el evat ed si t ua-

t i on, i s t en or f i f t een days l at er t han i n t he val l ey

sout h of i t . The r esul t wi l l be t hat l at e gr apes at

Eugby wi l l j ust be mat ur i ng as t hey ar e di sappear i ng

at Chat t anooga and Knoxvi l l e. I f a good gr ape can

be f ound, whi ch wi l l mat ur e i n Oct ober , and i f i t can

be pr eser ved i n a good st at e unt i l November or

December , t her e wi l l al ways be a demand f or such a

gr ape i n t he sout her n ci t i es. The f ol l owi ng var i et i es

ar e r ecommended af t er t r i al Ear l y, Eumel an ( ex-

cel l ent and cer t ai n) , Medi um, Concor d, and I ves Seed-

l i ng ; Lat e, Cat awba ( f or wi ne) , Concor d, Nor t on' s

Vi r gi ni a, and I ves Seedl i ng.

I t may be wel l t o add t hat t he gr apes gr own on

t he Cumber l and pl at eau have a t hi cker ski n t han

t hose gr own i n t he val l ey, and wi l l bear t r anspor t at i on

much bet t er . They wi l l al so keep l onger i n a sweet

condi t i on.

St r awber r i es.

Page 62 of 67

St r awber r i es wi l l mat ur e- t en days l at er at Rugby

t han at Knoxvi l l e and Chat t anooga. They wi l l no

doubt mat ur e t her e a f ew days bef or e t hey wi l l at

i r >2 BOARD OF AI D TO LAND OWNERSHI P. [ PARTI H.

Ci nci nnat i . I f so, t hat wi l l be t he pl ace f or ear l y

mar ket i ng. For t he l at e cr op, t he ci t i es sout h of

Bugby. The l ast st r awber r i es, i f good, al ways sel l

hi gh and r eadi l y. Peopl e never gr ow t i r ed of t hem i f

good.

Spl endi d st r awber r i es can be r ai sed at Bugby. The

sandy soi l and cl i mat e bot h sui t t hem. They need

and r equi r e r i ch f ood, such as a heavy coat of st abl e

manur e, wood ashes, gr ound bone, pl ast er , phosphat es,

et c. The gr ound cannot be made t oo r i ch f or t hem.

The f ol l owi ng var i et i es have al l been f ul l y t est ed,

and ar e r ecommended : Ear l y, Met cal f ' s ear l y,

Downer ' s Pr ol i f i c, Bar ne' s Mammot h, Monar ch of t he

" West ( t he l ast of huge si ze) . Mai n cr op, Char l es

Downi ng, Boyden' s No. 30, Agr i cul t ur i st , Jucunda,

and Monar ch of t he West . Lat e, Kent ucky.

Baspbewi es.

These wi l l do wel l on t he t abl e- l ands. Al l t he r ed

var i et i es ar e nat i ves of a col d cl i mat e. They ar e t he

most pr oduct i ve and del i cat e i n t ast e. They r equi r e

ver y r i ch and deep soi l . - Af t er t he t r i al of many

var i et i es, t he wr i t er r ecommends t he Hudson Ei ver

Ant wer p as t he har di est and best var i et y. I t i s per -

f ect l y har dy i n t hi s cl i mat e, st andi ng bot h heat and

col d bet t er t han any ot her . A l at er ki nd, i f one coul d

be f ound, woul d be ver y val uabl e f or a l at e cr op.

Peaches.

That t her e have been peaches of t he best qual i t y

gr own on t he mount ai n cannot be deni ed by any one

who has wi t nessed t he shi pment s made by Mr . H. JST.

Cal dwel l t o Nashvi l l e a f ew year s ago. The di f f i cul t y

CHAP. I T. ] COLONEL KI LLEBREW' S REPORT. 153

i n r ai si ng t hi s f r ui t comes f r om t he unt i mel y f r ost s i n

spr i ng, f r equent l y dest r oyi ng, or par t i al l y dest r oyi ng

t wo cr ops i n t hr ee. A pl ace sel ect ed on a nor t her n

sl ope, and a mul chi ng of st r aw put about t he t r ees

when t he gr ound i s f r ozen, wi l l r et ar d i nf l or escence be-

yond t he per i od of f r ost s. By t aki ng t hi s t r oubl e a

f i ne cr op of peaches may possi bl y be gr own ever y year .

The wr i t er has of t en seen peaches t hr ee i nches i n

di amet er gr own on t he mount ai n, and of a l usci ousness

and j uci ness unsur passed by t hose gr own i n any coun-

t r y. Seedl i ngs bear of t ener t han budded f r ui t . Tr ees

have been known t o bear i n f avour abl e l ocal i t i es f or

f or t y year s i n successi on. One such t r ee now st ands

on t he mount ai n above Sher wood, i n Fr ankl i n count y.

Page 63 of 67

Car ef ul at t ent i on may aver t many evi l s t o whi ch t he

peach t r ee i s subj ect ed.

Cat t l e Eai si ng.

Cat t l e r ai si ng has al ways been pr of i t abl e on t he

Cumber l and pl at eau. The wi l d gr ass whi ch gr ows so

l uxur i ant l y ever ywher e i s suf f i ci ent f r om Apr i l t i l l t he

l at t er par t of November . The Cumber l and pl at eau i s

a nat ur al past ur e. But hay, gr ass, and r oot s, such as

t ur ni ps, veget abl es, et c. , must be pr ovi ded f or wi nt er .

Or char d gr ass i s per haps t he best wi nt er as wel l as t he

best summer gr ass f or past ur e i n t hi s cl i mat e. I t r e-

qui r es, t o do wel l , r i ch soi l . The nor t h hi l l - si des, wher e

t he soi l i s r i chest , wi l l be t he best pl ace f or i t . Thi s

gr ass never r uns or di es out i f t her e i s a r easonabl e

amount of nour i shment i n t he soi l . Cat t l e ar e ver y

f ond of i t . I t makes excel l ent hay al so.

A good suppl y of r ough f ood f or cat t l e can al ways

be had f r om mi l l et , pea vi nes, t i mot hy, cl over , or r ed

154 BOARD OF AI D TO LAND OWNERSHI P. [ PARTI I J.

t op. The new syst em of savi ng gr een f ood f or st ock,

t er med ensi l age, can be most pr of i t abl y adopt ed. For

t he met hod of savi ng and cur i ng gr een f ood under t hi s

syst em, r ef er t o t he r epor t of Pr of essor J. M. M' Br i de,

of t he Uni ver si t y of Tennessee, at Knoxvi l l e. Appl y

t o hi m f or sai d r epor t .

I n t he l ow pl aces descr i bed as gl ades of t en gr ows a

r ough gr ass ( Pani cum cr usgal l i ) , known as bear gr ass,

whi ch suppl i es a gr eat deal of f ood t o cat t l e. Beggar s'

l i ce ( Lynogl ossum Mor i soni } abounds on t he mount ai n,

and f ur ni shes a ver y nut r i t i ous f ood t o cat t l e. I n f act

t hey gr ow f at upon i t .

Sheep Rai si ng.

I t has al ways been asser t ed and bel i eved t hat sheep

r ai si ng can be as cheapl y done on t he Cumber l and

pl at eau as i n any par t of t he Uni t ed St at es, possi bl y

except i ng Texas, Col or ado, and New Mexi co. I n t he

nor t her n st at es, wher e t he wi nt er s ar e much l onger and

mor e sever e, sheep r ai si ng i s ver y pr of i t abl e. Why

shoul d i t not be so her e, wi t h unl i mi t ed nat ur al pas -

t ur age so many mont hs i n t he year ? and i t i s sai d, but

t he wr i t er i s not cer t ai n of t he f act , t hat good spr i ng

l ambs ar e wor t h about f i ve dol l ar s each i n Ci nci nnat i .

Cer t ai nl y ever y f ar mer can add l ar gel y t o hi s i ncome

by havi ng a f l ock of t he best var i et i es of sheep f or wool

and mut t on, and a r eady mar ket can al ways be had i n

Ci nci nnat i . Car e must be t aken, however , t o have

t hem shel t er ed dur i ng t he st or my weat her of wi nt er .

Pea haul m or cl over hay shoul d al so be pr ovi ded f or

t hem. Dur i ng t he summer mont hs t hey can l i ve upon

t he wi l d gr asses and do wel l , but t hese gr asses must

not be r el i ed upon t o keep t hem t hr ough t he wi nt er .

Page 64 of 67

CHAP, i v. l COLONEL KI LLEBEEW' S REPORT. 155

Tobacco.

Unquest i onabl y a ver y f i ne manuf act ur i ng l eaf may

be gr own upon t he mount ai n. I t has f r equent l y been

done. I f t he Whi t e Bur l ey, cur ed wi t hout f i r e, wer e

pl ant ed and wel l cur ed, i t woul d f or m t he basi s f or

ext ensi ve pl ug manuf act ur i ng upon t he mount ai n.

Ther e i s no mor e pr of i t abl e empl oyment i n t he Uni t ed

St at es t han t he manuf act ur e of a t ype of t obacco sui t -

abl e f or Amer i can consumpt i on. I n addi t i on t o t hi s

var i et y, seed l eaf f or wr apper s and Cuba f or f i l l er s

coul d be ver y pr of i t abl y gr own and wor ked up i nt o

ci gar s. The most t hr i vi ng f ar mi ng communi t i es i n

Amer i ca ar e t hose i n whi ch t obacco i s gr own f or con-

sumpt i on i n Amer i ca. The gr eat mi st ake made i n

many sout her n st at es i s t hat t he f ar mer s have gr own

t obacco f or expor t at i on, and negl ect ed t hei r best cus -

t omer s at home. No cr op i n pr opor t i on t o val ue i s

mor e easi l y gr own.

Pea- Nut s, or t he Gr ound Pea.

The Pea- nut i s gr adual l y ext endi ng i t s l i mi t s of

cul t ur e. I t i s al so becomi ng mor e and mor e popul ar ,

not onl y f or eat i ng, but f or maki ng oi l . I t l i kes a

l oose, f r i abl e, par t i al l y sandy or gr avel l y soi l , and i n

col our par t akes of t he hue of t he soi l i n whi ch i t i s

pl ant ed. Fr om f or t y t o si xt y bushel s per acr e may be

gr own upon t he best soi l s of t he t abl e- l and, and, as

one man can t ake car e of ei ght acr es, t he r ai si ng of t he

cr op wi l l be f ai r l y r emuner at i ve. The pr i ce f l uct uat es

ver y much, somet i mes bei ng as hi gh as one dol l ar per

bushel , and t hen f al l i ng t o si xt y cent s. Ci nci nnat i i s

t he gr eat mar ket f or t he pea - nut , and t he col oni st s

156 BOARD OF AI D TO LAND OWNERSHI P. [ PART i n.

woul d al ways f i nd a r eady sal e f or t hi s pr oduct .

Ther e ar e t wo var i et i es gr own t he whi t e and t he r ed.

The f or mer i s pl ant ed i n hi l l s t hr ee f eet apar t , t he

l at t er i n dr i l l s t he same di st ance. Level cul t ur e i s

best f or t hi s cr op.

Li ma Beans and Navy Beans.

Li ma beans and navy beans can be gr own wi t h gr eat

success on t he mount ai n. The yi el d can be made t o

r each f r om one hundr ed t o one hundr ed and 1 f i f t y

bushel s per acr e, and wi t h hi gh cul t ur e and a good

season t he yi el d can be made t wo hundr ed bushel s.

The cul t i vat i on of t hese wi l l be f ound as r emuner at i ve

as any cr op t hat can be pl ant ed. Cor n- f i el d peas wi l l

al so pay wel l . When boi l ed or gr ound i nt o meal

t hey ar e excel l ent f or st ock. No f ood wi l l cause cows

t o gi ve r i cher mi l k t han pea meaL I t shoul d be

mi xed wi t h cor n meal or wheat br an.

Manuf act ur es.

Ther e i s no good r eason why cer t ai n ki nds of manu-

Page 65 of 67

f act ur es shoul d not be successf ul at Rugby, or near i t , on

t he Ci nci nnat i Sout her n Rai l r oad ; such, f or exampl e, as

i r on f ur naces, t anner i es, f ur ni t ur e, boot s and shoes,

waggon and car r i age f act or i es; and f act or i es f or maki ng

spokes, hubs, handl es, and many ot her s of a si mi l ar

char act er .

As f or i r on, i t i s a wel l - known f act t hat pi g- i r on can

be manuf act ur ed i n por t i ons of Tennessee, Geor gi a, and

Al abama, at a cost f r om $5 t o $7 per t on l ess t han at

Pi t t sbur g, or Hangi ng Rock, Ohi o. Thi s i s owi ng t o

t he cl ose j uxt aposi t i on of coal , i r on or e, and l i mest one,

and t he cheapness of l abour and pr ovi si ons, but chi ef l y

CHAP, t v. ] COLONEL KI LLEBREW' S REPORT. 157

t he f or mer . A mar gi n of pr of i t of $5 a t on wi l l pay a

r emar kabl e di vi dend. Coal of t he best qual i t y i s f ound

on t he Cumber l and Pl at eau, and i r on or e and l i mest one

i n t he l ower val l eys.

Tanner i es al so ought t o yi el d a good pr of i t . The

Cumber l and Pl at eau abounds i n Chest nut Oak, t he

bar k of whi ch i s i n gr eat demand i n t anni ng. Thi s

bar k i s now bei ng shi pped t o Ci nci nnat i . I f i t wi l l

pay t o shi p t he bar k a l ong di st ance, i t ought t o pay

much bet t er t o br i ng t he l i ght er ar t i cl e ( t he hi des) t o

t he pf ece wher e t he bar k can be f ound. Labour ,

r ent s, and pr ovi si ons, woul d be cheaper at Rugby t han

i n a l ar ge ci t y. I t seems t hat no poi nt woul d be

bet t er f or a st eam t anner y t han t hi s.

Fact or i es f or maki ng f ur ni t ur e, especi al l y t he

cheap f ur ni t ur e, such as i s made out of popl ar , wal nut ,

and pi ne, shoul d al so pay wel l , i f economi cal l y and

ski l f ul l y managed. These woods ever ywher e abound

on t he pl at eau. Vast quant i t i es of wal nut ar e dai l y

shi pped f r om t her e t o New Yor k and Bost on, much of

whi ch r et ur ns i n t he shape of f i ne f ur ni t ur e.

I n t he sout her n st at es, among t he col our ed r ace,

t her e i s a const ant demand f or cheap f ur ni t ur e, such as

t abl es, bedst eads, et c. Fi ne f ur ni t ur e i s al so i n demand.

Most of t hi s i s at pr esent manuf act ur ed i n New Yor k

and Ci nci nnat i , much of i t out of Tennessee wal nut , and

t r anspor t ed t o t he sout h at a heavy cost , and sol d at a

hi gh pr of i t . Thi s doubl e cost of t r anspor t at i on woul d

af f or d a wi de mar gi n of pr of i t , t o say not hi ng of any -

t hi ng el se.

As f or al l ar t i cl es made out of whi t e oak and

hi ckor y, such as waggons, car r i ages, spokes, hubs,

handl es, et c. et c. , i t seems t hat some poi nt on t he

158 BOARD OF AI D TO LAND OWNERSHI P. [ PART i n

pl at eau woul d combi ne ever y el ement f or t hei r suc-

cessf ul manuf act ur e. The f or est s ar e f ul l of t he \ c\ - \

best whi t e oak and hi ckor y. They gr ow al l al ong t he

r ai l r oad. A l umber deal er f r om t he ci t y of New Yor k

Page 66 of 67

r ecent l y r emar ked t hat t he whi t e oak t i mber of East

Tennessee was t he best i n t he wor l d. Hence l umber

deal er s and manuf act ur er s f r om a di st ance ar e seeki ng

f or i t , as t hey ar e f or our wal nut .

We have t hus at t empt ed t o gi ve some i dea of t he

capabi l i t y and adapt at i on of t he soi l of Rugby t o t he

di f f er ent ki nds of cr ops, gr asses, and f r ui t s ; t o poi nt

out t he most pr of i t abl e pur sui t s ; t he best mode of

cul t ur e; and t o cal l at t ent i on t o t he f aci l i t i es whi ch

exi st f or pr of i t abl e manuf act ur i ng ent er pr i ses. We

admi t t he i mper f ect ness of our at t empt . But we be-

l i eve t her e has been no over col our i ng, and cer t ai nl y no

i nt ent i onal mi sr epr esent at i on. We hope t hat our wor k

may i n some degr ee ser ve t o keep t hose who ar e un-

f ami l i ar wi t h t he cl i mat e, soi l , and pr oduct s of t he

pl at eau, f r om f al l i ng i nt o gr eat er r or s and mi st akes.

We ar e sur e t hat t hose who f ol l ow our advi ce wi l l not

be so l i kel y t o do so.

We vent ur e one ot her suggest i on. Let t hose who

i nt end f ar mi ng, i n t he l ar ger sense of t he t er m, as wel l

as t hose who i nt end t o f ol l ow mar ket gar deni ng or

f r ui t r ai si ng, not r i sk al l on one cr op or ar t i cl e, but

l et t hem di ver si f y t hei r pr oduct s, so t hat i f one f ai l s

ot her s may succeed.

Col oni st s shoul d not be di scour aged by t he opi ni ons

of t he f ar mer s of t he sout h, f or t he r eason t hat t he

l at t er have yet t o l ear n t he val ue of manur es. Accus -

t omed t hr ough gener at i ons t o wor k not hi ng el se but

vi r gi n soi l s whi ch r equi r e no advent i t i ous ai d, t hey

CHAP, i v. ] COLONEL KI LLEBREW' S REPORT. 159

cannot under st and how t he t hi n soi l s of t he Cumber -

l and pl at eau can ever be pr of i t abl y cul t i vat ed. But

i f one such f ar mer shoul d vi si t t he sand bl ows of

Connect i cut wher e, by t he appl i cat i on of t en cor ds of

manur e, a pr of i t of $300 per acr e i s of t en r eal i sed, he

coul d begi n t o under st and t hat even pover t y of soi l

may be over come by car e and l abour . And t he hi st or y

of agr i cul t ur e i n Amer i ca demonst r at es t he f act t hat

r i ch soi l s al one ar e no guar ant ee of f ut ur e gr owt h and

pr osper i t y. Of t ent i mes t he ver y f er t i l i t y of t he soi l

br eaks up t hose habi t s of syst emat i c i ndust r y whi ch

l i e at t he ver y f oundat i on of al l per manent pr ogr ess.

That t he Cumber l and pl at eau, f r om i t s sal ubr i t y, i t s

accessi bi l i t y t o mar ket s, i t s adapt abi l i t y t o f r ui t s and

veget abl es, i t s weal t h of coal and t i mber , wi l l i n t i me

become a popul ous r egi on, t her e can be no doubt . I t

shoul d al ways be r emember ed, however , t hat pat i ent

l abour , gui ded by ski l l and i nt el l i gence, i s posi t i vel y

necessar y t o make agr i cul t ur e pr of i t abl e.

Wi t h t hese, t he pr edi ct i on of Andr ew Jackson may

be ver i f i ed t hat i t wi l l become t he Gar den of Ten-

nessee.

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