Volume 35, Number 1 - Summer 1995
"The Turible Times in the Swamps and the Narrow Escapes from the Swamp Devils"
by Charley Hershey, alias Gold Eye
Edited by Lynn Morrow
February 6: River raising. Had to move out and floating down below a small town and camped. It rained all day and we got another soaking.
February 7: Water up to our tent and raising fast. Rain stopped but still cloudy. Started early and floated down to the Dead Man’s Bend when rain commenced falling again and we pulled in shore and camped on a high bank.
February 8: Cloudy, showery, accompanied by thunder. Were visited by a man by name of Newton Dunn who had to move out of his house by reason of the rising water and who had his family out in a field under a temporary shed with wife sick. Gave him the use of our boat to find better quarters.
February 9: Moved the family down the river accompanying them and camping together on bank of the river, four miles from Bradberry [Bradford, White County]
February 10: More rain. River still rising. Had to move 1/4 mile from the river to an unoccupied, but locked, house. Could not get in, so scaffled up on the porch four feet above the ground, stretching the tent over all.
February 11: Went to Bradford in boat going the main road by water to within one mile of town. Water coming into the yard [of their occupied house site] in evening and still rising.
February 12: Water six inches deep in the yard and all under house. Heard the breaking of cane close to the house and went out to investigate. Mr. Newton Dunn advanced with two revolvers into the cane while we remained outside. He came to within a few yards of a black bear which turned and rushed off a few jumps farther into the thick cane. Advancing upon the bear he tore on through the thick cane a little farther and went on breaking cane. The cane was too thick and heavy to do any executing and so Mr. Bear was left to break cane at his leisure.
February 13: Rain still falling, water 12 inches deep in yard and all around not a foot of dry land in sight. Turning colder in evening. Sleet and a little sprinkle of snow falling.
February 14: Weather cold, sky clear. Water 18 inches deep and still rising.
February 15: Water still coming up, raising at the rate of 1 inch a half hour. Water coming into the house at midnight. Wild animals and hogs and cows beginning to bellow and drown, swimming in the deep water in search of dry ground. Began to scaffle up. Raised beds 1 112 foot. By morning had to get out and put our things all into the boats, pulling our tent down and putting it in the boat and off we started for the hills and on the way killed several wild animals in a drowning state. Arrived at the hills three miles distance about2 o’clockinthe afternoon and striking camp on a high knoll we felt once more secure.
February 16: Went back to the house today. Found water within four logs of the eves [of the house]. Found all the fences afloat, all the hogs and cattle drowned, and the people all moving to the hills. Got 2 hogs which drowned last night.
February 17: From this time on to the last of the month we staid in camp. Meanwhile sent offto Indianapolis for a silver-steel diamond tooth crosscut saw with the intention of going into the logging business.
March:
On the first of the month, the waters beginning to subside, we [Austin and Sam] started out in one of our boats up the river in search of logs tojockey leaving Goldeye [Charley] at camp to take care of the sick. We went along the railroad most of the way to Newport arriving
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there the morning of the 3rd day out. Here we had to wait a day for our [new] saw, secured a couple of augers and a lot of provisions. We started on up the river, and in the evening not being able to find any land to camp on, we obliged to stay in our boat all night.
The following morning, however, hearing the lowering of a cow we found land by following in the direction [of the cow]. Afterbreakfastwe again pulled outkeeping in the timber to have the eddy-water although it was tedious work on account of the brush, cane, and limbs of the trees which constantly hampered us.
Arriving in the evening at a rafting station kept by a Dutchman who had pitched his house on a float, we stopped with him [They went back upriver above Elgin; see below]. Here we came across an old trapper who accompanied us up the river. He was a suspicious character and we gave him the slip at Bird’s Point where we arrived a few days after. At Bird’s Point a heavy snow storm set in, and being in an exposed place, we had a disagreeable time of it. The next day the sky clearing off, we dropped down the river a couple of miles and found a little dry ground from which the water had receeded. We pitched our camp there on the cane which afforded anexcellentshelterfrom the cold wind thatwas blowing.
The day following, we began to get out Chocktaw logs which we found numerous, all afloat through the bottoms having been washed down from the lumbering regions above. The weather was cold and wet and we made but slow progress, Mr. Dunn being sick most of the time. Having by the end of the month we had a pretty good raft spliced and turning her load to swing down around the next bend where we had some more logs ready to put in we broke our rope and were unable to stop her. Running ahead of her to Elgin we borrowed a rope there and succeeded in stopping her opposite the place where we tied her up till we could get a new rope.
For the present nothing could be heard but the hooting of a solitary owl.
April:
This month was consumed in getting out more logs and putting together two more rafts, Mr. Dunn being overseer to floating them down to market until we had enough to make a good stake.
Meanwhile, Austin and Charley made peddling excursions into the adjacent towns to make money to buy provisions for ourselves and Mr. Dunn’s family as our money began to become exhausted. But meeting with such bad luck they failed to raise enough to secure a good check rope which cost $500.00 here, and we began to be in want, often being obliged to go on dry corn bread made out of unsifted corn meal and stured up with water and without salt and baked frequently without grease, the hogs having nearly all been drowned on the bottoms. Mr. Dun also constantly pretended to be sick so that all the labour devolved upon us.
At last all our meal being gone and nearly all our money being gone and nearly all our goods and starvation staring us in the face, Mr. Dun consented to run the smallest of our rafts down to Newport to raise the money for a new check rope, but on the evening preceeding the day we were to cut loose, we espied a gang across the river a little below our rafts dragging logs together and throwing up what appeared to be breast works and divining their intentions to be to pick us off as we went by and thus steel [steal] our crafts, we concluded to withdraw from the present until the coast was clear.
Accordingly we [Mr. Dun & Sam] went to a walnut grove on the hills a mile and a half back from the river leaving Austin and Charley there in hiding to watch the parties on the opposite side. This was against my wish, but Austin insisted on staying. I permitted it with the understanding that they were to return to the walnut grove that evening and report the movement of the parties.
Accordingly I and Mr. Dun proceeded to the walnut grove and arrived there a little after dark where we laid behind a walnut log and watched for the appearance of the boys. We had perhaps laid there for an hour when we heard voices at the corner of the grove as some parties [were] in earnest consultation.
At first we thought it was the boys who had returned from the bottom and waiting for the usual sign from them before making known our hiding place, and none being heard, we concluded that it must be some of the fellows that were after us, but how they came to find out our whereabouts, we were at a loss to know as we saw no one following us and we concluded that they must have captured the boys and forced the secret out of them. What strengthened this conviction in us was that the voices soon after seazed [ceased] and the dogs in the neighborhood began to bark as if the party had dispersed to rally the neighborhood which was principally made up of [ex-]slaveholders and their cotton niggers. The niggers, however, at this time being free-cropping on shares, the old masters cheating them out of their share and keeping them in subjugation.
Suspecting now that an effort was being made to Eluklux us [a generic reference for mob violence of the day. Arkansas, especially in this region, had witnessed violent Klan activity resulting in martial law fifteen years earlier.], we left the grove and going across the
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road which ran by the grove and into the timber beyond a little distance, we found a large log which afforded shelter from a coming storm that was threatning in the west, we stopped and made us a temporary shed by laying bark across it, under which we crawled when the storm burst upon us in all its fury.
It was a wild night. The wind howled, the lightning flashed, the thunders rolled, and the rain poured in torents. Mr. Dun laid down and took it easy, but I sat up not being able to sleep being troubled about my boys [Austin and Sam], the more so as I heard the report of a gun discharged in the bottom in the direction of our rafts just before the storm broke loose. Neither was there any room to lay down, Mr. Dunn having appropriated the only available place for reclining and I sat like a toad crouched under a mushroom in melancholy reveries.
Suddenly I saw a light through the isles of the dark forest. Keeping my eye upon it, I saw it coming closer and straight for our hiding place, I woke Mr. Dunn saying, "Ain’t that a lantern coming?" "Yes, by God!" exclaimed Mr. Dunn as soon as he saw it.
"Follow me," and away he bounded through the brush and bramble, the pouring rain and storm and I after him as fast as the brush and hanging, crawling, and creeping vines would let me. The light came to the log under which we had been hiding and from which we had but just escaped when up it went high above the heads of the bearers and to illuminate the forest around for many rods [one rod = 16.5 feet].
Then, on our pursuers came. They evidently having caught sight of us, but doubling our speed, we soon had the satisfaction of throwing them off our tracks by running in a zigzag then passing through an open field and not seeing anything of our pursuers, we halted on the other side to take breath, but seeing the lantern appearing again behind us, we struck out again and
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taking the swamp we lunged into the water and waded for several hours. The rain, meanwhile, still falling and we getting drenched to the skin. At times, we halted to take a rest on same old mossy log and to empty water out of our boots, then forward again to keep ourselves from freezing fast for the water was cold. Thus, we kept on till daybreak when we found ourselves tired and hungry and left the swamp.
We took the main Tuckerman Road [Jackson County] and having a little money in my pocket, I sent Mr. Dunn to a house for 15 cents worth of breakfast. He soon returned with a couple ofhard corn dodgers and some fat bacon from which the grease dripped and run in long streaks down over his pants which he had put on the evening before. With a not very pious epithet, he began devouring the greasy bacon, two dodgers, and I followed suit [while] sitting in a fence corner. It was none the best of meals, but was as good as we had been accustomed to of late and after having finished the frugal meal we felt somewhat renewed and we proceeded on our [journey]. Overtaking some teams, we rode to Tuckerman which was about 8 miles distant situated on the railroad.
The whole country seemed to be in an uproar and we passed a good many riders and vehicles on the way. They evidently not knowing [recognizing] us, not thinking of us coming to town after such a nights chasing. At town we bought a little more grub for dinner and then I and Mr. Dunn parted, I to go back and look for the boys and he to go down toward home and await results.
I did not go far on the back track, however, before I saw that such a course involved too great risks so I resolved upon another dodge. I knew that the boys, if alive, would make for the railroad and as we had certain private symbols or signs by which we could communicate with each other under circumstances like the present, I resolved to resort to these and await results and these were symbols chalked or cut into the railroad ties at road crossings and bridges.
Having no knife or chalk, I took sharp rocks and proceeded to make the marks going up the road towards Hoxie. A heavy rain overtaking me, I crawled into a hollow tree and closing the entrance I laid down and tried to sleep, but I could not sleep and the rain holding up towards evening, I crawled out of my hole again and making me a cup of coffee, I drank it and eat a few crackers and proceeded up the railroad meeting some suspicious looking characters who eyed me closely and being followed by one, I began to debate in my mind how I should give them the slip as night was fast coming on.
A train coming along and stoppingjust a little ahead of me to take in wood decided this question very satisfactorily for me. For just as I came up with it, it started on again and I hopped on. Going into the caboose I sat down by the stove being still wet from the previous nights drenching in swamps. The conductor happily did not ask me for any pay until we had gone 30 or 40 miles in the direction of Hoxie. When he did finally ask me for the fare, I told him I was about strapped, but I offered him a quarter. He refused to take it and told me to get off and which I did, thankful that I succeeded in getting so far along for I considered myself now out of immediate danger, at least.
The night was dark and threatening rain. I took the quarter and bought me a pocket knife with which to cut the symbols for the boys and I proceeded on up the road not knowing where to stop, everything being wet and underwater. I had not gone far when it set in to raining very heavily. I sought the shelter of a friendly old tree and by standing close up against the trunk I escaped the heaviest of the shower. It proved to be showery the greater part of the night.
Between the showers I made my way up the track till after midnight when the rain held up and the moon came out. I arrived at a wood yard and after much pain I succeeded in starting a fire behind a pile of wood by which I sat till break of day. Having had no sleep now for two nights and having been so much exposed to the cold and wet all the time, I began to feel very delapidated and hungry besides.
But drinking a cup of hot coffee I proceeded on my journey not having anything more for breakfast but as good luck would have it, soon found plenty of breakfast in the shape of two young shoats [young pigs] that had been run over by a passenger train that very night and killed. My knife now came in good play to rip the skin from the hind quarters and shoulders--[it] required but a moment-- and transferred them to a small flour sack I happened to have in my pocket. I proceeded on again and coming to a station house soon after I bought a loaf of bread for ten cents and then went out and broiled some meat, and making another cup of coffee in an old oyster can, I had a splendid breakfast.
Afew more miles brought me to Hoxie where I struck camp half a mile south of town close to the track in a thicket of young blackjack cutting the symbols for the boys clean and deep on every bridge and road crossing. The day was warm and pleasant and I succeeded in obtaining a little rest. The following night was cool and having no beding and no shelter and but very little fire, I slept but little.
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Next day I determined to make one more effort to discover what had become of my boys. I went to Walnut Ridge one mile north of Hoxie and got me a small mirror and going to camp I transformed myself into a charcoal negro. Turning my hat inside out and pulling it down into my face, I sallied forth, but had not gone over five miles till I found evidences of being discovered. My disguise was too imperfect by reason of my habiiments not being changed and my enemies knew me [i.e., by his clothing]. So I had to wheel around and go back which I done by making a long detour and wading through a long and deep swamp in order to throw them off my scent.
It was nigh unto midnight when I got back to camp and I was very tired and hungry sol ventured to build up a small fire and cook me some supper. Afi~er which I was about to lay down and secure some sleep, if possible, when I saw a lantern coming across the open field from the direction of Hoxie and making straight for my camp. I jumped up instantly and slipped into a swamp adjoining camp and secreted myse]fbehind some trees to await results. It proved as I had suspected. A squad of the Kiuklux after me again. They came straight for camp evidently expecting to find me asleep, it being now past midnight, but when they discovered their bird had flown again and the camp vacant their chagrin knew no bounds. They broke out in loud curses and imprecations and started peilmell up through the forest and around.
The swamp in which I had hid myself and into which I still deeper penetrated and hiding in the top of an old bushy tree that had been torn down by a storm and had the leaves on, [Charley was] laying in the water. It afforded me a good place to hide from my enemies and at the same time gave me opportunity and facility to watch the surrounding space through the limbs that sheltered me from their sight. It was a poor place to rest, however, as I had to sit on the limbs in a croutched position and being wet and cold it was not the most desirable place to spend the night when one is most tired to death, but I
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stuck it out till morning when I knew the band would give over the search till the next night.
At early day break I made my way back to camp again and building up a fire I cooked me another cup of coffee and corn bread and pork made my meal. I felt mean and very delapidated. The exposure and constant watchftilness and much tramping and wading through the swamps began to tell upon my constitution and I felt it was time that I get away and beyond of the devils that were bothering me.
So I thought rd go to Hoxie and jump the first train and go to Black Rock. But when I got to Hoxie and to the depot I saw that I was watched and I heard one man giving directions to the ticket agent notto sell me any ticket Seeing their game I was determined to frustrate their design putting some more symbols on the depot platform for the boys. I struck out in the direction of Memphis [i.e., southeast] on the railroad track, a train happily coming up just at the time. I made as if I was going to jump on, but sliding around on the opposite side, I slid into the forest and getting well out of sight I began transforming my appearance as much as possible. I threw away my coat and put on one that I accidently found along the road side that morning and I cut off the rim of my hat one half and cast away my overcoat though I badly needed it. Then I throwed away my provisions, all except a very small parcel I thought I could hide in my pockets and under my coat.
Then I sallied forth once more and making a large circle in the forest being careful that none of my enemies saw me, I turned back and traveled in the direction of Black Rock which was directly opposite to the direction I started out. My boots were beginning to give out and as I had quite a tramp before me and no money to buy any more [boots], I pulled them off and waded the swamps barefooted. It was slow and tedious work as the thorns and creeping vines were very thick and troublesome.
By night I onlyfound myself three or four miles from Hoxiehavingtraveled, however, about ten or more miles all the same, and coming to a pile of slabs where someone had made some paleing [paling for picket fence] or clabboards on a little island. I builded me a shelter as there were strong indications of rain. And long before morning, the rain came down in torents. The lightning flashed and thunder rolled and the wind howled and roared through the deep dark forest. It was a fearful night but I was safe in my little 4 x 6 shanty. At midnight I ventured to build a little fire at one end of the shanty and cook me the last bite of meat in my possession and a can full of mush and one cup of coffee.Next morning was wet, dark and drizzly. I was obliged to stay on my island hiding around in the bushes and hollow trees, for there were hunters all through the woods and I had to keep out of sight of them. The following night was again spent in my little shanty and I supped on corn meal, mush and coffee.
The following morning broke clear and bright and I sallied forth early. It was another day of wading water. Coming across a house in the timber I stopped and happily got a good meal for the asking which greatly helped me along for I was hungry as a wolf. The exposure and poor gn.ib left me a ravenous appetite.
Late in the afternoon I arrived at Black Rock and going from there to Powhatan to see ff1 couldn’t find one Frank Wisler whom I had learned lived somewhere in the neighborhood, he being an old friend of mine. Before I got there, however, night came on and I was obliged to spend another night in the woods.
Next morning I found that Mr. Wisler lived three or four miles north of Black Rock and I had to go back and hunt for him taking [to] the woods for it. I went into the neighborhood where they told me he lived, but I could find no track of him there.
It was getting late again and the shadows of a another night were steeling through the forest. Again there were strong indications of storm and I began to look about me for shelter knowing that one more night exposure to storm and rain would finish me and seeing an old log hut upon the hill I ventured to approach thinking that possibly I might find shelter for the night. The door was partially open and I pushed it back and discovering two young fellows seated on a rough bench before the hearth upon which burned a flickering fire. I bid them good evening and entered boldly. They invited me to sit on the same bench, the only one in the house, in fact, the only furniture in the whole establishment and I took them for tramps who, like myself, had sought temporary shelter in the old shanty or possibly I thought they might be some of my enemies for they seemed to be scattered all over the country and I thought possibly some of them might have followed me and taken up shelter here, and imagine my surprise when a moment later upon inquiry, found they were my friends that Ihad been in search of Mr. Wisler and Mr. Mohr, his partner who had started in here to make a crop.
Thus, in the very nick of time I found success and it was well I did, for that night proved a worse one than any before and I could never have weathered it through for I was completely exhausted. I felt that in this was the hand of Providence again displayed as I had seen it on
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several occasions before stretched out to me in the very nick of time.
Being without means now I looked about me for some way of making a living, not wishing to be burdensome to my friends, however, I was too weak to do manual labor, but being a good fisherman and Spring River running right close by [Spring River enters the Black River just north of Powhatan] I proposed to my friends to fishing on shares provided they would furnish me with hook and line which they also agreed to do. Furnishing me with 100 hooks, lines and stageingl went to work. Finding a wreck of an old boat, I mended it, used it for tending my lines, and I began to have good luck catching from 30 to 50 pounds of fish per night for which I got 5 cents a pound at Black Rock.
It was about ten days after I had started fishing and as I was in town with a load of fish that I met a young fellow whom I thought I had seen him somewhere, but could not place him at first and went on my way. But presently I noticed that he was following me and so slacking my pace to see what he was after he caught up with me and turning around I looking inquiringly at him saw it was Austin. I was surprised that I had not knew him before when I passed him, but he had himself somewhat disguised and I being somewhat disguised we failed to recognize each other at first. However, he said he knew me by my rubber boots. He said Charley 1?] was up the road looking for symbols. They had escaped from the swamps and were on their way to St. Louis believing that I was killed when they came across my arrows [on the RR timber] at Hoxie and they turned in the direction they pointed knowing that they would lead them to me. Finally, the arrow cut into the platform and upon the bridges and road crossings was the first news they had that I was still alive.
They had a hard time getting out of the swamps, but succeeded to bring our tent and bedding some cooking utensils, one gun and ammunition, and one satchel full of goods. They found Mr. Dunn and with him went back to run the rafts, cutting them loose in the night, they let them float down to Newport. Mr. Dunn sold them and kept all the money, but a few dollars and this was the thanks received for doing good to a devil-possessed man. They told me Mr. Dunn was very mean to them and they believed he was a Kiuklux himself. He wanted them to stay with him, but finding life intolerable with him, they skipped out and found me as above described.
Being together once more, we proceeded to retrieve our losses by fishing procuring 200 more hooks and some more lines we caught 50 and 60 pounds of fish on an average night and by the end of May [1884] we had over a thousand pounds of fish caught and sold, and had money enough saved to start out on a peddling trip and as it was getting to be sickly along the river we ordered a lot of goods, etc.
May passes and June arrives.
About June 12 we bid adieu to our friends and started for Springfield, Mo., on foot carrying our tent, cooking apparatus, and two satchels of goods. Went three miles beyond Ravenden [northwest Lawrence County] and camped in a fine body of timber close to the road and by a good spring. Shot 3 rabbits close to camp and [caught] one fish. At night a deer came within a few steps of the tent brousing on the young brush. Discovering the tent he went off snorting and whistling.
June 14: Started early, the morning being cool and pleasant, passed through a fine farming valley mostly in corn and cotton. Passed by a great many fine springs of good water. Camped beyond Nile Ford by a fine spring coming out of the mountain having traveled 12 miles.
June 15: Sky overcast with flying clouds with sign
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of rain. However, we pulled up stakes and started on passing through quite a mountainous country, the valley along the [Spring] river narrow and hills steep and rocky and but little inhabited and not cultivated at all. Had to take shelter in an empty cabin from a heavy shower at noon. Light showers fell at intervalls all day, however, we went 12 miles and camped one mile from Brady [Hardy, Sharp County].
June 16: Showery in morning. Sunday, the rain holding up towards noon. We started out and going through a rough country with plenty of springs gushing out of the hills. We arrived at the place where we had built our boat the preceeding fall [Fuilton County] and camped there for the night recounting the dangers and mishaps. We passed through on that perilous trip down the Spring River and into the swamps of Arkansas.
June 17: Started early and camped on the hill by Augusta [Thayer] where also Austin met with the loss of his satchel, together with all that was in it, the rascally officers takingitfrom him becausehe essayed to sellin town without first taking out town license. Loss [was] $11.00.
June 18: Left the devils own and going up the road on a gradual ascending grade through a pleasant, but dry valley, and passing Koshkonong, a small station in a well but beautiful grassy blackjack, parklike forest, we camped 1 mile beyond by a pond of water, springs being nonexistent. The country being composed of innumerable sink holes or feeders of the great Mammoth Spring at the foot of the mountains.
June 19. Started before breakfast and arrived at a farm house soon after. We procured some buttermilk and breakfasted on corn dodger and rabbit soup. Passing through a splendid grazing country, we descended the hills and entered a well cultivated valley where harvest was just in prime and where we saw the best wheat of the season. Partridges were prospering all along the road and rabbits hopped along the railroad track and we secured a couple for supper.
Going up the valley about six miles, we camped on the hills 1 mile from West Plains situated at the head of the valley. West Plains is a booming place and is the county seat of Howell County and contains about 1500 inhabitants, being the largest town between Springfield and Memphis. Country around is hilly but good for farming, gardening, and fruit raising. Land is cheap and 100,000 acres of government land is yet to be had in the county. Webster County also has yet 10,000 acres, Texas 75,000, Wright 25,000, Shannon 20,000, Douglas 75,000, Oregon 15,000, Ozark 125,000, Carter 10,000, Ripley 8,000, filing costs [are] $2.00. Homestead [cost] is $6.00 for 40 acres, $7.00 for 80 acres, and $14.UU tar lbU acres. [note the filing costs for homestead land--contrary to popular opinion, homesteads were never free, costing a few weeks or a month’s wages.]
June 20-24: Bought a lot of notions at Hirsh’s store in West Plains and got cheated by having some old goods palmed off on me at an enormous price. Shipped out box to Springfield, Mo., and started on again in afternoon. Went about 8 miles and camped among the grass[land] with lots of huckleberries interspersed.
June25: Thunder shower last night. Started rather late, having overslept ourselves by reason of being disturbed by the shower last night. Traveled upgrade over blackjack hills, very gravelly, but well covered with grass, like on prairies, and huckleberry bushes together with prairie flowers. Left the railroad and followed the wagon road for a change. Road bad and gravelly as a pike. A thunder gust coming up drove us into camp in blackjack thicket, having made about 10 miles today.
June 26: Started early. We arrived at Willow Springs by noon. Struck camp 1 mile west of town in fine blackjack timber which is about the only timber that grows in these hills, being small and stubby. Willow Springs is a booming town, many new houses in course of erection and many live in tents. Immense lumber yards are here [procuring timber] in the adjacent hills and sawed here, it being good pine, all of it. Good farming country.
June27: Sold $4.65 worth of goods in town in 112 day with only 1 satchel. Started out although the day was dark and cloudy and misty. We reached the pine hills soon after canvassing the station, mist increasing, trees dripping, weather cool. Passing the pine ridge and passing down on the opposite side, we came to a small town that had sprung up since last fall consisting of saw mill and 1 store and dozen or more houses. Mist still increasing, canvassed town, and stopped close to town to dry ourselves. Mist holding up and we started again, eating dinner by a fine cold spring. Soon after [we] found another magnificent spring gushing out of the hill a little farther on.
Met some suspicious characters farther down the valley passing around a lonesome curve in the road and crossing the bridge on Jack’s Fork we looked back and saw one following while the rest had slipped into the woods, evidently taking the near cut across the bend in the road slipping into the brush and up a steep hill immediately as we came out of a deep cut in the curve of the road we watched we now heard a shot fired by the men following us and pretty soon he came in right
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around the curve and turning off into the brush he fired another 2 shots and being convinced from his manner that they meant mischief of some sort, we struck across the country and over the hills which was a perfect wilderness here and reaching Cabool by around about circuit through the wilderness. We camped in a wild ravine 112 mile west of town. Cabool is finely situated and improving. Has a sawmill and good lumberyards, but we found business dull.
June 28: Started for Mountain Grove in afternoon going over the hills and through the untraveled country so as to throw the fellows that were following us off the track. Passing over a number of gravelly hills so densely covered with small blackjack as about to be impassable in places and going through quite a number of rich valleys in which ran rills of pure water. We came into a beautiful wild valley with deep holes of water, clear and cold, where Charles insisting on having a swim, we stopped to rest.
Coming across great tracts of whirtle berries [whortle berries] just getting ripe, we picked enough for supper. Tried to procure some sweet milk, but succeeded [instead] in obtaining buttermilk, this by sweetening with sugar, we made answer to eat with our berries. Camped in dense blackjack wilderness in uninhabited valley comparably rich and free of rocks, would make good farming land.
June29: Got 2 quarts of sweet milk for breakfast for 10 cents. Milk seems to be scarce for as good a grazing country as this is, for here exist the finest pasture seen anywhere in this whole country, outstripping even the prairies in richness of verdure and well shaded and sheltered, splendid country for stock, hogs and sheep. Went to the railroad and followed it all the way to Mountain Grove, stopping on the way to take aviewfrom the top lead hill from the top of which the twin mountains of Arkansas are discernible on a clear day, a distance of 100 miles. [a reference to Three Brothers, Ar.?] Arrived at Mountain Grove by noon. We camped at the old place where we camped on the way down last fall. This town is but little improving.
June 30 Canvassed town and started out in afternoon going to within 1 mile of Norwood. We camped in fine blackjack timber, found a great many springs all along, and shot 4 rabbits.
July 1: Left Norwood early and passed through a mountain country to Mansfield, a poor mountain town, has one good mill. However, went 1112 miles beyond and camped. Found lots of springs along here and timber heavier.
July 2: Starting early we passed through the highest mountains country on the route and most romantic. Reached Cedar Gap by 10 o’clock [Cedar Gap is the highest altitude on the railroad]. Here we left the mountains, the road running through a plain-like country with water scarce. Went as far as Seymour and camped close to town. No water in town, had to carry water from a spring 1 112 miles south of town in valley.
July 3: Passed through rather dry country to Fordland where we arrived early in the afternoon. Went south of town and camped. No water in this town, had to carry water 112 mile from a spring south of town.
July 4: Anvil shooting in town this morning. Loaded up our old big blunderbuss one quarter full of powder which Charles discharged and gored the limbs off the trees all around and shook our tent down. Thunder storm with heavy wind tearing limbs from the trees. Left camp about 9 o’clock, weather cool and pleasant with indications of showers. Heavy wind and rain storm by 2 o’clock in the afternoon. Camped by a big spring 10 miles from Springfield.
July 5: Arrived at Springfield by noon and camped at old place east of town. Found Holiness tent meeting here and attended it. Canvassed town and was dismissed away by the officers who would not let us peddle in town without a [merchant’s] license.
Started away about the middle of the month, and went to Pierce City canvassing the towns along the road, and country too. Found the Holiness tent here and saw about a hundred converted and sanctified. Here Charles took sick and was not able to do anything the remainder of the month.
From Pierce City we went to Neosho. Going through a pleasant valley and along a good sized running stream of clear water fed by innumerable springs, some of which are uncommonly large. A splendid country all along. At Neosho we found the same Holiness tent and also a [Christian] Advent tent. Found the town good for business.
From here we struck across the country to Joplin, distance 20 miles. Country fine and springy going to Webb City where we had our box shipped to. We camped northwest of town and had our tent torn down by cattle and had some of our things stolen by the herders among which was a nickle plated British bulldog revolver worth $1.00 and my razor. Whole loss about $12.00. Moved camp north of town where we had find shady place and making a fence around our tent, we were secure from the cattle. Found another Holiness tent at Webb City. [It] had already been here over 46 days and over 200 converted and many sanctified.
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August:
Began operations at Webb City and worked there to the end of the month attending the Holiness meeting. Charles got so he could begin to work by the last of the month. Business good and weather fine. Season good fruit and vegetables plenty, mellons cheap at 5 to 25 cents apiece. Weather fine most of the time all month.
September
Went to Joplin and canvassed that town several times over deciding the town good for business. Camped in fenced timber northeast of town in a nice secluded spot. From here we went to Carl Junction on the 17th and camped on Center Creek about 1 mile from the station. Stopped here till the 27th canvassing the Junction. Mosquitoeville and several and adjacent town mosquitoeville is a brisk mining and has about a dozen pumps running pumped water out of the mines. They had a big fire the night before we came here which destroyed nearly all the business part of town. Had several heavy showers of rain. Found lots of ripe plumbs and pawpaws around camp.
September 22: Returned to Joplin and camped in same woods that we camped in before, it being the best and most convenient place around.
September 23: Sells Brothers [mercantile firm] being in town, we done no busines. Showery and heavy rain at night.
September24: Clear and cool, wind north, pleasant
September 25-28: Weather pleasant. Canvassed Joplin, finding it a good place for business.
September 29-30: Heavy rain accompanied with thunder. Made a new tent 8 by 10 and 9 feet high, costing us $46.00.
October Now this finishes our Swamp History up, our going down and our return from October till October.
1883 and 1884, the turible times in the Swamps and the narrow escapes From the Swamp Devils. Then in the nick of time meeting up with the Friendly gardners From the East, Pa., Frank Whistler and NP. Mohr. Wrote by Charley Hershey or Gold Eye, so then called.
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