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Chapter 22: The Journey of Featherstonhaugh, Part Three |
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We concluded our last previous chapter with Featherstonhaugh's description of the beautiful rolling plateaus somewhere west of the present Poplar Bluff in which he compared the scenery to the parks in England.
Again we quote directly from his text as follows: "Having made about fourteen miles we stopped to feed our horse at a Mr. Eppes's, who had a plantation on a very fertile bottom, and here we saw the first appearance of a cane-break; this plant is always indicative of good soil, and in some portions of the southern states pushes up its jointed stem amidst the forest threes so thickly that chicken would find it difficult to creep between the plants."
"Small flocks of parroqueets were wheeling and screaming about in the bright sun, and showing their brilliant colours to the greatest advantage."
"Upon the wall of the cabin where the family lived was a frame upon which the skin of an elk was stretched that Mr. Eppes had killed the day before—Learning that he was in a corn-field about half a mile distant, I walked there and found him, when he confirmed to me what I had before heard, that in the "Big Swamp," which bordered his plantation on the east, and which extended about twenty miles to the river St. Francis, there were still a great many elk and buffalo, the only situation in which these animals are to be east of the most advanced settlements of the whites, it being favorable to them from the great extent of the swamps, the luxuriance of the wild grass, and the absence of man.
Mr. Eppes related to me that two or three days ago he and his son had entered the Big Swamp to hunt up some young horses they had turned into it in the spring to thrive upon the leaves of the miegia (cane), which gramivorus animals are very fond of; that wandering about in the mazes of the swamp, and tearing their clothes to rags amongst the green briars, the supple Jacks, saw briar and all sorts of pests of their kind, they had lost themselves, and knowing of no method to find out where they were, but going to the river to observe the direction of the current they crossed a broad "sign" or track of buffalo, where at least forty of them had recently passed.—some after they crossed a "sign" of numerous elk, and whilst they were deliberating what to do, three large ones came trotting up and stood still at no great distance from the. Mr. Eppes fired and one of the elks dropped, the other stood some time by their fallen companion but made off before he had time to reload again. He said they were about the size of a large Spanish mule and that they looked extremely well with their branching antlers when they first came boldly up. Having skinned the animal they left the carcass behind, and soon after coming on their own trail proceeded home.
"From hence we proceeded through some pleasant open woods consisting principally of oak trees growing on a very fertile soil and some time after night heard the murmuring sound of Little Black River before us. I hesitated a moment whether or not to stop and bivouack here—our experience of the last ford we had passed did not afforded much encouragement for a similar adventure in the dark; but Mr. Eppes has assured us the ford was an easy one, Missouri seemed very willing, and I thought I would proceed a few miles farther through the thick woods, where we would have seen nothing by daylight; so whipping on our horse, away we went, literally, for, in making a sort of turn to go down the bank the nigh wheels, which we could not see, got on the hummock of land, and the whole concern, including the unsuspecting Missouri, made a complete turn over, luggage and all, leaving the wagon bottom upwards.—our fine tempered horse behaved extremely well; instead of kicking up a rumpus in the dark, and making things worse—he laid still and permitted us to take the waggon to pieces as well as we could and to unbuckle and unstrap him before he stirred; he seemed almost to comprehend us as we pattend and comforted him, and it was not until he could neither hurt the waggon nor himself that, a little aided by us, he made an effort, and with a plunge across from the very awkward position in which he lay with his back down hill.—tie up the horse—everything scattered on the beach, regain the bank, build a fire, gave Missouri his corn in a pail, a long rope for limited grazing range. A cold night, cut trees—hands sore—buffalo hides on the ground, put on our large blanket coats, lie with our feet to the fire—son taking the first watch—whooping of the owls, howling of the wolves, barking of the foxes—a cow had chewed up my towel—these animals sometimes stray great distances from the settlements.
"We soon arose again to the tableland—a fine open country, very extensive, and the trees were so far asunder from each other that we could imagine ourselves traveling through some park. Here we saw the first ivory-billed woodpeckers, a beautiful bird not found farther north than this part of the country.
"About 10 A.M. we came up with a sorry looking horse with a saddle on his back, grazing without a rider, and two miles farther found a man, with a gun by his side, bleeding, and lying apparently senseless on the ground—beastly drunk—probably fallen from his horse—left him to get sober.
"Toward noon—a part of the country on fire, enveloped in dense and distressing smoke. Eyes became sore, difficult to drive, many of the dead trees had been burned so near the ground, they had fallen across the path—winding about as well as we could among the tall trees almost insupportable nervous headache. Smoke was black and dense and filled our eyes and nostrils.
"In the afternoon reached a Mr. Harris's, remained rest of day, thought had made only fifteen miles.—Widow with sons and daughters—kindly received, all they had to offer us was bad fried bits of pork with worse bread, and no milk.
"Fire gained—all hands out to 'fight fire.' Night—we could see a fiery horizon through the forest in every direction and hear the crackling of the approaching conflagration. Elevated table land, dry autumnal leaves, grass and sticks—dead and dry trees killed by previous fires—about 4th mile away a narrow edge of bright crackling flame, wider when lots burn, consuming everything before it. Flaming tree comes to the ground—trees like burning torches makes great extent of spectacle, a picture that neither description nor painting could do justice to. Measured progress of fire about a foot a minute. Small settlers have no fields, no hay, leaves no corn.
(Day after the fire) "About 9 miles to Current River, beautiful pellucid stream, Territory of Arkansas, Salmon 25-30 lbs—large red horse suckers, buffalo, drum, perch, large cat fish. Crossed on ferry boat. Decent house here to stop at.
"14 miles from Current crossed Fourche de Thomas" the travelers then proceeded to "Eleven Mile Point River." Again quote, "6 miles to Jackson—Spring River. Shoot a wild goose. Went to house to try to get some meal to cook with goose. People seemed in poverty and broken down by fever and ague.
The buffalo and elk long ago disappeared from Missouri. The beautiful parroqueet, usually called the Carolina parakeet, the only parrot-like bird native to continental United States, is now extinct, gone from face of Earth, a victim to the rapacity and indifference of man. The ivory-billed woodpecker probably is extinct, not from the shotgun but by the ax and the saw. For the woodpecker, he was a large bird, about the size of the common crow, and needed a broad range of large forest trees to provide enough wood-boring insects to keep him going. With the destruction of the forest he no longer could find enough food for a living. He was of striking appearance, glossy blue-black with white wing markings, a white stripe along each side of the neck, a bright read crest and an ivory white bill. It is a great tragedy to have lost so distinctive a bird.
Mr. Featherstonhaugh does not mention the first name of Mr. Eppes. We believe he was Daniel Epps who lived on the west side of Ten Mile Creek on the Old Military Road. Featherstonhaugh probably crossed Little Black River at the point now known as Powers' Mill. The big forest fire and the home of Mr. Harris were probably in the present Ripley County. Current River was probably crossed at Pitman's Ferry.
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