HOW I ESCAPED. A NOVEL By W. H. PARKINS, EDITED BY ARCHIBALD CLAVERING GUNTER, CHAPTER XV.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 400, 7 September 1889, Page 5

HOW I ESCAPED. A NOVEL By W. H. PARKINS, EDITED BY ARCHIBALD CLAVERING GUNTER,

CHAPTER XV.

Author of "Mr Barnes of New York," " Mr Potter of Texas," &c

THROUGH THE GAPS. The next morning one of the girls came hurriedly in, and after a whispered conversation with her father, the old gentleman said : 'It don't seem hospitable to tell you to git, but you light right out. My darter says she heerd from a passing nigger that a squad of Morgan's cavalry is coming along this road. Keep dead north 'bill you strike the bend of Cane River ; then go northeast, and a little before you get to Flat Rock in Mitchell County you'll strike Tittle's place, what I told you about.' Under these circumstances, Caucus having brought the horses up, we started out at a pretty lively jog, though we could not make very fast time, for it was raining heavily and the road became very muddy. Meeting one or two people, of whom I inquired if there were any mules to be obtained about here, as I was getting them for the Confederate Government, we passed along, I saying I was in a hurry as I must get back to Raleigh in a little over a week. During the day 1 &poke to the negro, telling him that he had better return to South Carolina with the hor&es. as the country being mountainous, I would walk almost as fast as I could ride, and that the dangers ahead of us were very great. * No, sah !' returned Caucus, showing the whites of his eyes. * Dis chile neber goes back to Carolina. Dar's freedom ahead of him, and he's gwine to git dar, sure, dis time. Can't turn mo back now, Massa Bryant, iiot eben wid a six-shooter. I goes wid you ! ' And so he did for nearly two months without a word of complaint. After travelling up hill and down dale fo r a couple of hours, we came to the bend of Cane River which Caucus had seen before ; then swinging off along a bridle-path that led to the northeast, after making several inquiries of people who were armed and looked at us with suspicion, I found myself in view of my stopping place, and to my surprise saw two Union soldiers standing in front of the house. I was informed by Mrs Tittle as I rode up that her husband had gone to the mill for grist. She seemed very embarrassed until I came up to her and gave her the grip that Old Yank had ?hovvn me. At this, apparently having lost all fear of me, she said that these two soldiers had escaped from Salisbury prison, and were making their way to the Union lines. I suggested to these men that for their own safety they had better immediately change their clothes for those of ordinary citizens, and they, having a. few greenbacks in their pockets, managed to buy from the family enough to clothe them. Soon after this Mr Tittle returned, and told us we had better be on our way, as some cavalrymen were riding about the country looking for deserters. He said : ' The best thing you can do is to go back, because it will cake sand in your gizzard and no weak knees to tramp between here and Knoxville, for the rebels around would just as soon shoot you as a chicken, and the Unionists ain't no better.' I said : ' I must go through !' • Very well ; but make up your mind it is better to get out of the highways and go over the hills and mountains. You'd better give up your horses. 5 I said as long as I had a horse I would keep to the highways. 'Ail right, then"; if you are bound on the job, you had/ better go straight up to the norths co Little Rock Creek, leaving Bakersviile to' the left, for if you go near Bakersville, you'll be nabbed, sure !' Thanking him for his advice and directions, Caucus and I hurried silong on our way, into a driving rain. This storm, as we went along, became thicker and more blinding. Caucus had left all his knowledge of the country behind him long ago. After passing along several bridle-paths that seemed to lead nowhere in particular, and just missing descending into a littie valleyi n which we fortunately in time saw a squad of six mounted men, doubtless Confederate scouts, who would have done us no good, we turned up into some thick undergrowth, the bows of which made an uncertain protection from the wind and the storm. Here we built a tire, and tried to dry our clothes. Then we got something to eat and lay down to sleep exhausted, downhearted, wet, and miserable. The next morning I was awakened by the negro shaking himself like a dog and slapping his arms about. It had become quite cold. The rain had changed into snow, of which there ,was a slight fall now upon the ground. •By gosh i I mus' git somewhar, or I'll freeze to death,' said Caucus. * The s>now is mighty uncomfortable.' 'Yes,' I replied, 'we must get somewhere, but I .don't like to travel in this snow. It will enable us to be tracked.' However, getting on our horees, after taking a bite of breakfast, together with some hot coffee that we succeeded in making over our camp-tire, we pushed along. Two hours afterward we could see from an elevated portion of the road a clearing and some farm houses. These we made for, because the storm had so increased it was now unendurable. Upon reaching one of the houses, we saw no one but women. They appeared to be somewhat frightened, and immediately asked if I was a soldiers I told them I was not now on a warlike mission ; that they need not be uneasy. Other women now made their appearance, and one of them seemed to be in such distress that I made somo remark to her about it. •Distress?' she replied. 'My heavens ! don't you know that they killed my husband the other day before my eyes ?' I turned away from her, unable to say anything to such grief. The others informed me that he had given information to some of the Union scouts about there by which a Confederate soldier who was home on a furlough from the army of Virgiian had been captured. That for this a party of bushwhackers had taken him out of his wife's arms in the middle of the night and shot him to death i» front of the door. In this place the storm compelled us to remain all that day and night. Anxious to get away, however, Caucus and 1 saddled up early in the morning and again tried to force our way in the direction that Tittle had told us to take. The storm came up again, and for three days we wandered about this part of the country, twice camping in the open, and once sleeping in the hon&e of a man who boasted to me that he had, helped lay out in the last two weeks three or four Unionists. With this man I made a desperate attempt to bargain for mules ' for the Confederate Government.' He had two or three, but I

need hardly say that my p ice was too low foy him. On the fourth day the storm cleared, the sun came out, and we turned our faces westward. We had come much further north than we had expected, having wandered out of our path and being almost on the borders of Watauga and Mitchell counties. Passing through a little gap in the mountains, we came on a plain that was a kind of base to the mountain ranges near us that lay on either hand about two miles away. Here we passed a farm owned by a gentleman who was an officer in the Confederate army, and I pumped a man working on the place about the road beyond. He had heard that some soldiers were in the neighbourhood, but didn't exactly know where they were. We went southward from this place, following a narrow road, from which the snow had nearly disappeared. With this I was delighted, because our tracks in ib would always be a direction for any party who wished to follow us. After half an hour's travel we came to a large open field, where to my astonishment, I heard the firing of musketry. Caucus whispered : ' Reckon we'd bettei stop and take a squint at dat noise !' Dismounting and sheltering ourselves behind a rail fence, we were able to discover the location of two or three men by the Hashes and smoke from their guns. Beyond them, and separated from them by a deep ra\ino, we saw one or two other men return the tire from a clump o f laurel trees. By the uniform of those nearest to us I judged they were Confederate cavalrymen. The others seemed to be dressed in blue. I had hardly made this observa tion, when I heard a yell from Caucus. 'Golly ! Dey's atter us !' and looking down the road perceived live or oix troopers coming along the tracks we had made in the melting snow, I might have paused, surrendered to them, and tried to have made out my case as being all right ; but somehow or othor, knowing that they were my enemies, my presence of mind left me, and, followed by the negro, 1 remounted my horse and spurred on my way. This was probably the worst thing I could have done, for a voHey from the Confederate cavalry overtook us, and killed my horse under me. Crying to Caucus to follow me, which he did, jumping from his horse for that purpose, I climbed over the rail fence, ran through the undergrowth and went down into the ravine, which I cros a ed to the other side. Here I had a moment's breathing space, in which to regret my lack of presence of mind. Had I remained and faced the Confederate cavalry, I could piobably have persuaded them chat I was all right. Now, having fled from them, no such chance was open to me. I looked at our poor horses, one dead, and the other in the possesion of the Confederates, and had the sorry satisfaction ot knowing that, with the exception of the papers on my person, my two pistols, and the money in my pocket, all my worldly gooes were in the hands of my pursuers. However, armed as we were, for I had given one of my six-shooters to the negro, I concluded that we could defend the ravine against any horsemen who should attempt to cross it. These thoughts had hardly passed through my mind, when I heard a voice near me, and turning round taw a man in blue uniform. He said : ' I reckon you are on the same side of the gulch as we are, stranger. Come right along, and help us stand the cavalrymen oft !' Caucus and I silently followed him. In the undergrowth were three other men, one of them in the uniform of a lieutenant in the < Federal army. He was armed with a Henry rifle, and replying to the tire of three or four Confederate troopers, who were about one hundred and fifty yaids off, on the -other side of the ravine. The lieutenant, using his gun with great accuracy, kept the Confederates at bay, and injured one of them. One of his men, however, was wounded alk>. The Confederates drew off. r Now, boys,' he said, 'we must get through to Steiner's as quickly as possible, before those chaps can get around. Follow me !' ; Two of us assisted the wounded man, who had a ball through his leg and appeared to ' be in a good deal of pain, and we hurriedly put off by a mountain path, ascended quite i a hill, and, after travelling about three miles, descended into a valley occupied by Steiner, a man celebrated in that region for his Union proclivities. The Confederates had had him out to hang him once or twice, to make him tell the hiding-place of Union refugees, but the old fellow was of such grit that they became ashamed of torturing him, and always let him go. He was mending a waggon in his blacksmith's? shop when we came up. • Wai," said the old man, 'you didn't erit out thi-< lime, did you ? You North Carolina Union boys, born right here, an' knowing every part of the way from here toKnoxville, couldn't get through Morgan's cavalry !' 'We will do it ne\fc time,' said the lieutenant. 'We have brought back a wounded man to leave him with you.' ' All right ; I'll take care of hjm ; bub who are these tv/o st r angers ?' ' I am darned it 1 know, but I reckon they are on our side, and have got sand in them. They helped us stand off Morgan's cavalry. As for the nigger, he's a red-head, and that's a true sign of tight. This gentleman's his master, I reckon.' 'Now,' he said, turning to me, 'I suppose you are bound the same way we are. Iknow every step of the road from here to* Knoxville, and if you have .lost "your horses you had better join us, as^five are bettei ' than two, to stand off any scouting parties. Your horses would not have done you much good from now on, as you would have to take to the mountains, for none of our side can travel the roads And live to get through.' I explained to the lieutenant and Steiner exactly mv position, and how I came to be where he tound me. • Very well, Mr Bryant,' he said ; ' I car. put you through if any man can. Is ib a go ?' and he offered me his hand. In return, I gave him the grip Old Yank had shown me, and Steiner said : ' That's the talk ! Now I knows you are square and right.' The party, however, was too worn out to travel that evening, and we all went to sleep wich our pistols under our headß or by our sides, for Morgan's men might be upon vi* again before morning. We were now in a very rough country. The Blue Ridge towered up range above range before us, and presented a grand spectacle, separated by gaps through which the water courses ran toward the Tennessee, pointing out to us the way to the Union lines through which many of these streams ultimately ran. The lieutenant knew every gap and water course in these mountains, and every inch of the country to Knoxville beyond them. This was fortunate for us, as Longstreet's scouts or foragers were all through this region, having been thrown out from his army now before Knoxvillo. The lieutenant had been detailed to go through this part of the country to gain all the information he could for the commanding officers of the Union troops in the valley of the Tennessee. Though a cavalryman, he had taken this perilous journey on foot, as he could travel with even more celerity and less danger

than on horseback. He was active, fearless, and an untiring walker. Our first tramp was about twelve miles, to the house of Mr Middleton, a Union man. Here the lieutenant expected to meet two more men who were going to attempt to pass through the linos. The day was misty and foggy, and a lifcble snow fell. Afc six o'clock in the afternoon we stopped at a house near the roadside, and had some hot coft'ee, made as usual in this region from chicory. About seven o'clock we started again in the rain, and two hours afterwards moved down into a little valley about a mile in width, the land being cultivated by two or three diHerenb farmers. The lieutenant told me that one of the farmers had a son in the Union army, while his neighbour had one in the Confederate, as was often the ca?e in the border States. After lea\ii!g this place about a mile and a half, wo met two citizens on horseback. Ono of them asked us where we were bound. Wo told him most anywhere. He replied, ' You will meet with a great big Mnderei that will bother you, if you don'L mind.' ' What is that V naked the lieutenant. •The Rogulars. 1 ' Who and what are the Regulars?' ' Oh ! they juut go about and catch anybody they can lay their hands on. Sometimes they take a man out and shoot him ; sometimes they hang him. A hundred yards from here we can show you a tree wheie they hunt; a man. Our advice is tor you to watch out, or they will got you eartin.' With these words the two men rode oil", but 1 noticed that the lieutenant had his pistol out. and watched them. Ho told me iio thought they might be the advance cruard ot rho Regulars?. ITo kept his eyo on them .so that if they did attempt to lire on us as they rode away, he would have 'the drop' on thoni. After wo had gone on a fow yards, the lieutenant said that we had better leave the roads at once and got up on the mountains. To this, knowing the desperate character ot the so-called 'Regulars,' we all assented, and taking n. very circuitous route through the roughest of ravines and over the highest and rockiest of hills, we arrived at Middleton'a about eleven o'clock in the evening. Middlctoti knew our lieutenant, and invited u« into the house, which was on a little elevated ground at the fork of two loads?. Here we found tha two men who wove going with us through to Knoxville. They lived in an adjoining county, and had been dodging about for se\eral months to keep out of the Confederate army. This made our company seven men, with the lieutenant to guide us, in w horn I began to have very gi eat confidence. The count! y about us Mr Middleton said was alive with Confederate scouts and bushwhackers, and he recommended that we should not remain there that night. After consultation we decided to take his advice and to get an old hunter, Zeke Carter, to pilot us across some twelve or fifteen miles to a road inteicepting the one we had left. Zeke was an old bear hunter, and lived in a log hub about two miles up in the hills. Our ho~b volunteered to guide us there, and lebumiug our walk, after crossing a stieam, we reached Zeke'b house. A faint light coming through the crevasses between the logs showed us he was at home. Middleton hallooed, and Zeke came to the door. Then we agreed, after some haggling, to pay him twenty dollars for his services — a sum of money that made the old mountaineer's eyes twinkle. He was a hard-featured, stoop-shouldered, long, grey-bearded cntitomer, with piercing black eye?. He invited us into hi^ cabin, while lie cooked the rations for his trip, which he told us would last, probably, three or four day=. Upon the walls of his domicile were deer-horns and bear and coonskins which told of the o'd fellow's success with his rifle in the mountains Leaving his house about midnight, he remarked : ' Well, boys, we've got a goodsized hill to climb !' and shouldering his old-fashioned lifle, he told us to follow him, which we did, *in single file. After a terrific tramp of about ten miles over rocks that cub my boot into pieces, and once getting lost from the party, and having a great; deal of trouble to find them in the darkness, I, together with the rest, came to what Zeke said wa« a good place to camp. This was uttered in low tones, to avoid attracting the notice ol bushwhackers, for our route led into the ' Sweet Water valley,' which Zeke remarked was one of their breeding places. We were nearly at the end of our journey for the night, when Zeke cried : ' Halt, Gol darn you ! Hale !' ' Well, what is it?' came out of the dnrkne-s from a man a few paces in advance of v". ♦ Who are you ?' inquired Zeke. 1 Well, wo are scouting around, and, if you say so, we are friends.' ' How many of yon ':' 'Only two V ♦ Where are you going ?' asked the lieutenant, coming forward. ♦ Oh. we're going about, and I shouldn't wonder if you were like us. Ain't you men going to the lines ?' To this the lieutenant cautiously replied that we were taking in the country, but Zeke, who was of an impaoienb disposition, said, ' By the etarnal ! there's no use fooling around here ! You come with us, and we'll boon know you, or you will know us !' As we were eight men and they were but two, hesitation on their part was out of the • question. We treated them as and' soon marched them to the spot that old Zeke had picked out for our camp. This wasa level spobof ground inhorse-shoeshapo, about fifty feetin diametor, standing against. a rocky cliff, over which a stream of pure mountain water descended. This place overlooked a little valley, between the Iron and Yellow mountains, and was much frequented by hunters and travellers, as it afforded such tine water. Upon examination, bhe bwo men we had overtaken proved themselves all right, and, appointing pickets to lelievo each other, we lay down, worn out with nearly twenty-two hours' steady tramping. In iact, as Caucus remarked, as he snuggled up to the camp fire, ' Disroad to freedom am a mighty hard ono to trabel.' ' Too exhausted to sleep, I lay awake, for some time my thoughts turning back over the mountains to the south of me, trying to, imagine how my wife had fared in the two weeks I had already been away from her. When I awoke ie was mid-day. As we prepared breakfast, I looked out over the ledge above which we were encamped, and seemed to see a thousand mountains in this Switzerland of America. Our guide now told us that it was seven miles over the hills to the place where he would leave us. These seven miles seemed an immense distance to me. My feet were sore, my shoes were coming to pieces. My appearance was that of a not over genteel j tramp, as I had not shaved since leaving Spartan burg. However, I followed the party down the steep descents and up the high hills again, repeating the operation ! several times before we reached our stopI ping place. In about half an hour's travel we came to a public road, which we were compelled to ' cross. Coming from the direction of French Broad River in Tennessee, it ran into

Mitchell County in North Carolina. Old Zeke instructed us to walk over this road backward, so that our tracks would mislead people as to the direction in which we were travelling. After this piece of strategy"nothingjhappened of importance until we came in sight of an old clump of trees, when old Zeke bold us of a terrific combat he had had with a bear, which had nearly whipped him. In fact, the old man's arms had not even now entirely recovered from the hugs that Bruin had eriven them. Passing a simple shanty occupied by a squatter, who apparently was too old to fight, but of whose feelings and sympathies the>*e was no doubt, for he cursed us for Union men as we tramped past, we paused to look at a valley below, through which coursed the beautiful Doe River. It must have been eight or ten miles away, but looked very lovely in the distance with the afternoon sunlight upon it. As we trudged up the crest of the hill, on leaving this spot, the lieutenant suddenly paused. I thought he had noticed some of the enemy ahead, but instead of that he pointed to the west and said : ' The first .siyht of Tennessee !' Looking towards the place he indicnted, we could see the Bald Mountain oE the ' Smoky Ridge ' that divided North Caiolina from its most western neighbour. While drinking in the view of this, to us, 'Promised Land,' old Zeke said: 'Wai, boys, I'm going to get back to my shanty, but I'll shako a h'st with you all, first. Keep your eyes open and your powJer dry • That's what you want. Good bye !' With this the old frontiersman turned upon his bracks, and striding clown the path, was soon out of our sight. It was now getting dark, and wo determined utter dinner that we would stmb again on our way. The route was directly over the ridge of the mountains, and we had but litblo difficulty in making the three miles, which brought us to the house occupied by Mr Cunningham, a good Union man to whom we had been directed by the guide. Cunningham advised us to be very careful and not travel by the road, as he had heard of several scouts or Confederate cavalrymen being in the immediate neighbourhood : t>o after supper we concluded to go on at once through the night. Tempted, however, by theea3y travelling on this highway, we disregarded Cunningham's advice and determined to Ua\el upon it though it greatly increas-cd our risk. We kept on close together, sending Caucus a hundred yards ahead to act as scout, as we knew a negro would create less suspicion with Confederate soldieis than a white man. We had hardly gone tint way half an hour when Caucus came softly back to us and remarked : " Golly • dar's voices ahead ob us.' The lieutenant went with him and reconnoitred ; but hearing nothing, we started on. Hardly had we reached uhe ton of the ridge and become outlined on the sky, when two or three shots whizzed past us rom a clump of trees. We knew bhab wo were ambushed, bub could see nothing of our enemies, though another volley came in our direction. The night was dark, and, by the lieutenant's orders, we had thrown ourselves on the ground ; consequently none of us were hurt. ' Boys !' said the lieutenant, c all of yon shoot two or three barrels,, and we will make them think there is a whole company here. ' Tho banging of our pistols sounded lik e the regular file firing from a platoon. ' Another shot each, and follow me !' We fired one more volley, which was returned, then followed the lieutenant, who left the road and started up the mountain. After a little, the lieutenant said : ' Now, boys, hurry to the gap, and get through to the other side of this range. Tt will be some five or six miles out of our way, but we must get there before those iell^-vs; otherwi&e we will have another light for it.' He had been through this portion of the country before, and knew the roads almost by instinct ; so up hill and down hill we followed him with sore and weary feet. This was especially so in my case. I had not been accustomed to travelling on foot, and kept up with great difficulty with the others, for my shoes, being worn out, filled. with gravel and dirt at every step. But at last coming to a little running stream, we all sat down for a short rest, and I washed my feet in the cold water and wrapped them in cloth torn from the lining of my coat. This relieved them somewhat, and we again started on our journey. Nearing the gap about daybreak, to our consternation bheie were three or four light? right down in it. 1 Camp-fires,' said the lieutenant. 'We can't get through there, and this is the only place we can cross without going atound by Littleton's, three miles more. Shall we try it to-night, boys ?' Thegeneral verdict wasasrainstthU, for we were in no condition for rapid travelling, and if discovered by a superior force, would be sure to be captured. So we turned out of the path, and, finding a place in a deep i-avine, made a camp, though we dared not light any fire. After drawing straws to boe who should stand guard, all but the picket lay down, and I soon forgot that I was a refugee in the mountains of North Carolina. It seemed to me that I had hardly &lept a, minute before the guard came and touched me on the shoulder. I woke with a start. Some Confederate troopers were riding along the road nob two hundred yards troaa us. Fortunately they did nob notice us, and about dusk next day we resumed our journey to the house of a family who lived in the gap, and were friends of our lieutenant. They advised us not to remain, as the cavalry would undoubtedly return before long, and recommended us to go to Jim Boles's house, who would direct Us on our way. As we came near that gentleman's 'front fence, Mr Boles came to the door, gun in hand, and shouted, ' Who's thar ?' ' Come out here, Jim, I want to see you J' said the lieutenant. ♦ Pshaw !' returned Boles. ' That trick is played too^ often. What do you wanL, t and who are you ?' *I am Lieutenant Hanson, of the Fifth" Kentucky Union Cavalry, whom you well know.' 1 Oh, yes ; I recognise your voice,' replied Boles. ' Come right in, and bring your crowd with you. Ib'a- lucky you applied to me, or you would have been in the Robs' hands in&ide of an hour. There's a camp of 'em about three miles from here, and you have got to go around by Mix's place.' This meant a walk of about fifteen extra miles. Boles's two daughters, sixteen and eighteen, strong and healthy, voluntered to pilot us. Our lieutenant was not exactly sure of this part of the route, so he said, ' All right, girls ; I'll take you as guides, but you must let me pay for it !' 'No, siree, not a cent!' they cried. * Let's go now !' '^Miat, to-night? We are fearfully tired.' It you don't go now, you won't go at all. You'll be bagged sure in the daytime.' '

There was nothing for it, tired, worn out and hungry as we were, bub to travel fifteen long and weary mile? that night. The girls said they would go in advance about thirby or forty yards, carrying a white handkerchief, and whenever they waved this, we were to halt and wait for instructions. ■ We made about three miles the first hour, without any interruption ; then saw two camp-tires, and the girls came back to us, and said we would have to go a little higher up the mountain in order bo get through the gap without being discovered. Notwithstanding we did this, we soon came so close to these fires that we got a very good view of the picket on his beat. We saw a dozen tents, and beside them some soldiers cooking by the fire, and others playing cards. A few hundred yards further on the girls stopped and waved their handkerchiefs, then returned, and said there were some men on the roadside by a fire partially burnt out. Taking us back a short distance, they ascended a little path that wound around the side of the mountains, very steep and difficult, but by which we soon passed the enemy who lay below us nob three hundred feet. The thick bushes and flinty rocks of (.he path tortured my sore and blistered feet, continually reminding me of what ' Old Yank ' had said to me, — that 'Jordan was a hard road to travel.' Trudging along as well as I was able, at last we came to a bridge that crossed a mountain tonent. Here the lieutenant said he would wager that more men had been shot and killed to the square foot in this section, than anywhere else in the United States. To thi'! pleasant assertion none of us replied. We were probably weighing in our minds the individual possibilities of our being added to the number. After another tiresome climb, wo crossed the ridge, and keeping straight down until daylight, arrived at the house of Mr Mix, to'whom our youthful and faithful guides presenter? us as guest 5 - for the day. Here we met two mote men who weie seeking to avoid conscription in the rebel army by making; their way through the lines to Knovvillc. The whole party were too tired and exhausted tn think of travelling 1 and we concluded to lie over with this hospitable mountaincei for two days, and then, owing to the sickness of one of our party, a West Virginian, an additional twenty-foiu hours. {To be Continued.)