David Crockett: His Life and Adventures

f Peace and t

s Display of Moral Courage.-The Squirrel Hunt.-A Candidate for the Legislature.-Characteristic Electioneering.-Specimens of

New Purchase were either energetic young men who had their fortunes to make, or families who by misfortune had encountered impoverishment. But there was still another c

un and game, burned his wigwam, and atrociously insulted his wife and daughters. These were the men whom no law could restrain; who broug

were no legally appointed officers of justice, no organized laws. Every man did what was pleasing in his

were appointed justices of peace, with a set of resolute young men, as constables, to execute their commissions. These justices were invested with almost dictatorial power. They did no

g both parties, if Crockett judged the debt to be justly due, and that it could be paid, he would order the man's horse, cow, rifle, or any other property he owned, to be seized and sold, and

fattening upon acorns and other nuts. Nothing was easier than for a lazy man to wander into the woods, shoot one of these animals, take it to his cabin, devour it there, and obliterate all possible traces of the de

one of these swine-thieves was brought before Justice Crockett, and

a tree, and give him a severe flogging. Then burn

les County, and brought the region under the dominion of organized law. Crockett, who had performed his functions to the entire satisfaction of the community, then was legally appointed a ju

heavily upon me than before. For, at first, whenever I told my constable, says I, 'Catch that fellow, and bring him up for trial,'

to do this, and write the warrants too, was at least a huckleberry over my persimmon. I had a pretty well informed constable, however, and he aided me very much in this business. Indeed, I told him, when he should happen to be out anywhere, and se

without much difficulty. My judgments were never appealed from; and if they had been, they would have stuck like wax, as I gave my decisions on the principles of common

ble self-confidence, a memory almost miraculously stored with rude anecdotes, and an astonishing command

eration by promising to do what he could to have him elected major of the regiment. Esquire Crockett at first declined, saying that he was thoroughly disgusted with all military operations, and that he had no desire for any such honors. But as Captain Mathews urged the qu

, and "all the world," as the French say, were eager to be there. Crockett and his family were of course among the invited guests. When Crockett got there he found an immense g

he most frank and open-hearted of men, and never attempted to do anything by guile. Immediately he called Captain Mathews aside, and inquired what this all meant. Th

r the office of major; I shall not allow my name to be used against your son for that o

and the frolicking, Captain Mathews mounted a stump, and addressed the assem

tally unabashed, made his first stump speech. He was at no loss for words or ideas. He was full to the brim of fun. He could, without any effort, keep the whol

ded much to Crockett's reputation as an able man and an orator. When the election came, both father and son were badly beaten. Soon after, a comm

see to the lower part of North Carolina. This was a long journey, and going and coming would take three months. He set out ear

hing more about than I did about Latin, and law, and such things as that. I have said before, that in those days none of us called General Jackson the Government. But I know'd so l

directed his steps to Hickman County, to engage in his "bran-fire" new work of electioneering for himself as

st come out in favor of it. There's no devil if I know'd what this meant, or how the town was to be

nd have a big barbecue, and what might be called a tip-top country frolic. The dinners and a general treat was all to be paid for by the party having taken

ch fun and good humor prevailed. But before the regular frolic commenced, I was called on to

prime. And I know'd, too that I wasn't able to cut and thrust with him. He was there, and knowing my ignorance as well as I did myself, he urged me to make a speech. Th

for their votes, and if they didn't watch mighty close I'd get them too. But the worst of all was, that I could not tell them anything about Government. I tried to speak about something, and I cared very little what,

sing along, asked him what he was doing that for? The fellow replied that there was some cider in that barrel a few days before, and he was trying to see if there wa

I quit and got down, thanking the people for their attention. But I took care to remark that I was as dry as a powder-horn, and that I thought

hen taking a horn, and telling good-humored stories till he was done speaking. I found I was good for the votes at the hunt; and when we broke up I went on to the town of Vernon, which was the same they wanted

ongress, and for the State Legislature, were all present. Some of these men were of considerable ability, and certainly of very fluent speech. The backwoodsmen, from their huts, where there were no books, no newspapers, no intelligent companion

he stump and address the listening throng. He perceived that he could not speak as these men were speaki

when they quit the people were worn out with fatigue, which afforded me a good apology for not discussing the Government. But I listened mighty close to them, and was learning pretty fast about political matters. When they were all done, I got u

'Well, Colonel, I suppose we shall have a radical change of the judiciary at the next session of the Legislature.' 'Very likely, sir,' says I. And I put out quicker, for I was afraid some one would ask me what the judiciary

should acquire, were the meaning of the words government and judiciary. By adroit questioning and fixed thought, he ere long stored up those intellectual treasures. Though with but little capacity to obtain knowledge from books, he became an earnest student of the ideas of his fellow-legisl

d. I had built an extensive grist-mill and powder-mill, all connected together, and also a large distillery. They had cost me upward of three thousand dollars; more than I was

nd a good stock of almost everything about me, and, best of all, I had an honest wife. She didn't advise me, as is too fashionable, to smuggle up this, and that, and t'other,

when he has a full load for a railroad car on his mind already. And so, you see, I determined not to break full-handed, but thought it better to keep a

t the cause of wit in others. His stories were irresistibly comic; but they almost always contained expressions of profanity or coarseness which renders it impossible for us to trans

was another Dutchman near by, by the name of Henry Snyder. He was a mono-maniac, but a harmless man, occasionally thinking himself to be God. He built a throne

rs. He took his seat upon his throne, and in imaginatio

up. What hash you been d

ich does

ulwiler, hasn't

ort, ic

er, didn't you never

r wash low, and mein stones wash du

wiler, you must go to

ou stand up. What hash you b

ich does

lwiler, hasn't

ort, ic

r hasn't you never t

r wash low, and mein stones wash d

iler, you must go to d

, Henry Snyder, stand up. What has

ich does

nyder, hasn't

ort, ic

, didn't you never

wash low, and mein stones wash dull,

er, vat did you

ch gives it

, "Well, Henry Snyder, you must go to der ri

re the house for the creation of a new county, and there was a dispute about the boundary-line. The author of the b

his country a blacksmith was a rare thing. But there happened to be one in my neighborhood. He had no striker; and whenever one of the neighbors wa

blacksmith's to strike till his axe was done. The iron was heated, and my neighbor fell to work, and was striking the

ck was done. Accordingly he went over the next day, and worked faithfully. But toward night t

wouldn't make a ploughshare, but 'twould make a fine skow. So my neighbor, tired of working, cried, 'A skow let it be;' and the blacksmith, taking up the red-hot iron, threw it into a trough of hot water near him,

tfully of him as from the back woods, or, as he expressed it, the gentleman from the cane. Crockett made a very bungling answer, which did not satisfy himself. After the house adjourned, he very pleasantly

hat I brought

was th

you here for the express purpose of

t, "the fellow said he didn't mean anything, a

nds as ever, and no one but t

nd one for which it is difficult to conceive of any adequate motive. He took his eldest son, a boy about eight years of age, and a young man by the name of Abram

ording streams, clambering hills, wading morasses, and threading ravines, each night constru

ached the banks of a lonely stream, called Obion River, on the extreme western frontier of Tennessee. This river emptied into the Mississippi but a

of nature. The largest forest-trees were found split from their roots to their tops, and lying half on each side of a deep fissure. The opening abysses, the entanglement of the prostrate forest, and the dense underbrush which had sprung up, rendered the whole region almost impenetrable. The country was almost entirely uninhabited. It

ve the reach of freshets. It was also desirable to find a small plain or meadow free from trees, where he could plant his corn; and to be in the edge of the forest, which would supply him with abundance of fuel. Crockett found such a place, exactly to his mind. Being very fond of hunting, he was the happiest of men. A few hours' labor threw up a rude

great cities. In a few days he got everything comfortable around him. Crockett's cabin, or rather camp, was on the eastern side of the Obion River. Seven miles farther up the stream, on the western bank, a Mr.

wing up the western bank they would be sure to find his hut. There was no boat, and the stream must be swum or forded. Recent rains had caused it to overflow it

ckett led the way, with a pole in his hand. Cautiously he sounded the depth before him, lest they should fall into any slough. A dense growth of young trees covered the inunda

mile, they came to the channel. The stream, within its natural banks, was but about forty feet wide. Large forest-trees fringed the shores. One immense tree, blown down

f dry land. Their garments were dripping and they were severely chilled as they reached the shore. But turning their steps up the stream, they soon came in sight of the cabin, which looked to them like a paradise of rest. I

ll the attractions their hearts could desire. Mr. Owen and several other men were just starting away from the cabin, when, to their surprise, they saw the party of strangers approaching. They waited until Crocke

of food. They all turned back and entered the cabin together. Mrs. Owen was an excellent, motherly woman, about fifty years of age. Her sympathies were immediately excited for the poor little b

times as much good as anything she could h

aded with whiskey, flour, sugar, hardware, and other articles, valuable in the Indian trade in the purchase of furs, and in great demand in the huts of pioneers. There was a small trading-post at

rse brought out. Crockett drank deeply; he says, at least half a pint. His tongue was unloosed, and he became one of the most voluble and entertaining of men. His clothes having been dried by the fire, and all having with boist

n a constant roar. Their shouts and bacchanal songs resounded through the solitudes, with clamor and profaneness which

s I took steam enough to drive out all the cold t

ed the forest, and that the gigantic trees so encumbered the stream that he was doubtful whether the boat could pass, unless the water should rise higher. Consequently he, with Crockett and Henry, accom

here he was to settle, and build his house for him. It seems very strange that, in that dismal wilderness, Crockett should not have pre

going to settle, and we slipped up a cabin in little or no time. I got from t

ccompany the boatmen up the river as far