t in any way, even without shirt
or hide; as before I could straighten myself on the boat next to the
raft, the one they pull'd me out of went entirely under, and I have
never seen it any more to this day. We all escaped on to the raft,
where we were compelled to sit all night, about a mile from land on
either side. Four of my company were bareheaded, and three barefooted;
and of that number I was one. I reckon I looked like a pretty cracklin
ever to get to Congress!

"We had now lost all our loading, and every particle of our clothing,
except what little we had on; but over all this, while I was sitting
there, in the night, floating about on the drift, I felt happier and
better off than I ever had in my life before, for I had just made such
a marvellous escape, that I had forgot almost everything else in that;
and so I felt prime.

"In the morning about sunrise, we saw a boat coming down, and we hailed
her. They sent a large skiff, and took us all on board, and carried us
down as far as Memphis. Here I met with a friend, that I never can
forget as long as I am able to go ahead at anything; it was a Major
Winchester, a merchant of that place; he let us all have hats, and
shoes, and some little money to go upon, and so we all parted.

"A young man and myself concluded to go on down to Natchez, to see if
we could hear anything of our boats; for we supposed they would float
out from the raft, and keep on down the river. We got on a boat at
Memphis, that was going down, and so cut out. Our largest boat, we were
informed, had been seen about fifty miles below where we stove, and an
attempt had been made to land her, but without success, as she was as
hard-headed as ever.

"This was the last of my boats, and of my boating; for it went so badly
with me along at the first, that I had not much mind to try it any
more. I now returned home again, and, as the next August was the
Congressional election, I began to turn my attention a little to that
matter, as it was beginning to be talked of a good deal among the
people."

Cotton was down very low. Crockett could now say to the people: "You
see the effects of the Tariff." There were two rival candidates for the
office, Colonel Alexander and General Arnold. Money was needed to carry
the election, and Crockett had no money. He resolved, however, to try
his chances. A friend loaned him a little money to start with; which
sum Crockett, of course, expended in whiskey, as the most p