dawn of day that my father began
to stir. He was soon ready, and providing himself with fishing poles,
bait, lunch, and such other articles as were necessary for a two or
three days' fishing excursion, then taking our leave of my mother and
the other members of the family, we were off. The Portsmouth and
Roanoke railroad (now the Seaboard and Roanoke railroad) was at that
time graded as far as Suffolk. We followed the line of it as far as a
place known as Peter Jones, where we left it and passed through "Bull
Field," to the company's mill, which is but a short distance from the
basin of the Canal, at which place we were to take a skiff for the
Lake. On arriving at the basin we found Mr. James Woodward,
grandfather of Hersey Woodward, Esq., of Suffolk, Va. He was inspector
of lumber for the "Dismal Swamp Land Company," and was on his way to
the Lake. The drivers of the skiff, Tony Nelson and Jim Brown, were
ready, and it being now about sunrise, Mr. Woodward and my father soon
got their traps aboard, then lifting me in, all was ready. The
drivers adjusted their poles and away we went, all being a novelty to
me, who had never before been in a boat on water. Everything appeared
very strange, being but a very small boy as I was. Nothing happened to
impede our progress, and in about five hours from the time of starting
we arrived at the Lake. Then it was that our young soul began to
thrill with joy, for we were at the Lake and would soon launch on its
broad bosom. The gates of the Lock were opened and the skiff shoved
in, then the first gate being closed behind us another gate opened.
The water rushed in and soon our boat was on a level with the Lake.
The drivers then took up the oars and were ready to cross to Jack's
Landing, which was on the opposite side of the Lake. It being very
rough at the time, some fears were expressed, but Mr. Woodward, who
was well acquainted with the situation, said that he did not apprehend
any danger, and the skiff was put in motion. As I said before, it was
very rough, and when we had gotten about half-way across, it became
more so: the waves began to break over the skiff and all thought that
it would fill. Fortunately, two large wooden shovels or scoops were
found in the skiff, and with them Mr. Woodward and my father kept her
free, "Tony" and "Jim," in the meantime, plying their oars manfully.
We soon arrived at "Jack's Landing," and disembarking proceeded to
Jack's camp, which was but a sho