heard
nuzzling at the door one morning, when, upon opening, what should he
see but his mule. How he came down he could not tell, but said he
should always believe that his mule could climb a tree. I said it must
have been a Providential interference, and that the same Power which
landed him in the tree was able to lift him out. "Dat is so," said the
old man, "an' I will nebber agin' complain at de ways ob an
Over-Rulin' Providence." I often think of Col. Godfrey and his remark,
when he said that what best conduces to the happiness of mankind is
right. Uncle Alek, knowing that his mule was at home with his head
well in the crib, and he in the Swamp fighting bears and bees, was
perfectly happy. Uncle Alek and his mule are both now dead, and I
shall always have a lively recollection of them. I often think of
them, and that I rode Uncle Alek's mule as Knight of the Dismal Swamp
at a tournament, won the first honor, and was ruled out on account of
my mule not making time, much to the mortification of Uncle Alek. As
Uncle Alek and his mule will appear again, I will leave them for the
present and relate an interesting conversation with Mr. Richard
Hosier, who now lives in Suffolk, and who is as well acquainted with
the Dismal Swamp as any one now living. He is perfectly familiar with
every part of it, and is, no doubt, correct in many of his statements.
He informed me that long before the Lake was discovered by Drummond,
two gentlemen from Elizabeth City, N. C., left for the Dismal Swamp on
a hunting expedition, and having lost their way, wandered about until
they came to what they discovered to be a large body of water. From it
they traveled a due west course and came out at a farm on the Desert
road, known as Mossy Swamp, and one of the men was taken sick and
died; the other one returned to Elizabeth City. Mr. Hosier did not
state when this was, but said it was long before Drummond made known
that he had discovered a lake in the Dismal Swamp. It will be
remembered that Mr. Hosier was arrested in Norfolk in 1863 by order of
the Federal general then commanding that department, and was being
carried toward the Indian Pole Bridge to be put to work on the
defences of Norfolk. He was not disposed to do work in that way, and
when well out from Norfolk he eluded the guard that had him, and
directed his steps toward the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth river.
On his arrival, seeing boats passing up and down, he secreted himself
until