o families and then set to work to clear
the land. We had soon shaped out a couple of fields, a ten-acre one for
maize, and another half the size for tobacco. These we began to dig and
hoe; but the ground was hard, and though we all worked like slaves, we
saw there was nothing to be made of it without ploughing. A ploughshare
we had, and a plough was easily made--but horses were wanting: so Asa
and I took fifty dollars, which was all the money we had amongst us, and
set out to explore the country forty miles round, and endeavour to meet
with somebody who would sell us a couple of horses, and two or three
cows. Not a clearing or settlement did we find, however, and at last we
returned discouraged, and again began digging. On the very first day
after our return, as we were toiling away in the field, a trampling of
horses was heard, and four men mounted, and followed by a couple of
wolf-hounds, came cantering over the prairie. It struck us that this
would be a famous chance for buying a pair of horses, and Asa went to
meet them, and invited them to alight and refresh themselves. At the
same time we took our rifles, which were always lying beside us when we
worked in the fields, and advanced towards the strangers. But when they
saw our guns, they put spurs to their horses and rode off to a greater
distance. Asa called out to them not to fear, for our rifles were to use
against bears and wolves and Redskins, and not against Christian men.
Upon this, down they came again; we brought out a calabash of real
Monongahela; and after they had taken a dram, they got off their horses,
and came in and ate some venison, which the women set before them. They
were Creoles, half Spanish, half French, with a streak of the Injun; and
they spoke a sort of gibberish not easy to understand. But Asa, who had
served in Lafayette's division in the time of the war, knew French well;
and when they had eaten and drunk, he began to make a bargain with them
for two of their horses.

It was easy to see they were not the sort of men with whom decent folk
could trade. First they would, then they wouldn't: which horses did we
want, and what would we give. We offered them thirty-five dollars for
their two best horses--and a heavy price it was, for at that time money
was scarce in the settlements. They wanted forty, but at last took the
thirty-five; and after getting three parts drunk upon taffia, which they
asked for to wet the bargain as they said, they mo