The new purchase; or, Early years in the far West

Front matter

THE AUTHOR.

THE

BY

Preface To The Second Edition

The Eey. G. Clarence liaving removed from Somwliersburg to Somwherelse, and E. Carlton, Esq., liaving, at the same time, eschewed authorship, the writer of this Preface, who has been guilt j of doing, " Frank Freeman," — "Teaching a Science," — "A New Latin Grammar," — and, indeed, " Something for Everybody ;" and, who, when authors become scarce, may do more in the writing line, is induced, "for a consideration," to introduce the New Purchase to New Purchasers.

From complete knowledge of all matters, and from personal acquaintance with the Dramatis Personce — expressed or implied — quadrupedal or bipedalic — the writer being a competent witness, now averreth the substantial and not rarely the literal truth of this Book in its many individualities and genericals.

Although published near the noon of the Yellow Literature Day, the First Edition of the Work was all immediately sold and at a high, price ; but the " Patrons" of Native American Authors with or without a genius, being few, and the Mass-men resolving to devour only a

4 PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION,

Pennetli of Book at a time, or at most a York-Sliilling worth, the good books were withheld from the market. But, now, the Writer having repeatedly assured inquirers that the Book would, in time, be re-published, "takes this method of informing Mr. Carlton's friends," who keep on wondering " where on earth the Purchase is to be found," stores and stalls having been rummaged in vain, that it can be obtained at New Albany, Louisville, Cincinnati, '^Woodville," and " Timberopolis," 01^?^ there; and in N'ewYork, Philadelphia, and Boston, in here; and, indeed, at^ m, and near all intermediate and ont of the way places, of Booksellers particularly and generally.

Moreover, as the New Purchase is improved and hath "picters to ma.tch," or in Uncle Tommy's language, is ''illusterated ;" and is cheaper and ^Ae?^e/bre better, it is now — (handsomely dressed in cloth) — hound — to sell. But still the Book is essentially the same, and, indeed — a little more so.

Mr. Clarence wishes the Dead Lang:nao:e on the Title Page to be waked up ; but Mr. Carlton has misgivings whether it would even then talk any better ; and whether it would be prudent to unlock secret doors to the privacy of Colonel Wilmar, Bishop Shrub, Harwood, Uncle Tommy, Sylvan, Allheart, and others. And he fears, if folks are cautioned about the traps set to snare them into goodness, lest they step so dextrously through the Volume as to evade them all. The clerical influence over Mr. Carlton inclined him ever to wish well to his readers; so that while willing these should "laugh and grow fat,"

Preface To The Second Edition, 5

he hoped also, they would be merry and become wise. However, by way of compromise, the readers of the common school are informed that — ^^ Alter et idem'''' means, - — ''^pretty much of a muchness^'''' or in better Saxon — " Six of one and half a dozen of the otherJ^ The other lines may be rendered — ''^ Being crafty he catches with guile P'' And these are the freest translations we are at liberty to give.

In time, perhaps, a Key may be forged for the Lock. It is hoped, however, none but Masters will ever get in, or advanced Students afflicted with Cacoethes Scribendi ; as such only will understand how out-of-the-way matters can be turned to good account, and how a Man may use a liberty without abusing it.

B. E. HALL,

Author, Pro. Tern.

Brooklyn, 1855,

CHAPTER L

THE JOURNEY.

*'• Oil ! young Lochinvar is come out of the— -WEST.^'

To persons of tender sensibilities and ardent enthusiasm, the West is a land of beautiM visions ; while its gorgeous clouds, like drapery around the golden sunsets, is a curtain veiling other and more distant glories. Such persons are not insensible to worldly advantages, yet they abandon not the East from the love of gain : but are rather evoked by a potent, if an imaginary spirit, resident in that world of hoary wilds. From the prairie spreading its grassy and flowery plains to meet the dim horizon ; from the river rolling a flood across half a continent ; from the forest dark and venerable with the growth of many centuries, come, with every passing cloud and wind, the words of resistless invitation ; till the enchanted, concealing the true causes, or pretending others, depart for the West. They are weary of a prosaic life ; they go to find a poetic one.

To much of this day-dreaming spirit is the world indebted for, the author's sojourn of seven and a half years in a part of what was, at the time of this journey, the Far West. In early boyhood, Mr. Carlton was no ordinary dreamer : nay, in the sunshine, as by moonlight, shadows of branching antlers and flint-lieacled arrows fell across his path, as visionary deer bounded away before the visionary hunter. At school, a boy of kindred soul occupied the adjacent &eat ; and this boy's father had left him, as was then believed, countless acres of rough mountains and woods undesecrated by civilized feet. How far away this sylvan territory may have been, was never asked, it being any where near enough and easy of access to day-dreamers ; for we had actually devised a plan to steal off secretly at some favourable moment and find a joyous life in that forest elysium. Before the external eye lay, indeed, Dilworth, his columns of spelling in dreadful array of single, double, and treble files, and surrounded by dog-ears curling up from the four corners of the dirt-stained page ; but the inner eye saw them not. And if om lips moved, it was not to call over the names of the detested words ; no, it was in mysterious whispers : — we were wrapt in a vision, and talked of bark huts and bows and arrows, and were setting dead-falls and snares, and arranging the most feasible plans for the woods and the mountains.

Such talks would, indeed, begin, and for a while, continue, so like the inarticulate buzz and hum of an old-fashioned schoolboy "getting by heart," as to awaken no suspicion in Master Strap. As enthusiasm, however, kindled, tones became better defined and words more articulate. Then ensued, first a very ominous and death-like stillness in all parts of the school-room except ours, and then — the sudden touch of a wand that broke a deep spell, and alas ! alas ! awoke us to our spelling ! Poor children 1 we cried then for pain and disappointment. The hour came when we shed more bitter tears at sorer disappointments, and in a severer school 1 Even as I write there is a thrill of boyhood in my soul ; and in despite of philosophy tears are trembling in my eyes — as if the man wept for the crushed hopes of the boy !

Experience may curb our yearning towards the earth ; yet even amidst the longings after the things that eye hath not seen, there do remain hungerings and thirstings after a possible and more perfect earthly state. At the dawn, therefore, of manhood, Mr. Carlton still hoped to meet in the Ear West visions embodied, although pictured in softer lights and graver colours. Shortly, then, after our marriage, in the first quarter of the present century, after the honey-moon, indeed, but still within the "love and cottage" period, Mrs. Carlton was persuaded to exchange the tasteless and crowded solitude of Philadelphia, for the entrancing loneliness of the wilds, and the promenade of dead brick for the living carpet of the natural meadow.

Having no immoveables, and our moveables being easily transmuted into baggage, preparation was speedily made ; and then hands were grasped and cheeks kissed, alas ! for a long adieu : — for when we returned with sober views and chastened spirits, these, our first and best loved friends, were sought, but

" They were not."

CHAPTER II. ''Wlio goes there? — A friend."

The stages of that day wore no boots. In place of that leathern convenience, was a cross-barred ornament projecting from the rear to receive the baggage. This receptacle was called the ''-Rack." From its wonderful adaptation for the utter demolition of what it received, it was originally named " Wreck ;" and this word, in passing through the ordeal of vulgar pronunciation, being called " Wrack," having lost its " W," remained, what indeed it so much resembled — the Rack. In binding Mrs. Carlton's trunk to this curious engine of torture, the porter broke the rope; and the trunk falling down, the articles within, in spite of an old lock and a rotten strap, burst from their confinement and were scattered over the street. The porter was very prompt in gathering the articles and securing the lid, and as some compensation for his blunder and its consequences, refused tlie usual fee of the wheel-barrow service. Of course he received thanks for his generosity instead of rebukes for negligence : but on inspecting afterwards our trunk, the absence of a purse containing seven dollars, and of a silver cup worth twice as niach, awakened suspicions of less honourable cause for the porter's conduct.

Here then were, at the outset, treachery and theft ; but there w^as present a believing spirit naingling sweetness with the wormw^ood. Were we not actually on our way to the land of vision ! Surely no such baseness there ! The sanctity of that Ear West is inviolate !

Our stage was most judiciously filled with three tiers. The low^er tier was composed of saddle-bags, valises, small trunks and carpet-bags ; the second, of human beings supported upright by an equal squeeze on all sides ; and then, on the condensed laps of the living tier, rested the third tier, made up of extra cloaks* band-boxes and work-baskets, several spare hats in pasteboard cases, half a dozen canes and umbrellas, and one fowlingpiece done up in green baize. Notwithstanding the great felicity of this arrangement, the inquietude of the upper and lower tiers when the stage started, occasioned in the sentient tier some inarticulate growling and a little half-smothered cursing ; which crusty symptoms, however, presently yielded to a good-natured laugh at the perseverance with which Mr. Brown remained on a French gentleman's foot, through a misapprehension of a very polite and indirect request not to stand there — a laugh in which the parties themselves joined.

Our driver had given the signal, when away dashed the horses ; and then commenced the inconsiderate restlessness of the internal baggage and the ill-concealed growling of the passengers. But at the end of a few squares the stage stopped at a hotel ; when the door of the vehicle being instantly opened, the space was filled with the head and shoulders of Mr. Brown, who began as follows : —

" Ladies and gentlemen, you seern to be full in here, I suppose it is no use to be looking for my seat in the dark — "

" Sare" — responded, evidently by the accent, a Frenchman, and in a most complaisant and supplicatory tone — '^ Sare, do not you hiiow my foote is under yours V

" No, sir," — replied Mr. Brown, standing up as well as he could in the stage, and feeling about for some space.

" Sare, do not you know my foote is under yours V — voice higher and quicker.

" No, sir, I don't," — surprised, but not budging.

"Sare, do you not know inj foote is under yours?" — on the octave, and getting higher and more emphatic.

" O ! I beg your pardon, sir, — do yoa mane I'm raelly treading on your ''fiilT " — without, however, moving off, but considerately waiting for information.

" Yes ! sare ! I do I"

" Oh ! I beg pardon, sir — raelly I thought I was standing on a carpet-^bag" — and then, satisfied he was wrong in his conjecture, and that it was " raelly the fat," Mr. Brown instantly removed the aggravating pressure.

Our friends thus introduced by the '•''foote''' and the '■''fut^'' as the gentleman from France and the gentleman f'om Ireland, were welcomed by no inaudible laughter; in which they also participated, while at the moment the door was violently slammed, and that instantly followed by a startling crack of the impatient whip. This was of great advantage to Mr. Brown, as it helped him to a seat somewhere ; although from some peevish expressions, he must have alighted on other quarters as well as his own. All outcries and growlings, however, occasioned by hats and bonnets innocently dashed into neighbouring faces, or by small trunks unable to keep their gravity, and elastic sticks and umbrellas that rubbed angrily against tender ancles or poked smartly into defenceless backs, all were drowned in the rattling thunder of the rolling wheels ; and the tiers, rather loosely packed at first, were soon, by the ferocious and determined jerking and plunging of the vehicle, shaken into one compact quiescent and democratical mass.

Unsuccessful attempts then came to sustain a general talk on the weather, the time of reaching the breakfast, the hour of the night, and the like novel and interesting topics ; the questions being commonly put, and the replies hazarded by six or eight voices together, and in as many intervals of pitch, from the grumbled bass to the most tremulous and piteous treble. To these succeeded equally abortive efforts to sustain duos and trios, till the whole performance became a solo. The performer, when day peeped in upon us, proved to be a middle-aged and corpulent lady, who sang out in a very peculiar and most penetrating tone ; herself both asking and answering, often categorically, but for the most part in the " guess and may be'' style of recitativo. Encouraged by the silence of the company, the lady at length in the same lofty strains sang out portions of her own history, introducing the pleasing variations of " may-be-it-would" and " may-be-it- wouldn't" — " I guessed and he guessed" — and " says I and says he," etc. The burden, however, of the piece was this : — it w^as her first trip to the city, although from a little girl she had lived wdthin thirty miles — but her mother could never spare her — and w-hen she married Jacob, her and him could never leave home together, and Jacob, he would never let her go alone by herself, being "right dowm sarten she'd never come back again alive or without some of her bones broken."

Soon, however, we began to go ''slowdy and sadly" over the Schuylkill bridge ; wdien something not unlike snoring admonished the lady of our seeming inattention, and her musical narrative suddenly ceased, like the sodden holding up of a hard rain : and then all w^ere quickly either practising sleep at random, or with troubled thoughts w^andering to the absent or indulging fitful dreams of the future.

Morning revealed by degrees the incumhents^ and in ver^^ imposing attitudes. For instance, there w^as the Frenchman — his head on the Irishman's shoulder, and keeping pretty tolerable time to the music of the jolting carriage; w^hile the Irishman, revived now and then by a desperate lurch extra, as in atonement for his fault, made no attempt to be rid of his burden, but slowly closing his eyes, nodded away with his own head in the direction of our solo. But all noddings in this book will be indulged by the classic reader, who knows well enough :

" The excellent Homer takes a nap now and then."

Fronting myself was a person with hands holding to a strap pendent from the roof, his head inclined towards his breast, and his hat fallen off, but intercepted by Colonel Wilmar, his sleeping neighbour. This person, on several elevations of his head, presented a countenance that set me to recalling past scenes and associates, and I was in a fair way of making some discovery, when all were fiercely jerked into wakefulness by a most unnatural and savage plunge of the stage, followed on the instant, like severe lightning, by an explosion ; the tiers becoming all vocal w^ith "bless my soul's" — ''my goodnesses!" — and vulgar " ouches !" Above all, however, sounded this pathetic remonstrance in our talking lady's inimitable style : — " La ! Mister ! if you aint nodded agin this here right bran new^ bonnit of mine, till I vow if it aint as good as spiled !" To this no reply was permitted as the horses suddenly halted, and a venerable and decent landlord having opened the door of the carriage, requested us to alight, adding that " the stage breakfasts here."

The live^ stock accordingly was unpacked and extricated from the dead.^ no important damage being visible, except in " the bran new bonnit ;" and sure enough, it was curiously sloped contrary to nature, with an irregular concave in the front and suitable enlargements sidew^ays. Sceptics like Hume would doubtless have raised a query, if the wddth was entirely owing to the noddings of the Irish gentleman, or the very ample rotundity of the cherry-cheeked and good-humoured face expanded wdthin the bonnet; but Mr. Brown himself at once admitted his inconsiderate butting as the cause, and with every appearance of concern busied himself with assisting the matron to alight and looking after her baskets and boxes. This so won on her, that when at the first opportunity Mr. Brown attempted an apology and condolence, he was interrupted by her saying — " Oh 1 never mind it. Mister, it aint no odds no how, and I guess we can soon fix it."

During our ablutions I caught the eye of the stranger already named, fixed with an inquiring look on my face ; and then we

14 THE NEW PUvE CHASE.

both, towel in hand, gradual ly advanced, yet embarrassed and hesitating as if both recollected the incident, "you thought it was me and I thought it was you, and faith it's nather of us," till, arrived at a proper distance, he extended his hand and hazarded the affirmative inquiry :

" If I mistake not this is Robert Carlton !"

My reply showed it was each of us :

" Clarence ! Charles Clarence ! — is it possible — is this you ?"

Reader, this Charles Clarence was the identical boy of the adjacent seat, whose enthusiasm for bark cabins and forest life, like my own, had beguiled us of many a hateful lesson, and gained for us many a smart application of birch and leather in parts left defenceless by scant patterns of primitive roundabouts !

Shortly after this, in the parlour of the Warren tavern, a general introduction took place among the Pittsburg travellers : viz., Mr. Brown, Mr. Smith, Colonel Wilmar and Miss Wilmar, Mr. Clarence and Mr. and Mrs. Carlton ; who all, in due season, shall be more particularly introduced to our readers, as the Party. At present we must obey the signal for breakfast ; that meal being really prepared for the passengers, although, by metonomy, it was in old times said to be for the stage.

CHAPTER III. " Our page describes some gentlemen."

When summoned to the stage by the driver's horn, it seemed we had lost some way-passengers, room being thus obtained for the lady of the bonnet; who, however, appeared wearing the old article, having, with a corrected judgment, consigned the damaged one to the band-box. So, also, greater space was found for the French gentleman's foot, who had, from apprehension of cold or from gout, so encased his pedalio appendages in socks of carpet-stufF as to lead a careless obser ver, even by daylight, to mistake his feet for two of the many travelling bags on the floor. Opportunity also was afforded of a more judicious disposal of various rubbing, poking and punching articles ; so that, aided by a good breakfast and a morning cold but bright, we were soon engaged in a conversation, general, easy and animated.

And now we may properly proceed to introduce the gentlemen of the party. Please then, reader, notice first that pleasant-looking personage bowing so profoundly, and evidently anxious to win your favour. That is — hem! — that is Robert Carlton, Esq. He takes the opportunity of soliciting your company not only for the journey but — all the way through his two volumes in one. He would also say, it is his purpose to imitate Julius Csesar occasionally, and use the third instead of the first person singular ; and to adopt now and then, too, the regal style, in employing nominative ive^ possessive our or ours^ objective its. These imitations, it is supposed, will give a very pleasing variety to the book ; enable the author to utter complimentary things about Mr. Carlton and his lady with greater freedom ; and not run so hard upon capital I's, or, in technical phrase, not exhaust the printer's sorts.

This next gentleman is my friend Mr. Smith. Like so many of the name, he was in all respects a worthy man, and honoured, at the time, with a high station in the magistracy of Pittsburg. Our party shared his liberal hospitality there ; and since that hour we have been quite partial to the Smiths, and their relatives the Smythes. Happy partiality this ; for if all classed and sorted under that grand-common-proper-noun take a corresponding liking for our author, where will be the limit to the number of copies and editions ?

Ladies and gentlemen, this is Mr. Brown. He was an Irish gentleman^ had travelled extensively in Europe, and had the manners of the best society. At present he was at the commencement of a tour over the United States. Among his oddities, not the least was his odd person, entitling him to Noah Webster's word, lengthy^ — he appearing alternately all body, when one looked up, and all legs, when one looked down : — a peculiarity I am led the more to notice, as I found his elongation very unflivourable to skiff navigation on the Ohio river ; indeed it put us in jeopardy, if not of life, yet of immersion. In spite of all his reading — Mr. Boz, however, had not then published his American Notes — Mr. Brown was remarkably ignorant of our country, expressing unfeigned surprise that our road, only twenty miles from Philadelphia, in place of leading into dark forests filled with wild beasts and naked savages, did really run amid open farms and smiling sceneiy, abounding with domestic animals and civilized agriculturalists. Pittsburg was his ultima TJade^ beyond which he expected to find no place. Distinguished, however, for his agreeable manners 'and frank disposition, cheerfully confessing and laughing at his own mistakes, he became of course a universal favourite.

Colonel Wilmar was, however, my beau ideal of a gentleman. To a manly beauty, he had added the qualities of good education and the grace of many accomplishments. He was courteous, brave and chivalrous ; his attention to others resulting from benevolence and not fromi prudence. Ladies under his care — and that, from a knowledge of his character, was often the case — were regarded by him more as sisters having claims on a brother's attentions, than as strangers committed to his trust. With pleasure we thought such a specimen of our citizens could be contemplated by Mr. Brown ; and Mr. Carlton rejoiced that he knew one worthy to live in the land of poetry and dreams : for the colonel was an inhabitant of the West. But hark ! — some one hails our driver, and the stage stops — ■ '* Law ! bless my senses, if there aint Jacob in his cart come out for me at the end of our road !" — was the imnaediate exclamation that burst from Mrs. Bonnet. The unexpected sight of her husband and the thoughts of home — where we learned she expected to see ^' little Peggy " — were too powerful for the prudent resolves or secret awe that had, for the last hour, kept our dam^^ silent ; and thus out rushed nature's feelings. Nor did the torrent exhaust itself at one gushing — it paused and then continued :

" I VOW I thought he'd a met one at the tavern in Dowington — but Jacob's so monstrous afearcl of a body's gittin hurt, that he's staid out here- — I do wonder how he left them all at home ?"

In the meantime, Mr. Brown, pleased with her self-satisfaction, good nature, and forgiving temper, had got out and stood receiving first the band-box containing the pummelled bonnet, and then aiding its o^vner to alight; for which he received a cordial " thankee, sir," and a pressing invitation to call and see her and Jacob if ever he should be travelling that way again.

All that could be heard of the conjugal dialogue was — " Well I vow, Jacob, who'd a thought of seeing you at our road !" — to which was answered — " And so, Peggy," — the rest being lost in the renewed thunder of our wheels. Jacob was evidently pleased to receive Peggy safe ; and his calm quaker-like dress and countenance seemed to look and say, he was by no means the Mercury or chief speaker in the domestic circle.

Charles Clarence my new found friend was an orphan. His parents both had died, he being scarcely three years old, leaving him, however, heir nominally to large and valuable tracts of land. But he succeeded to nothing at last;, more valuable than a very large mass of useless papers ; unless we except some trinkets indicative of an ancient and wealthy family : and even these the sole mementos of departed parents were sacrificed to supply the urgent necessities of Clarence, when he found himself a deserted boy. Some relatives did not then know of his existence — and some only found it out when he did not need either recognition or assistance. A maternal uncle, however, in the far South, prevented by sudden death from adopting my friend as a son, had left him a legacy : and from this he had been liberally educated, with many interruptions, however, and many distressing inconveniences, owing to the interception of his small dividends on some occasions by dishonest agents.

Still the apparent neglect of some relatives, the want of a guardian, and other seeming evils had been of service to Cla^rence in giving stamina to his character, wanting, naturally, in bone and sinew. Even the interruption of his studies had led to several voyages and journeys with peril indeed, to life and health, but with advantage to his mind and manners. His fondness, too, for adventure was indulged, and he was rendered thus a more interesting and instructive companion and friend. Sobered, it is true, by disappointment and grief, my friend was, yet I found him now sufficiently sanguine and confident to venture on enterprises considered praiseworthy, if one succeed, but not so, if he be unsuccessful. Indeed, but lately had he returned from a visit to the Ealls of Niagara ; in which, from want of money, he had been induced to use the vulgar mare that required only rest and no oats — in other words, with a knapsack on his back he had, in company with two associates, made a tour of three hundred miles on foot. He had also travelled many thousand miles in various directions and in various capacities, so that he abounded in anecdotes and incidents, which he could so relate as to make himself a companion for a journey by no means undesirable.^

At this very time Clarence was going to Kentucky on a very grand adventure : — he was on his way to be married. When only sixteen years of age he became affianced to a maiden, whose family shortly after emigrating to the West, had separated the lovers. But now at the end of seven years, during which the parties had never met, Clarence was going, as he pretended, to see the family ; but in reality, reader, to marry his sweetheart. Ladies ! will you please note this as an offset to instances of faithlessness in our sex ? And were not these specimens of long cherished love and unbroken faith worthy the poetical land ?

But what lights in the distance '? Oh ! that is Lancaster,

and there we eat supper and change stages : excuse me, then,

reader, we have no time to introduce our ladies.

Excepting monsieur, we had before stopping let out all our way passengers; but fortunately on attempting to get into a new stage, a size less, we discovered enough new way passen-

* A book, or at least a lecture, we learn, is threatened, founded on that peregrination.

gers not only to take the seats of the former ones, but our seats also — so remarkably accommodating were the old-fashioned accommodation stages and stage owners ! Alas ! for us that night ! it was before the era of caoutchouc or gum elastic ! — stage-bodies of that could have so easily become a size larger and a size less as passengers got in or out ! Oh ! -the cramming — the jamming — the bumping about of that night ! How we practised the indirect style of discontent and cowardice in giving it to the intruders over the shoulders of stage owners, and agents, and drivers, and horses ! And how that crazy, rattling, rickety, old machine rolled and pitched and flapped its curtains, and walloped us for the abuse, till we were all quashed, bruised, and mellowed into a quaking lump of passive, untalking, sullen victims !