(seq. 163)

April 20th.

We marched to Whitley's fort 7 miles distant where we made a halt
and where a small ox was purchased for our subsistance, which with 3 bags
of Indian corn, one of Indian meal and some dryed meat was to serve 50
of us for 14 days, in which time we expected to reach some habitations -

This little post is often visited and much infested by the savages -

21.st Set forward on an Indian path, & forded Craggs creek forty times -
The difficulty of marching thro' such a country as this is not readily imagind
by a European - The Canes grow very close together, from to the height of
25 feet and from the thickness of a quill to that of ones wrist, as they
are very strong and supple the rider must be constantly on the watch to
guard his face from them as they fly back with great force, the leaves
and the young shoots are a fodder horses are exceedingly fond of and are eternally
turning to right & left to take a bite - the soil where they grow is rich and
deep, so you plod thro in a narrow track like a Cowpath, while the
musketoes are not idle - the steep ascents & descents with rugged stoney
ways varied with swamps and clayey grounds completely jaded horses
and riders - we began to cross the blue Mountains this day -

22d. Very bad swampy road or way rather - at 10 a.m. passed a small river
called rock Castle branch which falls into Cumberland river - The scene
is very beautyfull, the trees being in high beauty, the water bright, the
weather clear, so that tho in no pleasant circumstances otherways I could
not but enjoy this romantic prospect of which I took a hasty sketch
while our poor fatigued packhorses were towed thro' the rapid stream
by their wearyed hungry leaders - we encamped about 7 p.m. when
we were joined by a Colonel Callaway who took upon him the charge
of the prisoners and their escort hitherto commanded by {Captain} Harrod -
The {Colonel} made new arrangements, new dispositions, talked of Grand division,
manœveres, and made a great display of military abilities, posting a
number of sentries, & fatigueing our poor Devils of frontiers who would
willingly have trusted their prisoners in this desart, not one of whom could