Below is an excerpt from Incidents of Western Travels by a Methodist Minister, George Pierce in 1856 and published in 1857. These letters are a brief account of a trip he took from Georgia to the Indian Mission (Oklahoma) to Texas then Arkansas and back to Georgia. I've found it fascinating reading. Here's a brief description of an account about quicksand.
On Monday morning, the 15th of October, we left North' Fork with Brother McAlister and Brother Ewing, for the Choctaw Agency. The latter brother was expecting to be transferred from the Arkansas Conference, and to take work among the Indians. Tahlequah was left to be supplied by him. The brethren were on horseback, and the roads being very rough, they outwent us a little. By-and-by we saw them ahead on the bank of a river. Brother McAlister dismounted, punching about in the edge of the water up and down the stream with his umbrella. "What is the matter— what do you mean ?" said I. " We are looking for a place to cross." "What, you are not afraid to plunge into this little branch! Why, it is not knee-deep !" "Ah !" said Brother McAlister, "the quicksand—the quicksand: all these streams are dangerous. Be sure you do not let your horses stop to drink, or you may be swallowed up. Once sink a little, and you are gone." Thus admonished, we drove quickly over the wide but shallow stream. Our travelling companions entertained us with several stories about these quicksands—some serious, some ludicrous. We passed them all in safety; but I will say I never saw such sand-bars and beds anywhere else.
No comments:
Post a Comment