CHAPTER II.

Pioneer life.

Settlement of middle Georgia—­prowling Indians—­scouts and their dogs—­classes of settlers—­prominence of Virginians—­causes of distinction—­clearing—­
log-rolling—­frolics—­teachers Cummings and Duffy—­the schoolmaster’s nose—­flogging—­emigration to Alabama.

The early settlement of Middle Georgia was principally by emigrants from Virginia and North Carolina.  These were a rough, poor, but honest people, with little or no fortunes, and who were quite as limited in education as in fortune.  Their necessities made them industrious and frugal.  Lands were procured at the expense of surveying; the soil was virgin and productive; rude cabins, built of poles, constituted not only their dwellings but every necessary outbuilding.  Those who first ventured beyond the Ogeechee generally selected some spot where a good spring of water was found, not overlooked by an elevation so close as to afford an opportunity to the Indians, then very troublesome, to fire into the little stockade forts erected around these springs for their security against the secret attacks of the prowling and merciless Creeks and Cherokees.

Usually several families united in building and living in these forts.  As soon as this protection was completed, the work of clearing away the surrounding forest was commenced, that the land should afford a field for cultivation.  While thus employed, sentinels were stationed at such points in the neighborhood as afforded the best opportunity for descrying the approach of Indians, and the watch was most careful.  When those employed in hunting (for every community had its hunters) discovered, or thought they had discovered signs of the presence of the savages, scouts were immediately sent out to discover if they were lurking anywhere in the neighborhood.  This was the most arduous and perilous duty of the pioneers, and not unfrequently the scout, or spy as he was usually termed, went to return no more.  When seed-time came, corn, a small patch of cotton and another of flax were planted, and cultivation continued under the same surveillance.

The dog, always the companion of man, was carefully trained to search for the prowling Indians; and by daylight every morning the clearing, as the open lands were universally termed; was passed around by a cautious scout, always preceded by his dogs, who seemed as conscious of their duty and as faithful in its discharge as was their master.  If he reported no Indians, the work of cultivation commenced, and the sentinels repaired to their posts.  These were usually changed whenever the slightest sign of Indians anywhere in the country could be found, lest their posts might have been found and marked, and ambushed at night.  Yet, despite this prudent caution, many a sentinel perished at his post.  The unerring arrow gave no alarm, and the sentinel slain, opened an approach for the savages; and not unfrequently parties at labor were thus surprised and shot in full view of those in the fort.