The governor then collected some soldiers and marched against the people in the west.  A battle was fought near the Alamance River.  The governor had the most men and had cannon besides, so he gained the day.  He took seven of the people prisoners and hanged them.  They all died bravely, as men do who die for liberty.

[Footnote 1:  Sevier (Se-veer’):  he was born in Rockingham County, Virginia.]

[Footnote 2:  Alamance River (Al’a-mance):  see map in paragraph 150.]

[Footnote 3:  Robertson was born in Brunswick County, Virginia; he emigrated to North Carolina and settled in the neighborhood of Raleigh.  See map in paragraph 150.]

157.  James Robertson leaves North Carolina and goes west.—­After the battle of Alamance James Robertson and his family made up their minds that they would not live any longer where Governor Tryon ruled.  They resolved to go across the mountains into the western wilderness.  Sixteen other families joined Robertson’s and went with them.  It was a long, hard journey; for they had to climb rocks and find their way through deep, tangled woods.  The men went ahead with their axes and their guns; then the older children followed, driving the cows; last of all came the women with the little children, with beds, pots, and kettles packed on the backs of horses.

[Illustration:  ROBERTSON WITH HIS PARTY CROSSING THE MOUNTAINS ON THEIR WAY TO TENNESSEE.]

158.  The emigrants settle on the Watauga River[4] in Tennessee.—­When the little party had crossed the mountains into what is now the state of Tennessee, they found a delightful valley.  Through this valley there ran a stream of clear sparkling water called the Watauga River; the air of the valley was sweet with the smell of wild crab-apples.

On the banks of that stream the emigrants built their new homes.  Their houses were simply rough log huts, but they were clean and comfortable.  When the settlers put up these cabins, they chopped down every tree near them which was big enough for an Indian to hide behind.  They knew that they might have to fight the savages; but they had rather do that than be robbed by tax-collectors.  In the wilderness Governor Tryon could not reach them—­they were free; free as the deer and the squirrels were:  that one thought made them contented and happy.

[Footnote 4:  Watauga River (Wa-taw’ga):  see map in paragraph 150.]

159.  John Sevier goes to settle at Watauga; what he and Robertson did.—­The year after this little settlement was made John Sevier went from Virginia to Watauga, as it was called.  He and Robertson soon became fast friends—­for one brave man can always see something to respect and like in another brave man.  Robertson and Sevier hunted together and worked together.

After a while they called a meeting of the settlers and agreed on some excellent laws, so that everything in the log village might be done decently and in order; for although these people lived in the woods, they had no notion of living like savages or wild beasts.  In course of time President Washington made James Robertson General Robertson, in honor of what he had done for his country.