n, I was fleet
enough, in the open field, to keep pace with them; especially as they
pulled me along at the end of the rope; but, on reaching the woods, I
was speedily thrown into a distressing plight. The animals took fright,
and started off ferociously into the woods, carrying the cart, full
tilt, against trees, over stumps, and dashing from side to side, in a
manner altogether frightful. As I held the rope, I expected every moment
to be crushed between the cart and the huge trees, among which they were
so furiously dashing. After running thus for several minutes, my oxen
were, finally, brought to a stand, by a tree, against which they dashed
{164} themselves with great violence, upsetting the cart, and entangling
themselves among sundry young saplings. By the shock, the body of the
cart was flung in one direction, and the wheels and tongue in another,
and all in the greatest confusion. There I was, all alone, in a thick
wood, to which I was a stranger; my cart upset and shattered; my oxen
entangled, wild, and enraged; and I, poor soul! but a green hand, to set
all this disorder right. I knew no more of oxen than the ox driver is
supposed to know of wisdom. After standing a few moments surveying the
damage and disorder, and not without a presentiment that this trouble
would draw after it others, even more distressing, I took one end of the
cart body, and, by an extra outlay of strength, I lifted it toward
the axle-tree, from which it had been violently flung; and after much
pulling and straining, I succeeded in getting the body of the cart in
its place. This was an important step out of the difficulty, and its
performance increased my courage for the work which remained to be done.
The cart was provided with an ax, a tool with which I had become pretty
well acquainted in the ship yard at Baltimore. With this, I cut down the
saplings by which my oxen were entangled, and again pursued my journey,
with my heart in my mouth, lest the oxen should again take it into their
senseless heads to cut up a caper. My fears were groundless. Their spree
was over for the present, and the rascals now moved off as soberly as
though their behavior had been natural and exemplary. On reaching the
part of the forest where I had been, the day before, chopping wood, I
filled the cart with a heavy load, as a security against another running
away. But, the neck of an ox is equal in strength to iron. It defies
all ordinary burdens, when excited. T