rly scared to death as we took
possession of his hut. From him we learned that we were in the Red River
bottom, and he directed us how to proceed on our course, telling us to
turn to the right at a certain point, which he described.

After eating heartily of our corn bread and sow belly, we started off in
high spirits, and soon found the spot where we were to turn to the
right, which direction we followed out until the road turned into a
cow-path and finally led us to the bars of a fence across the road at
the edge of a thick wood.

We knew that we were lost and had come a long distance since taking the
right (?) direction. Knowing that we had obeyed the instructions given
us, we were inclined to be wrathy, and we sat down for greater ease and
support while we cussed that nigger "up hill and down." Rummel and I did
the cussing, while Miller watched for a chance to break in upon our
monopoly of the conversation, when he mildly suggested that, as the
nigger was standing with his face to us when he told us how to proceed,
and as we were facing in the direction which we were to take, it was
likely that the darkey had meant his right and not ours, which plausible
explanation only made us the more wrathy, because the nigger had been
stupid instead of having willfully misled us, as we had taken it for
granted he had.

When we had vented our spleen and rested up, we struck out, at a
venture, in preference to retracing our steps. After a tedious struggle
through the underbrush and a thorough wetting in the bayou we had to
cross we at length came upon a large field in which about 100 negroes
were burning stumps and clearing ground. Selecting a hiding place, we
lay in wait to single out some darkey who could be entrusted with our
management until we could cross the Red River and again get started on
our way.

After some little time spent in a study of the various faces which came
near enough to be seen plainly, I selected two men who walked together
and seemed to be brothers. It took a good deal of patience to await a
chance to see them alone, and we talked over all sorts of schemes for
securing a private interview with these darkeys. About the time when we
gave up all scheming and decided to trust to chance, the question was
settled for us by the two men starting off in our direction, with an
evident intention of leaving the field.

In my capacity of diplomat I was sent to waylay them at a proper spot
and negotiate for what