y the devil didn't they use them up?" I here demanded, to give my
vexed informant time to breathe.

"I'll tell you why, if you don't know. Why, because that d----d Bradock
was blind as well as deaf, and took the Virginians for inimies; so, not
bein' able to get at Johnny, he slamm'd it right smash into them, and
killed the biggest half on 'em as they were tryin' to run back to their
own side. Sir, it was nothin' better than an eternal murder, and Bradock
ought to have swung for it; but he was shot down, somehow or other, and
died amongst better men, only shootin' was a sight too good for him."

Taking the statement of my friend for the ground of my opinion, I left
him, at once amused by his enthusiasm and informed by his intelligence.

I did purpose keeping tryst with my new acquaintance, and having the
battle fought over again, when I might have been able to do some justice
to the force and spirit of his narration; but other routes were to be
visited, and my time was limited to a few days: so we met no more.

On another day I rode by the United States' Arsenal, a fine building,
inclosing some acres. It is well situated, near the banks of the
Alleghany, about two miles out of the town. This is one of the most
considerable _depots_ for arms and ordnance stores to be found in the
Western country.

From this I pursued my way up the river for a mile or two, to where, at
a pretty quiet spot, I observed a boat just leaving the bank for the
north side. I hailed the ferryman, and he returned immediately, when,
adding myself and nag to his freight, he again commenced pulling up the
stream, assisted by a couple of curly-headed urchins, his sons, two out
of twelve, as he laughingly told me; adding, that they were capital
helps.

We had a couple of market-waggons aboard the flat, each drawn by a pair
of horses. The river, I fancied, was here about as wide as the Thames at
Southwark, running clear and strong; the banks tolerably bold, very
regular, and fringed by a luxuriant growth of various trees and
water-loving shrubs. On the other side I fell on the Pennsylvania canal,
and I for a mile followed the line by which it approaches the town of
Alleghany, till, coming to a rough high hill, I was tempted to try the
ascent, which, after a good deal of ducking and scrambling, I
accomplished.

The prospect from the summit amply repaid me: at my feet lay the growing
town of Alleghany, which stands on a fine alluvial plain affording