But as the Susquehanna country
rapidly increased in population, the hunting grounds of Wheaton were
encroached upon; so that a chance with his smooth-bore, among the deer
and bears was greatly lessened. On this account Wheaton removed from
the Susquehanna country, in Otsego county, to the more unsettled wilds
of the Delaware, near a place yet known by the appellation of Wait's
Settlement,[A] where game was more plenty. The distance from where he
made his home in the woods, through to the Susquehanna, was about
fifteen miles, and was one continued wilderness at that time. Through
these woods this almost aboriginal hunter was often compelled to pass
to the Susquehanna, for various necessaries, and among the rest no
small quantity of whiskey, as he was of very intemperate habits. On
one of these visits, in the midst of summer, with his smooth-bore
always on his shoulder, knife, hatchet, &c., in their proper place, he
had nearly penetrated the distance, when he became weary, and having
come to the summit of a ridge (sometime in the afternoon) which
overlooks the vale of the Susquehanna, he selected a convenient place
in the shade, as it was hot, for the rays of the sun from the west
poured his sultry influence through all the forest, where he lay down
to rest a while among the leaves, after having taken a drink from his
pint bottle of green glass, and a mouthful of cold Johnney cake from
his pocket.
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