Inblowingrain，heknewhewouldfindthedeerherdingintheshelteredplacesonthehillsides。Inwindlessrain，heknewthathisquarryrangedtheopenwoodsandthehighplaces。Thefairplayofthepioneerhelditagreatdisgracetokilladeerinwinterwhentheheavyfrosthadcrustedthedeepsnow。Onthecrustmenandwolvescouldtravelwithease，butthedeer’ssharphoofspiercedthroughandmadehimdefenseless。Wolvesanddogsdestroyedgreatquantitiesofdeercaughtinthisway；andmenwhoshotdeerundertheseconditionswereconsiderednohuntsmen。
Therewas，indeed，apracticalsidetothischivalryofthechase，formeatandpeltwerebothpooratthisseason；butthetruehunteralsoobeyedthefinertenetofhiscode，forhewouldgototherescueofdeercaughtinthecrusts——andhekilledmanyawolfslidingovertheicetoaneasymeal。
Thecommunitymoralcodeofthefrontierwasbriefandrigorous。
Whatitlackedofthe\"whereas\"and\"inasmuch\"oflegalinkitmadeupinsoundhickory。Infact，whenwereviewtheactivitiesofthissolidyetelasticwoodinthemoral，social，andeconomicphasesofBackCountrylife，wearemovedtowonderifthepioneerswouldhavebeenthesameraceofmenhadtheybeennurturedbeneathalessstrenuousandadaptablevegetation！Thehickorygavethefrontiersmanwoodforallimplementsandfurnishingswherethedemandwasequallyforlightness，strength，andelasticity。Itprovidedhisstraightlogsforbuilding，hisblockmortarshollowed——byfireandstone——forcorn-grinding，hissolidplainfurniture，hisaxles，riflebutts，axhandles，andsoforth。Itsuppliedhismagicwandforthesearchingoutofiniquityinthejuniormembersofhishousehold，andhismostcogentargument，asacitizen，inconvincingtheslothful，theblasphemous，orthedishonestadultwhoseerrorsdisturbedcommunalharmony。Itsnutsfedhishogs。Beforeheraisedstock，theunripehickorynuts，crushedfortheirwhiteliquid，suppliedhimwithbutterforhiscornbreadandhelpedouthisstoreofbear’sfat。Boththenameandtheknowledgeoftheusesofthistreecametotheearliestpioneersthroughcontactwiththeredman，whosehuntingbowandfishingspearandthehobblesforhishorseswerefashionedofthe\"pohickory\"tree。TheIndianwomenfirstmadepohickorybutter，andthewiseoldmenoftheCherokeetowns，sowearetold，firstappliedthepohickoryrodtothevanityofyouth！
AglanceattheinteriorofalogcabinintheBackCountryofVirginiaorNorthCarolinawouldshow，inprimitivedesign，whatis，perhaps，afteralltheperfecthome——aplacewherethepersonallifeandtheworklifeareunitedandwherenothingfutilefindsspace。Everyobjectinthecabinwaspracticalandhadbeenmadebyhandonthespottoansweraneed。Besidesthechairshewnfromhickoryblocks，therewereothersmadeofslabssetonthreelegs。Alargeslabortwowithfourlegsservedasamovabletable；thepermanenttablewasbuiltagainstthewall，itsouteredgeheldupbytwosticks。Thelowbedwasbuiltintothewallinthesamewayandsoftenedforslumberbyamattressofpineneedles，chaff，ordriedmoss。Inthebestlightfromthegreasedpaperwindowpanesstoodthespinningwheelandloom，onwhichthehousewifemadeclothforthefamily’sgarments。Overthefireplaceorbesidethedoorway，andsuspendedusuallyonstags’antlers，hungthefirearmsandtheyellowpowderhorns，thelatteroftencarvedinIndianfashionwithscenesofthehuntorwar。Onashelforonpegswerethewoodenspoons，plates，bowls，andnoggins。Alsonearthefireplace，whichwasmadeoflargeflatstoneswithamud-plasteredlogchimney，stoodthegrindingblockformakinghominy。Ifitwereaneveninginearlyspring，themenofthehouseholdwouldbetanninganddressingdeerskinstobesentoutwiththetradecaravan，whilethewomensewed，mademoccasinsormendedthem，inthelightofpineknotsorcandlesofbear’sgrease。Thelargerchildrenmightbeweavingcradlesforthebabies，Indianfashion，outofhickorytwigs；andtherewouldsurelybeasoundofwhettingsteel，forscalpingknivesandtomahawksmustbekeptkeen-temperednowthatthedayshavecomewhentheredgodswhispertheirchantofwarthroughtheyoungleafage。