Abraham went into the woods and cut down the trees, and split rails enough to make a pen sufficiently large to hold a thousand hogs.

During the time that Abraham served Offutt he attended a debating club. Dr. Holland says:—

“During this year he was also much engaged with debating clubs, often walking six or seven miles to attend them. One of these clubs held its meetings at an old store-house in New Salem. He used to call these exercises ‘practising polemics.’ As these clubs were composed principally of men of no education whatever, some of their ‘polemics’ are remembered as the most laughable of farces. His favourite newspaper, at this time, was the Louisville Journal, a paper which he received regularly by mail, and paid for during a number of years when he had not money enough to dress decently. He liked its politics, and was particularly delighted with its wit and humour, of which he had the keenest appreciation. When out of the store he was always busy in the pursuit of knowledge. One gentleman who met him during this period says that the first time he saw him he was lying on a trundlebed, covered with books and papers, and rocking a cradle with his foot. Of the amount of uncovered space between the extremities of his trousers and the top of his socks which this informant observed there shall be no mention. The whole scene, however, was entirely characteristic—Lincoln reading and studying, and at the same time helping his landlady by quieting her child.”

The question whether the Sangamon river was navigable or not had been under discussion several years, and reached the crisis while Abraham was in the employ of Offutt, or just after he closed his labours for him.

“The Talisman is chartered for the experiment,’ said a citizen of New Salem to Abraham, “and you ought to be her captain.”

“It will take a man of more experience than I have had to run her up the river,” was Abraham’s modest answer.

“Well, there’s nobody here that understands the business better than you do,” continued the citizen.

“Will you undertake if you are wanted?”

“I’ll try, and do the best I can,” was Abraham’s characteristic reply. “I have tried this river considerably with a flat-boat.”

“That is what I thought, and for that reason you ought to pilot the Talisman; and I think that is the general opinion.”

“I am willing to undertake it if it is thought best,” Abraham added.

The result was that he was sent, with others, to meet the steamer at Beardstown, and pilot her up. There was great excitement over the experiment, and the inhabitants came from far and near to witness the trial from the banks of the river. Abraham took his place at the helm, and piloted her with comparative ease and safety as far as the New Salem dam, the people gathered upon the banks of the river frequently cheering at the top of their voices. Here it was necessary to remove a part of the dam to let the steamer through. She ran up to Bogue’s mill, when the rapidly falling water admonished the successful captain that she must be turned down stream or be left there for the season. No time was lost in beginning the return trip, which was accomplished at the slow rate of three or four miles a day, “on account of the high wind from the prairie.” J. R. Herndon was sent for, and he says: “I was sent for, being an old boatman, and I met her some twelve or thirteen miles above New Salem. … We got to Salem the second day after I went on board. When we struck the dam she hung. We then backed off, and threw the anchor over the dam, and tore away part of the dam; then, raising steam, ran her over the first trial. As soon as she was over, the company that chartered her was done with her. I think the captain gave Lincoln forty dollars