Newspaper Page Text
NEW SERIES—VOL. IL, NO. 35.
ATHENS, THURSDAY, MARCH % 1849.
YOLlfllE IVi. N UMBER 47.
ittisttllancons.
Front the Democratic Review.
Captain Dan Henrie;
HIS ADVENTURE WITH THE WOLVES.
Every body remembers the famous
tscape of Capt. Dan Henrie at Encar-
Viaiion. This reckless and daring ran
ger has probably passed through a
greater number of perilous and singu
lar adventures than any man of the same
tige in dlie service-^though one of the
lightest!hearted mortals that the warm
sun ever smiled upon. Yet he has a
wireless knack of getting into the most
desperate scrapes on every possible oc-
taision, and then of course he fights bis
way out again with the most dashing
gallantry.
Mark you, Dan never got into scrapes
with his own people \ be was far loo
kindly and generous for that } but he
had a hatred for the “ cussed yellow bel
lies,” and “ copper heads,” as he called
the Mexicans and Indians, which was
refreshingly orthodox. His -Hatred of
the Mexicans was amusingly bitter and
contemptuous while you listened to him
talk of them ; but when ihishnlred come
to be expressed in action it was of the
most savage and deadly character. At
Encarnacion, when the little band found
thenuelvcs surrounded by the heavy
masses of Minon’s cavalry, the propo-
green-coated cavalry, he suddenly reifi
ed up the mare in the midst of her car-
ricohngs, and plunging the spurs into
her she darted off like an arrow loosen
ed from the bow, while ho stooped lay
ing himself close along hdr sides—after
the manner oftbe Carflancbe Indians—^
a shower of balls were fired bdrriedly
after him but Without effect, as they all
passed over him* The plain to the
foot of the mountain was very riatrow
just here; and he bad observed before
he made his break, thatthCy Wete op
posite n road which came down a nar
row valley. He .made for this gap,
running the gauntlet between several
squadrons of cavalry before he Reached
the shelter. Jtist as he was diving in
to it, he whirled in bis saddle, attd
amidst the whistling of balls* shook his
clenched hand at them and shouted
hack his defiance. This sudden escape
caused great uproar and confusion
among the Mexicans and several hun
dred men started at full speed in the
pursuit; but the gallant mare soon led
them all far enough behind and she
clattered with sparkling hoofs along the
deep ravine. Before the first two miles
had been passed they were out Of sight
in the rear. The valley road which he
had taken at hap-hazard without the
slightest idea of where it led, nowoperi-
his cruel Sufferings and headlong dar- j lop, was in itself suspicious of another
ing during the Mier imprisonment, all
the country has been, to certain de-
gree, made aware since the 1 publication
of Gen. Green’s bodk. He, by the way,
Was too much Of a pompous egotist to
do full credit to Han, or any body elsq :
except Gerieral Green ! _
It is One of Dart’s curious adventures
While a ratiger, that I propose to relate
now. I shall endeavor td give it as
nearly as I can remember, in his own
Way* as he related it to me; though I
confess it will tie very difficult, if not
impossible, to preserve the raciness
of his rattle-pate and* pqpuliar [banner.
It was before he joined the Mier expedi
tion, and while yet Wilh the rangers, j
under the command of McCullough.
Dan, whose excellence as a guide
Was well known ttfthe .captain, was
despatched by him along with three
others of the troop, on a spring expedi
tion, towards the head waters of the
Nueces; This was in ihe early winter
or the year before the Mier expedition,
and the Mexicans were in many Ways
annoying and threatening weak settle
ments along that river. This slate of!
fact or so—either that they were the
tracks pf Indian horses . aud nfules, or
of mustangs that had titiert chased dr
otherwise frightened by them ; so that
whatever of enchantment tHere may
have been for him in this scene, it now
gave pldce quickly to cdiiiion, and hi^
head turned rapidly from Side to side*
with the habitual manner of the old
spy. His eye now and then ffell upon
the advancing drove, but not wilh any
consciously defined' suspicion. At
length they disappeared slowly driWn a
long valleyi like the sway of the prairie
undulations, and wfere oat of sight so
long that he had quite forgotten them,
when suddenly they appeared agniii On
this side, moving directly tdWarciS Him,
at a swift gpijop. Ho bounded into his
saddle as quick as thought, supposing
that, may be, one or two Indians who
were mustang hunting, had lain in wait
for this herd, in the debp grass of that
prairie valley, and were now chasing
them with the lasso, .and drged His
horse behind many of the clumps of
cactus around him, with the intention
of layingin wait to give these dnsky wild
venture tii>nn to shoot game, for fear ol
betraying nis hiding place, aqd though
hungry enough, he was fain this time
<‘tO gO td bed stippeflesa.” fto thought
of Ini trie before sleep came, of course,
ddd wished hira’Self there itidSt heartily,
that tie might attack the Well-stocked
poultry* the cdHtents df which danced in
the moSt irinlalizing. visions before him
diiring ttid flight: This was too much a
comniori predicament to make any very
Strong impressions dn him otherwise. >.
He was mounted and off very early
hext radrning, arid was by no means tlo^
lighted to perceive that his horse was
considerably gaunted by the yester-
day’s hard work and some.\vlmt narrow
lace in a loose vizor of the same mate
rial. The blanket was coarse and let
air enough to barely sustain life for ri
short time, while It kept oiit the smoke.
He could hear the yells of his pursuers
seemingly close at hand. He was nriw
some comfort though—tHe horse hail
life enough left inBini to make one more
run fot safety. He trioynted.'und after
having fired His rifle with deliberate air*
Into the' thickest of them, charged
right through at full speed. They leap-*
in utter darktiesS, and mounting (juWkf^ 'ed at his feet and attempted to seize
again, Readed the horse directly for ilfd h‘i§ horse’s legs', but the animal was tqi
fire. Ofl-He went* licit ktidfting where j
r o _ niorialiy frightened For them,to' impede
tlio reins were .tightened dad tlie lash j hi! way*for an yismht. Through h’c
and spur applied with the euergy of
desperation. Hotter add hotter the air
became, byt qd He careered, Blind arid
headlong; The fire has struck hint with
a roqiidg surge! JHtishair flames crisp
ly, arid the flesh of his body 3eeii?sU> be
burning! The frantic and pantirig horse
cdolrilons of the night. However, he | attempts to shy, but no} the fiefqeriess
moved on now wilh something less of d. Of the arioriy has lurried that rider’s arrd
hurry,-as there were no indications of j arid ifrill to iron! It Cannot shy-^he
pursuit apparent. ’Following th,e rivii-! poor horse! . Oii.dd! Scorching through
let, he soon reached the West Branch, I the stifling blaze! A feflr boundsdirtfe*
and turned up. this with a brisker move-1 and the terrific siirges rire paSt! The
ment, spurred by the cheerful hope, of {fresh air Has met him! He tore the ert-
sddri rcjdining*his comrades and guidiug velop frorri his face, arid leaped from iKe
them safe. In an hour he was in sight Staggering horse upon the chdrred.Hdt
pled, atm away across the prairie
hf sHrirtirig with terror and thov-J
ipg gfeat'spbed as if perfectly
fresh, arid Sway, too, in pursuit, swept:
things liad encouraged the Mexicans to horse hunters a trial for their scalps ds
make very bold descents. McCullough
had dn his first arrival given them a se
vere lessdn; upon which the marauders
sili<>M' which we believe originated with
Cassius M. Clay* was made to stand to
their arras and fight it out with the
Mexicans, to the last gasp< in spite of
the disparity of numbers. Lieutenant
Dan, who was then guide, seconded
this proposition warmly and went about
among the men urging’lhem “ to stand
up to the rack,” as he called it, repre
senting that they could hope for noth
ing but bad faith resulting in cold-blood
ed massacre if they surrendered to the
Mexicans. He reminded them of Go
liad, and the Meirsurrender, and ofh
own experience in the last case. After
showing to his own satisfaction that the
resolution of fighting their way through
was the only possible chance of safety
or honorable death left them, he con^
eluded with the characteristic piece of
savage advice, “ shoot low, boys—shoot
them through their bellies so that their
groans will frighten their comrades—
one groan is worth a half a dozen dum-
ed upon a small plain of table land j had taken the hint, and nothing fiirttier
which was occupied by a hacienda of
considerable extent. As he swept by
in front of the buildings he saw a num
ber of green-coats hastily mounting their
horses, and in a moment heafd the clat
ter of their pursuing horses coming
down the road. He looked over his
shoulder and saw that it was probably
a foraging party of about ten lancers.
The first agony was over now* and he
felt sure of the game and speed of his
more ; and with his usual audacity he
determined to give the " yaller bellies’
something to remember him by before
lie took his final leave* He according
ly reined up his mare gradually, and
had been heard from eitHer pdriy for sev
eral months. Unwilling that his men
should lie in camps in sUch a place aS
Corpus Christi, with nothing to do but
drink and carouse, the prudent captairi
of the Rangers had thought best to des
patch all the most restless spirits on
tours ol observation in various quarters.
Besides, the aspect of affairs in that
part o! Texas generally, had begun to
seem rather forlorn, and seemed to call
for unremitting vigilance.
Dan and his companions had reach
ed the foot of the mountains in which
the western branch of the Nueces takes
rise* without meeting with any other
H
fl« perfect knowledge of the Mexi
can character, as well as his mortal
hatred of them was fully displayed in
liis advice. Dan knew perfectly well
that there \Vould be no chance for him,
for he had already been recognized as
one of the Meir men by several Mexi
cans, whose faces he remembered pvell;
the surrender^ therefore, placed him id
a desperate predicament. He knew,
perfectly, that whatever fdith they might
keep with other prisoners, they would
keep none with him* although his safe
ly had been provided for in an express
stipulation of the tcf’ms of surrender*
let them gain upon him. ~ They thought sort of incident than those which
she was failing, and raised a yell of tri- common to prairie travel. Here they
umph as they urged their horses to yet formed their camp, and as they had yet
greater exertions. dicovercd no signs of Indians, it was
He looked behin.l again, and the rif- concluded that they would take each
fleer wilh one of Id, men, was now con- hl * t"” r " . ne “ and ?, r ‘ er
sidernbly in the advance, and closing
rapidly upon him. He loosened a pis
tol from the holster. The officer was
foremost and was already‘shouting to
him wilh many “garacoes*” to surren
der* when he wheeled suddenly Id his
saddle and shot him dead. The lancer
who was close behind, and coming on
at a furious speed, attempted in vain
to rein up his horse, but it was too late
—he was carried by the impetus of his
speed within ten feet of Dan who had
by this time drawn his other pistol,
With which he shot him through the
bead* and then galloped leisurely along,
feeling sure that the remainder of his
pursuers would be slopped effectually
By this bloody barricade he had left
have never seen the mode of his escape ! across their path. He was not mis-
correctly related yet, so that it is wotlh
while to give it in his own vcrsioii^-
Thc Mcxuitttis have a mortal hat rod of
the Meir prisoners, one and all-»=-but
tnost particularly do they detest those
of them who rose at the Salado and es
caped firotn Perote. Dan had, unfor
tunately, not only been prominent in
both iltcsc affairs, but Rmti the filet of
speaking the language as well as a na
tive, he had always acted as an inter
preter, and thus been put forward more
conspicuously than any Of the other
prisoners. Besides this* be has made
himself notorious, too, as a ranger*
All these causes combined to make
^iis recognition general and sute at al
most every point on the whole rod:e in
Mexico; and even if it had not occur-
' red immediately, there was no telling
At wbmt moment it might occur, and of
course* When his body might be made
the target of their cowardly crew.
He saw these men Who had recog
nized him whispering among themselves*
and from his knowledge of the Mexican
character* felt sure that so soon as ‘
commanding officers bad retired
left them in charge of the guard,
Would be sHdt from the ranks. It
innately occurred, that When they were
started, Minon Arid h!$ start'was rriovirig
i a. llln .tl ■*..1 .1 <t>n .1 — 1! — r
travelling as much ground as possible, ^ uv, »»**o ...... -r”~*
return to their camp and report* and if i Dan, while he desperately ^urged his
it should then appear that no sign had
they went past him.
As he changed his position* the fig-
es which were approaching became
more distinctly defined against the back
ground of the sky, for they were de
scending towards him! He saw what
Sent his hear.tinto his throat! that each
animal had an Indian stung along its
side, by one hand and foot, holding to
either horn of the .saddle! This is q
common trick of iheirs in approaching
dn enemy by day-light, on prairies, and
it is difficult of detection at a distance,
by the most experienced eye, as they
ride close together, and no part of the
body is shown above the outline of the
horse. Dan was off in a twirtfelidg.
The tables were very suddenly lurried,
for instead of taking a Scalp or two him
self, as he expected, it Would require
the best he knew to save his own. It
was well he could trust his horse, for
they had got so close to him that his
escape at all must be a matter of sheer
speed—he must run away from theni dr
be run through by them, “To be ,dr riot
to be,” was the .question no\V With poof
of the ground, and put his horse intd a
swift gallop in his eagerness ,td pass
over the iritetval quicker: On com
ing up, he saW, instead of hid comrades,
the (lead body df one Indian warrior, ly
ing across the vdfy ashes of their camp
fire, all gaslied and hewed With boWie-
knife cuts; All arorind, the earth Was
deeply tirdken up, With the evidenced of
a despetate harid to hdrid struggle.—•
The breech df a rifle Which he recogniz
ed, rind a number of arrows With a brok
en Idnce rind shield, were scattered
arourid. He felt a chdking sensation,
and his blood ran cold at tlie sight.-—
His comrades had been surprised, ho
ddubl, by the Sdffle pdKjr \Miich had pur
sued him ! but with what result it was
impossible for him to tell certainly,
though he had little choice but to believe
and fear the worst. Amid the multi
tude of the tracks df unshod Horses he
could distinguish the few tracks of their
shod horse’s; There was no trace of ihelr
bodies in (he hasty survey he had lime
to make, and it seenied very strange
that this dead warrio'r should be left be
hind, so contrary Id ilieit- well-kooWri
Custom. . He followed tlie trail for sonic
ground. The blanket is tdrri nWdy From
its irioUtK arid tlie ariinial begins td re-
quickly, though it shivers and .can
scarcely stand for mortal terror! He id
He has nccdriiplished ari unparal
leled feat! He hears fairitly above the
ruckling arid roar df the retiring flames
a howl of triumph front his pursuers,
who imagine they have driven him into
the fire, and that he is burnt, horse and
all. He makes a feeble attempt to an
them defiantly but can scarcely
op ■ ' ‘ ■
hear his own voice m tunned and,
rio’W, an<f decided ....
bers.at every jdffip, for as Dan glanced
Bis frightened eyes around, he could
see them strailfciied diit with speed, and
their riiddths Wide open, coming to joiri \
the terrible rolite froifi every directiori
over the prairie: ‘He l»ks behind 7
him-^tbey Were close Upon liis heels—• /
the great dart df ifienR and pariiculs^y <
tHo’Se iiffrorit; ririd who seemed most
fiercb dnd ra*eri«his{ Were scorched
nearly ridked, arid^ith tlie WRiie foairi
flying, their long fed tongues, their fiery
glaring eyes, they, presented the most
hideous picture of unearthly terror that
ever mortal lived to be cliased by be
fore, unless by the Horrible phantasma
goria of m'adness. He fired liis pistols
back at them, b'dt it made no differ
ence j they yelled tlie louder arid canid
oil nidre fietctiiy, While five joined their
long tfairi for each one that He had kill—
i- ed. If His horse should fall dr give out;
recover the^use of tlieir ^Bost j they would both be to’rri to ffagnients id
stilled lrings, he andliis Worse stan^Kde ! an instant.* This appalling conviction!
by side upon that blackened plauj^Klh-1 caused liim to givfe nil of eyd
out moving a step for more than | that Were left iri^ the uiortal frigpt to
But the perils of the day Were by rini steadying drid guidirig ,;his horse, for
means past. Before him, as far as his | the only liopenoW lay irijih'iiri. He sooii
eye could reach, there was only one j perceived, however* thafth’e was leaving
charred, levelled, smouldering Waste, the pack far behind, for there is litlUv
which had to be crossed before he could compdfidori betweeii the speed of d:
reach Water* for which both hiiiiself arid horse drid that of a, prdirle wolf. ,
horse were now perishing. lie started 1 He now began Id feci Something of
on at last taking liis course at random, iiope drid as the frdntic speed of thd
for one seemed td his bewildered sense j horse placed yet a greater detailed be-*
rib'out as grind ad another: (-■*—*«-J .i.— ■ *i.« An%aA-
He did riot
ride at first, Urit mercifully led his poor
horse, until the heat of ihfc gfoilnd and
tlie still smouldering stubs of grass be
anie insufferable to his feet, and then
taken, for they halted there* and this
was the last he of their green ctiats.
All that day Jang he kept the noble
Beast in swift motion, since at every
rancho dr village he came td, it would
be necessary for the fugitive lo make a
desperate run for it, before pursuit could
be rtrganized. The roads were filled,
too with scouting parties of the enemy*
and it required all his knowledge dfthis
sort of tactics to enable him to dodge
them: He several times very riafrowly
avoided rushing headlong into the very
midst df these advancing parlies: Tlie
Mexicans are usually very nbisy troops,
and he Would hear them talking on th’c
march id lime td dodge to one Side rind
yet been discovered by any of them,
was agreed they would spend several
days in a tegular buffalo hunting frolic*
as these animals seemed to abound
gteatly in this region. Accordingly
they v.*e*e under way quite early, each
man following the bent of his own hu
mor and fariey for the lime. Dan liad
been travelling in a leisurely sort of
Way until noon* when he came upori a
scene of such rcinrirkablc beauty that
he involuntarily stopped to gaZe upon
it: He had—scarcely Without observ-
irig—followed up the west bank of the
Nueces, until he now found himself at
its very head spring. In front of him a
bold and broken mountain stood out
somewhat from the chain, at the feet'of
Which he had been riding all the morn
ing. The front of this mountain was
almost a square perpendicular, and
lbokcd as if it had been cleft from crest
lime, with 'great caritidri* blit cd/dd
make no discovefy, except a great deal
til bldod on the ground, until towards: he turned to mount:
horse with whip and spur. So soon as! riqort. When rising the comb o’f ri steep j j| e nfnv fo ! r iff e fl r st time looked-at
they saw him strir^,* t3:fe rascals had j rij]ge, he looked down into the plain b'e- j carefully, and to his horror
wheeled up into their saddles again, and tow upori.ri Irirge body of Iridiyrts, dn- ?aw (.hat every hair upon his body was
11 -1 ,1 > III 1. ! ^ r. . Ini.L ' *~ . —V .1 — 1 v —.t * . n .villa JllcfnWt 1 Till 4 IV11 Q i i ' I .1** I •
tweeri them, the unimaginable .dread
would seem to be lifted from his lifeJ
Now he could but only distinguish the?
longsnakc-like tralrf Jet inoviug ill rough
the relentlesschasd riter the iindulaliond
of the bare plain. He sees timber ahead;
and shouts in an ecstacy of joyful relief;
fir iTferi be Ifirtiself at least is safe ! Hej
climb a tree—and iri tilts delight c
yelled their warh'ddp, lik^exuliing dev
ils. This was a sdund which, though it
came to his ears somewhat softened by
the distance, Wds by no means calculat
ed to diminish the energy or ufgency of
the calls upon the- speed of his horsd,
which were made by Dari. He glanc
ed over hi3 shoulder and saW that they
were spreading out,over the prairie
with the intention of hemming him in
rigairtst the mountains. Ho iristarilly
perceived that his only chapcO •iVas
desperate run for the elbow of the chain,
Which if he could reach and turn first,
he thought would secure his scalp for
the present, as around it the stream be
came heavily timbered, and he knew
they would not follow him into it, Tor
fear they might come upon his friends.
It was a tremendous raco, for they knew
f.™ Ek™ *Tn teli.! tii*U fife UlinMn^
h ..rirtlhiri arid tlicv riercei*ed i„ „i„. : tUdtbis poor horse fcamtol climb tract!
hint at iHe sriine irioment. No* lie telt in-1 ces that ii canie off to the slightest todcH. - rhe *f" rse sees, and is inspirited too
deed he should have td run Sir his life: | T|lis was drca.l.ul enougli, bnt-walet! 10 »« on r ll '“ P. ra ' r,es , 1 ,e ™
(jlid glartce, as he wlieclod, eras suffi-j wuler , waler . h e must have that or 1 seems to be a vagUe lee lag of safely in
cieut to show hint Warriors mounting ihe . tbey musl hdil, die. He Sprang into the «b« woods. But. alas (loor horse .
horses of his frieuds! He did not.dread | s;l j lUe aiul urged , he fremUre along, ^ey .rotched ^iHc^timbc^hct
with the last energies of His sinking life.!
ri race wilh the horses of the Iiuli: Wlll
much, because his horse was more than | f
ely a hundred rods htive Been pas:
to foot by a bolt of thunder, and hurled *l ,e advantages as veil as he, ami Dan
frrim orit the ranks of its peers. The I vows that his *ong curly hair began to
huge masses of stone With which it, straighten and lift, his cap on its ends
seemed built were seamed with a sort J before he reached tlie point, they piish-
of eccentric regularity, arid cvcr-grcetis i GU him so close and hard. Ry thq skin
Wetc rooted along these scams. j of his teeth he got by before they sur-
As tils eye descended, ihoje masses i rounded hini. and now his Hair fell as
became more broken, assumed a i smooth arid sletk as if a pint of ^eqys
fantastic resemblancs fo the lines nnd i g re ? s ^ bad been^ poured
foruis df Gothic architecture in decriyj ■
while front ihe prairie , level spriing a
, hour he had beguif In grow dizzy ! «ii
and ihe blackened earth swam round |” . . . . . « • ■ i i p _ n
and round, and tossed him lo nnd fro! , «> ->M ‘he Urging spdr. ean only . lean
Now a stranne Uolse was about him. and ; a g Ilm31 lll °, trunk of n tree and pant and
as die lifiiiig 0 waves of die eardi wduld g">*« ,.?»«« azhauslion. Dan ascend,
almost seem 8 u, .cnjup into «s iace. He j %
^hu^t^l^HisUrmsidthefiirlorU hope of do-
their fierj eyes l
With red, hot, operi moutlis and lolliri”
j fits cap ... _ r | . .
let diem pass; fur He”had no fancy iojbtokea arch, one side of wlii^h was | ll f>n "> derisive triumph, midtllmi daj>
try the hacienda trick over ri^ain with perfect in outline, and the other conceal- j beneath the shades of. tne y
empty pistols, since he had nothing »o led by the over hanging masses of ever i woot , • ^ e 7, * H - hero ,l -ii"
load them with again. Ho finally threw! green shrubs. At a distance this seem- i Peeled , but as this was nios t , . J
them away a.«u much <* mriie weight," i ed d.e arched gate-way of some huge i» d t an S“r°“S betghborhoodj he cotralotM
that was useless to 00 d embarrass- cavern, but when he approdcKed it, he : 'f *°Uld be saiest npj to tarry 1
■ it: found that the rock slaUled in dt iSst I °V °l f »?‘ “ S°S M ^! rpr .‘^[®
ing to bis ifiare. So he hurried on, not j fi
H-tr.Hi* tri 1’L ■•1* «
In the same (litficion down the lines of
iho Mexicdd force. Colonel Gaines
rode a swift aud very beautiful mare.
Dan rode up to his side and whispered
to him the discoveries he had made,
his fear3 and his determination. Gaines
at once, with a generous promptness*
proposed that he should take his marc
torigdes! Suddenly His horse rdsiied
down ri sleep Bank arid there was ri
grerit splashing. Water! Blessed God,
Water! He tumbled tYo'ril his saddle
into the cold, delicious fluid: In an in
stant bis senses liad returned, and he
hitiiself surrounded by thirty
; All was still as death, but the loud pant-
... of tlie poor horse. Ho ascended,
Higher to look out for the ripproach of
tlie Wolves, for lie had a faint hope that
they Had given up' thechase. But alas!
his Heart sinks again ! Thei e lliey come,*
the long yellowish looking train, and
several Irirge while wolves have joined
He krioWs Well the tame-
S water
While the others sat upon tlie Bank of:
the sniall hike, as he now discovered it
He
:yed riionsters; arid feels that his true,
like ey'eS Before they were fairly glazed, • burst a little above tlie level of tlie j “““.iTJ^na nThViefiniri'iilidris He
arid before her stiffened rider was out of j prairie, and rushed down and out from j disrovereil this as fic emerged
sight. Now came the roost terrible part Ihe shadow, rejoicing over the white n°w first ^
ofthis wild ami remarkable adventure. 1 sand, nntil it sparkled in the checquer-; , 0(jb(] cnbtlgli rtway
He was totally without, fuod, except; ed sunlight beneath the ovethanging ev-. e slreaI n.
what little he could gather during the er-green outside—then it coursed avtrdy i , • j , ,. „ •„ U n i
day while he was skulking, for be only toward the caam et mountains nnd! He paused but for a moment, to tol
ventured to travel at nighf now. Thfs 1 wound about their feet: All off to the j lect himself and try and Bc hack .he
was scarcely enough to keep bod, amUleft, and beyond tins ttiharkable moun-1 rue idea jflh* dtrec Wm Thinking hi
soul together, white his cknbe/ sitan | Win, Sebrfied ah interminable stretch 1 bail tldle urged horse intp a swm ftin.
s i«. s’e&nssu
horse with case. This was precisely \ tered ribbon^ He hnwever, still, cop- j hetds of deer, mustangs and buffalo,
•r. He came at
trickling along a
.* ■, - |~ p ruuL'u cui, uiiu ttd be supposed* iii
SfcTihe marc was'vc'^spTrited ami j thirst dm! hunrier^l.c nas yet feebly of this icepb. He slfj train ! ’J^'dflto damp
fiery, and Dan sl'dy roused up her met-. reeling along like a ghostly and bag- fits sriddle and stood leading against it j f enou rf|, jj e knew* b'dt itiii would set
tie by touching her with the spur.— g^rd drunkard. . 4 fotdnly a momeflt or tvvojff Wlritpt con-1 ^ S if -f 0 ij 0 -tfed it wHeb* day
She began lo pitch and plunge, and . This affait Very properly got hud BiX templdtidn, when the Habdual instinct\ brcak .gj, selected a Siririll
throw out hef heels. This compelled ; proidoiioiNo a captaincy. But strange,; caused him tdchanjp bis position, and of meridoW ground, which Was
the escort, or rather guard, Which rode j perilous, and\eVeri Wonderful as this turn his head,. As he _ aul s° ne per-; J^ cre ^ musquit gfriss, arid well
on either side of the prisoners, to open escape seems, iKsonly ode of the many j Ceived one of the droves ot mustangs l , r rorti .,: e ^ v ^ {h e creai clu^-
ibeir line occauionall,. Dan kc[A it.oihefs as remarCSWi, by which huit-Hd befsesj mbvirig .Ml, “r ckcS? surrounded it oil
up some minutes so as to remove allf most eventful life has oNmchccquered. j him. They vvero alon S \ ,k re e £ id e s. Here he stripped his falCli-
suspicion, and watched his cltancc, un- In the Texari War With tlieCherokces,- ! there appeared iiolhmg^ peculiar about t - j- tdrrieJ him loose to*
til he saw the guard beginning to be- which Was a Very bloody business them—-but it served to remind him ll J a .t! £ raJ f e# aiil | Rierf taking lor supper a liear-
come careless ami regard those unruly i while it lasted, he passed through scenes he had a short time belorc seed the un- > & t » ri v J£r i 1 , 0 r Water, threw himself up-
capers rather with amusement than as bad, if not worse, than this. Then shod tracks of horses and mules moving . ^
otherwise* , f his adventures as a ranger arc very *L ag&pi Si «lui,
Then seeing his way open as they remarkable, for of many of these I am be hothing morc^ than mustangs, yet
a match for the best of theirs, but ihe
horses of his comrades were as swift,
and in every sense as good as his, and
now they were to be turned against him!
He cursed the rashness that liad induced
him to follow up their trail, But this was
no time'lo pause for regrets—he vyas off,
down the hill, at tlie best speed of his
horse already somewhat fagged, worild
raise. .
All depended updri getting back to
the timBei- arid losjng them! He could
heairtHeir pursuing yells distinctly, for a
morrierit, and this, was Ho fyj en ' s . ‘hBsitj
to draw Him Back! .He had a good
mile tHe start, but thi^ was^ rio great
matter* if* as he supposed, tHeir horses
were fresher tliajl his own? He had
not tirile riow.to feel arijr alarm, but «n-
c iy lhat there was hot work before him
he had reached up and tal^en doWn ant j fie had it to,attend to! ^ His object; tn be* arid howled fiercely
ap lo waive as he shouted hack at xv&s td get out df si^ht as sdon, as pdssi- \ sirdck those which were nearest with
bl'e; Tdr He Gained a great deal By cmii-1 His gun barrel and beat them off, while
pellitlg iljrim to run on Hil trail. He I He had time to ilraw his Heavy knife.--
straiiied nil horse tremendously arid j One of them had seized liis prissive
succeeded* for when the sfidden Burst o|j horse, who, while it wasendeavoririg to
their voices came to him*, proving that j pull him down, stood still arid drank—
ttiej Bad reached tBecomti of iho ridge, the long, eager draughts. He split the
He looked tirick drid could ncft.See it or j \volPs head with his knife; and sent the
tHeni. He i’ett a little less tight iilrout i rcs t back out of tlie writer yellirig with
ihe Herirt fiqtV; drid had tirtie, to tfiirik ! wounds. But those Upori the bank only _ ha j been" only
someiBlrigdf His Best course! tt seemed j howled the louder, and were answered . .... • Whenever he make*
a forlorncBrirtchTdr his escape Uhe was lica r at haijd arid from ri ar by hundreds | ri V e ^"tH eWerTells,
over six miles frprii turiber. He sud- «f others; 4vho tvere ^Willly gathering in j J • ... • ..i? u ; im ne if to meet hid
denly rememtidredtiiat fie Bad observed, 1 nt the well kriowri trill to a banquet.-—| ^ t j ia { jh the utter and
for drijs a Heavy smoke off He no* remembered that these wed- j S’eless^^ despa rat ion of his
tovvards-tlie south; and looking now in : j-ied and infernal brdtes always collect j a . .V, . i..*j .r
that direction, sriw it filling the whole ; i„ large mirribers to follow in tHe drake
Bdriiori with gloomy masses, which | iff a great prairie fire arid thrir th’c car-
seemed id be rising but a few miles off. j basses of those animals that are killed,
OBservitig that it was not very High, it! iit band together td chase and drag down
instaHily. occurred to him in his extreiri-! those that come through alive* but
iiy; for ne felt sure from tfffe, action of j seorebbd, blinded rind staggering,
& immLJMk-. 1.1 Get frinel, 1 ...oo k;. K^r.*. Thev hecitHie very ;■ 6—» "shrilf ifeajS-cVJ, and
which! then 1 tlie whole pack wou id rush' on it
rioble Horse must go! Novv He cari
ear tlicirjcry ! Tliey are in the woods:
The poor liorse shivers—looks back,’
and utters that wild and wailing neigh;
as.they rush upon Him in a body. Dari
fires down among them but what avail
is it? tri ri twinkling, his faithful horse
i£ clo’wri arid Has been torn to atoms !
Tlie halter df the lariat hari^ empty
Beside the tree. Now they lie panting
ri found the foot df tHe trec with
tlieir fiery byes turned \yisf Fifllyf up at
posiliori now; a grotesque sort of buraof
possessed him of a sudden, and lie com-*
litericed deliberately firing down at the
red glaring eyeballsofthe while wolves;
and would roar with laughter, and fair-’
! Iv dance upon his ticklish pctfch witH
i glee, when he savV the creaiures tumble
his*Horse, that -he would riot last much j was his poof horse. They becairie very
longer in tlie hard ruri Before tlieiri, th.it; saVage with blood, ifripunity arid num-
the safest course Srf. liim fhdlil he tKe; bitrs, am! a very fcv* creatures which j Vjr" “T. j;'^ *hrecis iri ah iusihni. with
most desperate, arid this v>as lo Hiahe Have estriped froiri the ' ,un 8[ v -! goas lingeries. llesaysheainusedbiin-
directly for the approaching line oft his can escape Mm their ra*enons jaw*-— » g- tbr aa hour , Bnd ma( le
fire, and irike His fchartries rif beihg elite;The treatiirS at other times is tmcr-JJ / fa . m •
to forte liis wiiy tHrriu^H it rilive. With ! Ij tomerfiptible fot Its cowardite ,, ^ ! dol H er ^ e * e ry white Woir that but
sritli a barrier betweeri.hiiri anti.the In- l bet lit shuddered when lie called to, jt,. 'rhis siiiitt delighted
iiiai.3 life was srife! Acting upon this rtfirid tBb dreadful stories lie had heard l-j,(" jo much, that he Iietaine careless;
sicfil arid siriirige alieriiative; he drged «T their deadly Berceness at such times, • bom . m( , nc6d fcUWg . He only nv~
liis horse Sleadi|y towards (lie fire. It its this: “MyGod ! hfe ihorinfed riloud. | e |] Klj(fe|fb y drop pi n g his gun which
wad riot long before be mill the dark nd- .. Wa3n t it bad fenough for me to pa.s,^^ seizeJ ^ ad ‘ a | ton j, (ore ild Sthck
Varice guard of .the smoke, as it rolled that bell flame back yonder ! and have ,» 1^ ,^, for( . ihfe j d&VWtait wdd
along the grass, and rode Beneath its\\ only escaped that to meet a fate a tnou * . w .u_ i'f.ii.:*
stifling shelter; the fire being yet a m‘ite sarfd times more Hideous ?” He look-
He bad lost his provision wallet
He wad now securely feriougirorit of
sight of the Indian^, arid Springing from
h'ls hofse p'roceeded to prepare him self
for ri trial of the fiery sea. He cut His
Kfnnkpt into nieces. - with one of which
cd rit Bis hofse j the animal was now
too, refreshed, arid began to be Con
scious of the riew danger; as’ it gazed
arourid with staring eyeballs upori the
eager rind swiftly gathering crowd that
Bowled along the shore. He snorted in
not eatable. I saw tHe dent of their
teeth in the barrel rifiefvVafds. Dark"
ness was coming mi, and they s?"
i seeing his way open as they remarkable, tor ol many ot tnese t am ne qmuing ------ - * . ■ ■ h _ ( j are • n0 ^ ui i- ;
slowly through the squadrons of | toysclf personally coguiraul ; ami oV. the simple fact of their going at at gal- k the b , f
blanket into pieces’; with one
he blindfolded his horse; anoimsr m; «..« V'y.“''•-y-j--..
lied in a loose hag about ihe lower part Iv morirnful neigh that seetheil to poor
o! his head, enveloping ihe rnoolh rajd , Dar.themost ™
He then enveloped hil own fring upori Bis ear before: There was
the least disposed to go, arid B’d
felt that Ho ra’rist tumble .oui frorB.the
faintriess of hunger and fatigrie,* if ho
was cotripelfod tri spend rihother hour
in that tfefe v^itBorii wdd.
He had bfcfcdcbe entirely reckless ft
and loaded rip his pistols, determined,
,if Be must fall# to bring deritb with bind
j*>