The Arkansas advocate., 1834-02-28
la1qzes. TALES OF CHARACTER x COUNTRY.
 NO. VI
 Written for the Advocate
Manuel the yVagf E;gra-.


 one hundred miles from the latter Noaa had passed, and the unpleasant heat of tba forenoon had yielded toa cool and gentle ofea'ning' which came calmly of, the noun tains west of the Del Norte. The green ness of summer had not yet begun to turn grey under the su4en footstep of Autumn and all along the sides of the hills. and over the narrow valley between fhe n,oun- jams, Tn which ! was travelling. were fa be seen bright spots of verdure, relievinc the dreary appearance of the red and bar ren soil. Not cloud was to be seen in the ilrmament, which resting apparently on the grey cones oi the mountains, both to the east and west, stretched peacefully above. Here and there the binds were busy in tbe eedars, and now and then one arose. and pouring out his heart in song as he went, vanished ln the blue distance. was alone. My horse, like all the New Mexican hor- ses, was small, clean Iimbed, active arli- maj, as sure footed as mule. The road was principally level, and lay, as l have al- ready sad, between two ranges of moun- tains, which were perhaps thirty miles apart.
 As l rode slowly along, in that kind of hsiiessness winch d man is apt to fall ibtt, when alone, I was startled by loud shout far ahead of rae, and to the right, followed l by the elamor of number of decs. mEt was at that time considered dangerous fo travel the road alone, on account of the Apaches, who had become very tronble- some not only robbing their allies, the Mex jeans, of their supernumerary cattle, but also at times taking scalp or two. But had not supposed that there would be any danger until should reach the Joaaaaa de l fa .Naerte, or Journey Of Death, ninety miles above the Pass. prepared myself, however, for the event, by loosing my pis- tois III my belt. Sc. and stopping my horse. he noise approached, and directly large, grey wolf dashed out of the cedars 10 the right---sprung across the road, and made towards the mountains on the Jeff, closely followed by two or three dogs, and a hunter who ran with amazing speed afier ihein.- The ground 10 the left was rather open, and enabled me to watch the event of the chase. After running ahont half mile from mo. the dogs pressed the wolf so closely, that 1 he turned to make fight, and was innnedi- ately pinned to the ground by the hunter, with tic long spear which he carried, and he then, stopping down, deprived the aui- maI of his s oalP, and giving the carcass kick, called his dogs, and came again to- 1 wards the road waited for him to come up, ! and as he was about crossing the road before me, addressed him courteously, in the common phrase of salutation. To this he made no reply, but looked up with wild glare, held up the rocking scalp, and cross ed the road into the cedars. 1 had suifi- cient time, however, to see that he was a 1 tall, slender man, with wild, keen eye, but with the rest of his countenance so, dis6g- ured by thick, matted, black beard, as to prevent me from forming any judgment as to his features. lie was dressed in a Ma bao hunting shirt of leather, fitting tight to his body and arms, pair of leggings and of moccasins. His head was left entirely bare and unprotected-but so thick was the hair, that 1t might have defied both rain and sunshine to make any impression on his brain.
 I had ceased to think about him, and was deeply buried in remembrances of olden time, when hoarse, rnmbling sound caus- ed me to raise my head and look around.- ] Far in the west, above the mountains of the Del Norte, saw two or three white crests of foam, shining like the wing of the sea- gull. l knew the sign, and put my horse to better speed, for thunder storm 1n the mountains is neither the warmest nor the pleasantest thing in nature, and had yet fifteen miles to ride, before l should reach the village. The crests of foam rose high CT and more numerous, and under them came the heavy thunderbanks. The light ming shot up ever and anon behind the mountains. and the thunder came louder and more frequent. In the mean time had been gradually approaching the eastern mountains, and when within about ten mics of the village, the road ran directly under the steep crags, for the distance of four miles. Before reached this point, howev- CT, the clouds, heaving slowly up, had rolled their black masses over one another, to the zenith The lightning shot flercely from cloud to cloud, and the wild wind moaned high up on the mountain. Then there came sudden fierce flash, and my horse recalled. for the thunder crashed among the 2 rocks like thousand cannon. Keining : him up to the road again, put him to hts !, hest speed. The rain began to fall, and the lightning grew more intense. he no;nt af mountain ahead, which shot out in- to the plain, and round which the road went, was hieh, abrupt pinnacle of rock. and as approached ii swiftly, l could see the light ,. hing flash against it and fecoli quiverlns;, X vast body of cloud had gathered around the lone crag, and as passed under 1t like the wind, held my breath, fearing that some : fraoment would be shattered from It and : annihilate me. \ moment of suspense
 passed, and was safe.