The Yazoo Whig and political register. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1840-1842, 1841-06-04

but, said my companion, With sudden
surprise, ignlng up his Horse and pointing
10 The right Of the road 8 In The name Of
human reason what does this mean are these
=peopIe mada2
There werea number Of brush heaps on
fire, which the owner.o Of the land was bnrn-
ing of to prepare The ground for cultivation;
the fire burnt briskly. and the flames from
the dry brush-wood extended higher than
mans head on horseback
q IN the name Of common sense. Captain
Dagget, what are you dOingg'
This question was addressed 70 bluff, red
faced man mounted on fine gray geldings.
from his appearance, making up hasty
opinion Of the character of the man, you
would have located him somewhere be-
tween an overseer and low priced steam-
boat captain.
Besides Captain Dagget there were some
fifteen others, all mounted on fine looking
horses, armed with pistols, bowie knives,
land several with rifles and muskets. These
composed patrol, or scouting party, whose
business it was TO range about the country
and pick UP all the stragglers Or suspicious
persons and take them before the commit
Zee Of safety''s but who, in reality, did MOTH
ling more nor less, than to alarm every neigh
borhood where they went, with wonderful
46tOIICo VI DduQtbo3 lllCNCG duQ fkluudppGl0s
They had, it seems, halted at a neighboring
i doggery' and RECALLED themselves with whis-
key until they became rife for sport. Find
ing no enemy on whom 10 prove their Dutch
courage, and having charged all the stumps
and old trees that stood in the road Captain
lDaggett ordered his troop to 'halr-s'bout
! face, Whereupon each man wheeled his
horse, directly fronting the line of brush
heaps before noticed.
The Captain made speech to his men,
Ipointing to the FIRE, which he termed the
great enemy of mankind that they were row
lcalled upon to vanquish, and to the negroes
Iwho were heaping the brush, declaring. the
latter to be but the ministers of PlutoS he
then gave the word charger forward each
lsteed sprang, and horse and rider went
Through the curling flames! They formed
|again and the Captain made another Speech
commending his men for their courage, and
on they came second time to the charger
but This onslaught was not SO successful as
the first, several, faultered, and one man
J was thrown from his horse and badly wound
t ed.
, The Captain now gallopped. up to where
we were, describing circle completely a.
.lround us before he came to stand.
g What did you, say parson Peters?" and
he spured his horse and reigped him in at
the same time, causing. the animal to rear on
!, his hind legssand paw the earthwith his fore
: feet.
: g wished to know, replied the parson,
e /" why u were thus endangering the lives
2 of yourself and men when there is no earth
! llY cause for it.
e Very true, parson, very; there is no earth.
Iy reason for making fre-eaters of my mem
but there is a much strong reasonthan any.
thing earthLy,'' continued the Captain, with
I. much gravity, winking at the men nearest
: him on the left,-s'a much stronger reason
/ And pray. what Is that. Captain Dog
! gett.''
i. /" Well, this it is; ! want to helE-Harden
: these fellows; you know you told them last
! Sunday that theyaWould he. sure to burn.if
I they did not mend their ways, and as there
{ is no possibility Of their doing So deem. 1t
my duty, as their Captain. to drill them fof
the service Of the deVil, aye parson!''
The good preacher. before this sentence
was ended had put his horse in motion, and.
Z. was soon out of hearing, leaving me 10 pur-.
y tsue my journey alone.
n g ] say Black said the Captain. pointing
/ at me and making Significant sign with
his left hand:
y g Goodl'' said the other, and they all gal
d Topped of at halfspeed in the direction that
III ! was going.
I'll Beautiful conservatives of the peace 9host
i, as they disappeared, mo wonder people
are alarmed for their safety when,it is left to
g such guardians as these!
s, 'Theroad wound along thigh narrow ridge
iof land, undulatiIg on one side towards the
Yazoo, and on the other the little streams all
found their way into the Big Black; SO this
i was called the dicidine ridge, and seemed
Is By nature designed for no other purpose chan
10 to make road upon.
IS The day was excessively bot and had
been for some time in vain expecting reach
: q spot, where / could allay Inysthirst and resi-
- a few hours, when observed q board nailed
10 q tree on the road side with I
WATER
in letters rudeiy sketched with charcoal
The finger on thesboafd pointed along path
which tooks and y my greatjoy found i
led 70 clear. cool spring that, gurgled and
danced ong It's pebbly bottom, completely
emboWeTed BY the gorgeous magnolia. now
20 ~ full bloom. and margined by the beautiful
Isl wild hydranger None other thOught bua
pc good man could ave pointed out this de,
Is lightful spot. and Blessed his penlorYs as
m knelt down d taste the transluc stream.
~ I had heard much Of the unhealthy atmos
"a phe1e of the Yazoo valley and as laY stretch
cd upon bank nf green moss, tancied &
"a nlysel that DEAIE IA gsit even Pc welcomed
- coming as be did WITH 50 much l0Veliness
~ Here Die ewing birdsaf noon. Nodl.
sc- venture Ia call lp AS mates slough in q low
cautious tone az poor FI lRs1 poor