Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1842-08-11
MLISOlNIlIlhlANUo
Il Ii Y PR AIRIE OG.

rioh lively description, given by Mr..
KENDALL i'll the New Orleans Picaune, of
his adventures on the expedition from Texas
to Santc Fe, we extract the following account
Oh an extraordinary Commonwealth he met
with i'll the prairies
Learning from the guide who had return
cd That there was large city or commonwealth
of prairie dogs directly on the route the com
mand would take, with two companions |
started on ahead to visit these neighbors. We
were induced by a double obicct-firstlv. nv
a desire TO examine one of the REPUBLICS about
which prairie travellers have said so much :
and secondly, to obtain something to Gator
the flesh of these animals was said TO he ex-
cellent.
Our road wound up the sides of gently
ascending mountain for some six or seven
miles. On arriving at the summit we found
beautiful table land spread out before us.
reaching for miles in every direction. The
SOL appeared to be uncominonly rich, ond was
covered with luxurious growth of musquect
trees. The grass was of the curly musoueet
species, the sweetest and the most nutritious
OF all the different kinds Of that grass, and the
dogs never locate their towns or cities except
where 1t grows liz abundance.
We had proceeded but shor. distance al
ter reaching this beautiful prairie before we
came upon the outskirts of the commonwealth
A few scattering dogs were seen scamperIng
III, and by their short and sharp yelps giving
Il general alarm to the whole community.
Upon the first cry of danger from the out
skirts it was soon taken up in the centre ,.ftbe
city and now nothing was to be seen IN anv
direction but dashing and scampering of the
mercurial and exctable denizens of the place.
each to his lodge or burrow. Far as the eve
could reach the city extended, and all over il
the scene was the same.
We rode leisurely along until we had reach
ed the more thickly settled portions of the
place, when we halted, and after taking the
bndies from our horses to allow them TO craze.
we prepared Tor Il regular attack upon the in
iabI'ants. The burrows were not more than
fifteen yards apart, with well-trodden paths
Leading In different directions, aud | even
thought could discover something like regu-
larIty III the laying out of the streets.
we sat down upon bank under the shade
OF musqueet and ieisurely surveyed the scene
before us. Our approach had driven every
! one to his home Ill our immediate vicinity :
but some hundred yards of the small mound
OF earth Ill front OF each burrow was occupied
6y dog, sitting straight up upon his hinder
legs and coolly looking about him to ascer-
taih the cause oil the recent commotion, Ey-
cry now and then some citizen more venturous
lhan his nelghbor would leave his lodge Oh a
lying visit to companion, apparently ex-
change lew words, and then scamper back
as fast as his legs would carry him:
By-and-by, as we kept perfectly still, some
OF our nearer neighbors were seen cautiously
Poklng their heads from out their holes, and
looking cunningly and at tie same time in
ISI oil, al,
would emerge from the entrance of lis domi-
cii' come out upon his looking-out place, perk
his head and commence yeipng.
| We were armed, one with double barre,l-
ed shot gun, another with one Of Colts eight
shooting rifles of small bore, while had a
rifle made in louisville by the celebrated Dick
inson, running about twenty-four to the pound
and acknowledged by all to be the best weap-
on in camp. 1t would drive a ball THROUGH
and througha buffalo at tlIc distance of one
hundred and fifty yards, held up that far. an(
there was no jumping off or running away by
deer when struck in the right place: TO use
common expression, he would never know
what hurt him. Hit one Of the dogs where
we would with a small bali, he would almos
invariably turn peculiar somerset and oet in.
to his hole; but with ball from my rife. tn,
entire head Of the animal would be knock .,
OFT, and after this there was no escape:
I For three hours we remained in this com
monwcaltIl, watching the movements of thu
inhabitants, and occasionally picking one o
them off No less than nine were got by thc
party, ard one circumstance would nen,io,
as singular in the extreme, and which show.
the social relationship which exists anon.
these animals, as well as the regard they hav,
for one another. One of them had perchet
himself directly upon the pile Of dirt in from
OF hrs hole, sitting ny ana exposing fai