Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1842-07-19

lmprecatlons bestowed upon them were
louder and deeper than ever. SeVe-
raj Wagons had been upset, broken to
pieces, and left on the road, and the
command was scattered along through
the woods, every one eagerly pressing
on for water.
The night was cloudy and dark land
when IL o'clock came We were still
in the midst-I may say in the very
| thickest of our troubles. The num-
Der Of the wagons along was twenty
four, and Fitz and myself with the car
ry-all were in the middle of the pro-
cession, when news came that the ar
tillery carriage was stuck fast in gull
ly some half mile ahead, that the ia
tigue men had many Of them taken
their horses and left IN search Of water
and what was worse we must stop
where we were for the night! Dry
and hungry | laid down in the car
riage and slept ill morning. The mules
had been embarrassed and hitched to a
small tree close by-lhey were found
missing in the morning having broken
their fastenings and gone offin search
ofwater on their own account. After
a long search they were at length dis
covered, brought back and we again
started. At noon we finally got out of
, the Cross Timbers and reached fine
running creek-hungry enough TO eat
Wagon tire and so dry that would
have signed a note for almost any
amount for a drink Of water. have
travelled many weary miles over the
worst roads and by all sorts of con-
veyances, thought | had suffered much
in my different journeyings, but to al
ter remark made by the renowned
! Sancho Panza all my previous suffer
2 ings were cakes and gingerbread COM
pared with those experienced the last
: day and night l spent in the Gross
Timbers.
After having slaked my thirst sal
down on the ground to most delicious
n repast. 1t was nothing, to be sure,
a bat large piece Of ordinary beef be-
II fore FIRE on a ramrod; but the appe'
e tite l had lent bread, vegetables, anc
seasoning, and a heartisr or more sa.
It worry meal | never enjoyed. Though
: while eating OF the gOurmands Of cities
h men who spend half their time in get
n ting up an appetite TO relish the delica
d cies placed before them-l pitied then
and eat on.
f Before night all the Wagons whlcI
IF had been left behind came up, an,
'e those which had been badly mi urer
n repaired. Ahead we had an ope
lie prairie, and active preparations wer
NJ made to resume our journey at as ear
re ~ an hour as possible the next day.
81 OR Supposed posltion-Wrong ROut
oi dSterm'ned upon- Crossing the CHI
l. Auhua TfaiL--Dr. Whitfdker mis-
scd-Arricol Of Strange Visiters-
'e Indians IN Chase Of Bu6dLo-Con
s. siderable IF an excitement, Nth othe
n matters.
: On finally getting through the eros
re Timbers, and, as we then thought, tn
+ greatest of our troubles, we found be
'e fore us a gently rolling prairie in IT.
IS direction our guide, MIR. Howlapd, ha
: deter mined upon taking. So far gu
course had been nearly north-it wa
'e now supposed that we were near tn
OF Towish Village, that the bottoms {
u, Red River were close by, and that b
Oh keeping west northwest course W
y" should steer clear of the deep gullies
the immediate vicinity of the abov
10 river, and at The same time find plent
- Of fresh water for our cattle as we'll ;
" for our own use. The land was of
nc reddish color, extremely rich, and ha
II every appearance of the soil on Re
i, 10 River; had we kept north until "
IL reached that stream and then followe
it up, we should not have been con
" PEELED to endure the after suffering
that sssailed us, and the fate Of the e.
C. petition would in all probability hay
10 been far different. We took diffe
IS ent direction, and here the grand fau
ne was committed as my reader will find
isl the sequel.
'u' Although our start was a late OF
III on the 31st July we still made twelV
&C miles on our route. During the d;
"8 we crossed the trail made the year pr
~ vious by the chihuahua traders, wi
a.. had taken some eighty Wagons throu!
10. from a high point up on Red River
'u' the former place. They suffered mu'
ny on the route, being eight months wit
~ - out seeing settlements, five of wifi
LIS they spent in cutting their way throu,
cA the Cross Timbers and the Red Riv
Z, bottoms in the rainy season.
NC Indian t'sign," in the shape of fire
:, trails and recent "burn' on the pr
o ~ rie, were seen during the day, and
- encamping no little fear was manift
'"' ted for DR.. Whitaker, our surgec
,ep who was missing. Fires were kindl
~ on the highest points about us,the ba
IS was ordered out to play in the vicin
az and the next morning the cannon "
Gu, fred with the hone that he might hi