Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1842-07-05
PUBLISHED EVER

maze Tie Journey lOHSeI, Jul ~ was 1nS
route taken.
On the 2lst June, 1s41, the expe-
dition took up the line Of march from
the Brushy. Two companies Of the
volunteers were sent ahead as an adj
vance guard; then came the wagons
and cattle that were TO furnish US with
beef, one company being detached to
keep with them for fatigue duty &C.,
&C., the rear guard being formed by
three companies being six along
These companies were commanded
by Captain Caldwell, Sutton, Hudson,
Strain, Haughton and Lewis, with one
fine six FOUNDER. The number of
volunteers doing duty was 27O. Be-
sides these there were some 80 per-
sons along composed ofGen. Mcleod
and his staff, the merchants, commits
sioners, tourists, servants, &C., who
did no military duty. !
The long train ofwagops as it pas
sed along,with the different companies
we'll mounted, presented quite an im-
posing spectacle, and every heart beat
high with the anticipation of exciting
incidents on the boundless prairies.-
The first day many of the young oxen
"critters" that had never been yoked
before GU. up divers unseemly antics,
diverting enough to themselves in all
probability but by no means pleasing
% the drivers. The consequence was
that a number Of the wagons were
upset, occasioning delays which made
} it near night before we reached our
camping ground on the San Gabrielle.
; The road this day was over beautiful
rolling prairies, the land rich and sus-
ceptible of cultivation.
: The San Gabrielle is romantic
o stream running into the Brasos. A
a few miles above us on its banks set
k clement has been made by one OF twd
e families, but they had been attacked by
C Indians, land those who were not killed
e driven off. The stream abounds witt
S trout, perch, catfish, az do nearly all
d the water courses in this section q
+ Texas. Some Of our party who werl
/, first in, amused themselves by fishing
d and shooting aIligators, which are als|
= too plentiful for any useful purposes.
y Al night-lalI all hands were bust
g cooking their dinners and supPers, NJ
stop having been made during the da]
n and both meals,as a consequenc9,w erd
n blended in one. Our fare was simpl{
d eaough-roasted or boiled beef cooke (
q on stick or ramrods before the fire,wit
e salt, coffee and sugar. No bread-stuf
r were taken along, unless small guam
e ti,y of rice can be dignifed with thu
y tide-but the apPetites we contracte
Q during our long ride across the big
y dry bracing prairies served usIlnstea
q Of bread and dessert, ard q. more hea
IS ty meal never swallowed in my lil'
Is Supper over, knots Of the voluntee
n would congregate here and thel
/ around the camp fires. telling stori
i Of the marvellous and spinning loI
yarns about border forays, buffalo hun
re and brushes with the Indian Of Il
4 prair;es. The stories about buffa
" hunting in particular were eagerly il
OIL tened 10 as it was known that within Il
lie week we should be in the best ran!
lP in Texas.
r An hour or two would be while
y away in this manner when PreparatiC
ID would be made for retiring to sleep
e very simple process upon car
= paign. A person has only to pick
re a soft place upon the ground, roll hi1
y self up in his blankets and locate
once-and although those who hay
"a never lived out doors may picture ar
y thing but comfort with such lodgin
d sounder, sweeter or more relreshir
re sleep never visited the downiest coud
lie than can be found upon the grour
lie on one Of our great western prairie
IN Should any of my readers ever unde
u, take a Western tour, and find any d
ID fcuIty in getting to sleep, | can re
, ommmend plan to bring about tt
" desirable object that has never be
p known 10 fail in a single instance: il
undertake to count the stars. Before
ly person has got half through the job
SC will most inlalliably find himself CO
lie fortabIy wrapt up and snoring aw
UT In the arms of Morpheus. Old ca
v paigners told me, honestly and cand
De ly told me, they had never known
We TO fail, and | can add my own expe'
ie ence 10 verify their assertions.
= TIE ReUeille-Scenc Of an Ambuscdd
I Storm at NATURALIZATION o.
nc The Prairies-B4falo and other nat
n teTS. 49,,
10 We had a small but tolerabiy we
organized band along, numbering tw
ny clarionets, horn and bugle, with BILE
p and drums, and at the first dawn G
: day the next morning we were all ava
g kened by the animating notes OF tn
,a' rereiIle, well played by the performer