Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1842-07-26

ter enough TO feel confident that
could kill suficiency Of meat in case
| was unsuccessful in finding my COM
panlons. Another thing; had aIrea-
dy found Dol, what every hunter knows,
that the hungrier man gets upon the
prairies the more unlikely he is to find
game and The more difficult it is to
shoot it. There, then, was, without
a companion and without experience
starvation staring me in the face, or
even if | was fortunate in killing meat
| still was almost certain to e,picked
up and seal ped by Indians before |
could reach the Settlements very
fattering prospect to be placed before
one, surely. [ thought Of home, and
made up my mind firmly that if ever
was fortunate enough to reach it
should be in no particular hurry to
leave it again.
L resolved to make desperate effort
to find the command and accordingly
set of in a canter in as near a straight
line as | could trlvel. Fortune for
once befriended me; for after travel
ling some six or eight miles | reached
the brow of a high and steep decIivity
overlooking a narrow and beautiful
valley through which a creek was seen
winding its way. Ipaused for mo-
mentto survey this valley and was soon
re1oiced TO see, far off IN the distance,
the white tops Of our Wagons. New
er was sight of a friendly sail more
welcome TO the eye of shipwrecked
mariner than was the prospect now be-
fore me.
The declivity in front was steep,
and craggy rocks were jutting out in
every direction. | could not think OF
looking for any other passage down,
however, but dashed spurs into my
horse and commenced the descent.
Scarcely had gone twenty steps be-
fore my horse snorled and jumped fu-
riously aside, frightened by an i'm
mense rattle-snake lying directly in the
path. Probably blind at the time, it
being in August, he had never given
the we'll known alarm until | was close
upon him. Hundreds Of those poi
sonous reptiles, coiled up among The
rocks Immediately around, soon Join
ed i" the alarm, and the stencil from
so large number was dlsagreeable in
the exreme.* FranticaIIy did the
animal was on dash down the steep
and finally reached the level bottom
below without injury. How many
snakes there we're re il h5 5bif dad IS more
than l KNOW did not stop 10 count
or caIculale-but if the lot had been
purchased at five hundred, | honestly
think the buyer would never have found
fault with the count. On looking back |
discovfed large hole or cave among
the roS to the right which had not
before seen-this was probably their
home, and at the time [ came along
they were out summing themselves
among the clelts.
Half an hours brisk trot brought me
up with the command, where | found
that my companion had already arri-
we'd. He did not even know that |
had been lost until informed him of
my adventure. At the time | said
but little about it, but inly resolved
never TO be caught out Of sight Of the
command again.
| 4 Better Road and Country Found
Carlos apparently at Home-Depdrture
of Ho,oland and f,eo ofthe men, for the
SetbZements-A Buffalo Chase Nth it
Resuls-DiscOreryof ola large stream t.
tie South, &c.
After boxing the compass for several
hours travelling some ten or twelve
miles over a rough and rocky road tc
gain two or three we finally reached
high piece of table land where thu
musquect grass was fresh and far bette
than we previously found. To thi
spot Carlos said the Mexicans FIRE
quently brought their sheep on accoun
of the superiority Of the pasturage,an'
he also pointed in the direction of
large spring and creek of fresh waite
which he said emptied into Red Rive
a few miles to the North.
+ Although no sign could be seen in
dicating water in. the direction h
pointed his assertion. proved correct
for after travel Olive or six mile
spring was found in the precise situa
ton he described il. More singula
than this he had frequently informe
the men where plum patched were 10
Gated in the vicinity Of our journey
and he was almost invariably correc
With all these :corroborating circun'
stances It need not be wondered ;
that we all thought we were within
few days march of the frontiers Mex
can settlements.
On encamping at night and fully col
: vinced as the commissioners were
: the truth ofthe statements of Carlo
who said that San Miguel was. not mo
; than 10 OF so miles distant, they dete