Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1845-03-27


object, and the next instant he dropped from IN
tree as " shot through the heart.
One moment sufficed for him 10 communicat
some inform ,ton TO Lit. Mclaughlin, and Their
speedily ana noIselessly tho van boat approache,
inc main parry. The word was given to 'prepar
Tor action while it was whispered from boat t
boat that we were close in the red mems wake.
The ORDER "prepare for action" although it.
obedience consists but in n close examination o
ammunition shifting old flin,s for new ones, loos
ening the sword in lis scabbard, and laying aside
all cumbrous Clothing, ever brings kind of in.
1escrlnaoie' nervous sensation over one. Being
fond OF watching the varied workings of human
nature. have often observed its effect.
upon the old war-worn, veteran tar, il would
cause only an additional leaf Of tobacco TO the
quld dlstended cheek, up-hi,ch of the row sers,
and determined quiet and gravity of manner,
speaking ss plain as looks can, that
| "Hc holds no parley With unmanly fears.
Where duty bids, his he steers"
The youngsters more excitable nature would
beam out in the quick flash of the ambitious eve,
the slightly tremulous lip, the throbbing breast.
and fingers Insilnctivey playing with the hilt of
the ready sword, if itching to feel its well bal
| anced weight.
| In some, the eye would darken with anxiety,
the pale forehead, nferring busy thoughts of dis
tan' friends, who might dearly rue the approach
Ing hour OF danger; or memories of loved ones
whom the coming struggle might leave alone in
The worlds chilliness, without protector; while
some cherished gage de amour would he pressed
10 The heart, perhaps to rise and fall upon its last
throbbnus
For myself, IL know that braided trcss of dark
silken hair, which had been clasped around my
wrist by a fairy hand, caused me TO grasp my
sword with double strength, for ! knew that il
Tell tho beloved giver would mourn me as Span
lsh maiden should, not with weak childish tears
trul / eho la
lee' sad, but lofty PRIDE in the thought that he
who had won her hearts purest treasure, sa-
cred first love, had died sword in hand, his face
10 the Toe, her name coupled with his couniry's
on his dying lips, cherishng hope that those
who were doomed OH earth TO part, would soon
meet, to be joined in an eternal union, in a world
"Wherc pleasures immortal blows
And sin and sorrow no mere"
When Spanish maiden weeps, her tears are
the oveT-runnings of the fountain of Joy; when
She NOUNS. that fountain is dry, and her fearless
grief IS deep, lasting and all absorbing. Like
The tree or flower which is deprived Of nurturing
moisture, she fades, wiihers and dies.
All having been made ready for action, head
way was given to our boats. The impatient
crews sent them flying through the waters with
speed which soon removed all uncertainty as TO
the whereabouts Of the "Esta Chaitees" Max
ing sudden turn around IA projecting point, we
DASHED into broad lagoon, upon the surface of
which, al about halt miles distance, Law five In
dian canoes, the occupants of which were cnuau-
ed in fishing. yell from them. echoed by three
nearly cheers from us, announced the mutual dis
coVeTy, and instantly commenced the most excit-
ing race which: have ever witnessed. The one
party, urged on by fear OF death or capture the
other by ambition, burning desire to avenre their
ialIen comrades, and 10 do their part towards end
ing war which had not only been dreadfulIy
harrassing TO us, but fatal 10 nearly one-hird of
our little band. Oar Jew officers who at first 90
hnfeered for this arduous and hazardous service,
Pepln, OF Georgia, Waddell, of PENNSYLVANIA,
and Smith and Slocum, of Virginia, had already
been called by the cold hand Of, death. The rifle
ball. combined with disease, had left bu, the skel-
eton OF the picked crew which had entered tina
territory, hazarding their lives 10 protect those
whose unprncipled and avarcious conduct or
10 Say the least, pabIe mprudence, had brought
the war-scour9e upon themselves. But we'll re-
turn 10 ''the chase"
Our boats, having been under full Roadway
when we first discovered the enemy, had for a
monent gained rapidly upon them, but after mar
rowing the distance between us down TO about
SIX hundred yards, the speed of both seemed to
be nearly equal some Of our slowest boats drop
ping In the rear; theirs all keeping in BODY to-
gether. Mile after mile was rapidly passed over,
without any percepiibe gain on either side /; and,
though our hardy strained every muscle,
till the bending oars made the light boats trepble
from stem 10 stern, still the ripping waters dam
ced In the bright sunlight between us and The fly
Ing foe, as if they were knocking our effor,s.-We
were so near-and our way SO rapd-ihat the tiny
air bubbles which arose from their plugging pad
dies had scarce time 10 burst ere we were on
them. For once in the world, could say that
my way over the waters was not trackiess, for
we had a path of whirling foam before us-we
lett wake like drifting snow behind us.
Occasionally, the thrilling war-whoop would
rise upon the heated air, loud above the splash Of
the paddles and the painting Of tired men, remind
ing US Of scenes where the same unearihly music
had peaed forth the death kneis of brave and be-
loved companions.
Alter some lime, we began 10 perceive the su-
perlority of our long oars, which from having a
iulc!um In the row-ocks Of the boat, enabled our
men 10 work with more ease than the Indians
could with their short paddles-lhus, in a long
race giving us decided advantage. We had
gained sufficiently upon them TO observe and dis
iinguIsh their force. From each canoe, tue GRIM
son trimmed scalp locks Of three warriors waved
aun,ingly on the breeze, while the heads of seve.
raj women and children peered up from over the
! low wales OF the canoes. Only three Of our feet
est boats had been able 10 keep in company, the
rest being Tar In The rear. In one Lieut.. Nc.
! Laughn, in another bieut. Drayton, and in the
third - somebody else. Besides the officers
in each boat, there were four men, which (the a.
riihnecal reader will peIceive) was equal with
the force of the enemy, ''barrng' the children
and women-the latter of which sometimes iiph,
| like "devils an hunpered."
Both parties now became perfectly silent, for,
though the tug was still kept up, it was evident
that the struggle could not be delayed long.
Seeing our rapid gain upon them, the Indians
endeavored to gain the banks Of the lagoon,
where, in the tail grass, their mode of fighting
would have given them an advantage over us
but in anticipation ofibis manguvre, we had spread
our boats al distances across the stream, and the
sudden deviation of the enemy from their line
not only deadend their Roadway. bot threw them
right athwart the bows Of our inner boat