The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1846-01-31


hanging forward over his neck, sometimes
grusping the name, and almost unable TO use
either rein or spur.
had ridden on for some hours in this
helpless manner, when | came TO n place
where the three horsemen whose track was
following had apparently made u halt, per-
haps passed the previous night. This grass
was trampled and beaten down in circum-
ference of some fifty or sixty feet, and there
WINS n confusion in the horse-trucks as ifthey
had ridden backwards and forwards. Fcar-
tul of losing the right trace, was looking n
bout me TO see in what direction they had re-
commenced their journey, when ] noticed
something white amongst the long grass. |
got offmy horse to pick ii up. 1t was piece
Ofpaper with my own name written upon it;
aud recognized il as the back ofa letter in
which my tobacco had been wrapped, and
which had thrown away at my hating place
of the preceding night. Hooked around and
recognized the island and the very tree under
which had slept or endeavored to Sleep
The horrible truth instantly flashed across me
the horse tracks had been following We're
my own since the preceding morning had
been riding in a circle
! stood for few seconds thunderstruck by
this discovery,and then sank upon the ground
in utter despair At that moment | should
have been thankful TO any one who would
have knocked me on the head us ! lay. All
| wished for was to die as speedily as possi-
BILE.
remained know not how long lying in a
Responding, half insensible state upon the
grass. Several hours must have elapsed; for
when got up the sun was low in the western
heavens. My head was so wenk and wander
ing, that could not well explain to myself
h,,. e ,I,t a. o..
my own shadow.
Yet the thing was clear enough. Without
landmarks, and in the monotonous scenery of
the prairie, might have gone on forever fol-
lowing my horses tracks going back when |
Il ought was going forwards, had it not been
for the discovery Of the tobacco paper. was,
us subsequently tearned,in the Juciuto prairie,
one Of the most beautiful in Texas, full sixty
miles long and broad, but in which the most
experienced hunters never riSked themselves
without II compass. Ii was little wonder then
that |, n mere boy oftwo and twenty Just es-
capped from college, should have gone ustray
in il.
Inow gave myselfup for LOST, and with the
bride twisted round my hand, and holding
on as well rs ] could by the saddle and name,
| left my horse 10 choose his own road. IL
would perhaps have been better If | had
done this sooner. The beasts instinct would
probably have led him To some plantation.
When he found himself left 10 his own guild
nnce he threw up his head, snuticd the mir
three or four times, and then farming round
set off ia a contrary direction To th1S he was
before going, and at such brisk rate that it
was as much us could do to keep upon him.
Every Jolt caused me so much pain that was
more than once tempted Ia let myselftall of
his back.
Al last night came, and thanks To the lasso,
which kept my horse in awe, | managed Ia
ilismount and secure him. The whole night
through | suffered from racking pains in
head, limbs, and body. felt rs i'll had been
broken Oh the wheel; not an inch of my
whole person but acbcd and smarted. Ny
hands were grown thin aud transparent, my
cheeks fallen in, my eyes deep sunk in their
sockets. When touched my face | could
feel the change that had taken place, and as
did so caught myselfoncc or twice laugh
ing like child was becoming delirious.
In the morning could scarcely rise from
the ground, so utterly weakened and exhaust
ed was | by my three days fasting, anxiety,
and fatigue. | have heard that n man ia
good health can live nine days without food.
1t may be so in II room or prisonhut assured
~ not IN a TeXian prairie. am quite certain
that the fifth day would have seen the last OF
me.
IshOud never have been able to mount my
mustang, but he had unfortunately laid down,
so | got into the saddle, and he rose up with
me aud started off of'his own accord. As l
rode along. the strangest visions passed be-
fore me. saw the most beautiful cities that
a painters fancy ever conceived, with towers,
rupUlas, and columns, of which the SUBMITS
lost themselves in the clouds; marble basins
4
lowing with liquid gold and silver, and gar
lens in which the trees We're bowed down
with the most magnificent fi1iit-fruit that
lad not strength enough TO raise my hand
md pluck. My limbs were heavy as lead, my
ongue, lips, and gums, dry and parched. I
Dreatheti with the greatest difficulty, aud with
II me was a burning sensation as though |
Iad swallowed hot Goals; while my eXtremi-
les, both hands, and feet did not appear to
orm part of myself, but to be instruments
If torture affixed to me, and causing mo the
most intense suffering.
have a confused recollection ola sort of
rushing noise, the nature of which | was
Unable to determine, so nearly had all con-
ciousness left me; then of finding myselfa-
n0ngst trees, the leaves and boughs ofwhich
scratched and beat against my face as pass
ID through them; then Off sudden and rapid
lecent, with the broad and bright surface of
river below me. l clutChed at "A branch,
'lit my fingers had no strength to retain their
yrasp-there was kissing, splashing noise,
nd the waters closed over my head.
| soon rose and endeavored to strike out
With my arms and legs, bait in vain; Twas too
weak to swim, and again | went down. A
thousand lights seemed to dance before my
yes; there was a noise in my brain as if
our-and-twenty FOUNDER had been fired close
o my ear. just then hard hand was wrung
nto my neckcloth, and felt myself dragged
,ut of the water. The next instant my sens