Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1848-05-18

run IOBACCO, (MD.) L
!, avenged. One Of the women made very
narrow escape, and was only saved by the
courage of her dog, who sprung a, the nose
OF the Camanche's horse, and made the ami
NAL shy just as the rider was about to trans
tx her, as she was climbing the picket stiles.
She got over safe, and the baffied rascal pur-
} sued the gallant dog into the river, where
1t also fortunately escaped, much TO my gra-
tIlcailon. During these scenes, portion
OF their number had been busily engaged
III collecting all our mules and horses that
were loose on the prairie, and now they
started after the frightened animals, who
were tearing off like mad in the direction
they wished them to 90. In few minutes
, they were out of sight, and all was still for
little while as before; bu, fortunately, we
had not been quite SO silly as to have turned
out our favorlte riding horses, and in shor,
time there was gathering, in hot haste, of
all the men who were at home. They gal
Ioped up to my house in every direction,
rifles in hand, with hot brows and flaming
eyes, and curses deep-breathed between their
teeth, eager TO be led in pursui. of vengeance.
Still more fortunately, just as we were start
ing on the trail, The very party which had
been absent on the mustang drive, came,
GREATNESS and foamipg, up. 1t seems they
had met with the Camanche trail, and sus-
pectlng what had occurred, had run their
horses in a full speed With few hasly
words, explaining the extent Of the mischief,
and wild shout of vengeance for poor
Thompson, we were off on the chase, num-
bering thirty determined men.
OF course, there was no difficulty in trac-
ing the trail, which was broad as a wagon
road through the grass: and we followed
at the best pace of our horses; for our sue
cess IN coming up with them, all depended
upon The speed of our animals. AS we swept
by the farm of old Hicks, one of The earles,
settlers, who had posted himself on the very
outskirts of the grant, the gray-haired ve,e-
ran was seen urging his horse across the field
TO meet us. AS he approached we could see,
from the eagerness of his gestures, that
something was wrong. We halted for an
instant, and the g lare Of his eyes, and ashy
pallor OF his rigid face, as he Joined US, were
even more eloquent Of his terrible newt
than the few words he with difficulty gast.
ed out from between his clenched teeth. i
my children!'
Great God! which = .a
cff!' .hnv'ye carried them
Nothing was spoken, but bending :or-
ward with perfect howl of fury, the ran
gers dashed their horses like madmen. Such
an incident was sufficiently calculated TO a.
rouse Il delirum Of wrath in their fiery ma
lures. In addition to the other outrages,
these two children had been torn from their
old paren, to be dragged off to a horrible
captivity in the distant hills, unless we could
catch the brutal spoilers before they had
gained a covert. No marvel that horses
goaded even when faithfully at their utmost
speed that swollen veins were knotted a
long flushed temples, and curses and yelIs
burst at intervals from tightly drawn lips,
as the image of those fair young children
wrealhing in the black, naked arms of FL
thy warrior, would rise up before us. For
every body loved little Molly Hicks, 'wi'
the lint white locks and Johnny was Sc
cond Ben amin, the child of his old age TO
the hardy pioneer.
As he rode in front, which position he
maintained with all the leading eagerness Of
the younger members of the party, with his
! features stiffened and sci, his eyes fixed on
the distance before him, and his long white
hair streaming from his uncovered head, !
thought had never looked upon more
striking picture of stern, mute agony. 1t
was enough to have strung The nerves Of a
distard to reckless daring, one look a. that
silent old man. ..-
The trail was leading in the direction OF
the densest portion of the Cross Timber
where, too, among wooden and broken
ridges, the head waters of the Trinity took
their origin, breaking numerous springs from
dark gorges and in this rugged and eX-
:, tensive tract we supposed they would en-
deavor to conceal themselves by throwing
US off the trail.
Soon we were scudding beneath the shade
!, Of the tall forest There no underground
d, bu. the shaf-like trunks rose dark and bare
! to considerable height, leaving long oPer
vislas between them. chill awe came
over US at this swift transition from the sun
2 ny expanse of.he prairie to the solemn g loon
! of this great natural temple.
/ Contrary to our expectations, the trail
, instead Of diverging north, towards the hills
e kept on west, directly through the belt O
v the Cross Timber. These Indians have al
S unconquerable aversion to the brush, ant
: our hopes were greatly elevated to find tina.
Y true to this ins,ct, they were keeping in tn
e open woods, and probably making for tn
a plains beyond the deep forest. This cours
a offered Us much greater assurance that w
J, should be able to keep the trail. But it wa
It nearly six miles across, and our rockies
= haste began to tell upon our horses; so tina
g with all the tumult and intensity Of our ex
:, element, we were obliged to check our gait