The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1849-07-18

which, a bold spring burst little above the
level Of the prairie, and rushed down and
out from the shadow, rejoicing over the
white sand, until it sparkled in the checker
ed sunlight beneath the over-hanglng ever
green outside-thcn 1T conrsed away toward
the chain of mountains and Woundiab their
feet. All off TO the left, and beyond this re-
malkable mountain seemed an lnlcrTnahfe
stretch OF rolling prarlcs. over which, amidst
clumps of cactus. were scattered herds ot
deel, mustangs and buffalo, in view al once.
Dan has not much poetry in him, but he
could no, help being both astonished and en-:
chanted by the strange, wild Ioveness OF
this scene. lie slid from his saddle and
stood leaning against it for only moment
or two nf wrapt contemplation, when the
4 habitual instincts of watchf1lneSs peculiar
TO the ranger, caused him to change his po-
s,,iun and turn his head. As he did So he
| perceived one Of the drives Of mustangs
| wild horses) moving slowly towards him.
They were lnng way "ff, and there ap.
pcared nothing peculiar about them-but 1t
served to remind him that he had short
lime before seen the unsllud tracks of horses
and mules moving at a gallop, or that,
though they might be nothing Isose than
mustangs, yet the simple fact of their going
at a gall"p, was itself suspicious of another
| fact or so-ether that they were The tracks
of Indian horses or mules. or OF mustangs
that had been chased or otherwise (rIahlen-
! ed by them $50 that whatever Of cnclIant-
menl there may have been for him in the
scene. it now gave place quickly To caution,
as his head turned rapidly from side TO side,
with the habitual manner of the old spy
His eyes now and then fell upon the advan-
cling drove, but not with any consciously de;
fined suspicion. A, length they disappeared
SLOWLY down long valley, like the sway OF
the prairie undulalions, and were out Of sight
so long that he had quite forgotten them.
when suddenly they approached again on
this side, moving directly towards him, at
swift gallnp He bounded into his saddle as
quick as thought, supposing that, may be one
or ,wn Indians who were mustang hunting
had lain in wait for his herd, in tho deep grass
OF the prairie valley, and were now chasing
them with the lasso. He urged his horse
behind one of The many clunps OF cactus
around hun, with the intention of laying in
wal, to give these dusky wd.horsc hunters
trial for their sea ps as they went past hm.
As he changed his position the figures be-
fore him became more distinctly defined
against the back ground Of the sky, for they
were descending towards him He saw
what sen, his heart into his throat that each
animal had an Indian sung along its side bv
one hand and foot, holding to either horn OF
the saddle This is common trick OF theirs
ia approaching an enemy by dav-hs.i. on
the prarcs, and i, is difficult of detection at
distance, by The most experienced eye, as
they riIe close together, and no part of The
body is shown above the outline Of the horse.
Dan was off in twinkling The tables
were very suddenly turned, as he had cx-
pecled, it would now require the best he
knew to save his own. 1t was well that he
could trust lis horse, for they had got so
close to him that his escape at all must be
mailer of sheer specialize must run away
from them or be run through by them. "fn
be or no. to bc," was the question NOW with
poor Dan, while he desperately urged his
good horse with qurk and spur. 5" soon
| as they saw HIM start, the rascais had wheel
cd 40 into their saddles again. and yelled
their warhoop, like exultIns devils. This
was a sound which. though il came to his
ears somewhat sofcned by lie distance, was
by no means calculated to diminish the en-
ersv or urgency of the calls upon the speed
of his horse which was made by Dan. He
glanced furtively over his shoulder, and saw
that they were spreading or, over the Pral-
rie with the intention of hcmmIng him
agains, the mountains lie instantly per-
cevcd that his only chance was desperate
run for an elbDw Of the chain, which, ii he
could reach and lnrn first, he thought would
secure hls sea lp for the present. as around 1t
The wood became heavily timbercd, and he
knew they W uld not follow him into it for
fear thew might cone upon his friends. Ii
was tremendous race, for the Indians knew
the advantage as well as he, and Dan vows
that his long curly heir began to slralghlcn
and lift his cap upon its ends before he reach.
cd the point. they pushed him so close and
hard. By the skin of his teeth he got by
before they surrounded hun. and now he
saws his hair fell as smooth and as slick rs II
pint ui bears grease had been poured over
it but not until he had reached up and taken
doca his CAP to waive as he shouted back at
them in derisive triumph, and then darIcd
beneath the friendly wood. They left him
here as he expected but as this was most
evidently dangerous neighborhood he con-
cluded it would be safest not to tarry here,
but get out oft as fast as possible; for there
was no telling what new whlm might take
these fellows when they had spread around
on his trail and found him TO be alone! So
away he went through the woods for five or
six miles without haIling. The hurry and
necessities of his flight had taken him off his