The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1849-03-20

The life of the Texan Ranger, DAN HEN
RTE, presents several pictures of startling IN
terest From an article in a recent number
of the Democratic Review, We take the follow
ing.
Henrie, in company with scouting party,
in searching for some Indians had separated
from his companions, and was or his return to
the camping ground, when the narrative CON-
mences:
Following the rivulet, he soon reached the
West Branch, and turned up this with brisk
er movement, spurred by the cheerful hope oil
soon reioining his comrades and guiding them
safe In an hour he was in sight OF the ground,
and put his horse into swift gallop, in his
eagerness to pass over the interval quick y.
On coming up he saw, instead of his comrades,
the dead body of an Indian warrior lying a.
cross the very ashes of their camp fire, al!
eashed and hewed with bowic-knife cuts All
around the earth was deeply broken up, with
the evidences Of desperate and hand-to-hand
struggle. The breech of rifle, which he re-
cognized, and number Of arrows, with
broken lance and shield. were scattered around.
He felt choking sensation, and his blood ran
cold at this sight. His comrades had been sur
prised, no doubt, by the same party which had.
pursued him but with what result it was I'M
possible for him to tell certainly, though he
had little choice but to believe and fear the
worst.
Amid the multitu lie OF the tracks of unshod
horses he could distinguish the few tracks of
their shod horses. There was no trace of their
bodies in the hasty survey he had time to make,
and it seemed very strange that this dead war
ror should be left behind, so contrary to their
well-known customl He followed the traitor
some time, with great caution, but could make
no discovery, except 4 great deal of blood on
The ground until towards noon, when rising
the comb of steep ridge, he looked down in
to the plain below upon large body Of Indians
encamped about a mile distant Ibis was
startling sighr and they perceived him almost at
the same moment Now he felt that he would
have indeed to run for his life. One glance
as he wheeled, was sufficient to show him war
riors mounting the horses of his friends He
did not dread a race with the horses of the In
dams so much, because his horse was more
than match for the best Of theirs but the
horses of his comrades were as swift and in ev
cry sense as good as his, now they were TO be
turned against him He cursed the rashness
that had induced him TO follow up their trail.
but this was no time 20 pause for regrets. He
was oil, down the hill at the best speed bis horse,
already somewhat tagged, would raise. All
depended upon getting back to the timber and
losing them! He could hear their pursuing
yells, distinctly, for a moment, and this was no
syren'S music to draw him back
He had a good mile the start, but this was
no great matter, if as he supposed, their horses
were faster than his own He had not time
g, IL - 41,,kf hot
work before and he had it to attend TO His
object was to get out of sight as soon as posi-
BILE, for he gained great deal by compelling
them TO run on his trail. He strained his horse
tremendously and succeeded, for when the sud-
den burst of their voices came to him, proving
that they had reached the comb of the ridge,
he looked back and could not see it or them.
He felt little less tight about the heart now,
and had time to think something Of his best
course 1t seemed forlorn chance for an es
was over six miles from timber. He
suddenly remembered that he had observed.
for several days past, heavy smoke off TO-
wards The south, and looking now in that direc-
ton, saw ii filling the whole horizon with gloo
nv masses, which seemed to be rising but
few miles off, observing that it was not very
high. 1t instantly occurred to him in his ex-
tremity-for be felt sure from the action of his
horse that he would not last much longer in
the hard run before them-that the safest
course for him would be the most desperate,
and this was to make directly for the approach
ing line of this fire, and take his chances Of
being able to force his way through it alive.
With such barrier between himself and the
he was safe Acting upon his stern
md strange alternative, he urged his horse
steadily towards the fire. 1t was not long be-
ore he met the dark advance guard of the
moke. as it rolled along the grass, and road
beneath its sitting shelter, the fire being yet
nile off.
He was now scarcely enough out of sight of
he Indians, and springing from his horse, pro-
eeded to prepare himself for trial of the
iery sea. He cut his blanket into pieces, with
me of which he blindfolded his horse another
e tied in loose bag about the lower part of
IS head, enveloping the mouth and nostrils
lie then enTeloped his own face in loose viz
r of the same material. The blanket was
curse and let in air enough to barely sustain