Weekly miners' express. (DuBuque, Iowa) 184?-1849, 1849-03-13
From the Democratic Review for January.
CAPTAIN DAN HENRIE,
Ills ADVENTURES WITH THE WOLVES
TCONCLUDED.1

HIS ADVENTURES WITH TIL WOLVES
CONCLUDED.
Dan has not much poetry in him, but he
could not help being both astonished and
enchanted by the strange; wild loneliness
Of this scene. He slid from his saddle and
or two Of wrapt contemplation when the
to the ranger, caused him to change tis 20.
sition and turn his head. As he did so he
perceived one ofthe droves Of mustangs wild
were long way off, and there appeared
nothing peculiar about them-but it served
TO remind him that he had short time be-
fore seen the unshod tracks of horses and
mules moving at gallon, or that, though
they might be nothing more than mustangs,
yet the simple fact Of their going Mt gal
lop, was in itself suspi :ious OF another fact
or so-either that they were the tracks o:
Indian horses and mules, or of mustangs that
had been chased or otherwise frightened by
them: SO that whatever enchantment
there may have been Cor him in the
scene, it now gave place quickly to caution,
and his head turned rapidly from side to
side; with the nabitual manner of the old
spy. His eye now and then fell upon the
advancing drove, but not with any con-
sciously defined suspicion. At length they
disappeared slowly down long valley, like
the sway Of the prairie undulations, and
were out of sight so long that he had quite
forgotten them, when suddenly they ap-
pcared aga n on this side, moving direct
ly towards him, at a swift ga]lop. He
bounded into his saddle as quick as thought
supposing that, may be one or two Indians
who were mustag- hunting had lain in wait
for this herd, in the deep grass of that prai
rie valley and were now chasing them with
the lasso. He urged his horse behind one
of the many clunps of cactus around him,
with the intention Of laying in wait to give
these dusky wild horse hunters a trial for
their scaps as they went past him.
AS he changed his position, the figures
which were approaching became more dis.
tinctly defined against the back ground OF
the sky. for they were descending towards
him! He saw what sent his heart into his
throat, that each animal had en- Indian
slung along its side, by one hand and foot
holding to either horn of the saddle! This
is a common trick Of theirs in approaching
an enemy by daylight, on the prairies, and
it is difficult of detection at distance, by
the most experienced eye, as they ride close
together. and no part Of the BODY is shown
above the outline Of the horse. Dan was
off in twinklins. The tables were very
suddenly turned, for instead of taking a scalp
or two himself, as he had expected, it woulG
now require the best he knew to save his
own. 1t was we'll that he coulA trust his
horse, for they had got so close to him that
his escape at all must be a matter Of sheer
specialize must run away from them or be
run through by them. "To be or not to be, -
was the question now with poor Dan, while
he desperately urged his good horse with
quirt and spur. So soon as they saw him
start the rascals had wheeled up in
to their saddles again, and yelled their
war hoop. like eXulting devils. This was
4 sound which, though it came to his ears
somewhat softcDed by the distance, was by
no means calculated to diminish the energy
or urgency of the calls upon the speed Of his
horse, which were made by Dan. He CLAN.
ced turtively owe. his shoulder, and saw
that they were spreading out into the prai-
ric with the intention Of hcmmlng him in
) against the mountains. He instantly per-
celved that his only chance was for a des-
perate run for an elbow on the chain, which.
: 1t he could reach and turn first, he thoug ht
wonld secure his scalp for the present, Us {;
round it the stream became heavily timber
&c, and he knew they would not follow him
into it for fear they might come upon his
friends. 1t was tremendous race for the
Indians knew the advantage as we'll as he,
and Dan VOWS his long curly hair began to
straighten and lift his cap on its ends before
he reached the point, they pushed him so
close and hard. BY the skin Of his teeth
he got by before they surrounded him, and
now he says his hair fell as smooth and
sleek as if pint of bears grease had been
poured over it; but not until lie had reached
up and taken do,on his cap to waive as he
shouted back at them IN derisive triumph;
and then darted beneath the shade oftae
friendly wood. They left him here as he
expected; but as this was most evidently a
dangerous neighborhood he concluded it
would be safest not to tarry here, buC get
out oft as fast as possible, for there was no
telling what new within might take the
fellows when they had spread around on his
trail and found him to be alone. So away
ne went through the woods for FIVE or six
miles without hating. The hurry and nc
cessites Of his fight had taken him off his
course back to the rendezvous Of his COM
panions. He now first discovered this as
he emerged from the timber upon the prai.
rie again, and found himself far enough a.
way from the course Of the stream. He
paused but for moment, to collect himself
and try and get back the true idea ofhis
direction. Thinking he had it, he urged
his horse into swift run again. This was
kept up for several hours until night began
to close around him, and his horse to give
unmistakable indications that he must
have rest before he went much further
He came at last to small rivuIet trickling
along deep, rough cut, and as he supposed
in the direction Of the west branch of the
Nueces. He had passed the camp far e.
nough, he knew, but this would set him
right if he followed it up when day break
came. So he selected small piece Of
meadow ground which was covered with
musquit grass. and we'll protected from view
by the great clusters of cactus which sur
rounded it on three Sides, Here he strip
ped his faithful horse to Craze, and then ia
king for supper hearty draught of water,
threw himself upon his blanket to sleep.