Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1849-03-08

bold descents. McCollough had on MS nfSts arrl-
val given them both a severe lesson, upon which
the marauders had taken the hint, and nothing fur
ther had been heard from either party for several
months. Unwilling that his men should lie in
camps at such place Corpus Christi. with
nothing to do but drink and carouse, the prudent
captain of rangers had thought best to despatch all
the most restless spirits on tours OF observation in
various quarters. Besides, the aspect of affairs in
that part of Texas generally, had begun to seem
rather forlorn, and seemed to call for unremlting
vigilance.
Dan and his companion had reached the foot of
the mountains in which the western branch of the
Nueces takes its rise, without meeting with any
other sort of incident than those which are COM
mon to prairie travel Here they formed their
camp and as they had yet discoved no signs OF
Indians, it was concluded that they would take
each his own course the next day and after trav-
elling as much ground as possible, return to camp
and report, and if it should then appear that no
sign had been discovered by any of them it was
agreed they would spend several days in regu-
lar buffalo hunting froic. as these animals seemed
to abound greatly in this region Accordingly
they were under way quite early, each man fol-
lowing the bent of his own humor and fancy for
the time. Dan had been travelling In lelsurely
sort of way until noon when he came upon
scene of such remarkable beauty that he involun-
tarilv stopped to gaze upon it. He had-scarce-
ly without Observation-Disclosures up the west branch
of the Nueces, until he now found himself at the
very head spring. In front of him a bold and bro
ken mountain stood out somewhat from the chain,
at the foot of which he had been riding all the morn
ing. The front of this mountain was almost square
perpendicular rock, and looked as if it had been
cleft from crest to foot by bolt of thunder, and
hurled from out the ranks of its peers. The huge
masses of stone with which it seemed built were
scanned with sort of excentric regularity, and
evergreens were rooted along these seams. As
the eye descended these masses became more bro
ken, and assumed fantastic resemblance to the
lines and forms of Gothic architecture in decay
while from the prarie level sprung broken arch
one side of which was perfect in outline, and the
other concealed by the overhanging masses OF
evergreen shrubs. At distance this seemed the
arched gateway of some huge cavern, but when
he approached it, he found that the rock slanted
in at just sufficient angle to give it, at distance,
the appearance Of shadow. Is.ead of an enormous
cavern, it was proved to be only recess or slant
ing niche some twenty feet deep at the BOTTOM
from the back part of which 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 chequered sun
light beneath the overhanging evefgreens outside
then it coursed away toward the chain of noun
taius and wound about their feet. All off to the
| left and beyond this remarkable mountain seemed
an intermnable stretch of rolling prairies, over
which, amidst clumps of cactus, were scattered
herds of deer, mustangs and buffalo, in view at
once.
| Dan has not much poetry in him, but he could
not help being both astonished and enchanted by
the strange wild loveliness of this scene He slid
! from his saddle and stood leaning against 1t Tor
only a moment or two of wrapt contemplation,
when the habitual instincts of watchfunes pecu-
liar to the ranger, caused him TO change his posi-
lion, and turn his head As he did so he per-
ceiyed one of the droves of mustangs (wIld hofses)
moving slowly toward him. They were long
way Off and there appeared nothing peculiar about
.hem-but it served to remind him that he had q
short time before seen the tracks of unshod horses
and mules moving at gallop, or that though they
might be nothing more than mustangs, yet the sim
/ ple fact of their going at gollop, was In Itsei
/ suspicious of another Fact or so-elther that they
were the tracks of Indian horses and mules, or o
mustangs that had been chased or otherwise fright
ened by them so that whatever OF enchantmen
there may have been for him In the scene 1t now
gave place quickly to Caution and his head turned
rapidly from side to side, with the habltual man
ner of the old spy. His eve now and then tel
upon the advancing drove, but not with any con
sciously defined suspicion At length they dis
appeared slowly down long valley. like the sway
Of the prairie undulations. and were out OF sign
so long that he had quite forgotten them, when SUD
denly they appeared again this side, moving di
rectly toward him at a swift gallop He bound
+ ed into his saddle quick as thought, supposlne
that, NAV be one OF two Indians who were mus
tang hunting had lain in wait for this herd, In the
deep grass Of that prairie valley. and were no"
chasing them with the lasso. He urged his horse
behind one of the many clumps of cactus aronnf
him, with the intention of laying in wait to give
these dusky wild horse hunters trial Tor thel
!, scalps as they went past him.
AS he changed his position, the figures whlel
were approaching became more distinctly de
fined against The back ground of sky, for The,
were descending toward HIM! He saw wha
sent his heart in,o his throat iha, each anima
had an Indian slung along its side. by on
hand and foot, holding TO either horn OF the sad
! die This is common trick OF theirs in ap
preaching an enemy by day light. on The pral
r,es. and il is difficult of detection at distance
by the most experienced eye, as they ride eIos
together, and no par, of The body is shown
boye The outline OF the horse. Dan was OIL u
,winklIng. The tables were very suddenly
! turned, for instead of taking scalp OF I'VE
hlmself, as he had expected ], would no" le
ouire The best he knew 10 save his own
was well that he could ,rus, his horse, Tor 'he.
had gol SO close TO him that his escape AZ a'