Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1849-03-16

S'"a "fPN"'S" anu III Tile IOiuSt OF mis- gray
, monolony, stiffness prevailed that smote
. the heart with something more appalling
than Rere fear. No storm that ever Iisi-
ened to al sea, nor the ioudesi thunder that
ever crashed, nor the heaviest sea that ever
broke upon leeward shore at midnight, ev-
er chilled my blood ike that terrible still
ness. thought that the dreadful roll of an
avalanche, or the heaving ground swell of
an earthquake, had been easier to bear
| believe actually prayed for something
like sound 10 relieve The horrible tensicn
of my nerves, when, just as ii my wish
was heard, a low booming sound like the
sea within rocky cavern, came borne
along on the night wind. Then it lulled
again. and after Il time it grew iouder.-
This happened two or three times, SO that
half suspeciing some self deluson, stopped
my ears, and then on removing my hands,
heard the noise increasing till it swelled
into one dull roaring sound. that made tho
yeryair vibrate. thoughtit must be an earth.
qnake, of which it is said many occur ia
these regions, but from the uniformity,
leave no trace behind.
Il resolved 10 regain my companions az
once; danger is always easier TO confront IN
company, and, SO turned my horses head
TO 60 back. The noise was now deaien-
! ing, and so stunning that the very ground
seemed TO give it forth. My poor horse
beca me terrified. his TANKS heaged. and he
Iabored in his stride as if overcome by ia
tgue. This again induced me TO suspect
an earthquake, for knew by what srgu-
lar instincts animals are appraised or It's APP
proach. |, therefore. give him the spur.
and urged him on with every effort. when
suddenly he made a tremendous bound ID
one side, and set off with hespeed OF racer.
Stretched TO his fullest stride. | was perfect.
! ly powcrless to restrain him; meanwhile,
the loud laundering sounds filled the eniire
air-morc deaienng than the greatest artil-
! lery; the crashing uproar smote my ears,
and made my brain ring with the vibration.
and then suddenly the whole plain grew
dark behind and on either side of me, the
shadows swept on and on, nearer aud near
er, and The sounds increased, till tho back
surface seemed. as it were. about 10 close
around me; and now perceived that the
great prairie, far as my eye could stretch.
was covered by herd of Buflaoes; struck
by some sudden terror. they had taken what
is called the stampede, and set out at full
speed. In an instant they were around me
OH every side--a great moving sea Of dark
bieaehed monsters, roaring Ill terrible uproar,
and tossing their savage heads to and fro, in
all the paroxysm of terror. TO return. or
even To extricate myself, was impossible:
! the dense mass pressed like wall on eth
side of me, and | was born along in the
midst of the heaving herd, without tho
! slightest hope of rescue. | cannot-you
would not ask me, if even could--recalI
The horrors of that dreadful night, which in
! its dark hours eompassed the agonies of
years. Until the moon got up, | hoped
that the herd might pass GA, and leave me
al liberty behind; but when she rose, and
! looked back, saw the black sea of hides.
as if covering the whole wide prairie, while
The deep thunder from alar mingled with
the loader believing OF The herd around us.
81 suppose my reelng brain became
maddened by the excitement; for even yet,
when by any accident | suffer slight illness.
terrible lancies of that dreadful scene come
back and | have been told thai, in my
wild cries and shouts, | seem encouraging
! and urgin. on the inturlaie herd, and by my
gestures appearing To control and direct their
headIong course. Had it been possible
believe should have thrown my self 10 the
earth and sought death at once. even i'll this
dreadful form, than live to die the thou
sand deaths of agony that night inflicted.
but this conld not be, and SO, as day broke,
| was still carried on, not indeed, with the
same speed as before; weaFiaess weighed
on the vast moving mass, but The pressure
Of these behind still drove them onward
/ though. the long hours Of darkness were
tesrible; aRd the appalling gloon Of night
added torlures to my suferings; but the
glare of daylight, the burning sun, and tho
clouds o. dust, were still worse. | remem-
Der, to when exhaustion had nearly spent
my last lrail energy, aud when my power
less haadc, leltiRg fall the bride, dropped
heavily 10 my side, that the herd suddenly
haiicd-halted, as if arrested by some gi-
gantic hand; aud then the pressure became
so dreadful that my boxes seemed almost
bursting from my flesh, and screamed
aloud in my agony. Alter this, | remem-
Der Little else. The other events of that
terrible ride. are like the shadowy speclres
Of magic lantern; vague meRsorles of SUI
lerings, paDgs that even yet chiii ray blood,
steal over me, but aRceRneeled and incohe-
rent, SO that when, as | aflerward heard,
lhe herd dashed into the Camauche encamp-
meat, haze no reccolection OF any thing,
except the lerrof-strnck faces of the red
men, as they bent before me, and seemed
10 worship me as deity. Yes. this terri
bic Tribe, wka had scarcely ever been known
to spare white man, not only did rot in
lure, but they treated Inc with the tenderest
care and attention. singular incident
had favored me: one "f the wise men had
foretold some days before that herd of
wild buffaIoes, sent by their god, Auadongu,
you'd speedily appear, and rescue the tribe
from impending starvation. Tile prede-
ton was possibly based uqon some optical
delusion, like that | have menIioned.-
Whatever its origin, the accomplishment
was hailed with ecstacf. and myself, poor
almost dying creature, stained with blood.
crushed and speechless, was regarded as
lller delverer and preserger-
f SENATEs may be cery useful. But how
does il happen that while they hardly ever
a. II