Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1849-02-01

fore he took his final leave. lie according
" refined up his mare gradually, and lei
Them gain upon him. They thought she
was failing, and raised yell of triumph a;
thew urged their horses to yet greater eXer
tons. He looked behind again, and the
officer, with one of his men, was now con
sderably in the advance, and closing rap
idly upon him. He loosened pistol from
the holster. The officer was foremost, anC
was already shouting to him with many
" garacoes," to surrender, when he wheeled
suddenly in his saddle and shot him dead
The lancer, who was close behind, anC
coming on a furious speed, attempting ii
vain to rein up his horse, but it was toe
Iatc-he was carried by the impetus of his
speed within ten feet of Dan, who had by
this time drawn his other pistol, with which
he shot him through the head, and Their
galloped lesurly along, feeling sure that the
remainder of his pusuers would be stepped
effectually by this bloody barrcade he hac
left across their path. He was not mista
ken, for they halted there and this was the
last he saw of their green coats.
All that day long he kept the noble beas
in swift motion, since at every little rancho
or village he came to, it would be necessary
for the fugitive to make "a desperate run foI
it, before suit could be organized. The
roads were filled, too, with scouting par
ties of the enemy, and it required all his
knowledge of the sort of tactic to enable
him to dodge them. He several times very
narrowly avoided rushing headIong into the
very midst of these advancing parties. Hht
Mexicans are usually very noisy troops, ant
he would hear them talking on the march
in time to dodge to one side and let them
pass, for he had no fancy to try the haclen'
da trick over again with empty pistols, since
he had nothing to load them with again. lie
finally threw them away as so much make
weight" that was useles to him and embar.
RAISING to the mare So he hurried on, moi
daring to pause a moment to rest or obtain
food, until the next day, when, i'll deep
wild gorge among the mountains, his game
and gallant mare fell beneath him dead
The ravenous and filthy gapaIate, turkey
buzzards, were gouging at her fawn'llke
eyes before they were fairly glazed, and be-
fore her stifened and staggered rider was
out of sight. Now came the most terrible
part of this wild and remarkable adventure,
He was totally without food, except what
little he could gather during the day while
he was skuking, for he only ventured' to
travel at night now. This was scarcely G.
nough to keep body and soul together, while
his clothes soon became torn to pieces, and
hung about his bleeding limbs like broad
and tattered ribbons. He, however, still
continued making his way sleadfastly in
the direction of Gen. WOODS camp. AT
last, some of his scouts picked the poor
fellow up when almost speechle8s with thirst
and hunger he was yet feebIy Keeling a.
long like ghostly and haggard drunkard.
This affair very properly got him his pro-
motion to captaincy, But strange, peril
Gus, and even wonderful as this escape
seems, it is only one of many others quite
as remarkable, by which his most eyenttul
life has been checquered. In the Texan
war with the Cherokees, which was very
bloody business while it lasted, he passed
through scenes as bad, if not worse than
this. Then his adventures as ranger are
very remarkable, for of these am myself
personally cognizant; and Of his cruel SIT ,1i,
! icriugo una houdiong uarlhS ""'i"S VIZ
Meir imprisonment, all the country has
been, to certain degree, made aware since
the publication of Gen. Green's book. lie
by the way, was too much of pomPouS G.
gotist to do full credit to Dan, or any body
else except Gen. Green I
1t is one of Dams curious adventures
while a ranger, that propose to relate
now. | shall endeayor to give it as nearly
as | can remember, in his own way, as he
related it to me; though | must confess, Il
will be very difficult, if not impossible, tt
preserve the raciness of his rattle.pate ant
peculiar manner. 1t was before he Jone'
the Meir expedition, and while yet with th'
rangers, under the command OF McCuI
Tough.
Dan. whose excellence as a guide wa
well known to the captain, was despatched
by him along with three others OF the troop
on spring expedition, towards the heat
waters of The Nueces. This was In thu
early winter of the year before the Mel
expedition, and the Mexlcans were IN man,
WAYS annoying and threatening the veal
settlements along that river This state o
things had encouraged the Indians, as wei
to make very bold descents McCullougl
had on his first arrival given them both
severe lesson, upon which the marauder
had taken the hint, and nothing further ha'
been heard from either party for severa
months. Unwilling that his men SHOULD
lie in camps at such a place as Corpu
Christi, with nothing to do but drink ant
carouse, the prudent captain of Ranger
had thought best to despatch all the mos
restless spirits on tours of observation il
various quarters. Besides, the aspect o
affairs in that part of Texas generally, ha'
begun to seem rather forlorn, and seemed
to call for unremitting vigilance.
Dan and his companions had reached TIN
foot of the mountains in which the western
branch of the Nueces takes rise, withou
meeting with any other sort of inclden
than those which are common to prairie
travel. Here they formed their camp, an'
as they had yet discovered no signs OF In
dians, it was concluded that they would
take each his own course the next day, ant
after travelling as much ground as possible
return to camp and report, and if it shoul'
then appear that no sign had yet been dis
covered by any of them; it was agree
they would spend several days in regula
bufalo.hunting frolic, as these animal
seemed to abound greatly in this region
Accordingly they were under way quit
early, each man following the best OF hi
own humor and fancy fol the time. DaI
had been travelling in leisurely sort Q