The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1851-03-12

duu SJ pSuu. 1He DuukS WcTc low,
not three feet above the surface, cx-
cept where the ridge impinged upou
the stream. Here there was high
bluff, andshurrying dowa to its base,
l entered tho channel and commenc-
ed wading upward. As I anticipa-
ted, l soon reachssia bend, where
the stream after running parallel to
the ridge, struck upon huge rock,
and sweeping round to the right, had
canoncd the hill. Here I stopped
and looked cautiously over the bank.
Tho antelopes had approached with
in fifty yards Of the arroyo, but still
quietly cropping the grass, and once
moro bending my back I proceeded
up the stream. The bed of the ar
royo was soft and yielding, and was
compelled to lift my feet with caution,
lest their splashing might disturb the
game. After weary drag ofsever.
al hundred yards, I came to an mr.
temesia bush, which grew solitary
upon the top of the bank.
81 must be high enough thought
L. clutchcd my rifle firmly brought it
to a level, then raised myself and look
ed throug il the leavesof the artcmcsia.
Twas in the right spot, and sighting
the heart of the buck, fred. lie
leaped three feet from the ground,
and fell back again a lifelcss lump.
l was about to rush forward and
secure my prize, when saw the doe,
instead of bounding away, run up to
her fallen partner, and press her ta-
pering nose to his body. Sho was
not more than twenty yards from me,
and | could plainly see that her
look was one ofinquiry and bewilder.
mcnt. All at once she seemed to
comprehend the fatal truth. and
throwing back her head, commenced
uttering the most piteous cries, at the
same time running in circles around
the dead body Of her mate.
stood wayering between two
minds. My first Intention was Cd
load and kill the doe, but her strange
and plaintivc cries entered my heart,
and completely disarmed me of all
hostile feeling-nay, moro; I began
to feel remorsc for what I had Cd
ready done. Had l drcamt Of wit
Messing spectacle so painful as the
one before me, l shonld never left
the train. 'Jcrkcd BULL" for month,
and half rations at that, would have
been happiness to what | endured rs 1
listened and looked upon this strange
scene. But the mischief was now
done. 4 have worse than killed her.
thought l, 1T will be best to despatch
her at once, and in this way relieve
her Of oil pain Actuatcd by a
principle of common, but to her fatal
humanity, l rested the but of my rifle
and reloaded. With a guilty look and
ialtering hand, l raised the piece and
fired. My hand was steady enough
to do its work. When the smoke
floatcd aside, l could see the little
creature bleeding upon the grass,
her head resting upon the body of her
murdered mate.
l shouldctcd my rifle and was about
to move forward, when to my aston
ishment found myself held by the
feet, and firmly as if my boots had
bcon screwed in vice! made an
effort to raise my legs, but could nci-
ther raise one or the other-another
more violent was equally unsucccss-
iul--a third more desperate, and loos-
ing my balance, l fell back with a
splash into the water. Half sutfocat.
cd, I cndcavorcd to recover my up.
right position. This ! easily accom-
plishcd, and my knees we're already
below the surface Of sand, and, in
fact, now bent with difficulty. could
neither move forward nor backward,
to the right or left, and l became
sensible that | was gradually going
down deeper and deeper! Then tho
truth flashed upon me; l was sink
ing in q quicksand!
a feeling of horror ran through
me. renewed my efforts with the
energy of desperation. bent to one
side, then to the other, almost pulling
my legs from their sockets, but nv
feet; | could not move them an inch.
The soft, clingy sand already over
topped my horscskin boots, wcdgcd
them around my legs, so that l vain
ly endcavorcd to draw thom forth:
slowly but surely, as though some
horrid monster lcisurely dragging me
downward. The very thought was
horror, and / cried aloud for help. 10
whom? There was no one within miles
no living thing. Yes; tho neigh
Of my horse answered me from the
hill, mocking my despair.
bent forward as well rs my con.
strained position would allow, and
with frcnzica tinrars toorin,r I'M n,