Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-01-21
SKETCH; Escape from
Il Mexican QuicksRnd.
ny GAIT, NATNE REID.


ny GAIT, NAYNE REID.
4 few days after, another adventure
befel me, and began to think that l was
destined to become hero among the
mountain men.
A small party of tradcrs-myselfamong
the number, pushed forward ahead of the
z caravan. Our object was to arrive at
Santa Fc day or two before the wag-
4 ons, in order to'hNve everything arranged
with the Governor for their entrance into
the capital We took the route by the
Cimmaron.
Our road for a hundred miles or 30.
: lay through barren desert, without game,
and almost without water. The Buffalo
had already disappeared, and the deer
was equally scarce. We had to content
ourselves with dried meat, which we had
brought from the settlements. We were
in the desert Of the Artemisia. Now and
then We could sec stray antelope bound
Ing away before us, but keeping far out
of range, They too, seemed to be unu-
sually shy.
On the third day after leaving the car
ayan as We were riding near the Cimma-
ron l thought observed prongcd head
disappear behind swell in the prairie
My companions were skcptical and would
none of them go with me, SO wheeling
out of the train started alone, One of
the men-for Code was bchnd-kcpt
charge Thy dog, as did not choose to
take him with me, lest he might alarm the
sntelopes,
My horse was fresh and willing, and
whether successful or not, knew that |
could easily oyertake my party by camp
ing time,
struck directly towards the spot where
had seen the object. 1t appeared to
be only half mile from the trail. 1t
! proved more distant--a common illusion
in the crystal atmosphere in those re-
9ions.
a curiously formed ride--a coutea" des
Tr0'ries, on small scale-traversed the
plain from cast to west A thicket of
cactus covered part of the summit To-
wards the thicket directed myself
l dismouuted at the bottom of the slope
and leading my horse silently up among
the cacti-plants, tied him to one of their
branches. then crept cautiously through
the thorny leaves, to where | tancied L
seen the game. To my JOY, not one an
telopc, but u brace of those beautiful ami
mails was quietly grazing beyond but,
alas too far off for the carry of my rifle.
They were fully three hundred yards dis
1ant, upon a smooth CLASSY slope. There
was not even sage bush to cover me.
should attemptto approach them. What
was to be done
lay for several minutes, thinking over
the different tricks known in hunter craft
for taking the antelope, Should initiate
their call? Should hoist my handker-
chief and try to lure them ? l saw that
they were too shy; for at short intervals
they thScw up their graceful heads
and looked inquiringly around them. l
remembered the red blanket on my sad
die. | could display ths upon the coc-
tus bushes-perhaps it would attract
them.
| had no alternative and was turning
to go back for the blanket; when all at
D once my eye rested upon clay-colored
line running across the prairie beyond
where the animals were feeding 1t was
break in the surface Of the plain-a
buffalo road, on the channel of an arroyo,
in either case, the very cover | wanted,
for the animals were not a hundred yards
from it. and were getting still nearer to
Il as they fed.
Creeping back out Of the thickct, ran
along the side of the slope towards point
where l noticed that the ridge was de-
pressed to the prairie level Here to my
surprise, l found myself on the banks OF
broad arroyo, whose water clear and
shallow, an slowly over a bed of sand
and gypsum,
The banks were low, not over three feet
above the surface of the water, except
where the ridge impigned upon the
Stream. Here there was high bluff, and
'hurrylng around its base, l entered the
channel, and commenced wading up
ward!
8 AS | anticipated, soon came to a
bend of the stream, after running parallel
to the ridge, swept around and canoned
through it. At this place 1 stopped, and
looked cautiously over the bank, The
antelopes had approached within less thar
rile range of the arroyo; but they were
YET far above my position. They were
still feeding quiet and unconscious o
danger. L again bent down and wadet
on.
1t was difficult task proceeding this
way. The bed of the creek was soft ant
yielding, and was compelled to tread
slowly and silently, lest | should disturb
the game; but was cheered in my ex'
ertions by the prospect Of having fresh
venison for my supper.
After weary drag Of several hundred