The Gonzales inquirer. [volume] (Gonzales, Tex.) 1853-current, 1853-06-18
JAMES BOWIE,
THE NAPOLEON OF DUELLISTS.


gers Immediately after "gctting good head.
way" to adopt iavoritc bnckwoo,ls phrase,
one person attracted universal attention by the
annoying cagcrness with which he cndcvorcd
to make up party of cards. Indeed his oft.
repeated and preserving efforts to that end
soon became insulting and uncomfortable; and
yet his appearance was such AZ to deter the
bravcst on board from administering the chas-
tiscmcnt he 80 richly deserved. He was
hugo mass Of mighty bone and muscles, with
swarthy features the impress .! many scar;
piercing dark eyes. that seemed to possess the
power of blasting the bcholdcr-cold, cleaning
eyes, such as haunts the memory painfully
rank luXuriancc of coal black hair, immense
wbisltcrs and moustachc. This savage looking
figure was habtcd in tho costlicst clothing and
adorned with prorusions of jcwery, while the
outlines of several murdcrous weapons were
plainly distinguishablc beneath his candy vest
and supcrfinc coat. Nor did hc need these
TO render him an object of terror. a connois-
sour in the science of bclligcrcnt gymnastics,
would have confidently pronounced him
match for any ilvc men on the deck without
any mid from lead or cold steel
At length, after many failures, nc prevailed
on wealthy young merchant Of Natchez 10
join him at game of poker. They snt down
at small table near the bar, and were soon
absorbed in that most perilous of excitemcnts,
of which the two alluring ingredients arc the
vanity and pride of individual skill, and the
uncertainty Of general hazard At first the
stakes were small and the run of the cards
seemed In favor of the merchant, but present
ly they bet more freely, and gold eagles and
hundred dollar notes were showercd down OH
the board with cytravagant a,ror; and the
current of fortune clangcd--ebbcd away from
the merchant, and flowed to the professional
gambler in stream like the oceans tide. AS
II usually happens in sunh cases. his want of
success only piqued and maddcncti the loser,
and he sought TO recover himself by vcnturing
such desparatc ventures as could but deepen
and confirm his rain And thus they contin
ued during that long summer night The in
tensity of their excitement became equivalent
to insanity, Every nerve was strung--every
energy OF the brain was taxed to the utmost
their teeth were set MS those of Antagonists
IN the tug Of mortal s,rifc.--thc sweat rolled
from their brows like great drops of rain.
The passengers formed a circle around the
players and looked ON with that interest which
extraordinary concentration Of intellect and
passion never fails to inspire cven in bosoms
that shudder at the excess The merchant
and gambler attracted all eyes, and kept many
awake and gazing till morning. Aud the Int
ter was one presenting n countcnancc so pilc-
o,is that it might have melted hearts of marble
to tears pale and cxquisitcly beautiful face
pccpcd necessarily from the halfopcned door
of the ladies' cabin, weeping Mi the Willie as
if oppressed by some dreadful sorrow II was
the merchants lovely wife, weeping her fare.
well To departing hope
There was enc spectator. also. whose ap-
pcarcnce and actions excited almost "a much
curiosity as tho players did themselves. lie
was tall, spare mnn OF about thirty, with
handsome features golden hair, keen blue eyes
of prctcrna,ural brightness. aud his firm. thin
lips, wore n perpetual smilc--a mysterious
smile of the strangcst anil most inscru,al,lc
meaning, With the exception Of his rcd calico
shirt, his person was dressed wholly Ia buck
skin, ernamente,l With long flowing tasscls.
and wild figure wrought on, of ,aeicgat.s!
beads, aficr fashion cf some western Indians.
~ stccd close beside the earl table and held
in his leN hand a sheet cf paper, ia his right
hand lasyo pencil. with which ever and amen
he dastcsl lew Ner,,s, ss IL engaged in trae.
ing the progress of the game
Ns,tt AZ. a..
,r~. in ,l,esr psssicai and aseuial toll. The
,lssl 81 the siass, With So thessaa,l liaryrs ~
rsisien ,ltr, painted - the wosM shadow a
midnight; tnt ssiil the, did, Isasc. I, ssil
was shuttle and ca, pass, ante va. sad cai
yns. sad rsks down ihe plh. towards nsasr.
los ,r,msssleae sssra ssvse. The se,i light.
enlax flashed svtsisy hst ysyarssi down
hss srvrsa catusvv she Egsas river rsr,l
tsli il rssalesi The hsssl ,han.ttss ~ hearSn sai
ths ,rsy gSiss q, the wtesi ess asrsasd Ia.
I ihs Rad ,,ssy,s hsas,i Il ncs whss wss II,
tasaass ~ The ssxing esssnsass 50 shSsa whces
,lcsaissy hang oa tbs uwssins Os cs~l' Aspt
ths sanslsag tsSIe sgs,s .sssnxss ia haessksn
stsl sse-si ly ,is,s, Nth hss rvossi <s4l Paper
ossu,ls aessssg ,he sssssssssasgss e s,.s ganss
Finals ts5e sssm passed ~ the fsssassfsl
sisys~ssa esssse cat i;gs shsss q ssssy ia The
xsyy east Tis iHss,sssssl nssrchsss, sssssr~ss.
cd With hcsss iessss, aar-l sAe eiisazs q sesss
iIe sssSed 1--WE sh~assssi ,spzsss eswssssssns
DDS !asa esss es esoess ia tbs ~ssI. en- ~t~e
IsAsss q ksuxs~
fese ~h,stesvsl rssalsss caiiel ksza sAsy
'sv1sss hsesss ~. a&sss lss Nd sw~ ssxs