The North-Carolinian., 1853-01-15
FAYETTEVILLE. n c. 15ANUARY 15 1853
JAMES BOWIE,
THE: eSApoLEoN OF DUELIsTs.

..s4 JAMES BOWIE, 4
TUE SApoLEoN OF DUELIsTs.
: On the evening Of the 4th Of Juue. 1855. h
the steamboat Reb Roy starred from b
81. T.s1ia-to New Orleans with fu1t {
rso,y,l of messengers. ln,ne.listet after
= pef good headway." to aaopt
sba ckwoods phrase. one spfrson
attrsctest stssaiyersata attention by the ,enoy- ,
IN. eaeesnpss With which he ensiesysed to
6zictSNp a party at cards. Indsea his |
uff-fvDcs4ed and persevcrin2 efforts that ,
1ash61a,e ,l,ecam Unwilling asil unc4 4lura-
BE ! n7sf yet his APPEARANCE wassstch as
tn tsstte bravest on board fefAs ad
asi5lfs r. - the schastisemeat vi. kshe SO
Il ~ xa
mighty bone and muscles. WITH swarthy
features, bearing the impress OF many
scar; piercing dark eyes, thar see"ed:to
possess the powers Of bastingthe beh"'der
cold, cleaning eyes, sush as haunt the
nemorv nainfully /: rank luxurance of
coal black. hair. io1mepse whiskers and
moustache. This savage looking hsuse
was habited in the costIiest clothing. and
adorned with p,ofusion OF jewe'ry' while
the outlines of several murdcrous weapons
were plainly distinsuishable beneath ms
saudy vest and supertine coat. Nor did
lie need these to render him an object OF
| terror. A connoisseur in the science ot
| belIiserent gymnastics. would nave con-
fdentiy pronounced him match Tor any
five men on the deck, without any al" iro"
lead or cold steel.
At length, after many failures, he pre-
vailed on wealthy young merchant OF
Natchez to join him at game OF PoAer.
They sat down beside small table near
the bar and were soon absorbed IN that
most periIous Of all excitements, "t which
the two alIuring ingredients are the vanity
and nride of individual skill, and the un-
certainty Of general hazard. At hr>t the
stakes were small, and the run Of the cards
i seemed wholly 10 favor Of the merchant ;
but presently they bet more freely. and
gold eagles and hundred dollar notes were
, showered down on the board with eXtrava
giant ardor and the current OF fortune
chanoed-ebb away from the young mer'
chant, aud flowed to the professional gam
bier in A stream like the oceans tide. a.
f usually happens in such cases. MS want %
. success oniv piqued and maddened th'
, loser. aud lie sought to recover himself by
venturins such desperate ventures as c"ul'
not bat deepen and cunhrm his ruin
Aud thus they continued lur,"ss that len:
: summer night. The intensity o;-tntTr eA
: citement became equivalent I" insanity
!, Every nerve was strung-every energy "
% the brain was taxed to the utmost-theI
q teeth were set as those Of antagonists u
9 the tug Of mortal strife-the sweat rolie'
:. from their brows like great drops of ram
The passengers formed circle ar"un'
the MIA v-rs, and looked on with that in
J. tercst which extraordinary concentrate"
=. of intellect and passion never fails to IN
i sn;re even in bosoms that shudJer at tn
excess. The merchant aud the gamble
Il attracted all eyes, and kept maEy awak
ii and gain. till morning. Among III
IS latter was one presenting a c"untenanc
so piteou, that it might have melted heart
of marble to tears. a pale aud cxquisnel
,e beautiful face peeped incessant'v from tn
~ ba,fopened door Of the ladies cabin. weeI
le ing ali the while as if oppressed by SOM
~ dreadful sensation Of immediate sorrow
lr 1t was the merchants lovely wife weepir
n her farewell to departing hope!
ne There was one spectator. also: who's
u. appearauce aud actions excited almost ;
"a much curiosity as the player, did the"
Mt selves. lie was tall, spare man ot ab"'
# thirty, with handsome features, s"lde
nj hair. keen blue eyes Of preter"atu'
,d brinhtncss. an, his firm. thin lips wore
he perpetual smilc-a mysterious smile
nv the s,ranse>t, the mos; in>c,utable "ean,n
.1 With the exception ut his red calico sh'r
or his nerson was dressed wholly in buc
= skin. oramented with long f"w'ns tassel
ks and wild figures wrought out "f var'tsat*
= beads, after the fashion of some we>te
be Indians. He stood close beside the Ca
10 table. and held in his left hand sheet
es paper. in his right large pencil. WI
which ever and anon he dashed OH te
words, as if engaged in tracing the pr
he sress of the game.
". Still the merchant and gambler pe
ito severed in their physical and mental to
,es The dial OF the stars' VII" '> '""o"
of fingers of golden fire. pointed to the wor'
his shadows of midnight; but still they d'u
nt- nause. 1t still was ''shuff1e aud cut, a
as mass, ante up. and call you, and rd
~. down the rile.'' Towards morning
CO. tremendous storm arose. The red l,Sh'
The ing flashed, awfuily-the hail poured do
o.s like frozen cataract. the great river r"
IN ed till it rivalled the loud thunders
in heaven; and the very pilot at the vi"
of was alarmed. But the mad players he;
pli- it not. What was the tumult Of the rag
er- elements to them whose destiny hung
llly the ming OF a card! Ana the s"''
of blue-eyed stranger Ill bucksk'n s'''' s''
by them, with his pencil and paper cal"
noteins the development OF the game
be Finally the storm passed. as the oeH'
her Cu, dav- beam came out like a thing OF g''
the in the oray east Then the '"'a.oa
ad. merchant, distracted. with ms "e :
on dared the CLIMAX Of folly. lie s'akea
emf thousand dollars, comprising "e '"s.