The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1854-09-15
MIS- G ELL A N Z Q U S.
THE sQUATTER's STORY.


like ofin England. Eng. is not large enough
to have such floods. One of them would GOV.
er your whole country, have heard said.
will not say for am not acquainted with your
geography. know however, that there arc
mighty big freshets here, as have sailed q
skif more than hundred miles across one oil
them, where there was nothing TO be scen"but
cypress tops peoping out Of the water. The
Hoods, as you know, come every year, but the
very large ones only occasionally. Well,
about ten years ago, I located in the Red Riv-
er bottom, about fifty miles or thereabout be-
tow Natchitoches, where built q shanty.
had left my wife and two young children in
Mississippi State, intending TO return for them
in the spring; so you see, was all alone by
myself, except my old mare, a Collins axe,
and, Of course my rifle.
"I had finished the shanty all but the chink-
ing and the building of chimney, when what
should come on hut one of these severe floods
1t was at night when it began to make its ap-
pearance. was asleep on the floor of the
shanty and was feeling we ter oaking through
my old blanket. had been dreaming and
thought it was raining; and then again
thought was being drowned in the Missis-
sippi; but was not many seconds awake, be-
fore guessed what was the reality; jumped
to my feet like startled buck, and grouped
my way for the door. What sight beheld!
had cleared piece of ground around the
shanty-about couple of acres--leaving the
stumps good three feet high; but there was
not one to be seen. My clearing, stumps, and
all were under water; and could see it shi-
ming among the trees all around the shanty.
OF course, my first thought were about my RI
He and turned back into the shanty ind laid
my claws upon that quick enough. next
went in search Of my old mare. Ske was not
hard to find; for, if ever creature made a
noise she did. She was tied to a tree close
to the shanty, and the way she was squealing
was caution to cats. | found her in three
feet water, pitching and laundering all around
the tree. She had nothing on but the rope
she was hitched by. Both saddle and bride
had been washed away; SO l made the rope
into sort of halter and mounted her bare
back. Just then began to think where !
was going. The whole country appeared to
be under water; and the nearest neighbor
/ had lived across the prairie ten miles Off
knew his shanty stood on higher ground,
but how was to get there! 1t was night; |
might lose my way and ride Chuck into the
river. When | thought of this, concluded
it might oe better to stay by my own shsnty
till morning l could hitch the mare inside
to keep her from being foated away; and for
myself could climb on the roof. However,
while was thinking of this, noticed that
the water was deepening, and a thought en-
tered my head that it would soon be deep
enough to drown my, oid-nare. For myself
was not frightened. Il Icould climb tree, and
stay there till the flood fell; but | should lose
ttbe mare and that creature was too valuable
to think of such sacrifice; SO made up my
mind to chance crossing the prairie. There
was no time to be wasted--not minute SO |
gave my mare kick or two in the ribs and
started. l...H.. .t......
Il found the path out to the. edge of the
prairie easy enough. | mad b'azed it when |
first came to the place. and as the night was
not very dark could see the Slazes as |
passed between the trees. My mare knew
the track as welas myself, and waded through
at sharp rate, for she knew, too, there was
no time to be wasted. In five minutes we
came out on the edge of the prairie, and just
as expected,the whole land was covered
with water, and looked like big pond.
could see it shining clear across to the other
side of the opening. As luck would have it,
could just get glimpse OF the trees on the
far side fthe prairie. There was a big clump
of cypress trees, that could see plain enough;
knew this close to my neighbor's shanty; so
I gave my creature the switch, and struck
loc, tlo tba
was up to her hips. OF course expected a
good deal of heavy wading; but had no idea
the water would get much higher; there is
where made my mistake. / had not got
more than a couple of miles out, when | dis
covered that the water was rising rapidly, for
I noticed the mare was getting deeper and
deeper. II was no use turning back now
would lose the mare to dead certainty, if
I did moi succeed in making the high ground;
so spoke to the creature to DO her best and
keep on. The poor beast did not need any
whipping-she knew as well as myself that
there was danger, and she was doing her best
and no mistake. Still the water rose, and
kept rising, until it came clear up to her
shoulders. began to feel frightened in ear
nest. We were not more than half way
across, and thought II ltrose much more we
would have to swim forit. Iwasrnot far as
tray about that. The minute after, it seem
ed to deepen suddenly, as if there was. ho-
low in the prairie. Iheardthe mare give a
loud 'grouf,' and then 60 down. till was up
.othe waist. She rose again the next minute,
but could tell from. the smooth riding
that she was off the bottom. She was swim
ming, and no mistake. a.5l y5g.es,e .-
D"At first | thought of heading her back to
the shanty, and drew her around with that
intentions but turn which way | would, lfound
she could no longer touch bottom guess,
stranger, | was in quandary about them, |
began to think that both my own sand my
mares time had come in earnos', for had no
idea that the creature could ever swim to the
other side, especially with me on her back,
and particularly as at that time my ribs were
heavier then than they now ale. was not
much under two hundred at that time, and