Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-03-22
CbUitt giteratur&.
THE sQUATTER,s sTORY


Well stranger, we have floods here in
Louisiana, such rs l guess, You have never
seen the like Of in England. England is
not large enough to have such floods. One
Of them would cover your whole country, !
have heard said. / will not say that il is
true, as | am not acquainted with your ge
ography. know however, there are nigh |
~ big freshets here, as have sailed skif
more than hundred miles across one of
them, where there was nothing to be seen
but cypress tops pceping out of the water
The floods as you know, come every year,
out the very large ones only occasionally
Well, about ten years ago, located in the
Red River bottom, about fifty miles or there
about below Natchitoches, where had built
a shanty. had left my wife and two young
children in Mississippi State, intending to re.
turn for them in the spring; 50, you see,
was all alone by myself, except my old mare,
colns's axe, and, Of course my rife.
had finished the shanty all but the |
chinking and the building Of chimney
when what should come on but one of those |
severe floods. It was at night when it be-
gan TO make It's appearance. | was asleep
on the floor OF the shanty and the first war
ming had Of it was feeling water soaking
through my old blanket had been dream
ing, and thought it was raining and then
again thought that | was being drowned
in the Mississippi; but was not many Sc
conds awake before guessed what was the
reality; jumped to my feet like a startled
buck, and groped my way to the door
What n sight | beheld had cleared
piece Of ground around the shanty-about
couple Of acres-leaving the stumps a
good three feet high; but now there was
not one to be seen. My clearing, stumps and
ALL was under water; and | could see it shi-
ming among the trees all round the shanty.
OF course, my first thoughts was about my
rifle; and | turned back into the shanty and
laid my claws upon that quick enough. next
went in search Of my old mare. Shewas not
hard to fnd for it ever a creature made
noise, she did. She was tied to a tree close
to the shanty, and the way she squealed was
caution to cats. / found her in three or
four feet Of water, pitching and foundering
all round the tree. She had nothing on but
the rope she was hitched by. Both saddle
and bride had been washed away; so / made
the rope into a sort Of halter, and mounted
her bare-backed. Just then | began to
think where was going. The whole coun-
try appeared to be under water; and the
nearest neighbor had, lived across the prai-
re, ten miles off. knew that his shanty
stood on high ground, but how vas to get
thereq II was night: might lose my way
and ride chuck into the river. When /
thought Of this, concluded it might be bet
l.. IL,
inc. could hitch the mare inside to keep
her from being Aoated away and for N.Y.
self, I could climb on the roof However,
while was thinking of this l noticed that
the water was deepening, and thought en-
tered my head that it would soon be deep
enough to drown the old mare. For my
self was not frightened. l could climb a
tree, and stay there till the flood fell; but
should then lose the mare, and that creature
was too valuable to think of such sacrifice
so made up mind to chance crossing the
prairie. There was no time to be wasted
never a minute; so gave the mare a kick
or two in the ribs and started.
Il found the path out to the edge of the
prairie easy enough. | had blazed it wher
/ first came to the place and as the nigh
was not a very dark one, could'see The
blazes as passed between the trees. NJ
mare knew the track as well as myself, anC
waded through it at a sharp rate, for sh,
knew, too, there was no time to be wasted
In FIVE minutes we came out on the edge Q
the prairie, and Just as | expected, the Who'll
land was covered with water, and lookn
like a big pond. I could see it shining clea
across to the other side of the opening. A
luck would have it, I could just get glimps
Of the trees on the far side Of the prairie
There was a big clampo cypress trees, thi
Icould see plain enough; knew this wi
close to my neighbor's shanty; SO 1 gave m
creature the switch, and struck right for
As left the timber, the mare was up to h
hips. OF course I expected good deal
heavy wadng; but had no idea the W
ter would get much higher; there is whe
made my mistake. I had not got mo
than a couple Of miles out, when disco
cred the water rising rapidly, for 1 motto
the mare was getting deeper and deeper'
II was no use turning back now. won
lose tho mare to a dead certainty, if 1
not succeed in making the high ground;
I spoke to the creature to do her best, a
kept on. lHe pOOI JctlsL ulu HOG ueOu q
whipping-she knew as we'll as myself the
was danger, and she was doing her best a
no mistake. Sill the water rose, and kt
rising until it came clearup to her shoulde
began TO feel frightened in earnest.
were not more than half way across, AM
thought if it rose much more we would h;
10 swim for il. | was not far astray alb
that. The minute after it seemed to de
en- suddenly, as il there were a hollow in
prairie. Iheard the mare give a loud go
and then 60 down, I'LL I was up to the wa
She rose again the next minute, but I co
tell from the smooth riding, that she was
the bottom. She was swimming, and
mistake.
AT first thought Of heading her bac
the shanty, and drew her round with
intent, but turn her which way Iwoul
found she could no longer touch bottom.
guess, stranger, I was in quandary Al
then. / began to think that both my
and my mares time had come in
nest, for had no idea that the crea
could ever swim to the other side espec
with me on her back, and particularly
that time my ribs were heavier than
now are. Twas not much under two
dred at the time, and that's no light we
reckon. Well, was about reckonin