Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-08-22
AuacR by Cattle upon Red Wagon.

Extract from one of Col. Cairbornc's letters
from the Pine Woods of Mississippi published in
tho New Orleans Delta;
~ set ont from Augusta, bowling merily along
in bood-red wagon. The road is beautiful
rooted over with trees and vines, and the air fra
grant withe the breath of flowers. There was
only one ,irawback--the myriads of flies of every
species that swarined around and ravenously cup
ped the blood from the ears, neck, and Hanks OF
nv horses. II il what is appropriately termed here
"hy-time'--that ia 10 say, the period when this
numerous family Of scourges have it all their own
way, and neither man nor beast can venture into
The woods with impunity. Now tho cattle OF
rhousand hills" and even the wild deer, seek the
abodes of men, and huddlc around some smoking
pine, or stand in some open field, to escape their
periodical torrnentors On a sudden curve OF
the road, found myself in enc of these stamp
ing grounds" and sudden roar from five hundred
Infatuated animals gave notice OF my danger.
at il well known that the Spanish matadores
provoke the wounded bulls Of the arena by faunt-
ing the moleta or blood-red flag before them. II
was the color Of my equpage that excited this
believing herd. They snuted the air, planted
their heads near the ground tore up the earth
with their hoofs and horns, and glared at me with
savage eyes The fierce pbalanx blocked the road,
and the part of discretion was to retreat. The
moment | wheeled, the pursuit commenced. A
cloud of dust enveloped them and their tranplng
feet was like the roll ofthunder. My horse dashed
forward, frantic with terror, and OH they plunged,
on every side, crushing down everything in their
course, goring and tumbling over each other, hl-
ing the woodsarth their dreadful cries, and gath
ering nearer and nearer in the fearful chase.
"The contest now became desperate. In FIVE
minutes we should have been overturned and tram
pied to death but at this iuncture threw ont
my overcoat and with an awful clamor they paused
TO fight over it, and tear it into shreds. Driving
at full speed tossed out cushion; the nuriated
devils tramped il into atoms and came rushing on,
their horns clashing against the buggy, and rip
ping up the ribs of my horse At this fearful mo
ment we were providentially saved. A monstrous
oak, with a forked top, had fallen near the road,
and into this plunged my horse breast high, and
he was cafe, the back of the buggy being then the
only assalable point AT this the whole column
made a dash, but met the foremost with six dis
charges from revolver; two bottles of Sewell
Taylor's best were shivered in their faces next a
cold turkey, and finally bottle of Scotch snuff
the last shot in the locker
"This did the business. Such sneeing and
believing was never heard before; and the one
that got il put out with the whole troop at his
heels, crcing round, seeming the blood that had
been spilled, and shaking the earth with their
laundering tramp l was now fairly in for it, and
made up my mind 10 remain until sunset when
they would dispense, az in ely time cattle Craze
at night / was relieved, however by the ap-
proach Of some catte-divers, who, gaIoping up
on shaggy but muscular horses, and with whips
twenty feet long, which they manage With sur
prising dexterity, soon drove the herd to their
" cow.pen" for the purpose Of marking and brand.
ing. This is done every year in "fly time The
cattle ranging, scattered thirty miles round, are
now easily found collected at their stamping
grounds, where the respective owners assemble
and put their marks and brands on the increase of
the season. Thus, the Egyptian plague is turned
10 n useful purpose"