The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1855-09-18
Attack by Cattle Upon a Red Wa
gOn.

Extract from one of COL Claiborn's letters
from the pine woods of Mississippi, published
in the New Orleans Delta:
81 set out for Au>gusta, rolling merrlIy
along in blood red buggy. The road is beau
tifully, rooted over with trees and vines, and
the air fragrant with the breath Of flowers,
There was only one drawback-the myriads Of
flies Of every species, that swarmei around,
aud ravenously capped the blood from the
ears, neck and hanks ofmy horse. 1t is what
is appropriately termed here 'hy time"-that
il to say, the period when this numerous
family Of scourges lave it all their own way,
and neither man nor beast eau venture into
the woods with immunity. Now the cattle
from thousand hills, and even the wild deer,
seek the abodes of men, and huddle around
some smoking pine, or stand in some oPcn
field to escape their periodical tormcntors. On
a sudden curve of the road, | found myself in
one Of these stamping grounds" and 81
mulancous roar from five hundred iaiuria,cd
animals gave notice O? my danger. 1t is well
known that the Spanish matadorcs pro, oke
the wounded bulls of the arena by Haunting
the moleta or blood red flag before them. 1t
was The colour of my equipage that excited
this believing herd. They snufled the air,
planted their heads hear the ground, tore up
the earth with their hoofs aud horns and
glared at me with savage eyes. The fierce
phalaux blocked the road, and the part Of
discretion was to retreat. The moment |
wheeled the pursuit commenced. \ cloud OF
dust clveloped them and their lramplng feet
Was like the roll Of thunder. My horse dashed
forward frantic with terror, and on they plung.
cd on every side crushing down everything in
their course, gorng aud tumbling over each
other, filling the woods with their dreadful
cries, and gathering nearer in the dreadful
chase.
The contest uow became desperate. In five
minutes we should have been overturned aud
tramplcd to death; Int at this junctuIe threw
out my overcoat, and with an awful camor,
they paused to fight over it., and tear it into
sEreds Driving at full speed, tossed out
cushion; the infuratcd devils tram2ed it into
atoms. and rushing on, their horns clasping
against the buggy and ripping up the ribs OF
my horse. At this fearful moment we were
providrntialIy saved. A monstrous oak, with
forkrd top, had fallen near the road, and,
into this plunged my horse breast high and
lie was sale, the back Of the buggy being then
the only assaiablc punt. At this the whole
column made da>h but met the foremost
with six discharges from revolver Two bot
ties of Svwell Tay lor's best were shivered i'll
their lace>; next, il cold turkey and finally
bottle Of Scotch snu!l--the last shot in the
locker. This did the business. Such a sncez
ing and believing was never heard before; aud
the one that golit put out with the whole
troop at his heels, circling round, scouting the
blood that had been spilled, and shaking the
earth with their laundering tramp. was now
fairly in for it, and made up my mind TO re.
main until sunset, when they would disperse,
as in ''hy time" cattle Craze at night. | Was
relieved, however, BY the approach Of some
catt &c drivers, who, gaIloping up on shaggy
but muscular horses, ard with Whips twenty
feet long, which they manage with surprising
dcxtcrity, soon drove the herd to their Cow
pens" for the purpose Of marking aud branding
Ibis is done every ycarin fly: time" Tie cattle
ranging, scattered thirty miles round are now
easily found, collected their stamping grounds,
and are driven TO Il common pen or pound,
where the respective owners assemble ana put
their marks and brands Oh the increase Of the
season. Thus this Egyptian plague is turned
to Il uSrIu! rurp nsr.