Eastern times., 1855-11-22
Attack by Cattle.

Extract from one of COL Claiborne letters
from the Pine Woods of Mississippi, published
in the N. o. Delta.
81 set out for Augusta, bowling merriy
along in a blood-red wagon. The road is
beautitul-roofed over with trees and vinesr
and the air fragrant with the breath of flowers.
There was only one drawback the myriads of
flies of every species that swarmed around and
ravenously cupped the blood from The ears,
neck, and flanks of my horse. 1t was what is
appropriately termed here 'fy-time, that is
to say, the period when this numerous family
of scourges have it ali their own way, and
neither man nor beast can venture into the
woods with impunity. Now, 'the cattle of a
Thousand hills and even the wild deer, seek
the abodes of men, and huddle around some
smoking pine, or stand in some open field, to
escape their periodical tormentors. On sud-
den curve of the road, | found myself in one Of
those stamping grounds and sudden roar
from five hundred infuriated animals, gave no
tice of my danger:
1t is well known that the Spanish matadores
provoke the wounded bulls of the arena bv
Haunting the moleta, or blood-red flag, before
them. 1t was the color of my equipage that
excited this believing herd. They snuffed 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
phalanx blocked the road, and the part of dis
cretion was to retreat. The moment
wheeled the pursuit commenced. A cloud Of
dust enveloped them, and their trampling feet
was like the roll of thunder. My horse
dashed forward, frantic with terror, and of
they plunged, on every side, crushing down
everything in their course, goring and tum-
bling over each other, filling the woods with
their dreadful cries, and gathering nearer and
nearer in the fearful chase.
The contest now became desperate. In five
minutes we should have been overturned and
trampled to death Il; but at this juncture,
threw out my overcoat, and with an awful
clamor they paused to fight over it and tear it
into shreds. Driving at full speed, tossed
out a cushion the infuriated devils tore it into
atoms, and came rushing on, their horns clash
ing against the buggy, and ripping up the
ribs of my horse. At this fearful moment we
were providentially saved. A monstrous oak,
with forked top, had fallen near the road,
and into this plunged my horse, breast high,
and he was safe, the back of the buggy being
then the only assailable point. At this the
whole column made dash, but met the fore
most with six discharges 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 in the locker.
This did the business. Such sneezing
and believing was never heard before; and
the one that got it put out with the whole
troop at his heels, circling round, scenting 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 to
remain until sunset, when they would dis
perse, as in Fly time cattle Craze at night.
was relieved, however, by the approach Of
some cattle drivers, who galloped up on shag-
gy but muscular horses, and with whips twen-
ty feet long, which they managed VIII sur
prising dexterity, soon drove the herd to their
cow-pens, for the purpose of marking and
branding. This is done every year in fly
time The cattle ranging, scattered thirty
miles round, are now easily found, collected in
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 TO useful pur-
| pose