Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1855-12-08
NrNh Nv " u IIVN3V1NF
A Fire Hunt...The Longest Shot on Record,


over an old buck, takes with huu companion
who carries over his shoulder an iron pan OF
|, basket, attached to long wooden handle, q
hatrhc,, and u sack filed with short pieces Of
"lgh,wood" strapped to his back, and with
} his gun the hunter stiles forth into the for.
est. Pieces Of the "lightwood" are kindled in
the pan which gives out great blaze and
throws bright light fur into the woods around.
Deer feed at night quite as much as by day,
perhaps more: and the ir eyes have peculiar
''shine" by firelight. When they are so feed.
ing, and the glare Of Eight from the pan shines
their c,es, the man with the gun fires IN the
! direction Of the eyes, generally aiming two or
three inches below them, according TO the
distance at which the eyes are judged to be.
! This brief explanation of "6re.huntiug" we
presume is sufficient. Now for our story
, .or we have one to tell.
A few weeks since, in n part of Alabama
where there is an abundance Of almost all
kinds oil game, u friend OF olrs had the good
/ fortune TO go out on fire hunt after deer with
n party well posted as - the woods, the best
ranges, shining" shooting, &c. A. Athalf-pass
g O'Clock "Sawney," with his young master
and our friend, set out for q hunt in which
.
has a great passion Tor all sorts Of hunting,
and VINO rather prides himself or his skill IN
sporting, was elated at the idea Of bring ing
down fine buck, proposed to Sawney, who
at first carried the fre.pan, that for everyRlr
of eyes "shiued" in the hunt he, Saw
should have four bits.
This was something Sawncy had not anti
cipated, and the poor darkey was quite elated
by it.
"Wcll, massa, / gwine to shine de eyes,
sure. and 'Spect you have to give me a dol
lallar and half provided YOU does what vou
says. shine de eyes certain. But 'Spose
you miss 'um? How will dat he!"
Miss theln!" retorted the hunter 81 don't
often do such a thing with this shooting iron.
I'll hit every pair of eyes shoot alto night
no matter how far of, Whether 10 or not
you shall have the money!"
And of the party started into the midst OF
the dense woods. The light from the pan
cleaned far and wide through the wild forest
Onward and still onward trudCed the night |
hunters; over huge logs, through thickets of
brushwood, vines, bombles and briars; up hill
and down hill, across wet bottoms and along
dry ridges; now atn0nCst the "turrentine or
chards," and then amidst oak, beech and gum;
through fields and around fences.
More than one hour was thus spent, during
which ftiona lost his hat !, dozen times
to say nothing of two or three iall.downs, sun I.
dry scratches of lis hands and face, and being
almost ont ofbreath from the brisk exercise he .
had to undergo in keepmg up with Sawnev, ,
now more than ever intent on shining" for
the sake of the promised ''shiuerS"
Bat IN all This timeno eyes were discovered, .
The party halted. and Sawncv applied HIM
self 10 refreshing hls ifre-pan and Sack.
This gave opportunity to rest While and
take observation.
SAINT YOU lost, Sawney2" asked his young
master, looking about rather anxious,y.
Where are the seven stars? Where are
we?"
"We'!, masSa Ben, Just be look for myself"
answered the darkev, ',aud ! no see um; but
| knows where we is good enough: We is m de
woods, he continued, with 4 grin that showed
his snowy "ivorieS"
And is that all You know about it!''
eyes Massa Bsn. Dis niggcr is los;, sure,
And now | GID de gentleman four bits heSelf !.
ii he CRIT MS out de Scrapc."
The gentleman informs us that notwithStan-
ding his perpleXity at this iuncture, he was
forced to laugh heartily
"Well," said Massa Ben, ''thiS won't do
I'm going to get out Of this lix, at any rate
Give me the light" And suitiug action TO
word, ne shouldered the pan and took ''bee
line" for SoRae'chere.
'Now," said he to his friend, "kcep up
with the light, and look sharp for eyes, I'll
give You shot. Follow me.
The pace quic.ened, and the patty soon
found themselves in The midst of dense, dark
thicket. the ire-2an was suddenly at a stard
still!
"Come here" whispered Massa Ben. ''Be
quick, bur easy. There are the eyes. Ann
two inches below them, and fire."
Our friend cooked his trigger, and prepared
to do as he was directed He peered anxious
ly and almost choking in the direction of the
eyes. He saw them; but they didn't look
like eyes, and he hesitated to fire. Il
"Male haste and shoot, before he runs-he
will jump off in a inmate" l.,
Accordingly, our friend, as he tells US, "bla-
zed away and thinking the distance rather ;
long range, sent of one of Ely's cartridges Of ]
S. G. shot which he had in his lefthand bar
rel. The red fire shot forth from the muzzle ,
gave momentary fash in the darkness Of the
night! The report of,the explosion rssounded G
in leaping echoes through the forest, far, far
away over hill and valley startling the sober owl
from his p5oprety, But there stood the eyes,
gazing more intently than before, ani not hav- !
ing even winked. q
"Fire again, and aim little lower-I think I
you over-shot him. Now is your tine; saw
him move"
The deadly weapon was again leveled-the !
aim tasen-the finger BEGINNING to press the !
trigger-when- !
"Stop, stop don't fire, it's the NOON, i i
swear by my powder horn!" And so IT was, :
Shooting at the Moon! and that, too. with :
any thing less than ore of the Lancasterian
guns of the Allies in the Crimea' Its rrc;-
ty good joke, We think.
III. & l. u k..r.. u.