The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1855-08-24


Extract from one of Col. Claibones letters
from the pine woods Of Mississippi, published
in The Ne,O Orleans Delta:
al get out for Augusta, bowling merriy
along in blood red buggy. The road is
beautiful, rooted over with trees and vines,
and the air fragrant with the breath of flow
ers. There was only one drawback; the my
RAIDS of flies of every species that swafmed
around and ravenousIy cupped the blood from
the ears, neck, and tanks of my horse. II
ia what is appropriately termed here fly time;'
that is to say, the period when the numerous
family Of scourges have it all their own way
and neither man nor beast can venture into
the woods with impunity. Now the cattle
'from thousand hills and even the wild
deer, seek the abndes of men. and huddle
around some smoking pine, or stand in some
open field to escape their periodical tormen
tors. On sudden curve in the road found
myself in one ofthese stamping grounds,
and a Simultaneous roar from FIVE hundred
infnriated animals gave notice of my danger,
! 1t was well known that the Spanish mata-
dores provoke the wounded bulls Of the are
ma by fiannting the moleta or blood red flag
before them. II was the color of my equip.
age that excited this believing herd. They
snuffed the air. planted their heads near the
ground and glared at me with savage eyes
The phalanx blocked the road, and the pat
Of discretion was to retreat. The moment
wheeled the pursuit commenced. A cloud
of dust enveloped them, and their tramplfrg
feet was like the roll of thunder. NY hose
dashed forward, frantic with terror. and on
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 despefateI In
FIVE minutes we should have been overturned
and trampled to death; but at this juncture
threw out my overcoat. and, with an awful
cIamor, they paused to fight over it. and tear
it into shreds, Driving ut full speed, / toss
ed out cushion; the infuriated devils tram
pied It into atoms, and came rushing on,
their horns clashing against the buggy, and
ripping up the ribs of my horse. AT this fear
full moment we were providentially saved
A monstrous oak, with forked top, had fall
len 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 a
dash, but met the foremost with six dis
charges from a revolverj two bottles of Sc
we'll Tay Ior's best were shveAd in their fa-
ces; next, cold turkey, and finally a bottle
of Scotch snuff the last shot in the locker.
rhis did the business. Such sneezing and
believing was never heard before; and the
one that got it put out with the whole troup
a. his heels, circling round, seeming the
blood that had been spilled, and shaking the
earth with their laundering tramp. | was
now fairly in for it, aud made up my mind to
remain until sunset, when they wodId dis
perse, as 10 'fiy time cattle Craze at night.
was relieved however, by the approach of
some cattle drivers, who. galloping up on
shaggy but muscular horses, and with whips
twenty feet long which they managed with
surprising dexteri'y, 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 around, are move easily found al
their stamping grounds, and are driven to q
common pen or pound, where the respective
owners assemble aud put their marks and
brands on the increase of the season. Thus
this Egyptian plague is turned 20 a usetb
purpose"