Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1856-12-11


; cts and linery flying in the wind, Oh
: ward we sped, pursners and pur
; sued, oyerlhe expanse al that prai
rie ocean. =
II Soon the feetness and blood o
my American courser began 10 tel
on the enduring but; slow-footet
mustangs Of the Indians. Some o
4 the worst mounted were graduaIl,
( dropping TO the rear, and after run
hing two or three miles, they wer.
strung out IN a long line behind me
Gradually siackened my speed
ltorI well knew that the bottom
Ia nd endurance Of Indian horses
accustomed to traverse immense
distances at a. single stretch, are al.
most without linii, and many a
long mile was still before US
Again they would diminish the dis
lance, and again ! was obliged TO
urge m, jaded sieed to bis best ei-
forts.
| But + was rapidly beginning to
breathe ireer, the first startling
alarm was over, and halt the dis
lance was accomplished. II my
gallant grey could maintain his
tremu!ons, exerlions but four. miles
more, was safe. Once in sight Of
The camp, and The prudence ol my
Wild pursuers would glance bui once
al the eighty American rifles which
would .gleami iicm. behind our " ag-
on wheels.
Twas descending long but gen.
tie inclinstion tow ards a broad level
depression in the iTairies, which
spread about a couple Of. hundred
yards wide at. its base. My savage
pufsners. we're moment out of sight
behind the ridge I had crossed. !.
reached the loot. Of the bill at full
speed; my steed plunged forward on
what, seemed hard ground, and 0
despair, sank. to his belly, 10 a soft
and treacherous swamp. All! can
the gathering years Of all futurity
eyer blot from my memory the de-
spair Of that moment! How far this,
seemingly impossible barrier extend.
cd up and down the riyulet which d.
yided it. / could not guess. "A ter. J
rble yell burst from the exulting
Warriors, as they appeared over the
crest Of the, ridge and recognized
the dilemma they had too truly an
tieipated.
Terrible fears chilled my blood. II
In HAT brief moment, as, the sava-
ges came charging down-the bill, tu-
multuous thoughts Of home and
friends, mingled with bright antici-
patiops SO long cherished Of a gold
en- fortune in the lard of promise,
came thronging in Wild confusion
through my teemiag brain. There
was one hope left, desperate as it
seemed; but there was no,time for
elaboration, no opportunity for
choice. Resistance was madness.
| was hemmed in on every side but
one. Straight ahead was my only
chance. j might founder through,
and, at all events, sufocation or cap
ture in the bog was not worse than
instantaneous destruction where /
vas. -, ~
I Dasbing the rowels into the trem-
bling animal, | madly urged him for
ward. The soil, though covered with
grass and apparently firm, gave way
at every step. Flowing his way by
bis gigantic efforts, now for an in,
slant raising bimselfo some harder
spot then sinking to lis girtbs-urg-
ed by my frantic exertions, terrified
to frenzy by the appalling .yells Of
the rapidly approaching eneny, and
the shots which began to whistle
around us-fhe n6lle animal toiled
calamity on and gained the firm
bank just as the dusky forms of my !
pursners. infur;aied at. the possible
loss of their prey, we're clustering
onthe opposite side seeking a favor
able spot to follow. s.!S
Their deliberation saved me-. It
required a strong control Of reason
to walk my failing horse slowly up
the. hill; while ! the Indians were
laundering after me through the
swamp. But ! rightly guessed that
a little breathing time would uot be
wasted on bin.
81 turned the summit o. the bill
Just as the discom6tted India we're
beginning to crawl nut from the bog,
and agsin putting spurs to NY jaded'
steed once more We sprapg forwafd in