Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1856-12-11
NO. a-IM s. FAYETTEVILLE TENN THURSDAY DECEMBER H. 1856


and reflection. The ardor of Il
. hunter took hold Of me, and hast
ly ioosenipg my pistols aud CLAN,
! ing at my rifles Jock, | stuck th
: spurs into my. steed, and gallope
f forward, never doubling that III
fopportunity so ardently coveted wa
. now at hand.
Charging down the hill an
across the intervening valley, / ros
another gently swelling roll OF tb
prairie, and as | gained .he SUNNI
again, the moving clouds OF dns
mel my gaze, and this time consid
erably nearer, and, as / closely re
garded il, l perceived that it wa
rapidly approaching, and began t,
discern the flashing Of bright oh
jects cleaning from out its obscu
rity. This looked less like buffalo
As the object, whatever it might be
continued 10 approach, I halted fol
better view, and was not long in
making out band of mounted In.
dians, their snow white shields ant,
FURNISHED lance heads giancine
brightly in the morning SUM-, =
Still, however, | scarcely thought
of Pawnees, but supposed il might
be some hunting party of friendly
Pottawaiomiese or Sioux; and, at all
events, knowing the meitle aud
power of my horse, and having a
retreat at pleasure, i thought lin
curred,no great rick by waiting for
q more satisfactory Inspection
Gradually across the broad expanse
rof the prairie they drew nearer,
now disappearing from view in
crossing some concealed hollow,
and again displaying in bold reliel
against the sky as they surmounted
some promineutridge.
At length their distance was d.
miEisbed to less than a quarter Of d
mile, and thinking a nearer acquain-
lance undesirable, turned my
horses head with the view Of riding
moderately towards the camp, lift
they should manifest some design 10
pursne me; when, imagine the chill
Of horror which. cnrdled my blood
as sa W smaller parties il my rear
galloping together from either side
TO cut off my retreat, and heard the
terrible yell which allihree gave as
they saw their wild maneuvers dis.
covered, and that further silence
would be useless.
While the main body had coniin-
.ued to attract my attention by adj
vanclng coDsplcuously towards ne,
these two parties had taken the ad-.
vantage Of the numerous hollows,
which at times had concealed them.
temporarily from view, TO diserge,
and, by wide circuit, attain my
rear, | greeh-horn that ] was, never,
dreaming of this common Indian
siratasem while slupidIy regarding
the first and only object which at
tracted my gaze. The two inter-
cepting parties were now rapidly
couverging towards the line ol my;
retreat, and were already within a
quarter OF mile Of each other,
while was no more than half the
centre. The main body with a
fearful whoop, dashed on to close
me in.
My horse was fleet and true, but
he was also iravel-worn and falig-
ued. How long could he distance
those wild conrsers OF the desert;
even if ! escaped the immediate
danger? There was uotime 10 de-
iiberate. Another moment wonld
be TOO late. Grasping my rifle with
a firmer clutch, and re-assuring with
caressing words the frightened
steed, who alone could save me
from a horrible fate, ! made bold
dash for the interval which still sep
arated the detached parties, and
upon which they aere rapidly clos
ing. 'S'.s - -
Nobly the gallant animal respon-
ded 10 the call. SDortipg with ter
ror at the wild shouts Of our pur-
suers. trembling in every lfipb With
the intensity Of his exeriions, he
few over the ground, aud with the
.feetness Of the wind, he dashed
between The approaching l'ordes,
within a, hundfed yards of us on
either hand. $50 81 i. ,ssT :
With the, energy ofedespaif ]
,grasped the saddle with nay kneess,
and ben, forward TO assist his flying