The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1857-10-29
CAROLINA SPARTAN:

CAROLINA SP PARTAN.
: From .'Porter's Spirit.n
A Deer Hunt in the Palmetto Stale.
..TIe antlerci monarch Of the waste,
Sprang from his heathvry couch in haste.
A mouient listened to the cry,
That thickened as the chase drew nigh;
Then, ,as the hfadmost foes appeared,
With one brave bound the copse he cleared ~
s@ t;Lady Of the Lake.
It was on a bright and cloud!ess Octo
ber morning, in l85-, that | found myself
pacing easily along tho State road in tho
upper portion of Charleston District-my
Westley Richards thrown carelsssly across
the saddle bow la wallet of "vivers" tied to
the crapper, and n ticker Of old Bourbon
distending my renst.pocket. Pet, my
toughlittietaekey, waslazily swilchingaway
the gnats, against which my face was pro-
tected by an atmosphere of real Of Hava
ma; and Bounder, Kilbuck, and old Nell.
whose tongues had sweled the chorus of u
hundred chases. and howed the requiem
of many a gallant buck, were trot,ing
along beside mo- The sun was warm,
though tempered by pleasant breeze, for
the frost had not yet given to the planters
! it's bond Of security against the malaria, nor
sweetened the yellow clusters of persim.
mons which Jecked the roadside. and the
autumn Winds had scarcely commenced TO
despoil of their leaves the mo,s-coverei pa
triarchs of the forest As came in sigh.
Of the "Whi,e Bridge" our we'll known
rendezvous, heard no sound but nv
horses footsteps; the waters OF the raging
c,inawl' were all uniuihel, save by the oc-
'casional dip Of a solitary kingti,her, aud all
natnre seemed ut rest, except the eyes of
the little gray squirrel. who peered at me
from the moss OF an o,d ok, as lie drew
his body cautiously behind tt,e limb to
which he cuns. Finding myself first at
the meet. dismoun,ed, lii;ched Pet to "a
rail, and throwing myself at full length on
the bank, proceeded TO suck the stamp OF
my segar, aud watch the graceful inolioss
of an osprey, who was circling nslhe blue
sky. far above nay head. Suddenly I SAW,
Boander prick up his ears, and Pet turned
hershead up the canal; and rising to my
feet, caught the sound Of a distant yvIp,
while
.tssut. f,sttss.rs s,;stxnee borne
Fs Was heard The c'an2ing isoosani iisra.r
Ere the echoes had died away, .L-rsssd
ay ownsIiorn. and aogr,Iaa " 6iast which
made the old wpyls nsagain, and rs =,
moment more Tom Gtifaonis pack dashed
up the road, and ;ls my owa dogs, with
howl cfwelcome, bounde.i forward 10 meet
thenlsSfive horse,aen, canserei up to the
bridge. Reader, allow me to p csent you
to my canparades de la chasse. That small
man, with tie black mus,ache aud hand
some face, is Tom Clifton. rwen.y,three
seasons have passed over his heal, and for
thirteen ofthem he has been n hunter. THAI
) dare devil chap, with the crooked nose and
wicked, looking eye, is Kit Gillian. Do YOU
notice how awkwarlly he sits his fiery ches-
nut! He can ride a thunderbot bareback
ed, or break the Wild ITuntsmall's demon
steed TO harness. That broad shoullered
giant, wiki a form like Hercules, and a
face like the king Of good fellows, is DR..
Morton, who now and then steals day
from his extensive practice TO enjoy the spo,,
OF which he Is so fond, and in the skilful
pursuit OF which he has no superior, and
not many equals. The two ether figures
are our negro drivers: Tom Ci.ton's John,
the '.yellow nigger" with the mustache, aud
Col. Dickson's driver, Daddy Jeems" Our
salutations over, [ WAS soon on my mare,
and all ready for a start.
"Hallo, Jeems, said |, missing Col. Dick.
sons honest face, where's your ma,terl'
"Manssa say him will wait for you up to
Peacock ole field; an he tink you better
.dribe dat fust."
6"What do think of it Jeemsw
II spec you better tex dat for the fust
dribe, sir; one debbil Oh buck been in
dare last night; see all he track gwine in,
an L nebber see none come out; SO spec
he lay in dc sapn' field now"
"Very well, Jeems," ehimed in Tom,
"you and John go head the drive; we'll
give you plenty Of lime before we take up
the stands" ~
Popping their whips, and calling the
dogs, the boys set off at round pace for
the head Of the drive, while we turned our
horses, and proceeded slowly towards the
stands. sn.
"kit," said Tom. as we were about TO start,
we've got plenty of time; let's ride piece
up the bank and kill that old 'gator."f
s'GatorI responded Kit, incredulously.
What do you lneanl Who ever heard Of
seeing gator in Octoberl"
"Why, have! there is an old fellow up
the bank nine feet long, If he's an inch"
,fs"Fool whow was the skepical response.
"Got mocking-bird's nest some where,
amt your
You may laugh as you please; but old
scales never goes into water quarters be-.
fore hard frost; and I've seen him out some
lhot days in December"
swell, maybe SO; but we'd better not go
now, for it we shoot, it viii scare the buck,
"Allgutvr