New-York daily tribune., 1858-11-04

dure over which had 20 often cneed - s ser-
stesd. 'pv ny
Between the Sabine and the rr;,,,
travelled overrollirg praries OF small eI,eni h.i
iDteIspeTsed with timber i,lesds ssd .kir,st .ty
''iN groves Of oeks and sweet gnins Be, VIA
IA hsd passed the lattsr stream, and clsnr.S -,
tangled forest which springs from is prolific h,,uo 70
and extends for miles westward, that we .,yeic.n
extensive praries Of Middle Texas. Her. ee
eye could reach, IL could take in nothing but us
extended plain, and the biue, clouiless skv sL,
For days We rode through he grassy w,yss o;,.:
ysrdan; sea, encamping st nigh, IN the little 49,,
1--we oaks, where we always SURE Of 6pd,...
gushing spring or standing water
" But when | aftsrwsni heari from our Ne,i,.,
neehbors OF these stil wider plains where for d.,
and days one might t-avel out Il sight Of land a..
bound from San Antonio, and from thence 10 M.tsr"
ras, to behold this wonderful region.
was not long waiting for the coveted opportu,;
~ 'or u was abou, The season for the bufa,ces "A
come down 70 Iced upon the mesQ ii,e grass, and n
there was danger of elcoertering r,i. of India.
on; upon theI Winter hunt, my COMPANY vas eIar
accepted, as adding one more 10 their number sn1 =
Increasing their means Of defease.
"The day We passed the Neace.. a. the ,lv o.,
overcast with clouds ard q norther thres.epei !,
come down upon us, We made an early camp in "a.
Las, clump OF timber 10 be found for msny .ss,a..
west cfthat portion Of the riyer
"While was IN the act Of stripping nv ho,..
previous TO pirning him out to grs.e hann.ssaS, =
cast MY eyes over the prairie, and de,ec,ss i -
distance small herd OF buffsloes moving L.,..,s
toward the narrow belt of timber which. MT "a ~
marked the course Of the river. Their ,ns,;On,
prompted them 70 sex the wood ior protection against
81 had never yet killed one of those sr;c.L =,
though long ambitious of doing So Tberef,rs hs,,J
rets shenipg the girth of my saddle rpmoun,,S All
giving spur to my horse, bounded s~ifly over The
prairie in chase of the herd. They were m,vior t,o
the westward, while our osmp was south Of their Lrs
Of progress. So, striking of obliqasy 10 the norts
ward hoped to Intercept them long before they eou
reach the timber.
THE weather. as ie always the case previous 10 n.
Winter nor.her in this region, was excessively el.e
and sultry; not breath Of ar stirring, and As
buffalcss therefore, travelling bat slowly and O.
casionaly hating 10 snatch mouthful Of the neA
mesquite grass as they moved along.
Keeping slight swell Of the prairie between them
and myself, had come almost upon them before ,hey
caught scent of me. Then pricking my hslf.breed s
his utmost speed, dashed in front Of the eycei
animals, and, hating for al instant, leveled my nae
and, sirglng ont the leader of the herd, fired. The
brow as if il had been ay only flor had foolshy
aimed at his only invunetsbe part, and, with mai
dened roar, kept on his course.
"My horsr, "a much unused 10 the chase as mysen
now became alarmed, and before could recover the
reus dashed directly across the path of the fyhtpe
aniual- Seeing the imminent danger We were 10 Of
being thrown down by the headlong crowd, and tram
pied beneath their laundering tread, buried the
towels deep into his painting TANKS, hoping TO char
the herd and pass beyond on the northern sss Of T.
mails had rushed past me; but as was upon the point
Of congratuating myself npon my fortunate deliver
apce from fearful death, sudden turn, taken by As
leaders of the herd lowed of course by those IN tho
rear brought huge COW in collision with my hore.
IL felt myself dashed headlong from my saddle, Ni
for an instant borne rapidly along crushing, stun
ming sound filed my ears; have an inilsinct recO
lection Of cnging for moment to hairy prominencs
and then a sensation Of flying through the air and
being dashed breathlessly upon the ground.
IL know not how many hours lay in this condition.
but g, length aroused 10 consciousness by sen
cation Of PAIN which, dull and heavy at FIRST, began
by degrees TO increase in intensity; and when was
fairly awakened 20 the knowledge Of my situation, &
II was alone. Darkness surrounded me. re
skies me were black with lowering clouds, Nd
, the fierce nortber, which had been thrcstening u,
now swept IN wrath over the wide prairie.
my clothes saturated with the freezing rain,
| aud every joint in my body stdened by the cOl.
With painful effort raised mysef into sitting po-
siton. My left hand, attempting to use H. found
heipisss; the fore erm was badly Fractured aud
swollen. With another effort tried ~ gain my NJ,
for knew that death was inevitable IL 1 remained
where IwSs upon the damp ground, exposed 70 The
merciless nortber. The cold was extreme, and the sr
thick with the wintry seet. AT length, after sy-
eral iLe ffcctBsl trials stood erect H. limbs with
the exception Of my broken arm upin ired by
| fall. made q sling with my handkerchief, in wheh
found some relief for the fractured member and fhen,
| turning my back TO the cutting wind, started, a
supposed, in the direction Of the camp.
~ remembered the course had ridden 10 intercept
the herd. and the relative position VI the timber,
where had left my companions, and had no doubt l
could walk directly to the fire.
90 had gone but o few yards when stnmbhd
against something, which gave out metallic sounds
and groping in the dark, found my rife. But was
too weak 20 carry it; | drove the end OF the barrel
deep into the Wet SOIL with the breech upPermost and
moved on.
"a little farther and distinguished directly before
me, The outlines of dark body lying upon the ground.
1t proved to be my poor horse; he was dead. Poof
fellow; il had gone harder with him than with his
master. managed to uDstTap my blanket from bs
saddle, and taking it, with my water gourd, which
still remained attached 10 the pommel and unbroken,
started forward.
Il continued to travel painfully along; still keeping
the storm behind NE. But no cheering campfire
greeted my longing eyes. Could | have passed the
little grove, in the darkness bed certainly trsyeIed
far epor gh 20 reach il. But could not stop nov, 70
await the hight OF oay; for the most rapid motion
could make necessary 10 keep the blood rom con-
gealiDg in my yens. Hour after honr toIed along
before the pitess storm that goaded me onward shd
if, tor moment, halted 10 rest my aching hmos,
stI more furious blast would me OF the danis.
All that live long night dragged my weary iess
through the sleet-stideDed grasS; and when, al ns
the day returned gloomy and overcast with Clouds,
found myself the only living creature within the cifeo
Of the bcrizonfor all Of animal life had long s'nce
sought the shelter of the distant timber a au Saaen
sky hung threateningy above NE; and ON elhcr mana
stretched the cheeress sleet-euvcloped preire-wne
the relentless storm-gOd was yet abroad 10 al Ms
fcTcenees.
Still, with my back to tie cutting sleet and ny
face to the south kept on The hours OF day Pssssa
heavily away, and stil no prospect Of cessation
that wild tempest. The postion Of the sun cosa -.
be detected icr the leaden cloud. spread over ths y
q uniformly iInpeneTabe vail My exhausted lioo.
could bear NE but little longer. AT alnos. sv.a5 .a
step fal measuring my length in the sernra,ea sDa
partially frozen gess The pain OF my fractarea ~
was erorueisting in the extreme; and as teu WIN
under my body, could hear the grating of the bfoss
bones upon each other they lacerated the nesn.
about TO yield to despair and throw myself uPyIi
the ground and await the grim messenger VINO eona
not be far OF Bot nGore look in the distance o.
Il l1.- sinlil llecIy