Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-03-12
COMMUNICATED.

rr,p What authority DO not Know that
,.,- had all been driven out Of "Mason's
~ Read the following, and it may ap-
no, such is not exactly the case.
ten days ago, a quiet little party of
=, number Invaded the territory referred
~. ~ bunting expedition the dimensions
,--l mean Of the neck" not the
,3;,ioD are about ten miles 10 length, by
.,,,ss Of some FIVE miles wide. 1t lies
,..neep Pohick and Ocooquan.
w. usre haulea down by one horse, and
,o.i3srins the roads were very heavy, that
~. horse was very light. 1t was. however.
- means one horse expedition. as you
.5au shortly see.
,b,u, nis't fall, we reached the house of
#. J,bn uaisiip, where we were received
"A entertained with great kindness aud hos
-;.,g;tv WHAT with our weary trudging,
N hand, over the longest imaginable
I'm, and a, the end of the journey sitting
hot cracking fire, after sharp frosty
:. ,rs were not sooner in bed, than We were
pa. for rest and sleep. And, as nature
IN have her own, that Is, If she can get 1t,
,.,.cial!y when she enjoys the goose accom-
,,,;menr "a soft, springy, feather bed,
.ba, closes iu around you like snow drift,
.,Iv warmer and more agreeable In cold
n,,Ler we slept to our hearts content
wson we arose, we found the sun had
r.,Js the start of US, but all things cOnsid-
..od ve did net mInd that ; besides it was
Al made even by our staying out the longest.
An early breakfast - general cleaning
4 guns and swapping Of caps and oalllug
4 S,ss and We were off. 1t was II glorious
corning, worthy of the best efforts Of Octo.
bst oply a little keener. We were soon
;5insd by a neighbor and kinsman OF our
b,r, Mr. Jackson liais!ip, and not long
,.,sr ty the hero of the day - OF whom
ron,e after awhile. About III O'Clock, we
.,ns mon a deer track 10 the snow, and, too
.7,o after, upon the fellow that made it. We
b,dn, had time TO take our stands. Our po-
.,,,,ns had not been defined. Consequently
\, | escaped. The next two or three hours
we're spent in hunting what we didn't tind,
and finding what we didn't hunt: of which
after class were robbins, and such like
Unit" The time for refreshment at last
came and we INDUCED accordingly. BY the
yay its an interesting question, whether 1t
j. more agreeable to hunt things to eat, or
10 eat things 10 hunt. However, | suppose
like great many other questions, 1t depends
a GOOD deal on circumstances. AS soon as
ibis interesting episode was over, we started
On tramp for the evening. The snow that
We had so heartily and 80 often abused, was
,gain our FREUD We soon discovered where
sncther deer had made his mark. HIS To-
cality was quickly aud accurately calculated
BY our allies, and the party were duly ran
ped AZ the stands. while our host went IN with
he dogs "to drive" One of the party, with
great, ponderous rife, carrying thirty-two to
the pound was, luckily, for the deer, station.
ed a, the true crossing. In Il few moments,
old Leader opened, and then the pack 10 full
cborus-and then came the deer, bounding
along like an india rubber ball. Our rifle
man described HIM as about the size OF an elk,
and moving fast aud fair like streak OF light
ming. 1t passed him about thirty yards of
ne leVSlleu OU u, uiSV ~
went. In vDe instant the deer was out OF
sight and in another, reappeared, but 50
changed 10 the eye of our luckless friend, that
be insisted upon it. there were two - one
very large-the other rdther small: which
Was mere optical delusion, as WAS promptly
proved by an examination OF the tracks,
easily discernible in the sn0w-a state OF
facts which shows the difference in appear
snce between q buck TO be shot at and one
that has been missed The dogs followed
lsthiully and far, but it was no use, no. 2
vas gone for good. Well, the subject was
iuy discussed, aud about the time we had
ieiermined to work our way back again, an
c,oer light broke in upon US; that is to say,
smother cloven foot had left its sign manual,
mpsdGlif you please, in our way. You see,
severe strangers down there, an the inhab-
,an,s were paying their respects, by leaving
their cards. Again the party took their res
pective stands, and again the light looted
game was startled and started from his lair.
Awsy--away it went-over the bill and
across the dell, tn - where wait awhile.
This time light shone out of a dark place.
The deadly aim Of our colored friend Eli alb
Blackburn, called "Lige," for short, sent
half a handful of mould shot out OF
great Long Tom" ok OF eight feet in length
numbering into the side OF a beautiful crea-
ture, the like of which, another of the party
had just before so msgnanimously ,-missed.
There was good deal OF excitement over
that game. especially in our town party, who
were not used to playing at it. But we soon
gathered up and put ont with feelings light
10 proportion as our game was heavy.
The next morning but why talk Of the
next day In the evening we returned home
laden with venison and glory.
In the course Of the expedition, we saw
four deer, though have not accounted for
them all in the foregoing narrative, and
there was one ace did see. We saluted
BY sundry turkeys, pheasants, ducks, and
speciality beg pardon, but, as faithful
cbrouicler. must name them--robbins.
Now, sir, repeat if you can, the statement,
which called forth this vindication of MA
sons Neck fyou don't believe me, go and
see Tor yourself. Ye,, il you have never
been down there, go. There are many things
to be seen. worth seeing. There are old
"Gunston," and Lexington" sc, Is, the
residences of the old proprietors of tbs
Neck" and there is Occoquan Bay, wortt
ride of double the distance to look upon
And more than all, there is old "Pohicl
Church." aud there are all the glorious asso
Citations that cluster around It's ballowet
walls, and there is-uo more at present.
! beg leave to add, however, if ever yor
do 20 down that way, and you should enjoy
as you may, the bospitalites of our host