Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1858-02-20
From Tortera Esprit of the Ti,nts''
4 Night on the Prairie-Circllne tho
Stump.

pany Of us, twenty-five in numbcr)
crossing the plains to California,
tor the purpose Of carrying an i'm,
mense herd Of beef cattle to that
, market. We were six months up
on the plains; and dnring our long
march, many amusing incidents oc-
CURED, one OF which was so "deci-
ded}y rich" in its character, that it
furnished an inexhaustible theme
for button-burstins" merrin1ent,
around the campfire during the
whole trip.
Thinking it too good to be lost, I
have concluded to sketch it hastily
for the amusement Of such patrons
Of the "Spirit," as give ready ear
to tales Of ''sportive tricks" and
showing accidents by flood and
field"
Early in the trip, our stock had
learned to>stampedo, an@ the slight
est noise at night would cause the
whole herd to spring to their feet,
and, in al instant, bearing down
every thing before them, the dense
mass would be laundering across
the prairie, like the roar and crush
OF a passing hurricane, running
twenty, thirty, and sometimes fifty
miles in their hcadlong and uncon-
trollable flight, and requiring sever
al days Of hard riding to get them
back again to the road.
Being inexperienced in cattle dri-
ving,~e sought the advice of such
old drovers and herdsmen as were
within our reach, as to the best
mode of subduing stampede, all
of whom suggested the same rene
dy, Or plan Of action; and this was,
to mount a bold and expert rider
on fleet horse, spur ahead of the
front line Of cattle, take the lead in
the stampede, and after describing
wide circuit, bring them back to
the starting point thoroughly IA
tjgued, and willing to stop. This,
the drovers call "circling them in."
10 do this is rather a hazardous
business, particularly with such Il
herd as we had. composed ofstrong,
active, tl1ll-grown bullocks; fleet,
wild, and not easily tatigued.
In stampede, cattle run with
arched necAs, their horns in Inc,
with the horizon presenting col
umn, as fbristling with spears, and
as impregnable and irresistible as
the Grecian phalanx. The front
ranks, wild with fear, and goaded
to desperation by the rear ranks,
press forward with desperate and
crushing velocity every object that
may lay in their path. In the prai-
rlesz there are many holes and pits
Of water, that cannot be seen at
night; and in riding rapidly in the
dark, there is great danger of both
horse and rider being thrown to the
earth by a mistep in one Of these.
In leading q stampede, should this
occur, it would be fatal both would
inevitably be crushed to death by
the living avalanche, which would
Immediately sweep over them. One
OF our company was ''rara avis"
III bis way-a stout, clustering,
staggering character, with consid-
cradle vim, but very little sense,
and no education. He had been
captain Of a ''corn-stalk" militia
company before leaving home, and
the red sash and chicken-teathers
seemed to have fired his soul with
martial ardor. He was "1nani-
fest destiny" man and the dreams
Of Napoleon as to his ultim ate great
ness, and the inevitable elimination
Of his ''star," were never more SAN
guine than those of our hero. Con-
tident that he was born for a leader,
be never suffered an opportunity to
escape him, withoutrendering HIM
self conspicuous; and he generally
succeeded in making himselfridicu-
lously SO. He had been the oracle
Of his class at home-great on 'lcc-
tion days, and pole raisings, but his
passion was for the mi]linterry-a
burning ambition to lead column
"a deathless fire that could not be
= squinched," but even in death
would glow in his ashes. |,
ToY,+o.,, ~, ,~ H. a !, I,-x~,*~~,~. |