The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-07-28
lNKLINGS FROM THE FRONTIER F;
LIFE ON THE PLAINS AND ADVENTURES IN
THE TENTED FIELD.


LIFE ON THE PLAINS AND ADVENTURES IN
THE TENTED FIELD.
CAMP SCARCEwATER, June 30, 1859.
To the Editor Of the National Era:
Fifteen years ago | was boy, and my chief
delight was to read books of travel, of wild
scenes and adventures in the vast unpeopled
REGIONS Of the world, and especially among the
wild and savage aborigines of our own mighty
West. To my boyish fancy, a pioneer, who
had traxersed the mighty plains west of the
Mississippi, fought bears and panthers in the
gorges of the Rocky Mountains, chased the
buffalo, and escaped unscalped by the red
skin warriors, was mighty hero, demi-god,
and he received my reverence accordingly. IF
one of those great men ever mingled in the cir.
Gle of my fathers acquaintance, ! quietly
couched down at a respectable distance, and
eagerly listened to the charmed stories that
fell from his lips, AT that period, | ardently
longed for manhood and its privileges, that
might see for myself those wild regions of I'M
peopled nature west of the Father of Waters
The height of nay ambition then was to roam
at pleasure over the 1owery plains, and through
lonely and picturesque mountain kanyOns
Such aspirations occupied my mind during the
ay-dreams of my waking hours, and through
those dreams that charmed me while youthful
slumbers wFapt my senses in sweet repose:
When arrived at the age of manhood, those
hoyish lanpies and romantic aspirations did not
iorsake NE, hut increased with my years.
Hence, this glorious summer day, in the after
noon, when all nature seems to rejoice in the
genial breeze that comes softly signing from
the west, | find myself beneath the shade of
magnificent elm, with my portfolio across my
lap, and penning few hmr,ygrqpks" for the
Era. Ten days has the second squadron been
in the field and on the march and | have
been accompanying it the while, and enjoying
myself prodigiously. Even now, as / sit be-
meath the friendly shade of the old elm, the god
dess of Quietude seems to preside, while mninis.
tering angels fit hither and thither, and whs-
per thoughts of the sublime and the beautiful.
The trembling leaves ioYonslY dance before the
music, whisper praises to the tod of Nature.
The sparkling water in the crystal-clear brook,
although tiny stream, goes bubbling along
and joins in the anthem the birds sit perched
on the cool green boughs, and strain their
throats in trying to outvie each others me.
lodious praise and the butterflies, wbe can
not sing, merily fap their beautifully -colored
wings in assent.
But must leave this strain, inspired by my
peculiar and enchanting surrounding, and deal
with some of the palmer facts of the campaign
thus far. We are now somewhere in the neigh
horhood of a hundred and fifty miles from Fort
Washita, en- route for the Antelope Hills, where
we to establish camp permanent for the
summer, and go on scouts against all hostile
Indians who may feel disposed to Molest Of
in any way interfere with sraigvants travelling
along Lieutenant Beale's Overland Emigrant
Route.
Thus far We have travelled over splendid
country, about equally divided into timber and
prairie The soil is rich, loamy, and gener-
agricultural and pastoral pursuits. There is
scarcely hundred aeEes lying together, but
What San be put under fine state of cultiva-
ton. The poorest section of the whole country
is a billy slip of woodland lying in the neigh
borhood of Tishamingo city, the capital of the
Chickasaw Nation. Those woodland hills are
admirably adapted to the culture of the vine
A very large variety of summer grapes NOW
cover their inviting slopes. Wien We passed
through, this species Of delightful fruit was not
ripe, but, from its great size and general ap-
pearance, it will be luscious when it does ripen.
Large punches of beautiful blue grapes may
then be gathered by the wagon!oad.
Speaking Of wild fruit, l must not neglect to
mention the great abundance Of p,llyws, black
berries, and rsspbefflss, that are this season
70 be found Throughout the country" For the
Hrst sixty miles, the country is very thinly set
lied by Chickasaw and Choctaw farmers. Then
comes few sparsely-ssttled seeeetisna, belonging
e fragments Sf tas ! P .As and shayass
peopIed, save BY bands Of Wild rowing Indians,
who occasionally make a hunting excursion
through here.
The other day, we met fifteen or twenty Cad
does, male and female, all mounted astride on
very small ponies, aud nearly stark naked
their only apparel being leathern breech clout