The Shasta courier., 1862-09-27
SH ASTA COURIER.
The Outlaw and His S.ees.

A famous freebooter in the reign of Queen
Elizabeth infested the Island of Sheppy, and
made frequent predatory incursions into the
interior OF Kent. This daring marauder
Tssss represented by the village cicerone to
have been a nobleman under sentence of
outlawrv, who intrencned himself ina strong
hold which he possessed in the island. where
he deposited all the contributions which his
successful ieyies on the purses Of travellers
had obtained.
By adopting the often practiced rrse of
shoeing his horses feet the contrary way, he
frequently escaped detection ; and even when
hotly pursued, the HeetneSs and sagacity of
the noble animal he rode preserved him
from his enemies, and carried him to place
of security thus the fame of the horse
nearly riyalled that of the rider, whose ex
ploits at last became 50 bold and frequent
that the whole country rose up against him
and finding himself too closely beset in bis
island for extrication. he was compelled to
surrender at discretion. and to implore mer-
cy of Queen Elizabeth, then upon one of her
progresses on board the admral's ship a.
the More. The queen, it is said, not disin-
cined to show favor to q man whose person
al valor, determined perseverance, and fer
tility of resources were interesting, on ac-
count Of the air of romance which charac-
terized his adventures, offered to grant his
life upon terms in keeping with the wild tenor
of his lawless career. The conditions were
that he should swim on horseback three
times round the flag ship; and should he
escape the perils Of suciiy ial, his sentence
of ourawery should X reversed and
general pardon should be'eStended to all his
uffenses.
The Knight of Sheppy agreed to the terms
armeI at all points he bestrode his favorite
companion, whose spirits he inyigorated by
copious draughts of brandy piunging at
once into the ioaming tide, the steed and his
master swan calamity round the destined
ship. The second extraordinary evolution
was performed with equal skill and Lravery.
At the third little more than the heads of
the horse and its rider could be perceived
buffeting with the weltcring waves which
seemed at every instant to threaten entire
annhiation straining each nerve and sinew
to the utmost. the gallant animal ceased not
to struggle with the interminable pillows
weary limbs rested on shore.
The place of landing was wild and desc
late +; "a lofty cliff overhung the narrow beach
and concealed every human habitation from
vicw No friend or relation FASTENED to
meet the successful adventUrer with con-
gratulations on his safety, and no sound
Could be heard save the harsh croak of til e
raven from his eyry, answering the dull
l4urmur of the sweeping waves below !; but |
the moment that the exhausted charger
gained firm footing on his parent earth,
u withered and decrepit hag, whose tangled
elflocks and tattered weeds streaming in the |
wind, i'll concealed the hideous deformty of
her squalid form, started fromsa recumbent, |
attitude, aud raising the sariveled finger |
with which she had traced unhallowed spells |
upon the sand, shrieked out an ill-omened |
prophecy.
- Beware of the horsei" cried the beldame, |
with triumphant, laugh of malice; " al |
though he has now saved your life, he shall
be the cause of your DEATH"
q Thou liest, fend of mischief ~ cried the
superstitious knight; thus falsify thy
dark prediction" and drawing his sword,
he plunged it into the body of the faithful ami
nal who fell dead upon tho beach,"
Several years Of uninterrupted prosperity
passed away; but at length, being accident
ally led to the scene of his most extraordina
ry adventure, he pointed out to friend the
skeleton of the slaughtered Morse, which
b'eached by successive winters, still lay ex.
tended ON the sand repeating the prophecy
Of the witch, he laughed derisively, and
snRing the head with his foot, separated
- - the body by a stroke lie did not
rceive that in the act small sharp bone
h6sl penetrated his buskin the wound was
ihU6nsiderable, and disregarded but be-
coming more serious, it ended in mortif-
cation which speedily carried him to his
grave.