The Shasta courier., 1864-07-23
A WILD ADVENTURE.
BY CAPT. MAYNE REID.

/, an Euglishman loved Il quadron. Au-
rore was beautiful. We met in Louisiana );
| there she llved-in solitude. they said there
Was negro blo,d in her veins: bur. to my
Saxln eyes, she appeared as lovely and as
fair us amy Caucasian | ever beheld. Ny
love was returued-ardantly-
offered to wed her. but her guardian named
Gayarre. lrvcd her. TOO, and refused to sane
tiun my suit. Then ran away together
| ran intu the wood. where we met an oli ne
gro hun,er. the B,mharra.' who afforded
US his friendly guidance. He had gone away.
| promising to meet us with II b,at on The blr
ders of il lake. We had reached the lake,
and had given The sgnal--a shrill whistle.
Ii was not answered. | waited in dread.
The black might he asleep.
| Far more probable, because night was his
day. and day his night. AT night he was
misunderstanding aud Lusy-by day he WAS
at hnme and slept.
"Oa. heavens! if he should lie asleep, and
not have heard the signal y
Such was ine terrible fancy that rushed
acruSs my br. in.
felt suddenly impeled to repeat the sig
q = Lo igh thou gh', at the time, ifmy con-
ecture We're curfect, there was hut little hope
ne would hear me. 4 negro sleeps lik. a
| torpid bear The report of a gun or rail
way whistle niqne could awaken one. There
was no chance for puny pipe like mine :
the more especially as there was II screaming
concert Of birds. and insects, and wild beasts
Even if.he should hear it, he would hardly
lie able 10 distinguish the whistle FROM.
| Merciful heavens!"
was speaking to my companion when this
| exclamation interrupted me. 1t came from
| my own lips. but with involuntary ute ance.
Ii was called forth by a sound import ofdread
"a sound that uld hear above the shrill
scream ng o the birds, and, hearing. could
interpret 1t was the trumpet like baying of
IL hound
stoud bent and lstening-T heard it again
There was m stalking that note. | had the
ears of the hunter. knew the music we'll
Oh. how unlike to music then 1t fell upon
my ears like cry of vengence-lIke IL knell
| ot death
ught M longer ofreprating the signal;
even if heard, it would too late. | flung
the reed whistle away, as IL useless toy. |
drew Aurors along allen tree. passing her
along behind me; and raising myself erect,
>tood fronting the land.
A.ain the howl broke Quits loul echoes
rolling through the wJuIs-this time near
that every moment expected to see the AMI
anal that had uttered It,
had not long to wait. A hundred yards
IF was IA cane brake. | could perceive Il mo-
tion among the tall reeds Their tops sway
.cain-t each other, rs they were ierked abou
and borne downward. Some living thing
passing through their midst.
The motion reached their verge-the last
canes gave way. and now saw what | had
l,'kel for-'he sppttei body of hound
W ith spring the animal came for,h. paused
i.,r moment in the oprn ground. and then
terng pr 'longel howl, took the scent,
and galiopel forward.
Close upon his heels came second the
waving cane closed behind them. and both
ra forward in the direction of the log
As there was no niger any underwood.
had fall view of their bmlies G oomv as the
place was, ! could see them with sufficient
,lisiinctness to mite their kinl-huge, gaunt
deer hounds. black AMI! tan. No ordinary
hound would run upon human track, as
they were running upon ours. They were
blnod hounds. Gayarre had re-orted TO des-
pprate measures to rrc,ver Aurore.
The m ment | saw these dogs made ready
for the conflict. Their huge size. their broad
heavy jaws anl frrocious looks. t,ld what
savage hrute> they were; and felt satisfied
they would attack me as soon as they came
up.
With this belief drew forth my pistol :;
and. layin. hold Of a branch to steady me,
stoo waiting their approach.
| had not miscalculated. On reaching the
prostrate trunk upon which had taken'nly
position, he scarcely made a pause; but.
iraping upward came running along the log.
lie LAD dropped the scens, and now advan-
ced with eyes glaring evidently meditatng
10 spring upen me.
My position could not have been better had
| spent an hour in choosing it. From the
natnre of .he ground mv assaiant could
either to the right or the left, but COM
PEELED to approach me in ii line straight as
arrow. | had npugl,t tn d. bur hold my wea
pan firm ana properly directed. \ novice
With lire arms could hardly miss such an OBJ
lecr.
NV nerves were strung with anger-a feel
ing oi ntense Indignation was burning in my
b east that rendered me firm as sieel.
was cool from very passi"p. at the thought OF
he NJ huntei, like wolf. and hy rivnll
waited until the muzzle of the hound al
most met that of the pistol. ard then fired.
The dog tpmbed from the log.
| saw the other close upon his heels. l
aim"u tnrouSn the sihoae, anu dSaih pAttSu
the trigger.
The gped weapon did not fail me, Again
| The report was fnllowed hy a plunge.
The hounds were no longer upon the log.
They had fallen right and left int" the lack
W ter below-one dead. the other badly
W undea. The latter could not escape. as
one of bis legs had been struck by bullet,
mud mis- effort, tn swim were hut the throes
| If desperation In a few minutes he must
have gone Il, the bottom but it was nnt his
fate to ,ii br drowning. 1t was predestIned
,at his no Wing nd be brought 10 ter
/ ininatinn in far i tferent manner.
Na,uralis,s have endeayore - explain
| this in a different way. Tner 'y-and such
| Is the Gast-that the no Ing OF a dog bears
| a resemblance to the Voice OF the young ALL
gator. and that the old ones are attracted to-
| war "a the snot where it is heard-the mother