The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1866-02-16
A TERRIBLE FIGHT.
By GODFREY TURNER.

CatilOfnfa, ID 1908, L had occasion TO
proceed upon business from Stockton to
the mission of San Jose, distance of be
tween eighty and ninety miles. | was In
the saddle bellnes, AS my business was OF
Importance. and had made three or four
miles before Tie first faint streaks of he
coming day 5ecatne visible in the east
The All was cool and baImy, ana laden
with the perfume Of the flowers and her
bage; whilst as the sun arose, the dew
drops giiiered every" here upon the twiys
and gra>s>biad.s like diamonds Tie
deer. as they left their coverts 10 feed
gazed teares>ly on either side of tie trail
A. passed; and every now and then | dis
turhed a hevy of quail, who, after a short
flight dropped in the edge OF the chappa-
rel, or into th- wild oats. The country
was rolling and park like dotted here and
there with live oaks. Of immense SIZE
standing slugiy, or with smaller trees il
! ciumps.
Alter couple of hours ride. Noun,
Gablo became visible in the distance
looming up cloud-ilke in the thin air
whilst, upon my LETT lhe coast range rar
along almost parallel TO my route Grad
usIy the breeze ceased aud the ait became
close aud oppressive, and continued SO uu-
I'll stopped Tor my nsld day halt 30 allow
my borse to feed CnusuaIiy suI;rv as
the day had been, it became still more So,
and SO Silent, that not even The huzzirC
al an insect could be heard, ard HE AN
felt as though IT had been heated in a fur
mace. Stretched on my blankets, | had
uned to smoke my pipe, but even that
lacked It's usual s"oihluy effect. Present.,
"A low NUT 'eiIrg sound WAS audible, whirh
gradually increased; i, was the nloan,np of
the storm wind. which came sweeping
gu>Uis aIohg. rhen care a fl sh of the
most vivid Ilghrni' z ! ever saw, instantly
!. hiIo"ed 10y tremendous peal Of thunder
The s'gnal-gun OF the advancing storm.
which rent The air aud made The earth
trembie. A deep silence, for a brief in
leivai, followed which seemed more terri
bic than the previous up oar; then cane
}, The lurid flashes and he crashing thunde,
not IN low, grunIbIlng tones. BAT in deaf
enlng Pea's; whilst tie wind roared. and
the raiued Descended in sheets of diving
water. or two mortal hours did the
tempest rage, and the Wild winds swept
10y, Whilst covered under n, bIanket.
With bent bead, and back to the ta>t
~ first the thirsty and parched prairie
drank gleedlly up he food OF water pour
Ell upon 1t, but soon it became cotnpie;rI,
: saturated, and could conIain no uiore. au,;
ove'h'"lng wa,ei collected "a ureal pools
My horse, which Ia H fist been ter
'he'I by tie thunder real~ and lightning
h'>hes. had strained upon his pickle, peg
as be plunged, sn',rrIng with terror tu.
hat tailed 10 either break The tunph raw
hide !arlat, or draw The peg; and, satisfied
hat he could GOT get loose had devoted
my attention >"lely to shelerirg myself AS
mach AS possible from The dounpour.
: Upon l"okng around when the storm
had somewhat ahated. what was my con-
sIernaion % hud that my horse, AS soon
as the ground had become ,horuughl,
saturated. had pulled ont the peg, and eft
me On foo: in the paalrle H. " as no use
think OF pursuing my journey Thus, and !
sorrowiuiv prepared 10 retrace the long
miles over winch had ridden IN the
morning Rolling up my saddle, bride.
and tin cup, 10 which bad made my cof-
Tee IN III, saturated blankets, ard hiding
them as we'll AS | could in some stuuteI
shrubs, | followed. in the direction my horse
ha,i started, hoping 10 be able to trail bic.
bI his hout-mai Ks ia Tie Suffered ptouud
aud by the drag of his long lalsl and
picket peg, which ! hoped might enlangIe
themselves around some bush or sapIing,
and thus bring up my runaway to staut-
stIl.
1t was not, however, without great diff.
Guilty that could discern the trail, for the
driving rain had WASHED it out, save here
aid there occasionall, but sill br keeung
the line, | managed now and then to come
upon traces Of the fugitive More inten,
upon the trail than on surrounding objects
bad proceeded four or five miles when |
discovered had become an object of cum
o>iiv 10 iafge herd OF cattle. who we're
closing in upon Inc with no very hieudi,
intentions
bad lived in Texas long enough to
know how hostile prairie cattle alu avs are
to fooimen, though a horseman II ight ride
close TO them urregarded; also knew
how helpless | WAS when opposed to such
a Tremendous aggregation OF brute force
AS the three or iorr hundred wild cattle
possessed. who we're now rushing below
Ing towards me. The herd Of COWS and
steers ard earnings wa- led b, fierce
Old bull, who occasionally stopped to tear
up the earth, and shake his hons; then
again he would advance. the mass crowd
ing together, switching their tails high in
The air. uiering fearful teIlouings. whilst
the, tossed their horns. staring wildly in
ming ed rage ana wonder.
There Uns no time 10 hesitate; had
only just perceived my enemies in time
A herd Of wild cattle rushing furiously a,
a man upon an open PLAIN soon assist bin
IN coming 10 decition. Four or five
hundred yards behind me Was tree which
bad lately passed, and jns' behind thu.