The Portland daily press., 1866-01-23
Chased by Wild Stations

eu MS companions, loaIuWlu, mug, "iAs !,
per, of the train, and who happened to De rld
inp over the grass covered prairie at canter
by the side of the Texan guide, Buxton'
"Histl do you hear themT -IG!fI -
I,oud neiahings and shrill cries OF pain cam
to,the ears of the listeners, accompanied b,
a REGULAR and heavy thud of cavallada, wilt
with passion in this, their rutting season.
TIE very earth on which the guide and com
panions s.ood, although perhaps half dozel
mie, from where the hot blooded, angere'
and fighting beasts were destroying each 9th
er as they flew over the plain, shook unde
them, as If an earthquake was spreading AMI
vibrating in the rock-ribbed globe, and wa
about to open great assures and swallow then
on the instant. 'l-tN s-i-A
srhey are moving this way-for the wa
terp cried Buxton, while shade of anXiet.
overspread his manly, sun bronzed face.
as there danger~ asked Cooper, in low
nervous voice.
danger p faye, there is and we must meet
it. Ifthese mustangs should continue at thell
present course, not only our own but the lives
of the women and children In the trains will
besacrificed. These animals in this season
are more terrible than the same number of ii
gers hungering for human bloodP
eve must if possible, avert all danger from
the women and children. said King, who, ex-
cept the guide, seemed to be the most self-pos-
sessed of the four horesmen. What shall we
do? How proceed? @ H
These Questions were addressed to the
guide, noble specimen of mankind-tall and
erect as an Indian, with the dark piercing
ewes of the eage-eyes that could look square
ly at the sun in its meridian glory without be-
ing dazzled. sEIa ~. 800 II D. n q.
While King was yet speaking, Buxton, the
guide, slid from his horse and scanned the
ground closely. For upward of minute-an
hour it seemed to his companions, he looked
at the ground; and then suddenly returned to
his blooded bay and sprang on his back. ~,
"What shall we do? How proceed~ echo
ed the guide; "our position is dangerous; but
we must lose no time in idle conjectures.-
Tnere is an arroyo within two miles Of the
train--the only one that can now be reached.
II we can cross in season, before the incensed
devils can reach it, and by placing the wagons
around the women and their young ones as a
barricade, we may avert the danger. Hark
hear We the thunder of their hoofs. There
must be a thousand of them! yes, they are
making for the mattesl You, Cooper and
baldwin, ride back to the train-remember
the lives of all that are dear to you may de-
pend on your driving home your rowels into
your horses tanks ID turning their heads to-
ward the arrayo. Cross it without delay
Leave wagon transversely in the crooked
path on this side. /. 1t will interrupt the prog
ress of the beasts. Away"
The men indicated, turned their animals
heads to the eastward, and the next moment
were flying over the prairies as If on the wings
ofthe wind.
eKing," cried Buxton, "a herd of mares
passed this way this morning. They have de-
serted the stations, as is their wont at this
season, and must have crossed the arrayo at
sunrise. The stations are following them,
mad-so mad that they are even now lighting
each other indiscrimin ately-biting and tear
ing each other to pieces. Look at your rifle.
You have cool head, steady hand and
steady eye. We must, fpossible, although the
task is but hopeless, endeavOr to check their
progress. There beasts are lie by captains SO
to speak, whom they instinetively obey
You may remark them readily. They are the
largest, strongest and noblest looking of the
herd. They take the lead. When the herd
appear in sight shoot the one down that shall
indicate, while do like to the other. Do
not stop to see him fall. but turn your ami
mal's head towards the train, and make him
fly. In this 1 will follow your example. Do
not forget to load your weapon as you go. If
we succeed in shooting down the leaders we
shall gain minutes time; and when they
resume their course, If they gain upon us be-
fore we reach the arroyo, your horse must
take the gulch on the fly. 1t is not more than
fifteen or sixteen feet in width. Once on the
other side, we may calculate on safety, If not,
God alone can help, US, as the wind is now
against our firing the grass" 80
II will obey implicitly" replied King, in
quiet tones .sssr LII - e 1..'l II sta-t 8'l5
Hardly had these words been uttered, when
there appeared on a rise in the prairie great
black, moving mass, the vanguard of the infu-
ated beasts, snorting and shrieking, their teeth
meantime swapping with rage. They were
galloping at a tremendous pace, and as Bux-
ton had predicted, in direct line for them. -
"Ha1 we none but ourselves to take care
Of" said the guide with forced calmness, as he
put fresh cap on the nipple of his rifle, 1--WE
could very easily avoid this avalanche of mad
ness, by riding to the northward or southwark,
AMI SO by an oblique course get to the rear
HI! they see us!' he suddenly exclaimed
"What magnificent sightl See, King, see !!
They are in line, and ready like trained cav
airy horses to charge upon us No more fight
ing among themselves nowl They have an
enemy in front! Are you ready? They are
about to plunge upon us! Take that great
sorrel one on the left. I will kill this white
one. What a splendid animal! There is not
snch an other one in Texa5l 1 would not
take thousand dollars for him. Frew
Simultaneously the explosion of the caps
followed by the report OF the rifles, broke up
on the stiffness of the scene.
The next moment the magnificent creature
so enthusiastically spoken of by Buxton,
sprang from the ground with wild, quick cry,
and then fell forward dead before his astonish-
ed followers. The ball had struck the eye OF
the beast and penetrated the brain.
King was equally fortunate. The sorrel was
hit fairly. in the breast and fell almost without
a struggle. $3.50, ~ ~
"Nowp and Buxton wheeled his horse to-
ward the arroyo. ''Re-load as you ride" he
added, as his bay with great strides swept ov-
er the grass at the rate Of almost a mile min
ute. Meantime he was not idle. In few
moments his weapon was reloaded and cap
ped. gt o,... -,
KIM followed his example, but more clum-
silly. he had not been accustomed although
an expert marksman, to replenish his rife
with powder and ball while riding steed that
was urged by its very fear to Guido the tre-
er, he succeeded in accomplishing his object,
and he then laid it traversely before him on
hi, saddle, ready for any emergency.
For several moments the guide and his COM
panion rode on in silence. At length Buxton
cried: di172as a63 ,a--ie93 d aaiss
aAhi do you hear theml They are follow
ing us. They have got new leaders. Do you
see yonder cliff, King? Make for it. The
descent is easy five reach It In time, we
may have an oDportu llty OF seeing wnaI prog
ress the rain has made toward the guich.-
The wagons should be on the other side of il
and the animals, women and children corrall-
ed by this time"
Two or three minutes hard riding brought
them to the brow of the brow of the hill the
guide had indicated. There they slackeded
their pace, and while King looked toward the
great moving mass-the immense army Of
stations that we're still following them, shrek
in, snorting, gnashin, their teeth and driving
them into each others torn tanks, the guide
tured his eyes anx ;ously eastward.s
"Great Heavenp he suddenly exclaimed:
care those people mad? Look, King, the train
has stopped. What does it mean? 1t is i'm
possible to get across the arroyo in time to save
It from attack. fear those poor defenceess
creatures IL it 1t will never another hour
They viii be tramped and torn to piecesl"
The guide swayed to and fro on his saddle
as If irresolute of purpose. The crisis was
near at hand. At length he cried, as he look,
ed at hi companion, whose pale face, usually
- Al E,t1r