The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1870-07-13
A NIGHT ATTACK.

was still young man, scar cely
more than boy, in fact, when left
England to become the partner of my
old schoolmato, Dick Merton, who had
settled down as sheep farmer in
South America. Our joint and ratA-
CIR modest capital was invested in a
league of land near Santa Fe, on tho
Parana, bought "fol song" on ac-
count Of some defect in the title also
in few sheep, having the lathy ap-
pearance, aud almost the speed, of
grey yhounds and lastly, in the mate.
rials Of our house, of which, as we
had ourselves been tho architects,
builders, and clerks Of the work,
we were not little proud. 1t %as
built of SUM- baked bricks, and CON
sisted of one tolerably large room,
with fiat roof and parapct, accessi-
bio from the inside by mcaus of
ladder. Around it at about thirty
yards distance, we had dug a deep dry
ditch, crossed by drawbridge, and
intended as a protection against sur
prise by our enterprising pcishbors,
tho Indians. Tho latter dnsky gen
tlemen had, hitherto, behaved them.
confined their throat.cutting propcu-
sities to certain stray sheep, instead
Of gratifying them at the expense Of
the owners. But ugly tales were still
told of their doings round about us
of white men taken while riding in
sight of home, and tortured; of cat
tie driven Off, and sheep speared in
very wantonness of mischief-which
were not reassu' in ;, and which caused
us to keep a particularly sharp look.
out, especially when, as now, the In.
dian moon (their favorite time of at
Sack) gave light enough TO point the
way to ptunacr, but not to guido the
aim of the defenders.
Dick Merton, changed indeed sinco
the days when his word was law among
select circle of Pail Mall dandies,
lounged up to where I was standing.
His costume was simple in the ex-
treme, and consisted merely of n
sufficiently aged pair of leather un-
mentionables and red flannel shirt
the whole being surmounted and
relieved by very long black beard,
aod very short but equally black
pipe but through rough attire and sur.
roundings, the indc6nable jc ne sais quoi
of gentility was as clearly recogni-
zahle as when he was sowing his rather
extensive crop of wild oats upon home
soil, aud before that memorable Der
by which induced him, after settling
with duns Of every description, to
embark himself and the leavlngs of
his property, and dwell among sheep
aud savages, until he could return
with fresh grist to carry on the civili-
zed mill.
E'Can you sec anything stirring in
the camp !" said he, as he came up.
"These horses are making confound-
ed row in the corral. l saw johnson
the Yankee this morning, and he said
that Indians had crossed the river and
he guessed we'd bottsr keep our wits
we'll lied, that the dnsky varmin
didn't look in when we warn't ready
for visitors"
Now, horses were our surest safe
guard against surprise. Dogs we had
too, but they reused US up so frc-
quently by barking at nothing more
formidable than a stray deer or fox
that-reminded Of the gentleman
whose amusement it was to CRY
"Wolf "---we lost all faith in them ;
but our little half-wild Pampa horses
had truer instinct, and their warn
ings, given by stamping upon the
ground, we're not to be disragarded
with safety. Grt sraa
81 oan make out some objects NOV.
ing about half mile to tho south.
ward" said !, utter long look out on
tho plains.
"They are mounted men by Jove ~
exclaimed my companion "and rid
ing hard this way, too. Stand here
with your rifle, Alfred, while I slip
cartridges into the others, At that
pace they will BE- here directly"
And 80 they were. Almost before
Dick had reached my side again, two
"Gauchos," their usually swarthy
faces livid with fear, sprung from
their horses, which, covered with
uio'u; o"oo', auu toam, SuoWou HoW
cha p had been the ride, aud rushed
over the draw.bridgo. They told us
as soon as terror would allow them,
that three hundfed Indians were 10
hot pursuit, and would soon be on the
spot, and besought us, for tho love OF
the Virgin, to give them shelter, as
t, ride out again into the camp upon
thcir foupdered horses would be Ger.
tain death. |@Afg1-s q 2.'iF If" ,lI
D.ck, rather to my surprise
did not then know what distinguished
liars the natives as rule areA-calnlJ j
lit his pipe, and then ordered our visi.
tors, in a somewhat doubtful Spanish
idiom, to "make themselves scarce .
"Unless." he said, politely, "you
-. car. Z sll a. :, ,s.a ). t-3i- -,