Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1872-10-10
BEAR HUNT WITH GENERAL HAMPTON
A "REMINISCENCES.

A AREMINlSCENCE.
It is now more than fifteen years since !
passed through that embarrassing, clothes.
tearing, brain-exciting experience yclept "a
bear hunt; and I am frank to confess that
never felt anxious to 60 on another. Not
that 1 don't like the "bear" in the abstract.
do, but in the concrete! I say it solemnly,
give me the chances of shipwreck, lighted
cigar in powder mill, the rattling volley of
a line of battle, kerosene lamp explosion,
anything in short, that has a reputation for
being dangerous, in preference to four or five
hundred pounds of wild meat that runs riot
without chart or compass, ignores all rules OF
legitimate sport, and requires flask of pow
der. a score of rifle shots, and the salient ar
gument of Bowie-knife, before you can ell
10y the satisfaction of knowing that your
game is so eminently dead as to deserve an
obituary notice. I'll tell you all about it as
a rest from my summer labors. I determined
to devote couple of the autumn months to
a iaunt Westward. did so. Rife in hand,
1 had spent a considerable portion Of the fall
of 1856 on the prairies; had hob-nobbed
with Indians until could give Comanchee
war-whoop like native drank "har-trigger"
liquid lig ghtning with the trappers until they
agreed was entitled to vote, and ahot buffalo
from my mustang until it seemed like murder
to kill any more. In fact, was tired with
sport, and had reached St. Paul on my jour-
ney East, when who should turn up but my
old friend, Jim Kavanaugh, for years after
wards delegate and member of Congress
from the new Western Territories and States,
a born pioneer. The meeting was mutually
cordial, and after exchanging the usual salu-
tatory compliments, our conversation ended in
my agreeing to accompany him on an expedi-
ton down the Mississippi on the following
day. He was going to look after some land
along the river knew all the planters worth
knowing, and could promise an amount of
pleasure that would make me feel as happy
as Adam and Eve before they knew anything
about original sin, so he said. This was GER
tainly change, and it suited me-
Past St. Louis, past Memphis, past all the
pretty islands that have doubtless once been
in state of solution past great bends and
bluffs, against which the Father of Waters
had written the wrinkles of his age; past
great plantations where thousands Of acres,
hecked with the snow of Southern summer,
foretold the wealth that would, in few
months, pour into the Golfers of the successful
cotton planter, until at last we reached Hele-
ma, Arkansas. This was my friends destina-
tion-a quiet, inconsiderable frontier town at
that time, where boats wooded up and mer-
chants landed supplies. Our traps had not
been at the hotel more than an hour, when who
should make his appearance at the hotel but
Col. Wade Hampton-like ourselves, tenn
porary sojourner, he having come up for the
nonce on an errand from his plantation several
miles below. To describe the man is scarcely
necessary, for pen and ink descriptions, as he
has appeared in the character Of the leader OF
the Confederate cavalry in the late uncivil
war, have made his person familiar to almost
every reader Of every newspaper in the coun-
try. At that time, however, he was the plain
Southern planter, perfect type of his class,
and never better exempli6cation of their
hospitable characteristics than when, finding
us to be gentlemen of some culture CD he
pressed US to accompany him on his return
homeward and partake of such pleasure as
his place afforded I remember that, among
other things, he proposed "a bear hum" and
I, fool-like, jumped at the idea like school
boy. But won't anticipate.
Have you ever been on Southern planta-
tion in old times, before the decree was promul-
gated as part Of our modern declaration OF
independence, that a white man is as good as
nigger, and witnessed the working of the
vast social machine? If not, let me tell you
the story in few words. Here are $50 slaves,
the property of one person. We land from the
steamboat soon after they have finished their
respective tasks for the day, and as we pass
through the little village which they constitute
there is not man, woman or child who does
not come rushing from his cabin to bow or
curtesy, "How 'dy, Moss Wade" with all the
enthusiasm of unadulterated affection. The
mansion itself sets back from the river, on
high ground, and as we approach there are a
score or more of hunting dogs, of various
breeds, that gather from their sleeping spots
to give US welcome. The house servants, sta
bic boys, garden and field hands mingle with
the quadrupeds, ard there is wagging Of
tongues and a wagging of tails that unmista-
kably attest the earnestness Of the welcome
that is accorded to "Moss' Wade and he
fren'." Externally the house seems made OF
piazzas and pillars. Internally you night
imagine you were in palace, where art had
brought its contributions of books, pictures
and culpture to make home beautiful.
A nights rest on the downiest Of beds; a
dawn broken by the appearance of body
servant with cup of hot coffee, while we
were yet on our backs, followed by a plate of
fresh oranges and figs, and we were refreshing
ly prepared for dress. A breakfast on game
and the usual luxuries of plantation life, for
which, by the way, an appetite had been pre-
pared by an old-fashioned infusion of "peach
and honey''-what planters house is complete
without it ?-and we were ready to take horses
at the door for our hunt.
We were to 60 some ten or twelve miles
into the cane-brake, and to spend the night.
Three or four negroes, old attendants of the
Colonel in these hunting expeditions, followed
with the dogs and provisions for the trip.
All it was an occasion not to be forgotten !;
and it comes back to me now, albeit nearly a
generation of years have swept by, crowded
by grander incidents of life, as fresh and sharp
cut as if it were picture of yesterday. The
balny air, that gave tone to every nerve and
luxury to every sense the rich low-land
growth, sending forth from jessamine and
magnolia the perfume for which my old wife
used to pay s1.50 bottle, and be satisfied
with third-rate imitation; the stately steps
of our bloodcd horses, as we now and then
broke into gentle canter the coursing of
the dogs, who, free from leash, roamed
through the woods at will, stirring up the
smaller game, and making the neighborhood
musical with their glad notes; the jolly each
nations of the old time servants, who, while
not forgetful of the homage they owed their
master, still enjoyed freedom from restraint
and an equality with him that would have