The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-11-21
PERSONAL "REMINISCENCES OF AN
OCTOGENARIAN.
CON TINUED
BY DIR. GIDEON LINCECUM.

the head branch of the Navedad. That
days Journey passed us over the most
delightful prairie country had ever seen.
As we passed over the dividing ridge,
between the two tributaries of the Colorado
and the Navedad and La Vasa there was
vast, gently undnlating plain looking
south, and the branches of the two above
named little rivers, lay spread out before
us, resembling Il pair of enormous fans.
The course of their branches were distinctly
marked by the streaks of timber on their
margins, presenting to our view shade of
darker green engraved in the face of the
boundless plain of grass that slightly dip
ped away guifwards to the far off smoky
obstruction.
The deer were uncommonly plenty that
day; but there was no timber in our course
to creep behind, and we failed in getting
one of them. The young men made the
effort, and they could not make their horses
90 between them and the deer. Those four
young, together with the old saint, during
their whole trip with their choice rifles,
positively did not kill as much meat as any
one of them consumed. We always had
plenty, however; but the old preacher in
his even service-and | always thought
strange of it-thanked an absent somebody
for the venison and other game. When
the sun was getting low, l could see the
boys, who were all the time in plain view,
would make a failure; SO l galloped on
ahead to the little streak of timber, about
a mile before us, and when l came there a
large flock of turkeys flushed up from a
fine pool of clear water where they were
taking their evening drink, preparatory to
flying up to roost; and where, being down
at the waters edge, they were not apprised
of my approach until | was quite near;
They were much frightened, and t1uttering
up in great confusion, they pitched on the
first Tree they came to. | soon secured a
brace of them, and was returning to where
old Ned was grazing around the pool of
water when met the boys, who on hearing
my gun came dashing to where | was; and
when | pointed to where the turkeys were
in the trees, they rushed in and banged
away until dark. They brought in one
good one, but we had enough before.
They were good fat turkeys. We fried
their breasts and had a very comfortable
SUPPER and for the first time in five or six
nights, hung on the kettle, into which we
placed, with plenty of nice grits, all the
good pieces that remained of the three
turkeys, some slips of fat bacon, and, of
course, plenty of cayenne.
Our watering place was the head spring
of the little creek. 1t was an exceedingly
clear nool of wafer 81 or 70 feet in width
and 10 feet deem. 1t contained mauy blue
catfish soma Of them IL inches LONG 7
GOT ont line. and batting the hook with a
nortion of the liver of n turkey. threw il
into tho nool and very soon cauoht one
that would weiob five or six mounds. The
old preacber dressed and sailed it. for a
good fry in the morning.
TT ;s was the most nlentiful nlace 7 have
.,a,. found in ,ny country some hnff:,lo
haar door tnrkevs gronse lack rabbits
fish and dnrinp The Winter and until the
frst of Anvil tho wild oease and MANY
snoc;ss of dnct in countless thousands
Ihay.n,t rho Least donbt after 7 had mad.
mvSelf ,couainted with the WAYS and
bannts of rho came that 7 couid have
nrncnre6 bop6tifnI snnnlv Of meats to
feed twentv man and I World have nsed
Rut needn't to brag about it. Twas
born in the woods, and lived MANY day
on nv HINT with the blow gun before I
was seven wears old. These boys silent in
feather beds
We spent another day travelling over an
exceedingly fine farming country, and turn
ing our course more eastwardly, found our
selves at the edge of the Colorado bottom,
twenty five miles below where La Grange
now stands, and we pitched our camp,
when the sun was an hour high. Half a
mile above us, in the prairie, but in 60 or
20 yards of the timber, was big gang of
deer standing and gazing at Us. They
were trying to make out what kind of folks
we were, and what we were doing.
thought | would give them little lesson
of instruction on the subject; so directed
one of the young men to ride on in
dverglng line that would take him slowly
further from the deer than when he started,
while would slip along on foot inside of
the timber. | was soon upeven with them,
and peeping out from the line of high
weeds and thick bushes, found them all
with their heads up, seeming to be very
much engaged watching the distant horse
man poling along a thousand yards distant
in the prairie. They were not over 60
Yards from me, and standing still, and to
save trouble shot the selected ones head
At this camp, the old preacher asked me,
..Well, Gid, am satisfied with Texas;
how do YOU feel on the subject"
.I,m not satisfied. Uncle Fred, said |.
..It w.s To .xnlore the country that 7 made
NV eynensive outfit- left NV family and
came 50 far and not having COMPLETED
what 7 came for. | am not satisfied: nor
ann I le.ya tho country until 7 explore il
g., onounh r., he ,hIa +, describe its ceog.
n",I,,, aT,d tic mot monument features as
49,, fn;.,r;a,,ltrro, and dr,z;nr country Wa
Lara soon tho Tr;nitv San Jacinto and
pr,zos and Co,or,dn. lint there is a vast
dist,ict southwest that we have not seen,
I Shall NOT he satisfied until | explore that
ro,,ion :,
We'll we have all concluded to 90
ho,,e and Won have heen the contractor.
nnd md from vonr own nurse ali the
a avn r Of tba trim. oct vour hook and let
nc rafnnd tho money for we intend to 90
Tho money was refunded. and for the
.ua mol, horses and camn eoninaoe. we
had , it'll a,,.t;on hnngbt on. of the
la" o,. nsoa1. 80 axa ,nd one Tin hncLat
III An ,rant nrick,w W. shook hands as
,a i as q set of GOOD brothers
unnld have done. and thew left me sitting
on :, loo. HOLDING nv horses, who were
screaming and CRYING like two children to
fnlInu tho comnanv Inst bcvond where I
hnd shot tho deer On the nrevious eveuing
.ho 1;na Of the timber curved to the rioht:
WV 'a +J';e $50 thn comn,nv tnrned
ana ,,'oro ;mmad;atelv ont Of sigbt A.
. INV Wv. honsns haoan,n .l,nost nnmanaoea.
Ill., LIS ny IA ,'ot .,onaad in n,c;fving them
,,nt;, 7 caressinolv hugoed old Ned around
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