The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-01-23
Personal "REMINISCENCES OF AN
OCTOGENARIAN.

BY THE LATE DIR. GIDEON LINCECUM.
From The american Sportsman.
Ned, poor fellow, had just commenced
grazing, for he was not two steps from
where l had left him when l fell asleep
three hours before. Iexam:ne his back
and found it all right; he, however, was
pleased at my rubbing it. 1t was good
place for him, and as it would consume the
remainder of the day for him to get his
satisfaction, determined to make a little
excursion in the direction I should travel
the next day.
After passing the little hedge of bushes
that fringed the brow Of the declivity, 1
could see from my still elevated position a
vast district of the far-reacbing plain be
low. Right ahead, not exceeding a mile
below, and lying across the direction 1
intended to extend my evening walk, was
a large drove Of buffalo. They were graz
ing and moving eastwardly. This circum-
stance changed my programme. did not
want to stir up the quiet, feeding multi
tude, and have them bounding and snort
ing over the hills and valleys to attract the
attention of any band of hunting Indians
who might be skulking in that vicinity. l
had just escaped from three days en-
thrallment and detention from my own
carelessness, and it had made me more
thoughtful and watchful. To avoid being
seen by the buffalo, turned and descended
the rough declivity in a southwesterly d.
rection and went down behind the quietly
grazing herd. 1t was too late to 60 far, but
far enough to reach the valley where flowed
a creek of dashing clear water. Saw flock
of deer and jack rabbit. Thought about
taking sample of one of the deer; but
recolecting that where my camp was there
was no wood to make fire to dress it, and
that had OH hand one of the tongues that
dear -" Nilpe' had prepared for me, l told
the deer to take care of itself till we met
again.
1t was lovely country for a hunting
ground, and under more favorable circum-
stances 1 should perhaps have fingered two
or three days in that vicinity. The engrav-
ings on the stone leaves of the geological
book were unusually interesting. The bot
tom of the creek was paved with slate, the
laminR of which dipped perhaps co. to the
eastward, down the creek, and in the fis-
sures between the upturned edges of the
slate plates was fine sand, amongst which
l found numerous particles of gold. To
the eye of the mineralist the rocks, the
clay, the slate, in that immediate district,
all bear unmistakable indications of pretty
heavy auriferous deposit. | had no means
of ascertaining what the name of the creek
was then; but l think it will be found by
some industrious miner on one of the source
branches of what is now known as the
Concho river tributary of the Colorado
of Texas.
l returned, after discovering a pretty fair
pass way down the decivity for my descent
the next morning, to my camp about dark,
where found Ned standing near my sad
die; he laughed, and looked like he had
been sleeping. With 4 lineup of water l
supped on part of my remaining buffalo
tongue. took to my pallet early, for the
three hours nap had taken in the fore
part of the a,fteru con had not compensated
for the loss of the Two previous nights sleep.
Ned rested the greater part of the night.
We were on our journey early, and made
a wide gap between the morning and even
ing of that bright day. Saw much game,
a gang of wolves, few antelopes, and
many hares-all muley rabbits; crossed one
little dog town; saw several rattlesnakes
owls. The dogs had discovered me in the
distance, and, with two or three exceptions,
had gone into their holes. From the pile
of pebble and sand that is brought out last
from these burrows l am inclined to think
that these little hare-lippcd, grass eating
animals-they are no dog-extend their
holes to the water. On top of the little
mound of earth that is thrown out from
them is always found water worn pebbles
and white sand.
Knowing that it is a very rare thing for
as large a herd of buffalo as l saw the
previous evening to have no Indians han
kering after them, my watchful develop
ments had been excited to extreme vigilance
all day. | had swept the far-off scenery
with my telescope eyes behind and in
advance. to the right and to the left, and
noted everything that moved in the vast
area, which was only bounded by the bend
=.
gangs of deer were constantly visible in
many directions all day; some wild horses
securing the plains occasionally; f1ocks of
prairie hens would be seen running swiftly
from my path. Far away in the distance
and right ahead doomed up black streak
which knew TO be timber. 1t was getting
late in the afternoon, but that black streak
must be reached or We would get no watr
The evening was pleasant, my course was
E. S. E., and the sweet south wiud-the
genuine sea breeze-was sweeping diagon-
ally across my path, moving the yielding
grass in rolling waves like the sea. We
reached tho timber an hour after dark,
found water and camped.
Not having stopped to noon, but travelled
all day, myself and horse were both tired.
Whilst | ate my piece Of buffalo tongue
with my cup of water, Ned stood where
he stopped, and it was some time after 1
had made my pallet before he moved; he
had travelled at least forty miles.
l began to feel that my escape was a
success, and the strain on my vigilance
was relaxing considerably. Set out early
next morning, soon crossed a big creek,
saw much quiet moving game, and about
l. o'clock came to beautiful stream of