The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1880-07-01
CAUGHT IN A QUICKSAND.

o.1,c,,, =, or,,c,,.
Ghp6dI LIN d QUlCkNANU.
1t Is now quite number of years
since two old hunters, Buck Strading
and Tom Shuttle we're hunting with me
In the western part of Texas, Just south
of the famous FL Cano Estacado. We
had gone into the interior more for sport
than anything else, caring very little
whether we secured more game than an
swered for our immediate wants or not.
Penetrating stiH further and further
toward the Mexican dominion, we fnal-
ly struck barren, parched country, up
on which we entered with some hesita-
ton
This looks as though we shant find
any water, / remarked, as we reined up
our horses and took survey of the arid
plain.
Does look rather skeery," replied
Stradhng, taking his short, black pipe
from his mouth, !" but guess well try
it It'll make q sort of variety to this
eternal tramping."
TosIa5 "---'' W. NO u' "t'-'o-s !. '-e'- -
a
Wny, you see, there Is water iouf OF
nye mlies pack OF us SO we can go
aheaa lof q oay, and, we cant nnd
anytnihg why, we can turn round and
make pack tracks. I'LL go rather tough,
pus II won t'nrrt us. MY idea, contln-
neo Ine trapper, growing pn1losopnlcai,
Us, tnat we never Know what water Is
q III WeVe gone TWO OF tnree DAYS WHOM
II, JUST as t1e oniy way 10 get good,
sounq, IeIresnng sleep Is 10 SUI up Ior
couple OF Q1GQbS.
20 II was concludsa .9 lnaS We shouia
venture upon TINS I,nknoWn oanara anu,
giving rem 70 our norses, we struck on
upon H3, an easy ganop,
We %" mourning el pui.alo OF oeer, ana
more IMAM once 1 quesnoned tne pIu-
oence OF tne seep, put, as we were ectu-
ated somewhat py cur1oslty, sald noth-i
ing, ana we pressed FORWARD
Ms nae an apslnuance ol oIleo meat,
WI, mIiicii, ' no uoll1' m1snu eS4i n1o1 US an ele
uine Necessary A.sa Now anu lnen we
causns III, " al ..aseiope, pGe y 1ney
NJ, ~ isoaa al, ibaro nv aSpDd ~ sn don -
o.-e. - Z "
oun guns
AS we were riding along, and had
come to the conclusion that It would be
impossible to secure any game, I was
sure discerned pair of antlers beyond
a swell in the prairie, and declared as
much to my companions, but they only
laughed at me, and told me to give up
the foolish thought. / was certain, how
ever, that had really seen the animal,
and, as there was chance to secure
something palatable for supper, I as
sured them that / would do so. They told
me to go ahead, while they refined their
,;,,,ai1 dxr,, t<, a ,,o IL o, a ,,,,,.v,, al 4l,ss
way more leisurely.
/ may here remark that hunters often
separate for an entire day, first agreeing
upon the guides by which they shall
meet again, and had no hesitation In
doing the same. My horse was fresh,
and snuffed the air as though anxious to
stretch his limbs; SO, without useless
he6itat1on, waved them playful good
by, and started away.
I aimed directly toward the spot where
I had discovered the object; I Judged il
to be q half-mile distant, but when /
reached the place, itproyed to be double
that distance, an illusion which often
misleads hunters and travellers.
A singularly- formed ridge crossed the
plain from east to west A. thicket Of
cactus grew upon its summit, and toward
the thicket I directed my course I dis
mounted before ascending the hill, and,
cautiously leading my horse among the
cactus bushes, tied him to one of the
limbs. tled nun with siignt security,
for the noble Deast dlo not need any
tni1e more. llis oohe, ! steaitniy
made my way through the pushes to-
ward the point wnere l was sure l nad
seen @ lne game. .:...s.,....... =.
"naS ,.os - agtaIa1,a = I,,4 ~ baIsa5ogs, ~
sroz;,,e, - ~. - havondI fh;s wss s,,,r,;ss
ss ~ ~ - - a,,sa. tr
~ nlui9 LIZ q, u:ll'Al o..c .o'
"Hne We nau SCI siiis eoeloh "a u.e
country down as a barren waste, nere
was pr,sns-Gt0cse evidence OF gu. niis- r
take. Where tnere was VegetaSlon' l
argued, tnere must pc water. 900
- However. lne saneeiopes we're -1,ooo
sIona % There Was not the s1iobtest COW
erino To nrotect an annroach7 and / be-
oan 3o debate with novsalf 1,1,on the best
co1,rse ,1-y 70 1o,Irs,,a Sbo,1ld I imitate the
coll of one "a their 1,,1Tobar in distress ?
Tharo 1vos sor, tb;ner 40 inbuman in that
that r revoltad At the tbonoht. and took
the the consolat;on - that I no tr1e hunter
would dascand tn s15,rI, meanness. Should
lie INV RED. bandIerchief ,1pon INV ram
rod and take advantaoe of their curios-
Ny3 Tbev were too sRv
Al an 3dee str,1ct me Mveve sud-
-.
denly rested upon Diulsn nne running
across the Pra1le, beyond wnere 1ne am AM