Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1880-07-23

Beware! oh bewarel there IL grief for us Ill;
The fairest Of trees shed their leaves In the fall,
N9r oe:psy Of ase5alnsss ever T ea fa aye
And think Of the fate Of poor Miita Green. = ::
ABINGDON Mass.
CHASED BIT GREAsERs. ii, ii.
eyes, I've had a number Of narrow
escapes during my career" remarked
the Lieutenant, as he puffed lazily at his
cigar, /" and I think my last adventure
may tend to interest you. It was q
pretty tight, squeeze, and at one time I
thought sure / should lose the number
of my mess, but touch and go is a
good pilot, you know, and here I am
to-day, as good as ever. I will give: you
the details, if you care to LISTEN
1t was the occasion of dinner party,
given on board the vessel to which the
Lieutenant was attached. His immedi-
ate friends were on either side OF him,
and it is needless. to- state that the off,
GERS proposition for an after dinner
yarn was eagerly accepted.
"Some Of you remember-it is not so
long ago-whenI received orders to join
the gun-boat fitted out specially to pa
troll the Rio Grande, with view Of pro-
tecting the interests Of our citizens on
the Mexican frontier. ..
never did like the racial of their
characteristics are repugnant to our
broad and enlightened ideas of civiliza-
ton. They are priest-ridden, supersti-
tious, ignorant, bigoted, treacherous,
addicted to gambling, lying and throat
cutting; and, gentleman, I might con-
tnue the list to an indefinite degree
were 1not assured that you thoroughly
understood the characteristics which in
general predominant with the Greasers.
1t was anything but pleasant pad
ding backward and forward in that con-
founded river, with clouds of miasma
rising every morning, heat sufficient to
scorch the boots off your feet, and no
amusement to break up the drear mo-
notony which had become well-mgh in
supportable. One day followed another
with the same dull routine there was
no society, no one to visit, and it was
the earnest wish of all hands that we
might either have q brush with the
yellow-bellies, or else receive orders for
more active and congenial duty. "'.'
"Finally, tempted by the clouds of
wild duck, plover ana other birds infest-
ing the reedy shores and lagoons, I re-
solved to have days sport The op-
portunity was good one, the engineers
having blowed down the boiler for O
general overhaul.
accompanied by young Midship-
man, Harry Murdoch by name, with our
double.barreled guns in the stern.sheets,
We took possession of the dingy, light,
feet-pulling and sailing boat, and at
early daylight showed off from the Som
brero's side.
"The early mists of morning were
slowly rolling up as we pulled in shore.
The current was running swiftly against
us wild detours had to be made to avoid
rocks. sand-bars and shoals which
abounded on every side. Leaving the
river, we proceeded leisurely up tribu
tary, which was entirely new ground to
both of us. The waters, contracted by
the narrow channel, rushed furiously,
casting showers Of spray in the air, COM
polling us to exercise our utmost skill to
avoid the dangers which beset us on all
sides. I was wet, tired and exhausted
with the long, fatiguing pull, and only
too gladly aeceded to nv companiou;s
suggestion to tie the boat up to a tall,
overhanging trunk of a tree, and try
land tacks for while.
GUS like the natives. Wild serge grass
grew in detached masses, with here and
there clump Of Spanish bayonet, and
punches Of coarse rushes. all growing
uxuriously in the wet, soggy ground.
"We had q fine run Of sport, bagging
more game than we could carry, and the
sun was well up before we thought Of
returning to the boat, where we had left
a lunch, put up by the ward-room stew
ard. We had, as well, wandered con-
siderable distance inland, which fact was
forced most disagreeably and forciby up
on me when I ascended a slight emin.
ence to obtain a better view Of the sur
rounding country.
"a party Of most vicious looking
scoundrels, swarthy and bearded like
pirates, mounted upon wiry mustangs,
galloping directly toward us, their arms
and accoutrements' glancing brightly in
the rays Of the morning sun, met my
vision.
"There was no mistaking their er.
rand, and, if the slightest doubt had ex-
listed, it was soon dissipated when the
party urged their steeds into round
gallop, at the same time unslinging the
carbines which were strapped to their
backs. With q ferocious yell they came
swooping down upon us, and I, hastily
summoning Harry to follow in my wake,
struck for the old trunk of the tree
which marked the spot where we had
disembarked. ~'ss' '''
"Clinging to our guns, while game
bags and, contents were tossed aside, we
sought the hardest and dryest ground,
until point was reached, as nearly as
we could judge, that was abreast of the
tree, which was hidden from us by the
tall serge grass. The dry earth was left
behind;. and with q plunge we went
ankle-deep into the mud and ooze, three
miles Of which interviewed between us
and the river. In the rear dozen we'll
armed men were urging their horses
along ct furious gait; and, gentlemen,
If ever I felt scared IL my life it was
when I cast q farive glance over my
There was one point IN our favor
we had the advantage Of q good start,
and. ias the Greasers refined up their
snorting mustangs for . moment on the
| edge Of the marsh. we were steadily
blowing our way. through the nud
| and water, while showers of vile com.
pound flew high above our heads with
every plunge. II We were beyond the
range Of their rifles, they. having tried
their caliber, the balls expanding them.