The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1894-12-21

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lowed. alternately rushing forward
and firing into them and as swiftly re-
turning and scattering in all directions
The progress Of the cavalry under
these circumstances was necessarily
slow. During the last two days they
had advanced only eight or nine miles
Some twenty miles still lay before
them.
The situation Of the troops was now
aggravated by the giving out of their
rations. To be sure they could eat
horsefesh, and they had plenty of it.
There was now an additional motive
for killing the ponies; they required
their flesh for food, and borsefesh will
probably sustain life as we'll as veni-
son. There is sentiment in mems
minds, however, which makes the nee
essity of resorting to such diet any
thing bit agreeable. Soldiers become
accustomed to hard alternatives, and
these five hundred cavalrymen, when
the pangs of hunger became excessive,
brought themselves to partake OF the
Objectionable sustenance without
much difficulty, all but one. Young
Lieut.. Williamson, whom have men
toned as having accompanied his ia
Their, Col. Williamson, upon his raid,
was unaccustomed to rough service.
He had seen only the easy side of
soldiers life. He was, perhaps,
something Of what they call, in
far west parlance, tenderfoot. At
least he had tender stomach. He
could not eat pony meat. When the
troops stopped to prepare their food,
and, cutting strips of flesh from the
ponies they had slaughtered, broiled
them over the fires and ate them with
more or less relish, he could not join
them. He could not even look on and
witness the proceeding. The sight of
the dreadful provender-even the
thought of twas horribly offensive
to his sensibilities. His sympathizing
companions did everything they could
to overcome his sentimental scruples.
They cut trim and slightly outlets and
broiled them until they were crisp and
brown, but 1t was no use. He could
not eat them. The consequence was
he went unfed. There was not scrap
of venison or dried beef or biscuit or
anything bnt pony meat to be had.
To 90 without food in any season is
bad enough, but with the temperature
at forty degrees below zero it is more OF
question of freezing than of starving.
The lieutenant was obliged to heat
himself continually and to get others
to heat his limbs to keep his blood in
circulation. Col Williamson became
alarmed for his sons life, and he
begged him to eat the food, but all in
vain.
On the third day after the rations
gave out the colonel and Capt. Phil
Parker, who, as have already said,
was man of devices, were riding to-
gether, when the colonel asked the
captain il he could not think of some
way to overcome his sons sentimental
feeling, and, after bordering awhile,
the captain replied that he would see
what he could do.
He had hit upon plan, and the next
tune they stopped to prepare their
food he proceeded to carry it out. CUT
ting from one Of the slaughtered ponies
a strip of meat similar to the strips OF
jerked antelope meat which had
formed part OF their rations when
they started on this trip, he heated it
slowly before the fire, to give 1t a
dried appearance, and then put 1t into
his haversack, where in little while
Il was frozen stiff. Afterward as they
rode along, letting one of the men into
his scheme, he told him to tell the
lieutenant, as the greatest OF favors
and under the strictest injunction OF
secrecy as to who was his informant,
that Capt Phil couldn't eat pony meat
any more than he could, and that he
had antelope meat in his haversack.
1t was not many minutes after this
was done before the young lieutenant
drew alongside of the captain, who
had purposely drawn his horse little
apart from the others. and told him
what he had learned, begging him for
Gods sake to give him piece of the
antelope meat.
81 haven't got any," said the cap
tain, emphatically.
Eyes you have" insisted the starv-
ing youth.
II tell you have not. How could 1
have any when the rations gave out
days ago?"
Now, look here, Capt Phil, one of
the men told me that he saw you get
some antelope meat out of your haver-
sool. and that Won couldn't eat horse
meat any more than l can"
"Who told your"
81 swore wouldn't tell"
"If | knew the man I'd kill him.
Now. look hers. have a small strip
of antelope meat, but l shall need it
=, 40 l,afora w caf ont