Year: 1866

Riding with some haste, being anxious TO reach


roertain point by the following day, overlook
gentleman travelling the same way, who proved to


be minister Of the gospel on visiting tour
through the State.


The rivers and sloughs were full to oyer1owing


the result of an unusually wet winter and spring


and about sundoWn we came to one which I'VE
natives call a slough, but which to us assumed all
the proportions of a river, There was the remains
of what was once a bridge, now serving no pur.
pose, either ornamental Or useful How were we
to continue our iourney2 We could not 60 round
nor over this obstruction We could see no traces
OF a ford. We did not relish remaining where we
were for the night The distance across was not
so much an obstacle (about one hundred and Rfty
yards, having frequently swan that distance
but the current was very strong, and there were
numerous snegS and drift logs to add to our
troubles, The buffalo gnats and sand flies few
about US in swarms, and were very troublesome.
There was no way for it but to go through, or. at
least, to make the attempt. So l started nv
horse, and before he had gone his length he was
out OF his depth, aud sank with me up to my
breast. He, however, rose again, and swan Inst
lily Tor the opposite shore. I soon saw that the
current was too strong for him, and that stood
good chance to miss my landing on the other
pank and be carried down among the accumulated
logs and snags. l started to return from whence
came, but the reverend gentleman was between
me and the shore, and had turned there would
have been collision, and the worst might have
befailen us. So l urged my horse anew for the
opposite bank andreaehed it insaety but the banl,
was sosteep thatmy horse, in attempting to ascend
broke his saddle;girth, and back we went into the
stream. still retained my seat in the saddle and
it was still fastened to the horse by rope around
his neck. While in this condition, which surely
looked bad enough, l was startled by gurg.ing
sound near at hand, and gancing over my shout
der, 1 saw my reverend friend going under,
10 stretch forth my hand aud grasp the gentleman
by the hair was the work Of q moment Itseems
that, his horse getting wearied with his weight. he
had concluded to slip of and grasp him by his
tail, and thus eject landing but the horse CIV
ing sudden plunge when relieved Of the weirbt
Of the preacher, he lost horse, tail and all, and
was sinking for the third time-being unable to
swim-when thus rescued him. Az soon al he
teltassistance ahand his strength seemed to return
and we, working together, with the assistance Of
my horse, succeeded in obtaining a foothod, when
his horse passing between US and the shore forced
again into the current, where we would have
ended our days had he not grasped his horse by the
name and thus freed me and saved himself Hav-
ing gained the shore and recovered little breath
we assisted each other to land. My friend now
commenced to experience trouble from the uu-
usual quantity Of water he had Swallowed and
laying him on log, had to roll him to enable him
70 discharge his unwelcome burden He was still
very weak, and remembering that had bottle of
Red Jacket Bitters in my saddle bags, produced |
it, and its effects upon him were miraculous. | /
now left him, and went in quest of our horses, |
which had gone astray in the woods. l caught |
them without much difficulty, and on nv |
return was struck with the scene that presented
itself Itwas one long to be remembered Imag-
inc wild, desolate country, in the back ground /
the slough rushing and splurgtng along with wild
fury, all around fallen trees, the only living being
in sight was the minister who, now entirely recoy-
cred, was kneelng in deyout prayer. his hair dis |
ordered his clothes wringing wet, close beside him
the bottle of Red Jacket to which after his escape
from the food, he owed so much, and his face lii. |
orally black with gnats and sand.fes. The scene
IS hard to describe, butl trust have given Won |
some idea of it, ae continued some fifteen minutes
as above, and then, taking another drink, he an |
his readiness for departure ride of |
thlrteen miles brought us to a house where we Or
tanned food and shelter, which we so much needed.


loufs, MORE ANON.