Jeffersonian Republican. (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, March 08, 1849, Image 1

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STROUDSBURG, MONROE COUNTY, PA., THURSDAY, MARCH 8,, 1849.
No. 33.
VOL 9.
vMI EX iV I H - IBI W IU IH-: -:;' BtB Mr " U. ! r IM AM. i IB )
MMKm JMiflOlPl
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' t1 -i.' nCA) " " The whole art op Government consists in the Art f being honest. Jefferson. -. - - i , j. , . v ,
PublisUc11 by Theodore Sclaoc.li.
flVnnfic Tw o dollars
TEBMS-Tra-"-ry bVifore lhe endqf
a,,a a w""- iv ' ,i0iiars
S-Ttii dollars and a half. Those who l ecwvc innr
I the
..rriPr or staee -drivers employed by Hie piopne-
papers u j 37 j. cents, per year, extra.
ilSrteTSree ideks'for one dollar, and twenty-live
i -? i-Mrt-subSaentinsertion.The charge for. one and
fe f ISm w2SS A liberal discount mode to yearly
LfC-fl5: a,-a f thn K.litor must be post-paid.
JCK;rs uui;agc" w . 1
JOB PMWTliVO.
of larcc. elecant, plain andorna-
lHaT'nfienIdl Tvpe, we are prepared to execute eveiy
ft-'??
T : t n .n T.". tn-
til 5 . ir - . .
JUSTICES, LEGAL AND OTHER
BLANKS,
PAMPHLETS, &'c. ' !
Tnated with neatness -and dcspatch.oh reasonable terms
AT THE OFFICE OF THE
Jcffcrsonian Kepublicau.
From the Dcmocdlic Revieio.
CAPTAIS DAN HEIVZSIE:
His AdTcntiire witEi Hie 'Wolves.
Every body remember the famous escape of
Vt. Dan tlenrie at Encarnacion. This reck-
ISS"IIU lulling iuiij;ii uu jvv.w.j ....w 0..
I ... niiniloi- rf nnrilniic nnrl sincillnr aHvfn
s wiw k r r .
rps than any other man of the same age in tne
Lvlcethough one of the most light-healed mor-
I - . l tr f '-i rrv- enn ovor cmiloil nnnn VAf
jig a Lill uitaa miaua ui iiiiu nix ivv
I I - ...n1n(n l.nnnl C natllnrr inln t li O mnCl
desperate scrapes on evety possible occasion, and
i.ien. of course, he fiahts his way out again with
he most dashing gallantry.
Mark vou, Dan never got into scrapes witn his
nwn people; he was far too kindly and generous
fer bellies," and " copper heads," as he called the
Mexicans and Indians, which was relreshingiy
Lrihodox. His hatred of the Mexicans was atnus-
Sr.n'.y bitter and contemptuous while you listened
EoVim tlk of them : but when this hatred came
) be expressed inaction, it was of the most savage
md deadly character. At Lncarnacion, when the
land saw themselves surrounded by the
Law imsses of Minon's cavalry, the proposition,
f'i. we believe, originated with
Uassius ftl.
.av, was made lo stand to their arms and fight j
ioiu witn tne Mexicans io uie ia:i onv,
f the disparity of numbers. Lieutenant Danj
ho was then guide, seconded this proposition
family, and went about among the men, urging
je.u " to stand up to the racK, ' as he called it,
p-resRniinrr that thev could houe for nothing, but
iaJ faith resulting in cold-blooded massacre, if
Lev surrendered to the Mexicars. He reminded
Le:n of Goliad, and the Mier surrender, and of his
lown experience in the last case. After showing,
bins own satisfaction, that the resolution or ngni
pl their way through was the only possible chance
isa.etyor honorable death leu them, he con-
ic.jje J. with tne characteristic pisue ui samuc au-
ce, "shoot low,' boys shoot them through their
liies, so that their groans will lnghten their
nmraJes one groaner is worth half a dozen
L.nnies !"
ll;s perfect knowledge of the Mexican charac
, as well as his mortal hatred of them, was ful-'
dlsolaved in his advice. Dan knew perfectly i
m fhorl .,,M i.o nr Minn fnr him. for he had !
ealy been recognized as one of the Mier men
"imv- "V. w wv.. I
fncoo h rpmpmherfiri
jV?.;Uie surrender, tnereiore, piacea umi in
... . ' . r 1 i l:
fpenn to fa r ro Arrx m nnt
He knew, perfectly, that
whatever faith he might keep with other prisoners,
Taey would keep none with him, although his safe-
escape
Us wortli -while to give it in his own version.
tne Mexicans haye a mortal natreo oi me iuier
prisoners, one and all but most particularly do
'iey detest those of them who rose at. the Salado
and escaped from Perote. Dan' had, unfortunate
J, not only been prominent in both these affairs,
but from the fact of speaking the language as well
as a native, he had always acted as interpreter,
and thus been put forward more conspicuously
'-'lan any one of the other prisoners. Besides this,
he had made himself notorious, too, as a ranger.
Ml these causes combined to make his recognition
general and sure at almost any point on the whole
aute to Mexico; and even if it had not occurred
mediately, there was no telling at what moment
"might occur, and of course, when his body might
made the target of their cowardly hate.
He saw those men who. had recognized him
whispering among themselves, and from his
knowledge of the Mexican character, felt sure that
w soon as the commanding officers had retired
aid loft them in charge of the guard, he would be
ot fmm the lanks. It fortunately occurred, that
Wienihev had started. Minon and his staff were
moving in the same direction down the lines of
' Mexican force. Col. Gaines rode a very
swiftand beautiful mare. - Dan hfde up to his
N"'eand whispered lo him the discoveries he Jiad
' ade, his fears, and his determination. Gaines
' once, with a generous promptness proposed that
thp attemot unon.
!:s her high-blooded mettle would distance any
Mexican iwrcp wh prisn. This was nreciselv
PliatDan PirH. and he eaeerLv acceoled the
:er. The officers had not yet been deprived oi
.. - o . : . , c
'the saddle. The mare was very spirited and
5'(,rv, and Dan slilv roused up all her mettle by
'aching her with the spur... She; began Jo, pitch
: lfl plunge, and throw out her hejels. This com
,ea me escort or rather, guar.d wni.cn rone on
1 'her side of the prisoners to open their line dc
Cji8ionallv. Dan kept i.t tip some minuttesf-so as
l,) remove all suspicionnandwatche.d!jiisf.cha'nce,
lie saw Hip nnan wptp OPirinninix io aci
reless, and regard those unruly capers, rather
with amusement than otherwise. Then seeing" his
way open as they moved slowly through the squad
rons of green-coated cavalry, he suddenly reined
up the mare in the midst of her capricolings, and
plunging the spurs into her, she darted off'like, an
arrow from the bow, while he stooped, laying him
self close along her side, after Ihe manner of the
Camanche Indians a shower of balls was fired
after him hurriedly, but without effect, as they all
passed over him. The plain to the foot of the
mountains was very narrow just here; and he had,
observed, before he made break, that they were
opposite a road which came down a narrow val
ley, lie made for this gap, running the gauntlets
between several squadrons of cavalry, before he
reached its shelter. Just as he was diving- into.
it, lie whirled in his saddle, and amidst the whist
ling of balls, shook his clenched hand at them,
and shouted back his defiance. This sudden es
cape caused great uproar and confusion among
the Mexicans, and several hundred men started at
full speed in the pursuit; but the gallant mare
soon left them all far enough behind, and she clat
tered with sparkling hoofs along the deep ravine.
Before the first two miles had been passed, they
were out. of sight in the rear. The valley road,
which he had taken at hap-hazard, without the
slightest idea of where it led, now opened on a
small plain of table land, which was occupied by
a hacienda of considerable extent As he swept
by in fioht of the buildings, he saw a number of
gieen coats hastily mounting their horses and in
another moment heard the clatter of their pursuit
coming down the road. He looked over his shoul
der and saw that it was probably a foraging party
of about ten lancers. The first agony was over now,
and he felt sure of the game and speed of his mare;
and with his usual audacity he determined to give
the "yaller bellies" something to remember him
by before he took his final leave. He accordingly
reined up his mare gradually, and let them gain
upon him. They thought she was failing, and
raised a yell of triumph as they urged their horses
to yet greater exertions. He looked behind again,
and the officer, with one of his men, was now con
siderably in the advance, and closing rapidly upon
him. He loosened a pistol from the holster.
The officer was foremost, and was already shout
ing to him With many " garacoes," to surrender,
when he wheeled suddendenly in his saddle and
shot him dead. The lancer who was close behind,
and ,coraing on at furious speed, attempting in vain
to rein up his horse, but it was too late he was
carried by the impetus ot his speed wunin ten ieei
of Dan, who hd by this time drawn his other
pistol, with which he. shot him through the head,
ar,a then galloped leisurely along, feeling sure that
thii remainder ol his Dursuers would qe stopped
effectually by this bloody barricade he had left
their their nath. He was not mistaken, for
thev halted there and this was the last he saw of
iheir green coats.
All that daylong he kept the nooie oeast in
swift motion, since at every little rancho or village
he came to, it would he necessary ior urn lugiwve
to make a desuerate run for it, before a suit could
be -organized. The roads were filled too, with
scouting parties of the enemy, and it required
all his knowledge of the sort of tactic to enable
him to dodge them. He several times very nar
rowly avoided rushing headlong into the very
midst of these advancing parties. The Mexicans
are usually very noisy troops, and he would hear
them talking on the march in time to aoage io
one side and let them pass, ior he had no
lor he had no ;ancy
to trv the hacienda trick over again with empty
pistols, since he had nothing to load them with
again. He finally threw them away as so much
4 make weiffht." that was useless to him and em-
harrassinrr to his mare, bo he hurried on, not oar-
O . . ... . t
ino- to nause a moment to rest or obtain food, until
the next day, when, in a deep wild gorge among
- ril i
the mountains, his game and gallant mare leu oe-
neath him dead I The ravenous and filthy gapa-
lates, (turkey-buzzards,) were gouging at ner lawn
wiM find remarkable adventure. He vvas totally
without food except what little he could gather
during the day while he was sKuining, ior no on
ly ventured to travel at night now. This was
scarcely enough to keep body and soul together,
while his clothes soon became to. pieces, and hung
about his bleeding limbs like broad and tattered
ribbons. He, however, still continued making his
way steadfastly in the direction of Gen. Wools
camp. At last, some of the scouts picked the poor
fellow up when almost speechless with thirst and
hunger :-he was yet feebly reeling along like a
ghostly and haggard drunkard.
This affair verv nrooerlv eot him his promotion
to the captaincy. But strange, perilous, and even
wonderful as this escape seems, it is only one of
many others quite as remarkable, by which his
most eventful life has been checquered. In the
Tpvan war with the Cherokees, which was a very
bloody busings while it lasted, he passed through
scenes as bad, if not worse than this. Then his
adventures as a ranger are very remarkable, for of
many of these I am myself personally cognizant;
and of "his cruel sufferings. and headlong daring
during the Meir imprisonment, all the country has
been,to a certain degree made aware since the
publication of Gen. Green's book. He, by the
way, wae too much of a pompous egotist to do full
credit to Dan, or any body else except Gen.
Green ! ,
It is one, of Pan's curious adventures while a
ranger, thai I propose to relate now. I shall en
deavor to give it as nearly a3 I can remember, in
his own way, as he related it to me ; though I
must confess, it will be very difficult, if not impos
sible, to preserve the raciness of his rattle-pate
and peculiar manner. It was before he joined, the
Mier expedition, and .while yet with the rangers
under the command .of McCollough. ,
v Dan whose excellence as a guide was well
known' to the captain, was despatched by him
along' with three others, of the troop, on a spring
expedition. 'towards the head waters of the Nue
ces.This was inthe earlyvvinter of the yearne
fore the Mier expedition, and the Mexicans were
in many ways annoying and threatening the weak
settlements along that river. TKis state of things
had encouraged the Indians, as well to make very
bold descents. McCollough, had on his first arri
val given them both a severe lesson, upon' which
the marauders had taken the hint', and nothing fur
ther had been heard from either party for several
months, t Unwilling that his men should lie in
camps at such, a place as Corpus. Christi, with
nothing to do but drink and carouse, the prudent
captain of rangers had thought best to despatch all
the most restless spirits on tpurs of observation in
various quarters. Besides, the aspect of affairs in
that part of Texas generally; had begun to seem
rather forlorn, and seemed to call for unremitting
vigilance. ' " , ,
Dan and his companion had reached the'Aiot of
the mountains in which the western branch of the
Nueces takes its rise, without meeting with any
other sort of incident than those which are com
mon to prairie travel. Here they formed, their
camp, and as they had yet disco ved no ..signs of
Indians, it was concluded that they would taKe
each his own course the next day, and after trav
elling as much ground as possible, return to camp
and report, and if it should then appear that no
sign had been discovered by any of them ; it was
agreed they would spend several days in a regu
lar buffalo hunting frolic, as these animals seemed
to. abound greatly in this region. Accordingly
they were under way quite early, each man fol
lowing the bent of his own humor and fancy for
the time. Dan had been travelling in a leisurely
sort of way until rioon, when he came upon a
scene of such remarkable beauty that he involun
tarily stopped to gaze upon.it. He had scarce
ly without observing followed up the west branch
of the. Nueces, until he now found himself at the
very head spring. In front of him a bold and bro
ken mountain stood. out somewhat from the chain,
at the foot of which he had been riding all the morn
ing. The front of this mountain was almost asquare
perpendicular rock, and looked as if it had been
cleft from crest to foot by a bolt of thunder, and
hurled from out the ranks of its peers. 1 he huge
masses of stone with which it seemed built were
seamed with a sort of excentric regularity, and
evergreens were rooted along these seams. As
the eye descended these masses became more bro
ken, and assumed a fantastic resemblance to the
lines and forms of Gothic architecture in decay
while from the prarie level sprung a broken arch,
one side of which was perfect in outline, and the
other concealed by the overhanging masses ot
evergreen shrubs. At a distance this seemed the
arched gateway of some huge cavern, but when
he approached it, he found that the rock slanted
in at just sufficient angle to give it, at a distance,
the appearance of shadow. Istead of an enormous
cavern, it wTas proved to be only a recess or slant
ing niche, some twenty feet deep at the bottom
from the back part of which, a bold spring burst
a little above the level ol the prairie and rusneo
down and out from the shadow, rejoicing over the
white sand, until it sparkled in the chequered sun
light beneath the overhanging evergreens outside
then it coursed away toward the chain of moun
tains and wound about their feet. All off to the
left, and beyond this remarkable mountain seemed
an interminable stretch of rolling prairies, over
which, amidst clumps of cactus, were scattered
hprds nf rlppr. mustanas and buffalo, in view at
once.
Dan has "not much poetry in him, but he could
not helD being both astonished and enchanted by
the strange: wild loveliness of this scene. He slid
from his saddle and stood leaning" against it for
only a moment or two of wrapt contemplation,
when the habitual instincts oi watcniuines penu
liar to the ranger, caused him lo change his post
linn, and turn his head. As he did so he per
ceived one of the droves of mustangs (wild horses)
moving slowly toward him. They were a long
way orf, and there appeared nothing peculiar about
. . i i . I A. I 1 A
lnern uut it served to remind mm inai ue uau a
short time before seen the tracks of unshod, horses
and mule3 moving at a gallop, or that though they
mmht hp. nnthino- more than mustangs, yet the sim-
nlp. fact of their going at a gollop, was in itself
suspicious of another fact or so either that they
were the tracks, of Indian horses and mules, or of
mustangs that had been chased or otherwise fright
ened by them so that whatever of enchantment
there may have been for him in the scene, it now
gave place quickly to caution, and his head turned
rapidly from side to side, with the habitual man
ner of the old spy. His eye now and then fell
upon the advancing drove, but not with any con
sciously defined suspicion. At length they dis
appeared slowly down a long valley, like the sway
of the prairie undulations, and were out of sight
so long that he had quite forgotten them, when sud
denly they appeared again this side, moving di
rectly toward him at a swift gallop. He bound
ed into his saddle as quick as thought, supposing
that, may be one oi two Indians who were mus
tang hunting had lain in wait for this herd, in the
deep grass of that prairie valley, and Were rtow
chasing, them with the lasso. He urged his. .horse
behind one of the many clumps ot cactus around
him, with the intention of laying in wait to give
these dusky wild horse hunters a trial for their
scalps as they went past him.
As he changed his position, the figures which
were approaching became more distinctly de
fined against ihe back-ground of sky, for they
were descending toward him 1 He saw what
sent his heart into his throat ! that ach animal
had an Indian slung along it's side, by one
hand and foot, holding to either horn of the sad
dle ! This is a common trick of theirs in ap
proaching an enemy by day light, on the prai
ries, and it is difficult of detection-at a, distance,
by the most experienced eye, as ihey ride close
togeiher, and no part of ihe body is shown a
bove the outline of ihe horse. Dan was ofT in
a twinkling'! ' The tables were very suddenly
uijned, for inslead of taking a.wpalp or ivy o
himself, as he had expected ,u woum now ,
. .1... I . I.,. If. .om Hi AAVt HIS
own., ii
i .
was well that he could iruM hi horse, for they
th
had got ao close to him thai his escape at
ull
must be a mailer of sheer, speed he must run
away from ihem or bri run through by therri.
"To bo or not to be" was trie question now
wiih poor Dan, while he desperately urged
his good horse with quirt and spur. So soon
as they saw him siart ihe rascals had wheeled j
up into their saddles again, and yelled tneir
warwhoop like exulting devils. i nis was a
sound which, though it came to his ear some
what softened by the distance, was by no means
calculated to diminish xhe energy or urgency
of .ihe calls uponf'the speed of his horse' which
were made by Dan. He glanced lurtively over
his shoulder and saw ihat they were spreading
out into the prairie with ihe intention of hem
ming him in against the mountains. He in
siantly perceived that his only chance was a
desperate run for an elbow of the chain, which,
if he could reach and turn first, he thought
would secure his scalp for the present, as around
t ihe siream became heavily timbered, and he
knew they would not follow him into it for fear
they might come upon his friends. It was a
remendous race, for the Indians knew the ad-
vantage as well as he and Dan vows mat nis
long curly heir began to straighten' and lift his
cap on is ends before' he reached the point,
they pushed him so close and hard. By the
skin of his teeth he got by before they surroun
ded him, and now hp says his hair fell as
smooth and sleek as if a pint of briar's grease
had been poured over it ; but not until he had
reached up and taken down his cap to waive
as he shouied back at them in derisive triumphj
and then darted beneath the shade of the friend
ly wood. They left him here as he expected ;
but as this was most evidently a dangerous
neighborhood, he concluded it would be safest
not to tarry here but get oul of il as fast as
possible, for there was no telling what new
whim might take these fellows when they
spread around on his trail and found him to be
. ... ,
alone ! So away he went through ine wouds
for five or six miles without halting. The hur
ry and necessities of his flight had taken him
off his course back to the rendezvous of his
companions. He now first discovered ihis as
he emerged from the timber upon the prairie
again, and found himself far enough away from
the course of the stream. He paused but for a
moment, lo collect himself and try and gel back
thn trtiP irlfin n f his direction. Thinking he
had it, he urged his horse into a swift run again.
This was kept up for several hours until night
began to close around him, and his horse to give
unmi8takeable indications thai he must have
rest before he weni much farther. He came
at last lo a small rivulet trickling along a deep,
rough cut, and as he supposed in the direction
of the West Branch of the Nueces. He had
passed the camp far enough, he knew, but this
would set him right if he followed it up when
day-break came. So he selected a small piece
of meadow ground which was covered with
musquit grass, and well protected from view by
the great clusters of cactus which surrounded
it on three sides. Here he stripped his faith
ful horse and turned him loose to graze, and
then taking for supper a hearty draft of water,
threw himself on his blanket to sleep.
He had lost his provision wallet in the chase,
and it was mfire than he dare venture upon lo
shoot game, lor fear of betraying his hiding
place and though hungry enough, he was fain
this time "to go to bed suppeiless." If e thought
of home before sleep came, ot course, ana
wished himself there most heartily, that he
mighi aiiack the well siocked pouliry, the con
tents of which danced in mosi tantalizing vis
ions before him during the whole night. This
was too much a common predicament, howev
er, to make any very strong impression on him
oiherwise.
He was mounted and off very early the next
morning, and was by no means delighted to
perceive ihat his horse was considerably gaun
led hy the yesterday's hard work and the some
what narrow commons of ihe night. However,
he moved on ttow with something less of a hur
ry, as there were no indications of pursuit ap
parent. Following the rivilet he soon reached
the Wesi Branch, and turned up this with a
brisker movementspurred by the cheerful hope
of soon rejoining his companions, and guiding
them safe. In an hour he was in sight of ihe
ground, and put his horse into a swift gallop
in his eagerness to pass over ihe interval qutck
Iv. On coming ud. he saw, instead of his com
rades, the dead body of an Indian warrior, lying
across the ashes of their campnre, an gasiieu
and hewed wiih bowe-knife cms. All around
ihe eanh was deeply broken up, with the evi
dences of a desperate and hand to hand strug
gle The breech of a rifle, which he recog
nized, and a numbei of arrows, with a broken
lance and shield, were scattered around. He
fflk a choking sensaiion, and his blood ran cold
at ihis sight. His comrades had been sur
prised, no doubt, by the same pany which had
n.iratied him i but with what iesuli it was im
possible for him to toll certainly, though he had
lilt to choice but to believe and fear the worst
Amid the multitude of the tracks of unshod hor
ses he could distinguish the few tracks of their
shod horses. There was no trace of their bo
dies in ihe hasty survey he had time io make,
and n seemed very strange that this dead war
rior.8hould be left behind, so contrary to tlfetr
well-known custom ! He followed the trairfor
some time, with great caution, but could "make
no discovery, except a greal deal of blood" on
the ground, until towards noon, when risihg'th'e
steep comb of a ridge, he looked down inio the1
plain below upon a large body ot Indians, eif
camped about a mile distant. This was a start'
ling sight, and they perceived him at the snme'
moment. Now he felt he would have lo run
indeed for his life. One glance, as he wheeled1,'
was sufficient to. show him warriors mmiu'tiiisj
the horses of his friends ! He did not dread a
race with the horses of the Indians so much;;
because his horse was more than a match for"
the best of theirs, but the horses of his com
rades were as swift and in every sense as good
as his ; now they were to be turned against
him ! He cursed the rashness that had in
duced him to follow up their trail, but this was
no time to pause for regrets he was off, down
ihe hill, ai the best speed his horse, alrdady
somewhat fagged, would raise. All depended
upon getiing back to the timber and losing them!
He could hear their pursuing yells, distinctly,
for a moment, and ihis was no syretis mmic
to draw him back. He had a good mile ih?
start,' but this was no gteat matter, if, as he
supposed, iheir horses were fresher than his.
own ! He'had not time now to feel any alarm,,
but only that there was hot work before and:
he had it to attend to ! His object was io get
but of sight as soon as possible, for he gained
a great deal by compelling thorn to run on his
trail.' He strained his horse tremendously and
succeeded, for when the sudden burst of iheir
voices came to him, proving that ihey had rea
ched the comb of the ridge, he looked back
and could not see it or them. He felt a liule
less light about the lieart now, and had time to
think something of his best course. It seemed,
a forlorn chance for an escape he was over
six miles from timber. He suddenly remem
bered thai he had observed, for several days
past, a heavy smoke off towards the south, and
looking now in ttiafi direction, saw it filling the
whole horizon with gloomy masses, which
seemed to be rising but a few miles off, obser
ving that it was noi very high. U instantly oc
cured to him in his extremity, for he felt sure
from the adion of his horse, thai he would not
last'rhuch longer in ihe hard run before ihem
that the safest course for him would be the
most desperate, and this was to make directly
for the approaching line of this fire, and lake
his chances of being able to force his way
through ii alive. With such a barrier between
himself and the Indians, he was safe ! Acting
upon this stern and strange alternative, he urged
his horse steadily toward the fire. It was not
long before he met ihe dark advance guard of
the" smoke, as it rolled along the grass, anil
rode beneaih its stilling shelter, the fire being
yet a mile off.
He was now securely enough out of sight of
the Indians, and springing from his horse, pro
ceeded" to prepare himself for a trial of ihe fiery
sea. He cut his blankets into pieces, with one
of which he blindfolded his horse ; anoiher he
tied in a loose bag about the lower pari of its
head, enveloping the raouih and nostrils. He
then enveloped his own face in a loose vizor
of ihe same material. The blanket was course
and let in air enough to barely sustain life for
a short lime, while it kepi out ihe smoke. Ho
could hear the yells of his pursuers seemingly
close ai hand. He was now in utter darkness,
and mounting quickly started for the firfc. On
he went, not knowing where ; the reins were
tightened, and the lajjh and spur applied with
ihe energy ol desperation. nouer anu huuoi
the air became, bul on he careered nnnu aim
headlong. The fire has struck htm with a roar
ing suree ! His heir flames crisply, and tfic
flesh of his bodv seems to be burning I I he
frantic and panting horse attemps lo shy, but
no, the fierceness ot the agony nas turneu nidi
rider's arm and will to iron ! h cannot shy
ho nnnr horse ! On ! on ! scorching through
the stifling blaze ! A few bounds more and the
terrific surges are past ! The fresh air has
met him ! He tore the envelope from his face
and leaped from his staggering horse upon the
charred hot ground. 1 ne oiaimei is iuru away
from iis mouih and the animal begins to
revive auicklv, though it shiver and can
scarcely stand for monal terror ! He is safe !
He has accompnsneu an unparaueiu ieei:
hears faintly above the crackling and roar of
the retiring flames a howl of triumph from hi
pursuers, who imagine that ihey have driven
him into the fire, and that he is burnt, hoie aijil
all He makes a feeble attempt to ans er thVtu
defiantly but can scarcely hear his own voiy.
Stunned and grasping to recover the useA.f
their almost stifled lungs, he and his hot'se
stand, side by side, upon ihat blackened plain
without moving for more than an hour. But
the perils of the day were by no means passed.
Before htm. as far as the eyer could reach, there
was only one charred, leveled, smouldering
waste, which had lo b crossed before h
reached waier, for which, both himself-and
horse were now almost perishing. He siaried
on ai last, taking his course at random, for on.
seemed to his bewildered sense about a Solid
as another. He did not ride ai first, but mer
cifully led his poor horse, until iho heat of the
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