Newspapers / Highland Messenger (Asheville, N.C.) / Sept. 23, 1842, edition 1 / Page 1
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: W y - ,- VOL. HI NUMBER 10.4 1 5- -.;" vv-"" 1 lit V. I . ,. ' . ''-.': "X"""'. HUTTED AND TUBLlSlIEfi WEEKLY BY J. CHRISTY &C0,- PMieherloftke Levi United Statu. TElUtlSt ... .. Thi paper t published at Two Dollar a yeer, in advance Two Dollars and Fifty Cent in six montht or, Three Dollar at the end of the year." 'Snej piwpectua.) - - Advertisement iiwerted: at One Dollar per iquare for the Bret, and Twenty.Fiv Onto ftr each continuance. Pourt OroVra will be charged twenty-five per conk extra. 1 Taws of the u. state"s7 Pasted mtth teondSe$tioneflke7tk'Congreu. OFFICIAL PUBLICATION. Pvblic No. .43.1 . J ... AN ACT to provide for the settlement of the vtaine of tue 01a w vt Georgia for the aerricee of her militia. j' .-? a : ; Bt U enacted i the Senate and Houtt Re- rirtttnCtif e the United Statea ef America in Cemgreaa auembua, 1 hat the turn of one hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars be and the sajxe is hereby, appropriated to the payment and inA' ra ti! ty of the tate of Georgia, fur any moy ac-. toally paid by said otste on account of teceaea. ry and proper expenses incurred by sail State in calling out her militia in the tears eiihtorn hun dred and thirty -five, eighteen hundred and thirty, six, and eighteen hundred and thirty-seven during the Seminole, Cherokee, and Creel campaigns, or for t bo suppression of Indian hostilities in Florida and Alabsaia, ar so much of sd sum as may be necessary for the purposes aforosaid, after deduct, ing any sum or sums of msney that may have heretofore been advanced by the United Statea to the State of Georgia, to be applied to (he objects aforesaid, and which may not have been previous, ly ao applied. ....:.-. V See. 2. And be it further enacted. That the Paymaster General of the United States army and the accounting officer of the Treasury shall first ascertain and certify what would have been due from the United States to the volunteers and mili. tia called into the sorvice of the said Stat of Geor gia, or by her properauthorities, during the time and for the purposes mentioned in the proceeding section, if said volunteers and militia had been duly called into the service of the United Stales,' and regularly received and mustered by officers of the United States army, according to the law and regulations which have governed in tho payment of the ' volunteer and militia of -other States ; Presided, That the accounts of the agent or other officer of the State of Georgia, employed or authorised to make payments ' for the aforesaid services, or any of lhem,bubmitted to the Pay. master'Goncrai and the accounting officers for their inspection i And provided, uUo, Thai no reimbursement shall be made on account of the payment of any volunteer or militia who refused to'be received and mustered into the service of the United States, or to crv under officers of the United State army, if any man may have been ordered to that fervice by the President of the United States or other proper authority. Approved, August II, 1812. , , f Public No. 44. AN ACT to settle Uia title to certain tract of land in the State of Arkansas, Be it enacted by the Senate and If ohm of Repri. eentativeoof the United Slatet of Amsrica in Con. grfit atmembled, That each and' every owner of a Spanish or French land claim, in the State of Arkansas, which was submitted for adjudication to the superior court of the late Territory of Ar. kansas, and by that court confirmed, being sub sequent purchaser for a valuable considera tion, is hereby authorised, within twelve months from the passage of this act, to enter, respective ly, the land covered by the said claim, at the minimum price, under such regulations as the Comminsifmef of the- General- Land- Office shall prescribe : Proviled, That no such entry shall be made, except of lands mentioned and described in the original claim, or of such tract a have been located in pursuance of the act of the t wen. ty-sixth of May, eighteen hundred and and twrru I ty.four, entitled " An act enabling the claimants to lands within Die limits of the State of Missou ri and Territory 'of Arkansas to institute proceed, ings to try the validity of their claims," or any - act reviving the -same j- nor- unless th owner of the claim shalt niftke and subscribe an oath, be fore the register or receiver of the land .office of the district id which the lands he, (which oath such register or receiver is hereby authorized to administer,) that at the time he became the own. er of the claim he had no notice or knowledge that the claim was fraudulent, or that the same rested upon any forged warrant, grant, order of .survey, or other evidence of title. And for every entry made under the provisions of this act, a pa. tent shall issue, as though no Spanish or French claim had ever beon entered upon said land. Approved, August 11, 1842. Pubmc--No. 45. AN ACT regulating the sririccs of the several judge in the Territory of Iowa. Be it enacted by the Senate and Hornet of Re. prreentotive of the United Statea af America in Cengrett aurmbled. That until otherwise ordered by law of the Legislative Assembly of the Ter ritory of Iowa, the judge for said Territory, late, ly sppointed, shall be, and they sure hereby, as signed to the same district to which the same I judges, respectively, were heretofore assigned by tbe law of the said Legielstive Aaaembly of the Territory of Iowa. Approved, August 11,-1849. (Public No. 46. AN ACT in relation to the district court for the northern district of New York. Be it enacted by the Senate and Houae of Re. ftetnuotitte- af the United Statea af America, in tangreet attembled. That it ball be lawful for the clerk of, the district court for the northern dmric of New York, to appoint a deputy, w,ho, in his absence, may exercise all the official powers of the said clerk, at the village of Auburn, in th county of Cayuga, in the said district. And such deputy, before he enter on the discharge of hi duties, shall take th usual oath for th faithful performance of his duties as such deputy. And nothing herein contained shall be held to excuse er release the said clerk from legal responsibility for sets performed by his aid deputy, in behalf of Mid clerk, in the office aforesaid. . Approved, August 11, 1842. Public No. 66. AN ACT respecting th organization of the en. my, and for other purpoaes. ofie it enacted by the Senate and Houae af Re. frteentativeaaf the United Statea af America in Congreee aeaembled. That hereafter, end so aoon as the reduction can be effected a herein provided, each company of dragoons shall consist of the -commissioned officer a bow provided by law, end of four sergeants, four coporals, two bugler, 00 farrier and blacksmith, and fifty privatea; nd the second regiment of dragoon now in er. T" hall be converted, after the fourth day of March next, into a regiment of riflemen ; end each company of artillery shall consist of th commissioned officer e now provided by law, and of (bur sergeants, four eoporals, two artificers, two musieiana, and fortntwo private ; end each company of infantry alwll consist of th aem number 01 eoromissionea ameer a now provided, and of four sergeants, fo,r corporals, two tnusi, ciana, and forty-two ptivkte; and that no re cruits shall be enlisted foitlie dragoons, artilcry, or infantry ontit.the number in the several com. paniea shall be reduced be tbe expiration of the term of service, bjdisclArge, or other causes, below the number herein fixed for the said com panies respectively; Pnetded,' That nothing in tills section shall he construed to prevent the re. enlistment of noncommissioned officers whos terms of service majr expire before the army shall oe reduced to we ouriDer ucrctoiore established. Sec. 2. 'And he further enacted. That the officers of the superintendents of the armories at Springfield end at Harper Ferry shall be, end tlie- Miae are herebr, uboliulied. end the duties thereof hall bo pwirmed by such officer of th ordnance corn as shall us dotugnaLad by tho Pra. sident; end thai front end. alter the first day of Uctober next the master armorers, shall receive each twelve hundred dollars annuallyj payable uner yearly ; end the inspector end clerk ee ch ight hundred dollar per annum t and the pay. mastors and military storekeepers at the armories, and at the arsenal of construction at Pittsburg, Watervilet, end Washington city, ahall receiv cacti twelve hundred end hfty dollars annually, payable in like manner, end the said paymasters and military storekeepers shall give security for the fuilhful discharge of their duties in such sum a the Secretary of War shall prescribe. And the two military storekeepers, authorized by the act of second of March, one thousand eight hun dred and twenty.one, shall receive each twelve hundred and fifty dollar per annum ; end ne military storekeeper at arsenals shall, after the first day of October next, receive a pay or emolu. mcnts beyond eight hundred dollar per annum, besides quarters actually provided and occupied as such, and the number authorized1 to be thus cm ployed is hereby limited to ten ; and all other of. ficesof military storekeeper are hereby abolished and discontinued on and after said first day of October, and the officer horeby dismissed shall be allowed three months' pay in addition to the pay and emoluments to which they maybe enti- tied on that day ; end none of tur above named officer, and no officer at the armories of eny grade whatever," shell hereafter" receive emolu: mcnts of any kind, or any compensation er commu tation beyond their stipulated pay in mousy, ex cept quarters actually provided foe end occupied by such officers. . See. 3. And be it farther enacted. That the of. fice of Commissary General of Purchases, some times called Commissary of Purchases, shall be, and the same is hereby abolished, and the duties thereof shall hereafter be performed by tile officers of the Quartermaster's department, with such of the officers and clerks now attached to the pur. chasing department es Itall ba authorized by the Secretary of War, and under such regulations as shall be prescribed by the said Secretary, under the sanction of the rresidentof tne united Mates. .... Sec. 4. And be it further enacted. That, within one month after the passage of this act, the offices ofTMeiwrpcctiir geiieialrof three-paymasters, two urgeons, and ten assistant surgeons of thearray shall be abolished, and that number of paymas. ten, surgeons, and assistant surgeons shall be dis charged by the President : end they thall be al lowed threo months' pay, in addition to the pay and emolument to which they may be entitled ! the time of their discharge. Sec. 5. And be it further enacted. That a com. petcnt person may b employed by the Ordnance bureau, under the direction of tho Secretary of War, for etich time may bo necessary, to su. perintend the manufacture of iron cannon at the several foundries yhcre such cannon may be made under contorts with the United States, whose pay and emoluments shall not exceed those of a major of ordnance during the time he ahall be so employed, to be paid out the appropriations orarmamcnt offortificalions ; and for the er. "vice rendcred'ln siich tipcrintondenco sinca the first day of March, eighteen hundred and forty, one, under the authority of the War Department, the same oompentation shall be allowed as"Uerein provided; pTrr Secr6i4rirfe itfuriier enacted,' TlxaCftie ra tions authorized to beallowcd to a brigadier while commander-in-chief, etafl to each officer while commanding e separate post, by the act of March third, saventecn.iiuodrci and. ninety -seven, end to the commandin j officers of each separata post, by the act of March sixteen, eighteen hundred and two, shall hereafter be allqwed to the follow, ing officer and no others : To the Major General commanding the army, and to every officer commanding in chief e epa. rate army, actually in the field i ' To the general commanding the eastern end western geographical divisions ; To tbe colonels or other officer commanding military geographical department; To die commandant of each permanent or fixed post, garrisoned With troops, including the super intendent of the military academy at West Point, who w regarded as the commandant of that post. JOHN WHITE, Speaker of the Iloute of Representative!. ' U'tlllL' P M1'CI!U Pretident of the Senate pro tempore. JOHN TYLER. Approved, August 23, 1842. i " rPtJBLic No. 59.1 AN ACT making an appropriation to supply a de- - ficiency in the navyicjiflion fun(L- Beit enacied by the Senate and House of Re. preeentatit of tie United State of America wi Congreat aeoemhled, Ttat the arm of eiphty-four I thousand nine hundred end btly-one dollar oe, end the same i herebyppropriatcdT.out xfenyJ money in the Treasury not otherwise appropne, ted, to supply any deficiency which may exist in the navy pension fund, for the payment of the semi-annual navy pensions which will be due on tbe first day of July, eighteen hundred and forty.' two. Sec. 2. And be it further enacted. That the act entitled M An act to provide for the more equita ble administration of the navy pension fond," pv proved March third, eighteen hundred and thirty, seven,, be, and the same is hereby, repealed, from end after the first day of July, eighteen hundred end ibrty-two ; end all pensions to officer and seamen in the naval service shell be reguleted ac cording to the pay of .the navy as it existed on tbe first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-five. Sec. 3. And be it further enacted. That so much of en act entitled " An ect directing the transfer of money remaining unclaimed by cer tain pensioners and authorising the payment of the erne at the Treasury of the United State," ap proved April sixth, eighteen hundred and thirty, eight, a require pensions that may have remain, ed unclaimed in the hand of pension agent for eight month to be returned to the Treasury, be, and the same is hereby, repealed, end that the time within which such pension shall be returned to the Treasury be, and the same is hereby, ex tended to fourteen months, subject to all the other restrictions and provisions contained in the said ect. . k -.- - Approved, August 23, 1 8 12. " (From Graham' Magazine for September. lieu blower Story, or hew to 1 . . -riin a, Julep. .v ... - BIC. F. BOVFMAN. '? " v Are you sure that 'a Xb Flaxb over by the shore I" 'ilULQerfiag manny.! J could tell her pipes across Mazoura. : " And you will overhaul her i" " Won't wd though ! I tell ye, Stron. gor, so sure as my name is Ben Blower, tnat tnat last tar bar 1 1 hove in the lurnance has put iist the smart chance of co-ahead into ua to ut ofj The Flame from . yonder pint, or send our boat to kingdom come." The dvil !" exclaimed a bystander who. intensely interested in the race, was leaning the while againsi the partitions of tho boiler-room, I've chosen a nice place toN see tho fun near thia infurnal pow derbarrell". , K . . , " Npt so bad as if you were in it P'cool. ly observed Bun, as the other walked rap. wiy away. " As if he -wore in it ! in what T In the boiler 1" "Catting Don't folks sometimes eo into bilcrs. mannv 1" " 1 should think thore'd be other parts ' j N 01 tne boat more comfortable. "That's right; poking fun at me at once't ; but wait till wo get through thia brush with the old Flame, and 1'Jl tell ye of a regular fixin' scrape that a man may get into. It's true too, every word of it us sure as my name is Ben Blower. ' e e " You have seen tho Flame then afore. Stranger? . Six years ago, when she was new upon the river, she was a raal out and outer, I tell yo. I was at that time a hand aboard her. Yes, I belonged to her at the time of her great' race with the Go-Ii. ar lou ve heern, may hap, of the blow, up by which we lost it. They made a great fuss about it ; but it was nothing but a mere fiz of hot water after all. Only the sprins- ing of a few rivets which loosened, a biler plate or two. and let out a thin spirting up. on some niggers that hadn't sense enough to get out of the way. Well, the Go. mr took oil our passengers, and we ran into Smasher's Landing, to repair dama ges, and bury the poor fools that were kill. ed. Here wo luid for a matter of thirty hours or so, -rind got. things to rights 'on board for a bran new start. There was somecarnentes's work yet to bedoner but Captain onrd ihtu that might jitiss wall be nxeu ott when we were under waywe had worked hard tho weather was sour, and we nocd'nt do any thing more jist nowl we migni iKe inni auernoon to ourselves but the next morning he'd got up steam bright and airly, and we'd, all come out new. There was no temperance society at Smasher's Landing,! and I went ashore upon a lark with some of the hands. I omit the worthy Benjamin's adven. lures, upon land, and, despairing of fully conveying his language in its original Do. ric force, will not hesitato to give the rest of his singular narrative in my own words, save where, in a few instances I can recall his precise phraseology, which the reader will easily recognize. , i-'-The-night wM..raw-and-leetywhenJL. rcgamed the deck of our boat. The oln cers, instead of leaving a watch above, had closed up evory thing, and shut themsolves in the cabin. 1 he fire room only was open, 1 ne boards daslied from- toe. out side by the explosion had not yet been re. placed. 1 he floor of the room was wet and there was scarcely a corner which af. forded a shelter from the driving storm. I was about leaving the room, resigned to sleep in the open air, and now bent only upon getting under the lee of some bulk, head that would protect me against the wind. In passing out I kept my arms stretched forward to feel my way in the dark, but my feet came in contact with a heavy iron lid I stumbled, and, as I fell, struck my hand in the"? manhole,' (J think this was the name he gave to the oval-shaped open, ing in the head of the boiler,) through which the smith had entered to make his repairs. I fell with my arm thrust so far into .the aperture that I received a prctty.-rr.art Jow 111 the face as it came in contact with the head of the boiler, and I did not hesitate to drag my body after it, the moment 1 re covered from this stunning effect, and as certained my whereabouts. In a word, I crept into the boi ler, resolved to pass the rest or the night there. 1 be place was dry and sheltered. "Had my bed been softer, I would have had all that man could desire ; as it was, I slept, and slept soundly. " I should mention though, that, before closing my eyes, I several times shifted my position. I had gone first to the farther end of the boiler, then again I had crawled back to the manhole, to look out and feel that it was really still open. Tbe wannest place was at the farthest end, where I finally es tablished myself, and that I knew from the first. It was foolish in me to think that the opening through which I bad just enter ed could oe closed without my hearing it, and that too, when no one was astir but myself ; but the blow on the side of my face made me a little nervous perhaps ; be sides, I never could bear to be shut in any place it always gives me a wild.like feel ing about the bead. You may laugh Stin ger, but I believe I should suffocate in an emDtV church, it 1 once felt that I was so hut up in it that I could not get ' out I have met men afore now, just luce me, or worse rather much worse. Men that h made sort or furious to be tied down tetany iuiue)ci. no soit-iiKeana contradictory in weir uuiures mat you migtit lead them any where so long is thev did nt feel the strinr. Stranger, it takes all sorts of folks to make a world ! and we may have a good many of the worst kind of white, men bere out west But I have seen folks upon this riv rrrlu.'Joking: chaps too, as ever you see, who were so tt-totaliy caranktcrous mat mey a snoot the doctor who d tell them they could nt live when ailinr. and make die of ft, jist out of spite, when told they ....11 tr 11 . . . . ' Mfum urri w0. j CS. K'UOWS OS lond Oft If gwu wings 01 .mi eann as you or 1, yet who'd rush mad right over the -gang plank 1 .1.: r .1 .1 01 iiit 11 ooce Drought to believe that they had to stay in this world whether they wawpu 10 leave 11 or not. Thunder and bees! if such a fellow as that hnd hta rrl the cocks crow as I did, awakened to find darkness about 4irm. darkness so thick vou might cut it with a knife, heard other sounds too, to tell that it was morning, and scambling to fumble for that manhole, touna it too, black closed black and even as the rest of the iron coffin around him, closed with not a rivet-hole to let God's ight and air in why why he'd swound. erf right down on the spot, as I did. and I ain't ashamed to own it to no white man." Tho big drop? actually stood upon tho poor fellows brow, ns ho now paused fur a moment in the recital of bis terrible story. lie passed his hand over his rough features, and resumed it .with less agitation of manner. " How long I may havo remaned there senslcss I don't know. The doctors have since told me it must havo boon a sort of fit more like an apoplexy thin a- swoon, for the attack finally passed off in sleen Yes, 1 slrpt, I know tTial, for I dreamed rireamedar-hcap o lhing3:-'aforeIiwjVe-there Is but one dream, however, that I have ever been ablo to recall distinctly, and that must have come on shortly before I re. covered my consciousness. My resting place through the night had been, as I havo told you, at tho far end of the boiler. Well , now dreamed that tlio manholo was still open and, what seems curious, rather than laughable, if you take it in connection with other things, I fancied that my legs had been so stretched in the long walk I iiad taken the evening before, thaf they now reached jhe whole length of the boiler and extended through the opening. 11 At first, (io my dreaming reflections) it waa e eomiortabla thought that no one could now shut up the manhole without awakening me.,, But soon it seemed as if my feet, which were on tho outside, were becoming drenched in tho storm which had originally driven me to seek this shelter. felt the chilling rain upon mv extremities. They grew colder and colder, and their numbness gradually extended upward to other parts of the body. It seemed, how. ever, that it was only the under side of my person that was thus strangely visited. I aid upon my back, and it must have been a species of nightmare that afflicted me. tor l knew at last that I was dreaming, yet felt it impossible to rouse myself. A vio. ent tit oi coughing restored, at last, my powers of volition. The water, which had been alowly.rising arourid--rneThad -nishwl tntp my mouth ; I awoke to hear tbe rapid strokes of the pump which was driving it into the boiler ! "My whole condition rlo not all of it not" yet my jMt-enitlbhnsned with new horror upon me. But I did not again swoon. The choking sensation which had made me faint, when I first discovered how I was entombed, gave way to livelier. thoughlessoverpoweringcmotion. I shriek ed even as I started from my slumber. The previous discovery of tho closed aperture, with the instant oblivion that" followed, seemed only a part of my -dream, and I threw my arms about and looked eagerly for the opening by which I had entered the horrid place yes, looked for it, and felt for it, though it was the terrible conviction that U was closed a second time brought home to me which prompted my frenzied cry. Every sense seemed to have tenfold acuteness, yet not one to act in unison with another. I shrieked again and arrain im- ploringly desperately savagely. I filled the hollow chamber with my cries till its iron walls seemed to tingle around me. The dull strokes of the accursed pump seemed only to mock at mo " while 'they deadened my screams, " At last f gave myself up. It is tho struggle against our fate which frenzies thfi mind. We cease to fear when we cease to hopei - I gave myself up and, then I grow calm. " I was resigned to die resigned even to rnymode of death. It was not, I thought, so very new after'all as to awaken unwonted horror in a man. Thousands have been sunk to the bottom of the ocean shut up in the holds of vessels beating themselves against the battened hatches dragged down from the upper world shrieking, not for life but for death only beneath the eyes, and amid the breath of heaven. Thousands have endured that appalling kind of suffo cation. I would die only as many a better man had died before me. I could meet such a death. I said so I thought so I felt so felt so, I mean, for a minute or more ; ten minutes it may have been or but an instant of time. I know not nor does it matter if J could compute it. There ipos a time then when I was resigned to my fate. But, good God ! was I resigned to it in the shape in which it next came to an. pal T Stranger, I felt that water growing 1 hot about tny limbs, though it was yet but mid-leg deep. . I felt, it," and, m the same moment beard the roar of the furnace that was to turn it into steam before ft could get ueep enough to drown one: ' " "You' shudder It was hideous. But did I shrink and shrivel, and crumble down upon that iron floor, and lose my senses in that horrid ogony of feart :No! though my brain swam and the life-blood that cur dlud at my heart seemed about to stagnate there' forever, still linm! I was too hoarse too hopeless, from my previous efforts to cry out more. . But I struck feebly at first, and then strongly franticly with my clench, ed fist against the sides of the boiler. Tboro were people moving near who must hear my blows J Could not I hear the era. ting -of chains, tho shuffling of feet, tlio very rustle of a rope, hear tbem nil within few inches of mo 1 ' I did but the gurg ling water that was .growing hotter and hotter around my extremities, made more noise within the steaming caldron than did my frenzied blows against its sides. " Litterly 1 had hardly changed my po sition, but now tho growing heat of the water made me plash to and fro; lifting myself wholly out of it was impossible, but I could not remain quiet. 1 stumbled upon something it was a mallet ! a chance tool the smith had left there by accident. With what wild joy did I seize it with what ea get confidence did I now .deal my first blows wiih it against tho walls of my pri son ! But scarce had I intermitted them for a moment when I heard the clang of the iron door as the fireman flung it wide open to feed the flames that were to torture mo. My knocking was unheard, though I could hear him toss the sticks Into the fur. nace beneath me, and drive to the door when his infernal oven was fully crammed. " Hud I yet a hope" T I had, out it road iu tny twind sid&hy side witrvthe-fea gxtball might now become the agent or preparing myself a more frightful death. Yes ! when thought of that furnace with its fresh-fed flames curling beneath theiron upon which stood a more frightful death even than that of being boiled alive ! Hud I discover. ed that mallet but a short time sooner but no matter, I would by its aid resort to the only expedient now left, It was this 1 remembered having a marlincspike in my pocket, and in less time than I have taken in hinting at the con- sequences of thus using it, I bad made an mprcssion anon the side of the bolloe, and sood succeeded in driving it L through. . The water gushed through the aperture would they see it? No, tho jet could only play against a wooden partition which mugt hide the stream from view it must triGkl down upon the decks before the leakage would be discovered. Should I drive another hole to make that leakage greater? Why, the water w ithin seemed already to be sensibly diminished so hot had become that which remained should more escape, would I net hear it bubble and hiss upon the fierj plates of iron tbat were already scorching my feet 1 " Ah ! there is a movement voices I hear them calling for a crowbar The bulk, head cratks and they pry off the planking. They have seen the leak they are trying to get nt it ! Good God ! why do they not first dampen tho fire 7 Why do they call for the- the " Stranger, look at that finger! it can never regain its natural size out u nas already done all the service that man could expect from so humble a member Sir, that hole would have been plugged vp on the m- slant, u nless I had jammed my finger through! ' I heard the cry of horror as they saw it without the shout to drown tho fire the first stroke of the cold water pump. They say, too, that I was conscious when they took me out but I I remember nothing more till they brought a julep to my bed side afterwards. And that julep " "Cooling! was hi" " Stbanger ! ! !" Ben lurned away his head and wept He could do no more. ' A buffalo chas. Mr. Kftndnll . of the Plcavune. irives the following account of a chase after a buffalo, whilst wending his half-starved way towards Santa Fe : A buffalo n- cried one of the men. whose eagle-eye had penetrated the mystc. ry a Dunaio iyh'k uuwu buu mrccp. . 1--' 1.1 A spy-glass -we had along proveu 1110 mans assertions. Here then, was a chance for nt least as muclTSs we could all cat, and the temptation was too strong to be resist ed. The Leathcrstocking of tho crowd, Tom Hancock, well known in Texas as one of the best hunters in the Kepubiic, . . 1 1 r. - . ..l was despatched to go ancao on 1001 wun a rifle, with the hope that he could at least get near enough to wound the animal, while four of us that were better mounted than the balance, mado every preparation fof a .1 chase to tne ueain. - Beyond the buffalo the prairie rose very gradually for a mile farther than that we knew1 nothing of the nature of the ground. . . . , , . Tom Hancock could mane less snow anu inn rlnspr to the PTOund than anr person along, but he still thought it more prudent to give tne animal a snot wnen witmn a ouu dred and fifty yards. Evidently hit, be rose from tho ground, wnisKeanis long uw,auu Innlrod tnr n mnmentennilirinfrlV about him. vwa.va e - l o V VttM JWS ww- I 1 ter of a mile from Hancock, while the latter Wa nii front nnr nosiuon aoout a auar vaUndprl M ri(Us without rifling. Another shot now followed ; the buffalo again lashed t.xl-1: A ttwn started off at a lumber. IU3 Biuva, ing gallop directly towards the sun wound- ed from every appearance but by no means seriously hurt. . , - At a brisk canter our little party'of four -. now dashed off ia pursuit, keeping company until we had nearly reached the top 01 tho distant rise in the prairie. Here, my horse being in far better condition than the others, I left them,- and on reaching tho 6ummit discovered the buSHlo still lumbericg cliim. sily altough rapidly along some,half a mile distant. The ascent of tho prairie was very gradual, and I could plainly see every object within five miles. " " -- 1 now put spurs to my horse who dashed madly down the gotule slope. '.-Turning one look behind, I saw that one of my com. panions at the start, Maj. ILwarJ, had given up the chase, or rather his horse had given up. Jjt. Lubbock and one. of the mcnrthu latter mounted on a mule which. If it could not get over tho ground pnrticu. larly iiist,, had at least the conimendablo quality of runuing all day, wcrestill in hot pursuit.. , -. : , . . iho praino was comparatively smooth. and although I could not spur my horse into-nis iuii, open stnue, 1 was soon along, side tho huge animal. Ho was a bull of tho largest size, and bis bright,, glaring eyeballs, peering out from hu shaggy front let of hair, showed plainly that ho was mad. deoed by his wounds and the clone pursuit. It was with tho greatest difficulty, eo torn, bio did the buffalo look, lh;it I could get my horse within twenty yarjs of him, and when I fired my first churgo at that distance the ball did not tako effect. . , t , As the chase progressed my horse came to his work more kindly, and soon nppear. ed to take an interest in the exciting race. 1 lot him fall back a liulcaud then, by dashing my spurs rowl deep into his sides, brought him up directly alongside and within three or four yards of Ihe infuriated animal. Agaia fircd, and thebujlalo shrank jja the ball struck just back of the long huir on his shoulders, I was under such headway when I fired that I was obliged to pass tho animal, cut across close to his head, and ' again dropped behind. Once more I put spurs to their work, and as I fuirly flew by gave tho buffulo another round directly in his side. lie was now fairly frothing and foaming with rage rtad-pain. His eyes re sembled two deep red balls of fire his1 tongue was out and curling inwardly whilo his long and tufted tail was either carried -high aloft or else lashing madly against his sides. A more wild, and at the same time magnificent picture of despera. lion I had never seen. ' . '( By this time my horse was completely subjected to my guidance, vile no longer F ricked hieears with fear or ehcered of! as approached tho monster wo were pursu ing, but on tho contrary, ran directly up so that I could almost touch the animal with my pistol. I had still two more shots left in the repeater, and after discharging them I intended to full back upon the old Harper's Ferry, and by a well directed shot mako a finish of the business. . After firing my third shot I ngairrcrosscd the' path of the buffalo, and so near that my right foot nearly touched his horns. Tho wound I had given caused him to spring forward, thus bringing me in too closo a contact to bo either pleasing or prudent. On coining up with him a fourth lime, and so near llianii7niuzzle of rny pitoTwas not two yards from his side, the barrel dropped off just as I was about to pull tho trigger. I dashed by, the infuriated animal vainly endeavoring to gore- and overthrow my horso by suddenly turning his hcud and springing at me. The chase was now up so far ns I was concerned, for tho pistol was a borrowed one and very valuable. I had checked my horse and dismounted to to seurch for it, when Lt. Lubback came up. His horso was completely broken down and unable to reach the buffulo ; and under these circum stances he mounted mine immediately and continued the pursuit. Suon he was up with the buffulo, and by this time, so gent'e had tho horse become, thut , he was tible to fire every- shot without-onee-passing th wounded animal. "The latterWuck tho horse once with his left horn, but did not hurt him seriously. - 'i the other pursuer, wiih the mule, still continued the chase, and as the pace of tho buffalo slackened from loss of bluoJ and exertion, tho former gradually crjupl tip. ' After finding tho lost barrel 1 stopped tu gaze upon tho exciting scene. Every iui- uute or I wo a flash and smoke would to secffTlherntie sharp report of tire piatul would reach the spot where 1 stood.. In this way the chase was continued un- til Lt. L. had discharged his own arms, together with my holster pistols. lie fhcii pulled up and the other pursuer mounted my horse and continued the chnse, 1 could not help pitying the noble animal, who had by this time run at loast six miles. In a very short time the new chase was up with the buffalo, and again I could s-e tho smoke ns each pistol was discharged ; but by this tiro space between us was too great for mo to hear the reports. I gazed until both tho pursued and pursuer were mere black bpecks upon the prairie, and never turned my eyes utitil they were completely lost in the distance. pAVXiyr. Well, Sambo, is your mas ler a pood fannerP-,'0 vcs. massa. he berry good farmer; he make two crone in one year.' 'How is that, Sambo t' Whv, ne sell, an ni nay in uo un, ana mne mo. hey once V derr in de spring, he 841 de bides of de cattle dat die for want ob dc hay, and make money twice. rr
Highland Messenger (Asheville, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Sept. 23, 1842, edition 1
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