We continued our route for a few days, after we had left the buffaloes,
and now turned our horses' heads due east. Having left behind the
localities frequented by the wild herds, we soon become exposed to the
cravings of hunger. Now and then we would fall in with a prairie hen, a
turkey, or a few rattlesnakes, but the deer and antelopes were so shy,
that though we could see them sporting at a distance, we could never
come within a mile of them.
The ground was level, and the grass, although short, was excellent
pasture, and richly enamelled with a variety of flowers. It was a
beautiful country. We had fine weather during the day, but the nights
were exceedingly cold, and the dew heavy. Having lost our blankets, we
passed miserable nights. There was no fuel with which we could light
our fire; even the dung of animals was so scarce, that we could not,
during seven days, afford to cook our scanty meals more than thrice, and
the four last grouse that we killed were eaten raw.
About the middle of the eighth day, a dark line was seen rising above
the horizon, far in the south-east, and extending as far as the eye
could reach. We knew it was a forest, and that when we gained it, we
were certain of having, plenty to eat; but it was very far off, at least
twenty miles, and were much exhausted. In the evening we were almost
driven to desperation by hunger, and we found that the approach to the
forest would prove long and difficult, as it, was skirted by a bed of
thick briars and prickly pears, which in breadth, could not be less than
three leagues, and that a passage must be forced through this almost
impassable barrier. The forest was undoubtedly the commencement of that
extended line of noble timber which encircles as a kind of natural
barrier, the States of Louisiana, Arkansas, and Missouri. By reaching
it, we should soon leave privation and fatigue behind us, whereas, on
the contrary, travelling to the north, would have added to our
sufferings, as the same level and untenanted prairie extended to the
very shores of the Red River. We consequently determined to force our
way through the thorns and briars, even if we were obliged to cut a road
with our knives and tomahawks. We journeyed on till sunset, when we
came to a deep dry gully, on the very edge of the prickly pear barrier,
and there we encamped for the night. To go farther without something to
eat was impossible. The wild and haggard looks of my companions, their
sunken eyes, and sallow, fleshless faces, too plainly showed that some
subsistence must be speedily provided more nutritious than the unripe
and strongly acidulated fruit presented to us. We drew lots, and the
parson's horse was doomed; in a few minutes, his hide was off; and a
part of the flesh distributed.
The meat of a young mustang is excellent, but that of an old broken-down
horse is quite another affair. It was as tough as India-rubber, and the
more a piece of it was masticated, the larger it became in the mouth. A
man never knows what he can eat, until driven to desperation by a week's
starving, and the jolly parson, who had pledged himself never to eat
even calf's meat, fiercely attacked the leathery remains of his faithful
ambler.
The next morning we directed our steps in a south course, and crossing
the gully, we entered in what appeared to be a passage, or a bear's path
through the prickly pears; but after travelling some six or eight miles,
we found our further progress cut off by a deep and precipitous chasm,
lined with impassable briars. To return was our only alternative, and
at noon we again found ourselves near to the point from whence we had
started in the morning.
A consultation was now held as to our future course. The lawyers and
Roche proposed to go farther south, and make another attempt, but
recollecting, that on the morning of the preceding day we had passed a
large, though shallow, sandy stream, Gabriel and I thought it more
advisable to return to it. This stream was evidently one of the
tributaries of the Red River, and was running in an easterly direction,
and we were persuaded that it must flow through the chasm, and enter
into the forest.
Our proposal was agreed to, and without any more loss of time, each of
us taking with him a piece of horse-flesh, we re-traced our steps. The
parson was on foot; and though I proposed many times that we should ride
alternately, he always refused, preferring now to travel on foot, as he
was heartily tired of riding. Indeed, I never saw a better walker in my
life; the man had evidently mistaken his profession, for he would have
gained more money with his legs as an Indian runner; or a scout, than he
had any chance of obtaining in the one to which he belonged, and for
which he was most unqualified.
The next day, at noon, we encamped on the stream, and though with little
hope of success, I threw in my fishing line, baiting my hook with
horse-flies and grasshoppers. My hooks had scarcely sunk in the water,
when the bait was taken, and to my astonishment and delight, I soon
dragged out of the water two very large trout. I shouted to my
companions, who were soon round me, and we resolved to pass the night
there, as we considered that a good meal or two would enable us so much
better to continue our fatiguing journey. A little above us was also
discovered a large quantity of drift, timber left dry upon the sand, and
in a short time every one of us were actively employed in preparing for
a jovial meal. Gabriel, being the best marksman, started for game, and
I continued fishing, to the great delight of the doctor and the parson,
the first one taking under his care the cooking department, and the last
scouring the prairie to catch grasshoppers and horse-flies. In less
than three hours I had twenty large trout, and a dozen cat-fish, and
Gabriel returned with two Canadian geese. Invigorated by an abundant
meal and a warm fire, we soon regained our spirits, and that night we
slept sound, and made up for our former watching and shivering.
The next morning, after breakfast, we filled our saddle-bags with the
remainder of our provisions, and following the stream for ten miles,
with water to our horses' shoulders, as both sides of the river were
covered with briars. The parson had been obliged to ride behind one of
the lawyers, who had a strong built, powerful horse; and great was our
merriment when one of our steeds stumbled into a hole, and brought down
his master with him. For nine miles more we continued wading down the
river, till at last the prickly pears and briars receding from the
banks, allowed us once more to regain the dry ground: but we had not
travelled an hour upon the bank, when our road was interrupted by a
broken range of hills.
After incredible fatigue to both horses and men, for we were obliged to
dismount and carry our arms and saddle-bags, the ascent was finally
achieved. When we arrived at the summit, we found below us a peaceful
and romantic valley, through the centre of which the river winded its
way, and was fed by innumerable brooks, which joined it in every
direction. Their immediate borders were fringed with small trees,
bushes of the deepest green, while the banks of the river were skirted
with a narrow belt of timber, of larger and more luxuriant growth.
This valley was encircled by the range of hills we had ascended, so far
as to the belt of the forest. We led our horses down the declivity, and
in less than an hour found ourselves safe at the bottom. A brisk ride
of three or four miles through the valley brought us to the edge of the
forest, where we encamped near a small creek, and after another good
night's rest, we pushed on through a mass of the noblest maple and pine
trees I had ever seen. Now game abounded; turkeys, bears, and deer,
were seen almost every minute, and, as we advanced, the traces of mules
and jackasses were plainly visible. A little further on, the footprints
of men were also discovered, and from their appearance they were but a
few hours old. This sight made us forget our fatigues, and we hurried
on, with fond anticipations of finding a speedy termination to all our
sufferings.
Late in the afternoon, I killed a very fat buck, and although we were
anxious to follow the tracks, to ascertain what description of
travellers were before us, our horses were so tired, and our appetites
so sharpened, that upon reflection, we thought it desirable to remain
where we were. I took this opportunity of making myself a pair of
mocassins, with the now useless saddlebags of the parson.
That evening we were in high glee, thinking that we had arrived at one
of the recent settlements of western emigration, for, as I have
observed, we had seen tracks of jackasses, and these animals are never
employed upon any distant journey. We fully expected the next morning
to find some log houses, within ten or fifteen miles, where we should be
able to procure another horse for the parson, and some more ammunition,
as we had scarcely half a pound of balls left between us. The lawyer
enjoyed, by anticipation, the happiness of once more filling his
half-gallon flask, and the doctor promised to give us dishes of his own
invention, as soon as he could meet with a frying-pan. In fine, so
exuberant were our spirits, that it was late before we laid down to
sleep.
At about two o'clock in the morning, feeling a pressure upon my breast,
I opened my eyes, and saw Gabriel with a finger upon his lips, enjoining
me to silence. He then informed me, in a whisper, that a numerous party
of thieves were in our neighbourhood, and that they had already
discovered our horses. Taking with us only our knives and tomahawks, we
crawled silently till we came to a small opening in the forest, when we
saw some twenty fellows encamped, without any light or fire, but all
armed to the teeth. Three or four of them appeared animated in their
conversation, and, being favoured by the darkness, we approached nearer,
till we were able to hear every word.
"All sleeping sound," said one of them, "but looking mighty wretched;
not a cent among them, I am sure; if I can judge by their clothing,
three of them are half-breeds."
"And the horses?" said another voice.
"Why, as to them, they have only seven," replied the first voice, "and
they are broken down and tired, although fine animals. They would sell
well after a three weeks' grazing."
"Take them away, then; are they tied?"
"Only two."
"Break the halters then, and start them full speed, as if they were
frightened; it will not awaken their suspicion."
"Why not settle the matter with them all at once? we would get their
saddles."
"Fool! suppose they are a vanguard of General Rusk's army, and one of
them should escape? No; to-morrow at sunrise they will run upon the
tracks of their horses, and leave their saddles and saddle-bags behind;
three men shall remain here, to secure the plunder, and when the ducks
(travellers) are fairly entangled in the forest, being on foot, we can
do what we please."
Others then joined the conversation, and Gabriel and I returned to our
friends as silently as we left them. Half an hour afterwards, we heard
the galloping of our horses, in a southerly direction, and Gabriel going
once more to reconnoitre, perceived the band taking another course,
towards the east, leaving as they had proposed, three of their men
behind them. For a few minutes he heard these men canvassing as to the
best means of carrying the saddles, and having drank pretty freely from
a large stone jug, they wrapped themselves in their blankets, and
crawled into a sort of burrow, which had probably been dug out by the
brigands, as a cachette for their provisions and the booty which they
could not conveniently carry.
By the conversation of the three fellows, Gabriel conjectured that the
band had gone to a place of rendezvous, on the bank of some river, and
that the party who had carried away our horses was to proceed only six
miles south, to a stream where the track of the horses would be effaced
and lost in case of our pursuit. As soon as they considered that we
were far enough from our encampment, they were to return by another
road, and rejoin the three men left behind. Gabriel conjectured that
only four men had gone away with the horses. After a little
consultation, we awoke our comrades, and explaining to them how matters
stood, we determined upon a counterplot.
It was at first proposed to shoot the three scoundrels left for our
saddle-bags, but reflecting that they were better acquainted than we
were with the locality, and that the report of one of their fire-arms
would excite the suspicion of those who had charge of our horses, we
determined upon another line of conduct. Before daylight, I took my bow
and arrows, and succeeded in reaching a secure position, a few yards
from the burrow where the thieves were concealed, Gabriel did the same,
in a bush, half way between the burrow and our encampment. In the
meantime, Roche, with the five Americans, played their part admirably--
walking near to the burrow, swearing that our horses had been frightened
by some varmint and escaped, and started upon the tracks, with as much
noise as they could make; to deceive the robbers the more, they left
their rifles behind.
As soon as they were gone, the thieves issued from their places of
concealment, and one arming himself with his rifle, "went," as he said,
"to see if the coast was clear." He soon returned with two of our
rifles and a blazing piece of wood, and the worthies began laughing
together at the success of their ruse. They lighted a fire, took
another dram, and while one busied himself with preparing coffee, the
other two started, with no other weapon but their knives, to fetch the
saddle-bags and saddles.
They had not been gone five minutes, when I perceived an enormous
rattlesnake, ready to spring, at not half a yard from me. Since my
snake adventure among the Comanches, I had imbibed the greatest dread of
that animal, and my alarm was so great, that I rushed out of my
concealment, and, at a single bound, found myself ten yards from the
fellow, who was quietly blowing his fire and stirring his coffee. He
arose immediately made two steps backwards, and, quite unnerved by so
sudden an apparition, he extended his hand towards a tree, against which
the rifles had been placed.
That movement decided his fate, for not choosing to be shot at, nor to
close with a fellow so powerful that he could have easily crushed my
head between his thumb and finger, I drew at him; though rapid, my aim
was certain, and he fell dead, without uttering a single word, the arrow
having penetrated his heart. I then crawled to Gabriel, to whom I
explained the matter, and left him, to take my station near the two
remaining brigands. I found them busy searching the saddle-bags and
putting aside what they wished to secrete for their own use.
After they had been thus employed for half an hour, one of them put
three saddles upon his head, and, thus loaded, returned to the burrow,
desiring his companion to come along, and drink his coffee while it was
hot. Some five minutes afterwards, the noise of a heavy fall was heard
(it was that of the thief who had just left, who was killed by the
tomahawk of Gabriel), and the remaining robber, loading himself with the
saddle-bags, prepared to follow, swearing aloud against his companion,
"who could not see before his eyes, and would break the pommels of the
saddles."
I had just drawn my bow, and was taking my aim, when Gabriel, passing
me, made a signal to forbear, and rushing upon the thief, he kicked him
in the back, just as he was balancing the saddles upon his head. The
thief fell down, and attempted to struggle, but the prodigious muscular
strength of Gabriel was too much for him; in a moment he laid half
strangled and motionless. We bound him firmly hand and foot, and
carried him to his burrow; we laid the two bodies by his side, stowed
our luggage in the burrow, and having destroyed all traces of the
struggle, we prepared for the reception of the horse-thieves.
Chance befriended us. While we were drinking the coffee thus left as a
prize to the conquerors, we heard at a distance the trampling of horses.
I seized one of the rifles, and Gabriel, after a moment of intense
listening, prepared his lasso, and glided behind the bushes. It was not
long before I perceived my own horse who having undoubtedly thrown his
rider, was galloping back to the camp. He was closely pursued by one of
the rascals, mounted upon Gabriel's horse, and calling out to the three
robbers, "Stop him; Russy, Carlton--stop him!" At that moment,
Gabriel's lasso fell upon his shoulders, and he fell off the horse as
dead as if struck by lightning: his neck was broken.
Having gained our horses, we saddled them, and took our rifles, not
doubting but that we would easily capture the remaining rascals, as the
speed of our two steeds was very superior to that of the others. After
half an hour's hard riding, we fell in with Roche and our companions,
who had been equally fortunate. It appeared that the fellow who had
been riding my horse had received a severe fall against a tree; and
while one of his companions started in chase of the animal, who had
galloped off. The two others tied their horses to the trees, and went
to his assistance. When thus occupied, they were surprised, and bound
hand and foot by Roche and his party.
We brought back our prisoners, and when we arrived at the burrow, we
found that, far from having lost any thing by the robbers, we had, on
the contrary, obtained articles which we wanted. One of the lawyers
found in the stone jug enough of whisky to fill his flask; the parson
got another rifle, to replace that which he had lost in the prairie, and
the pouches and powder-horns of the three first robbers were found well
supplied with powder and balls. We also took possession of four green
Mackinaw blankets and a bag of ground coffee.
We heartily thanked Providence, who had thrown the rascals in our way,
and after a good meal, we resumed our journey in a southern direction,
each of the three lawyers leading, by a stout rope, one of the brigands,
who were gagged and their hands firmly bound behind their backs. During
the whole day, the parson amused himself with preaching honesty and
morality to our prisoners, who seeing now that they had not the least
chance to escape, walked briskly alongside of the horses.
Towards evening we encamped in one of those plains, a mile in
circumference, which are so frequently met with in the forests of the
west. We had performed a journey of twenty miles, and that with the
forced ride which our beasts had performed in the morning, had quite
tired them out. Besides, having now four men on foot, we could not
proceed so fast as before. We lighted a fire and fed our prisoners,
putting two of them in the centre of our circles, while the two others,
who were much bruised by their falls of the morning, took their station
near the fire, and we covered them with a blanket. Though we believed
we had nothing to fear from our prisoners, the two first being bound
hand and foot, and the two last being too weak to move, we nevertheless
resolved that a watch should be kept, and as Gabriel and I had not slept
during the night before, we appointed Roche to keep the first watch.
When I awoke, I felt chilly, and to my astonishment I perceived that our
fire was down. I rose and looked immediately for the prisoners. The
two that we had put within our circle were still snoring heavily, but
the others, whose feet we had not bound on account of their painful
bruises, were gone. I looked for the watch, and found that it was one
of the lawyers, who having drank too freely of the whisky, had fallen
asleep. The thieves had left the blanket; I touched it, I perceived
that it was yet warm, so that I knew they could not have been gone a
long while.
The day was just breaking, and I awoke my companions; the lawyer was
much ashamed of himself, and offered the humblest apologies, and as a
proof of his repentance, he poured on the ground the remainder of the
liquor in his flask. As soon as Gabriel and Roche were up, we searched
in the grass for the footprints, which we were not long in finding, and
which conducted us straight to the place where we had left our horses
loose and grazing. Then, for the first time, we perceived that the
horses which were shod, and which belonged to the three lawyers, had had
their shoes taken off, when in possession of the thieves the day before.
By the foot-prints, multiplied in every direction, it was evident that
the fugitives had attempted, though in vain, to seize upon some of our
horses. Following the foot-marks a little farther, brought us to a
small sandy creek, where the track was lost; and on the other side, to
our great astonishment, we saw plainly (at least the appearance seemed
to imply as much), that help had been at hand, and that the thieves had
escaped upon a tall American horse, ambling so lightly, that the four
shoes of the animal were comparatively but feebly marked on the ground.
It seemed, also, that the left foreleg of the animal had been at some
time hurt, for the stopping was not regular, being sometimes longer,
sometimes shorter, and now and then deviating two or three inches from
the line.
I thought immediately that we had been discovered by another roving
party of the brigands, and that they had gone to get a reinforcement to
overpower us, but upon a closer examination of the track, I came at once
to the solution of the mystery. I remarked that on the print left by
the shoes, the places upon which the head of the nails should have
pressed deeper, were, on the contrary, convex, the shoes were,
therefore, not fixed by nails; and my suspicions being awakened, I soon
spied upon a soft sandy spot, through which the track passed, that there
was something trailing from the left hind foot, and I satisfied myself
that this last slight mark was made by a piece of twine. A little
afterwards I remarked that on the softer parts of the ground, and two or
three inches behind and before the horse-shoe prints, were two circular
impressions, which I ascertained to be the heel and the toe-marks left
by a man's mocassins.
The mystery was revealed. We had never searched our prisoners, one of
whom must have had some of the shoes taken off the horses, which shoes,
in these districts, are very valuable, as they cannot be replaced.
Having tried in vain to catch some of our horses, they had washed out
the tracks in the creek, and had fixed the horse-shoes to their own feet
with pieces of twine; after which, putting themselves in a line at the
required distance one from the other, they had started off, both with
the same foot, imitating thus the pacing of a swift horse.
The plan was cunning enough, and proved that the blackguards were no
novices in their profession, but they had not yet sufficiently acquired
that peculiar tact natural to savage life. Had they been Indians, they
would have fixed small pieces of wood into the holes of the shoe to
imitate the nails, and they would then have escaped. We returned to the
camp to arm ourselves, and the lawyers, wishing to recover our
confidence, entreated that they might be permitted to chase and
recapture the fellows. At noon they returned quite exhausted, but they
had been successful; the prisoners were now bound hand and foot, and
also tied by the waist to a young pine, which we felled for the purpose.
It was useless to travel further on that day, as the lawyers' horses
were quite blown, and having now plenty of ammunition, some of us went
in pursuit of turkeys and pheasants, for a day or two's provisions. All
my efforts to obtain information from the prisoners were vain. To my
inquiries as to what direction lay the settlements, I received no
answer.
Towards evening, as we were taking our meal, we were visited by a band
of dogs, who, stopping ten yards from us, began to bark most furiously.
Thinking at first they belonged to the band of robbers, who employed
them to follow travellers, we hastily seized our arms, and prepared for
a fight; but Gabriel asserting the dogs were a particular breed
belonging to the Cherokees, Choctaws, Creeks, and other tribes of
half-civilised Indians, established upon the Red River, we began
shouting and firing our rifles, so as to guide towards us the Indians,
whom we presumed could not be far behind their dogs. We did not wait
long, for a few minutes afterwards a gallant band of eighty Cherokees
dashed through the cover, and reined up their horses before us. All was
explained in a moment.
A system of general depredation had been carried on, for a long while
with impunity, upon the plantations above the great bend of the Red
River. The people of Arkansas accused the Texians, who, in their turn,
asserted that the parties were Indians. Governor Yell, of the Arkansas,
complained to Ross, the highly talented chief of the Cherokees, who
answered that the robbers were Arkansas men and Texians, and, as a proof
of his assertion, he ordered a band to scour the country, until they had
fallen in with and captured the depredators. For the last two days,
they had been following some tracks, till their dogs, having crossed the
trail left by the lawyers and their prisoners, guided the warriors to
our encampments.
We gave them all our prisoners, whom we were very glad to get rid of;
and the Indian leader generously ordered one of his men to give up his
horse and saddle to the parson. To this, however, we would not consent,
unless we paid for the animal; and each of us subscribing ten dollars,
we presented the money to the man, who certainly did not lose by the
bargain.
The next morning, the leader of the Cherokee party advised me to take a
southern direction, till we should arrive at the head waters of the
river Sabine, from whence, proceeding either northward or eastward, we
should, in a few days, reach the Red River, through the cane-brakes and
the clearings of the new settlers. Before parting, the Indians made us
presents of pipes and tobacco, of which we were much in want; and after
a hearty breakfast, we resumed our journey.