We now suffered the very acme of misery. While riding in hot haste
along the trail, there was an excitement, almost continuous, that
precluded the possibility of intense reflection, and kept my mind from
dwelling too minutely upon the calamity that had befallen me. The
prospect of retribution, ever appearing nearer at hand--at every step
nearer--all but cancelled my emotions of grief; and motion itself--
knowing it to be forward, and towards the object of hatred--had a
certain effect in soothing my troubled soul.
Now that the pursuit was suspended, and I was free to reflect on the
events of the morning, my soul was plunged into the deepest misery. My
fancy distressed me with dire images. Before me appeared the corpse of
my murdered mother--her arms outstretched, waving me on to vengeance.
My sister, too, wan, tearful, dishevelled! dishonoured!
No wonder that with painful impatience I awaited the going down of the
sun. I thought I had never seen that grand orb sink so slowly. The
delay tortured me almost to distraction.
The sun's disc was blood red, from a thick haze that hung over the
woods. The heavens appeared lowering, and angry--they had the hue of my
own spirit.
At length, twilight came on. Short it was--as is usual in Southern
latitudes--though it appeared long and tardy in passing away. Darkness
followed, and once more springing to my saddle, I found relief in
motion.
Emerging from the timber, we rode out upon the open savanna. The two
hunters, acting as guides, conducted us across. There was no attempt
made to follow any of the numerous trails. In the darkness, it would
have been impossible, but even had there been light enough left them,
the guides would have pursued a different course.
Hickman's conjecture was, that on reaching the opposite side, the
marauding party would come together at some rendezvous previously agreed
upon. The trail of any one, therefore, would be sufficient for our
purpose, and in all probability would conduct us to their camp. Our
only aim, then, was to get across the savanna unobserved; and this the
darkness might enable us to accomplish.
Silently as spectres we marched over the open meadow. We rode with
extreme slowness, lest the hoof-strokes should be heard. Our tired
steeds needed no taming down. The ground was favourable--a surface of
soft, grassy turf, over which our animals glided with noiseless tread.
Our only fears were, that they should scent the horses of the Indians,
and betray us by their neighing.
Happily our fears proved groundless; and, after half an hour's silent
marching, we reached the other side of the savanna, and drew up under
the shadowy trees.
It was scarce possible we could have been observed. If the Indians had
left spies behind them, the darkness would have concealed us from their
view, and we had made no noise by which our approach could have been
discovered, unless their sentinels had been placed at the very point
where we re-entered the woods. We saw no signs of any, and we believed
that none of the band had lingered behind, and we had not been seen.
We congratulated one another in whispers; and in like manner deliberated
on our future plans of proceeding. We were still in our saddles--with
the intention to proceed further. We should have dismounted upon the
spot, and waited for the light of morning to enable us to take up the
trail, but circumstances forbade this. Our horses were suffering from
thirst, and their riders were no better off. We had met with no water
since before noon, and a few hours under the burning skies of Florida
are sufficient to render thirst intolerable. Whole days in a colder
climate would scarce have an equal effect.
Both horses and men suffered acutely--we could neither sleep nor rest,
without relief--water must be sought for, before a halt could be made.
We felt hunger as well, for scarce any provision had been made for the
long march--but the pangs of this appetite were easier to be endured.
Water of itself would satisfy us for the night, and we resolved to ride
forward in search of it.
In this dilemma, the experience of our two guides promised relief. They
had once made a hunting excursion to the savanna we had crossed. It was
in the times when the tribes were friendly, and white men were permitted
to pass freely through the "reserve." They remembered a pond, at which,
upon that occasion, they had made their temporary encampment. They
believed it was not far distant from the spot where we had arrived. It
might be difficult to find in the darkness, but to suffer on or search
for it were our only alternatives.
The latter was of course adopted; and once more allowing Hickman and
Weatherford to pioneer the way, the rest of us rode silently after.
We moved in single file, each horse guided by the one that immediately
preceded him; in the darkness no other mode of march could be adopted.
Our party was thus strung out into a long line, here and there curving
according to the sinuosities of the path, and gliding like some
monstrous serpent among the trees.