Page:The American review - a Whig journal of politics, literature, art, and science (1845).djvu/142

 and darkness fell around the desolate group, as the sun went down which had risen in smiles upon the innocent happiness of that simple family.

Nothing more was seen or heard of Jack Long. His hut was deserted, and his family disappeared, nor did any one know or care what had become of them. For a little while there were various rumors, but the whole affair was soon forgotten amidst the frequent recurrence of similar scenes.

It was about four months after these occurrences that with a friend I was traversing Western Texas. We were both anxious to familiarize ourselves with the topography of the country, and to combine, as much as possible, amusement with our researches into its natural history. About equally zealous for science and the "sports," we made it a point, on reaching any district which promised much for either, to make some excuse for stopping. The modes of chase, and the animals principally abounding in the different counties, varied greatly, and were determined by the characteristics of the surface, the predominance of prairie or timber, with the scarcity or abundance of water; or else, as we found to be the case in Shelby, the equal distribution of all. Islands of Timber, ("Motts,") with long belts of forest fringing the streams, were dotted and stretched in most delightful variety over the broad groundwork of now undulating, now level prairie. Here was diversity of attraction sufficient to suit the nature of all the denizens, whether of water, wood, or plain; and, accordingly, in penetrating a short distance we observed such numbers and so many different species of game, that the country seemed to be a true paradise of hunters. The prospect of rare sport, in all its phases, proved too attractive for our philosophy, and a stay of a week or two in Shelby county was promptly determined upon between us. My friend happened to recollect that a man who had removed from his native county in Virginia to Texas, and taken with him some wealth in property, had finally settled in Shelby county. We inquired for him at the first house and readily found his where-abouts. He was a large Planter, and received us with great frankness and cordiality. Whatever else may be said of the Texans, they are unquestionably most generously hospitable. Our Host forthwith placed at our disposal, not only his own time, but horses, dogs, negroes, guns, and all the et cetera for insuring our enjoyment to the fullest extent of every amusement the county offered. We were soon actively and entirely absorbed in a daily round of exciting chases. One day several of the neighbors were invited to join us, and all our forces were mustered for a grand "Deer Drive." In this sport dogs are use, and under the charge of the "Driver," as he is called, they are taken into the woods for the purpose of rousing and driving out the deer, who have a habit of always passing out from one line of timber to another at or near the same spot, and these places are either known to the hunters from experience or observation of the nature of the ground. At these "crossing places" the "Standers" are stationed with their rifles to watch for the coming out of the deer, who are shot as they go by. On getting to the ground we divided into two parties, each flanking up the opposite edge of a line of timber, over a mile in width, while the "Driver" penetrated it with the dogs. On our side, the sport was unusually good, till, wearied with slaughter, we returned in the afternoon toward the Planter's house, to partake of a late dinner of game with him before the party should separate. It was near sun-down when we dismounted. Soon after we were seated, it was announced that dinner was ready. We now discovered the absence of my friend, Henry, and one of the neighbors, whose name was Stoner. But every one thought they would be there directly, and our appetites hinted pretty strongly, that it would be vastly uncourteous of us to leave the dinner of our Hostess to spoil by waiting. We sat down, and were doing undoubted justice to the fare—there is no appetizer like the headlong excitement of the chase, out where the wilderness-winds blow upon you—when Henry, who was an impulsive, voluble soul, came bustling into the room with something of unusual flurry in his manner, beginning to talk by the time he got his head into the door—

"I say, Squire! what sort of a country is this of yours? Catamounts, Buffalo, Horned-Frogs, Centipedes, one would think were strange creatures enough for a single county; but, by George! I met with something to-day which lays them all in the shade."

"What was it? What was it like?"

Without noticing these questions, he