Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMy First Last and Only Deer Hunt -- ~' f \ I My First Last and Only Deer Hunt by. Harvey Mitchell In the spring of 1840 I was domiciled at old Tinnenville on the San Antonio Road near its crossing on the Navasota River. M that time Tinnenville was the extreme frontier setttement at that point on said road.. and quite a number of families had settled in and about the place.. the better to defend themselves against hostile natives. Captain Lee C. Smith1s company of Texas Rangers had been stationed there during the summer of 1 837 and had built a fort or blockhouse for the protection of women and children in case of an attack by a large body of Indians. This company of rangers was superseded by a volunteer company of Minute Men in 1840 under Capt Eli Chandler. The company was composed mainly of young men and boys big enough to shoot (one of whom I was which), who had come to Texas to kill Indians and tvtexicans...pmcure land and grow up with the counby. , It was a beautiful Friday morning in April... I think. that about a dozen of we boys decided to take a big deer hunt up on Camp Creek. a small tributary of the Navasota some fifteen or tweniy miles north of the settlement where deer were plentiful... and sometimes buffalo would come down that far south in the early spring. About sundown that we reached camp... staked out our poines.. discussed a hearty supp,sr and program ,for the next day, provided sentry service... spread down blankets and went to bed... some to sleep and snore and others to scratch ticks and chiggers and fan mosquitoes all night long. Next morning all hands got up early and leaving two men in camp to attend to the horses and get breakfast all the rest of us put out to hunt deer, buffalo or other game... with the understanding that all would return to ca.mp not later than ten o'dock to eat breakfast report luck and get horse-help to bring in the game. , Knowing that I had no "hog sense"," (intuitive idea of course) and consequently would be sure to lose my bearings... where I was not familiar with the woods... I ele'c~1ed for my route to go up one side of a gully that emptied in the creek ~~~ 003 :J.(D ::3-0$ tDC:~ Q !I) CD '~~~i ,\Q ~ . ~ t: ~ ....- ;1'/ ~... ;v/ boys to help me hunt for it so resuming my "home stretch" down said gully.. I soon made the dreadful discovery that I was on the wrong gully.. and lostl Seeing a fine pool of water down in the bed of the . stream.. I thought best to go down and get a drink and sit dmvn and rest a bit On approaching the water's edge I discovered the fresh, well defined tracks of seven buck Indians. Oh.. horror of horrors' Tired nearly to death.. hungry... lost and in dose proximity to seven bloodthirs1y savages who would be delighted to dangle my scalp as a trophy. Without the remotest idea as to the right direction or distance to camp... afraid to shoot off my gun to attract my comrades, no sun to guide me back to the settlement a feeling of desperation overwhelmed me that I shall never forget. I knew not what to do... but I knew it would not do to stay there.. so shouldering my gun I madly rushed off I knew not whither... in search of something I knew not what hoping to meet up with some of the boys... or some due or 'landmark that might guide me safely a>Na:yfrom that "unhappy hunting ground. II I attempted to move off in a straight fOlWard course by t~ng a line of trees.for a guide to avoid going around over the same ground... as lost persons are apt to do... and after an hour or so of lively walking I found the old Parker fort road. I knew it must be that road for then there was no other in that part of the country.. and it had been wholly abandoned as a wagon road ever since the destruction of that fort and the slaughter and capture of its occupants... the Parker and Plummer1amilies... some ~ars previously; but to me it did not seem to be running in the right direction... nor could I decide for my life which end of the road I should take. I knew one end went down to the settlement and the other to the old fort through the heart of the buffalo range that was frequently visited by squads of Indian hunters and sometimes by large bodies of them. My situation became more and more desparate every moment to take the wrong end of the road I would surely meet Indians; I had ever been unlucky in games of chance.. and I was scared, badly sC6.red; just then I would have given $1 000 had I possessed it to be at home with my SC6.lp unharmed. But a bright idea struck me. I had been taught since childhood that there was efficacy in prayer.. and I V". ;~\~~f:!:? . .. .:. .' ~ . . ... .... . .._~'\.- ;:"" ...........-..,... dropped on my knees in the middle oftht sandy old road... reverently holding on to my gun... and if ever a boy did pray honestly... earnestly and feavently... I was that boy. I prayed to God that if he would vouchsafe to me a safe return home from that expedition I would never go deer hunting again in this world. I would now give $1 00... if I had it for a perfect picture of my countenance; person... attitude and the surrounding scenery as it really was at that moment I arose from my devotion and started off at a venture, and after walking another hour or so I came to a familiar part of the road, and to my irrepressible joy found I was on the right route... and though nearly exausted... quickened my pace and reached home about sunset I had scarcely finished the recital of that days doings to the home folks... when the rest of the crowd of hunters arrived leading my ~orse.. and with the camp equipage.. but without my hat They were greatly rejoiced and suprised to find me safe at home... as they had made a diligent search form me about noon.. supposing that I was lost and while searching had found the trail of the IlJdians whose sigh I had seen at the water-hole in the morning. They had followed the trail some distance towards the settlement on the Little 'Brazos, and supposed they had found and dispatched me, in which case the first duty was to inform the settlement of the presence of the redskins and then hunt me up for burial. But I was safe... minus my panama hat which cost me tv..relve dollars.. and which I had to substitute for a month or two with a Davy Crockett style of headgear... i.e.... coonskin. I have kept my promise solemnly made that day; I have never killed a deer in my life.. although thousands of opportunities have occurred. I have never gone on a deer hunt since that day and I have a private opinion of all who indulge in that kind of fun.