USA > Texas > Early pioneer days in Texas > Part 2
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In the early pioneer days, when rawhide and hickory switches were used-in those days there were no wires-to tie wagon beds, harness and plows together, many a time I have gone, when a small boy, with father into the woods where we had several hundred, long snouted, long tusked, back windsplitter hogs and he would catch the young pigs to mark them where the old mamma sow had left them in their snug little beds in the high cane brakes on leaves and grass. The little pigs would squeal, and you should see the rush of the vicious herd of swine as they would come in defense of their litter. In order to escape from them we were often compelled to climb a tree or use some decoy or strategy to in- duce them away so they would do us no injury. Many of our dogs have been killed and mutilated in rounding up hogs by their long tusks; even panthers, bears, wolves and wild-cats have been whipped by these hogs. When father wanted to kill one of these fat hogs for the family and the
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negroes-we had quite a number of negroes-he would catch the hog when he was apart from the herd with a twisted hickory withe, tie in cut place in hog's snout, and then to our old horse, Selim's tail, and tell me to hit Old Selim, and the horse would drag the hog by his tail without any apparent inconvenience or injury to the faithful old family horse. The hogs kept fat in those days, as there was always plenty of persimmons, hawes, grapes, pecans, hickory-nuts, walnuts, etc. There was no scarcity of hog meat, lard and plenty of venison, turkey, bear, buffalo, beef, mut- ton and goat meat and prairie chicken, quail and fish ; also plenty of wild honey. We used to make candles from tallow and beeswax in the winter from which we got our lights. Our beef hides were tanned at the Red Oak Bark Ooze Tan Yards of Uncle Farrow Medlin. We made our. shoes from the leather tanned by Mr. Green, and the leather was also used for making harness and bridles.
Our mothers and sisters learned to card, spin and weave. The fleece from the sheep and the homespun cloth would wear and keep us warm under all conditions. We did not have the fash- ions of the day, but it was the fine wool from the sheep woven, spun and carded by the hands of true and noble womanhood-mothers and sisters of men whose lives 'have made the world better for their living, and whose sacrifices and labors have left a heritage that gold cannot buy, nor could it have been obtained in any other way.
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Father's first plow was made on the bull tongue shovel order-at least a dozen pieces of scrap- iron, old horse shoes and wagon bed irons were used to make it, and the plow stock was chopped by hand, as well as the double and single-trees, from felled trees. Before we had our tanneries we used to make our harness and lariat ropes and halters out of rawhide and hickory withes, and rawhide strips were used to hold the wagon beds and plows together. We had no wire then, and had to invent a way to fasten things together with an easier acquired tie. The virgin soil of the prairies yielded to the magic touch of the plow drawn by the patient oxen, and in time the corn sprang up and fed the family and later, enough abundance for the cattle.
On a damp, cold night in the early part of the year-it was a night of fog-a band of redskins crept slowly over the wet prairies. They did not walk with even stride like men, but followed like a shrunken shadow brooding over a dark and dis- mal swamp. It was significant. They were hunched of shoulder, heavy legged. They were alive, but did not want to appear so. They were after the white man's horses and the white man's cattle, and would willingly kill the white man and his women and children if he could steal what the white man had. The love of life was only for themselves, and a wild beast was more to them than was the life of the brave men and women who came to develop a barren waste and build homes and enterprises that would leave posterity a heritage to be proud of. The Indian
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wanted to destroy; the white man came to build.
The watchful bear dogs were the first to scent the encroaching redskins and set up a howl that warned the camp of settlers. The Indians paid no heed to the howling dogs, but answered in many places with sounds like hooting owls. A sentry on watch heard the commotion of the dogs and listened intently, fearful lest the Indians may be coming near, but all he could hear was the hooting of the owls. The man halted at the open- ing to the stockade-a protecting guard to retard the Indians from attack-and listened more in- tently. The dogs were by this time frantic, jump- ing in their fury and making a rush as though they scented wolves. The sentry was nonplussed. He could not see any indication of any danger, and could not understand why the dogs were so furious. His comrades had toiled so hard all day he did not want to disturb them, so he endeav- ored to pacify the dogs, but they would not be quieted. Finally he concluded he would let one of the dogs loose and let him go out of the stock- ade, thinking it was some animal prowling about the stockade fence. When he opened the en- trance to the stockade the dog rushed to the open- ing, but would not go outside, and when all the dogs were turned loose they, too, rushed to the opening, set up a growl and barking, but would not go any further. This puzzled the man on watch, so he hastily closed and fastened the huge door and proceeded to awaken the men in the camp, and told them of the peculiar action of the dogs. The men determined that it was safest to
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prepare for the worst, and so they got everything in readiness for a fierce battle.
The stockade was well constructed of split logs, set perpendicularly with the split side on the out- side and standing about ten feet in height, and tops pointed in the shape of an inverted V. Inside this was braced and held in place by doweled and dovetailed poles, one end being buried in the ground, the other end holding up the fence. It was quite a formidable protection against the prowling wild beasts, as well as a defense against the savages. The pioneers had built loop holes, doubly protected at strategic places along the stockade for the purpose of defending themselves from marauding Indians. Inside the stockade was the corral where they kept their horses and a few head of cattle, sheep, poultry, dogs, etc., and to one side was built some two or three log cabins where the settlers dwelt. It had taken these brave, determined men a long time to build this little settlement, and it had been the rendezvous of everyone for miles around whenever there was danger of any Indian uprising, so that Indians had begun to recognize it as a great stronghold for the white man, and had also learned to fear to approach it lest they might lose their lives, for many an Indian had gone to the happy hunting grounds because he crawled too close to this fort.
On this particular night a large band of war- riors had determined to attack the fort under the protection of darkness, expecting to come upon the settlers unawares, capture the horses and cattle, kill the men and women and burn their
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homes and stockade. When the man on watch aroused the sleeping men and women, and boys, and recited his experiences, every one became alert for action, ready to make the marauders, whatever or whoever they were, pay dearly for the charge on their home. In the party was an experienced Indian fighter, who had been in sev- eral campaigns against the encroachment of the blood-thirsty savage, and he offered to reconnoiter and ascertain what it was that had so frightened the dogs and caused such alarm. So he crept out of an opening at the rear of the stockade, and as he did so the owls began a hooting in several dif- ferent places surrounding the stockade. The In- dian fighter knew at once by these calls that the Indians had gathered in great numbers, and con- cluded that it was to be a battle to the finish. Hastily returning to the settlement he told them what his conclusions were, and they immediately made preparations for a siege, having a present- ment that the Indians meant to destroy them if they could. The Indian fighter urged that they get all the water they could in the utensils they had, prepared to battle against fire. The weather was in their favor, as the night was damp and foggy, and he had hopes that they would be able to prevent a conflagration, as he felt that if they could keep the stockade from being burnt down they would have a good chance to defend them- selves against the Indians.
It was long past midnight before the Indians began any demonstration. The first real mani- festation was made by a groaning as though
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someone was in great bodily pain-a plan the Indians hoped would cause some of the settlers to come out and investigate; and in fact, one of the men who heard it suggested that it might be some poor fellow being attacked by a panther. The Indian fighter warned them and told them it was but a ruse of the Indians to get them to open the stockade gate so they could rush in and slay them.
Finding their ruse unavailing, they then sent a runner up the poles to peer over, but it was so dark that he could not see, and finally, climbing over, dropped on the other side in the corral. In doing so he dropped on some sticks, and the In- dian fighter rushed to the place, returning in a few minutes with a bowie knife dripping with blood, remarking as he came: "There's one less devil to fight." For over an hour the camp re- mained in absolute quiet-the women were hud- dled together with the children, and the men lis- tening with keen, open ears for any movement that might occur. All were praying for the day- light, that they might see what was going on about them. Suddenly one of the dogs rushed to- ward the stockade wall, barking furiously and snapping his jaws as though he had seen an ene- my. The Indian fighter followed closely as he could, just in time to see two dusky shadows straightening themselves up. Instantly his pis- tols spoke and two dead Indians lay in their tracks. As soon as the pistol shots were heard a score of arrows lit in the corral, but fortunately no one
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was hurt. "Get under cover," yelled the Indian fighter. Scarcely had the words escaped his lips when another shower of arrows fell in the corral, and two or three had barbs of fire. These barbs did no injury, however, but they lit up in their progress the pointed tops of the stockade posts, so the settlers could see the heads of peering In- dians, and they took advantage of this to take a shot at the heads above the posts. Just how many heads they hit was never known, for the Indian does not leave his dead if he can possibly get them away.
Gradually the day began to dawn, and the set- tler could see the Indians whenever they tried to put their heads over, and as rapidly as they did, a bullet would knock it down. Several ef- forts were made by the Indians to set fire to the stockade, but these efforts were fruitless, and the Indians were unable to accomplish their purpose. Finally the settlers were able to see, the day be- ing well up, and they gathered in their little forts where they had made their port holes and picking out their foes, made sad havoc among them with their guns. The chief, a dangerous fellow, seeing they were at such great disadvantage, gave an or- der to his followers and they hastily withdrew. The men were for following after them, but again the Indian fighter warned them, and told them the Indians would lay in wait for them all day, and perhaps several days, hoping to slay them one by one.
A prayer of thankfulness went up from the be- sieged men and women for deliverance from those
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bloodthirsty demons who had thirsted for the life-blood of these brave, determined men and women.
The Indian fighter went out cautiously to re- connoiter, and returned in a little while, telling them the Indians had been badly beaten-several of their number were slain and quite a few wound- ed. He told also that he had found a broken wagon only a short distance from the stockade, not over a mile or a mile and a half away, and a , white man and his wife slain, the horses and all his belongings stolen. The poor man's eye-balls, gouged from their sockets, had been turned wrong side out, and his ears cut off and pinned to his nose with sharp sticks, and a little farther away lay the poor woman and her babe shamefully and horribly mutilated.
From the tracks of the hostile Indians there were some thirty who retreated, and probably the attacking party numbered forty to fifty before the fight began. With thankful hearts the settlers gave thanks to God for deliverance from such hellish fiends, whose lust for gain was so intense that no ties of sentiment or feeling gave them the slightest thought of mercy-whose desire was only to slay, to destroy-while the noble pioneers sought not to destroy, but to build and make the barren land blossom and give strength and health to the nation. Verily, God goes with the right- eous, and His hand will be upheld in danger.
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J. TAYLOR ALLEN AND FAMILY
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CHAPTER II.
INDIAN SONGS AND DANCES.
The Indian idea of war was more logical than human. He carried out in cold blood the old song that "All's fair in love and war." As a fighter he had no idea of giving quarters, and, of course, rarely expected it, although he cunningly learned the tenderness of the white man's heart and his tendency to mercy, though he himself remained obdurate, vicious and unmerciful so long as he was in power. When the early pioneers came here they were always on the alert for fear of the wily savages, who, in hunting for game, thought nothing of pouncing down on settlements at an unguarded moment, taking away with them scalps of the victims fastened to their belts or bridles, and kept them for exhibition at certain times of the moon. Notwithstanding their treachery, their merciless slaughter of men and women, they did not talk of the scalps or scalping, but used high sounding phrases. This ghastly trophy is to them the "sacred hair," an offering to their gods. It used to be told that two boys who smoked before they had proved themselves men were rebuked by a chief and told they must go to the camps of the white man and bring "some bark from the oak" before they could call themselves brave. The boys innocently went and peeled the bark from several trees, and when they brought it to
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the chief, were greatly chagrined when they were told sternly to go and try again. Afterwards, when they helped to attack a caravan of travelers and brought back the "bark" from the head of one of the poor settlers then the boys were en- titled thereafter to the privilege of smoking.
A band of Indian warriors came suddenly on the camp of a little settlement one night to steal what stock they might. There were a lot of horses in the corral, made of poles, whose tops were bound with iron-like ropes of rawhide. One Indian climbed quietly into the enclosure with the end of a rawhide lasso in his hand. He at one end, and a companion on the other end, sawed the rope back and forth till the ropes were cut; then several of the posts were uprooted, the horses let out, and off ran the thieves with their loot with- out arousing anyone. At daybreak the alarm was given, and the settlers organized and gave pursuit and overtook them some twenty miles away. The Indians resorted to their favorite tactics of sav- ages by circling and shooting from their horses, then hiding behind their horses, thereby inviting the white men to waste their powder; and would have finally been victorious and beaten the set- tlers, but the settlers were too wise, and by well- placed firing from their guns, soon made the In- dians take flight. The settlers recovered their stolen horses, besides a few of the Indians, but two or three of the men lost their scalps.
The Indian takes these scalps as trophies and proof of prowess, and chiefly because he believes that with it the valor and skill of the former pos-
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sessor becomes his own. The scalp is taken by cutting a rough circle around the top of the skull and then tearing off the patch of skin and hair by brute force. It is a dreadful sight, never to be forgotten by anyone who has ever seen it. The scalp is cured by the one who takes it, and he takes great care in preparing it. Many magical powers are supposed to dwell in that scalp-even if touched either accidently or by design by a third person, it is supposed to transmit some of its virtues.
At certain periods of the month, when the moon is at a point equal to their festive dancing days, they gather together to hold their "mad dance," or dance in commemoration of their victory. The dancers form in two lines facing each other, with alternate men and women. The braves, in their war paint and clad in their paraphernalia of war, each carries in his left hand a bow and in his right a single arrow, pointing upward. The women wear their trinkets and their gayest costumes, but have nothing in their hands. The dancers move in perfect rhythm to the monotone of the chanters and the thump of the drum. This chanting is a metrical account of the battle and a musical ex- planation of how the scalps were taken.
When the dance is well under way one of the Indians, whose special duty it is to take charge of the scalps, brings them forward and walks slow- ly and solemnly up and down between the lines of dancers with the precious tokens of victory. At the conclusion of the scalp dance they finish with
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a lively dance. At the end of every phrase they give imitations of the war hoop, or "enemy yells." The whole performance is weird and disgusting, and usually lasts two or three nights.
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CHAPTER III.
HUNTING IN THE EARLY DAYS.
Game of nearly every kind abounded on these prairies that are now tilled, and where, on nearly every quarter section, now holds a home of happy, contented families, but in those days wild Spanish horses, deer and buffalo, bear and panther, rac- coons, wolves and coyotes had full sway, and they roamed at will over the boundless prairies, feed- ing off the luxuriant native grasses that grew abundantly and as high as the arm-pits of a man in the valleys, and as high as the waist on the high ground. Game was so plentiful in the feath- ery tribes that they flocked in such numbers as to cloud the skies when they were in flight, and it was true that because of their abundance the farmer had great difficulty to plant his wheat, corn or other grains, because these birds and wild fowl would come and devour the seed. There were turkeys, geese, prairie chickens, quail and doves, and various and numerous other game birds and fowls in abundance. So plentiful that in their season they were common food on the table, and out of sheer necessity were we compelled to slaughter them in order that we could plant and grow our crops.
Many are the times I have taken part in hunt- ing the wild Spanish horses, and it was an ex- citing experience, an experience not permitted to
.
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this generation to enjoy. The way it was done required some skill and strength and nimbleness of feet and hands. These horses roamed at will, and on the approach of men would run pell-mell, like the wind, away from us as soon as we would come near. The only way we could get anywhere near one was to take a rifle, and with accurate and steady aim, send a ball through the top of his neck, which sent him sprawling on the ground, then with quick and active exertions, reach him before he could get up, place a rawhide loop around his neck and fasten the other end around the stoutly rigged saddle horn. Then the fun would begin. With an experienced, well-mounted rider on a good, strong horse, the battle would not be a long one, but as long as it did last it was a strenuous one. The captured horse would rear and rush and snort, and as he would try to get away the rider would draw a tighter line. Sel- dom did the wild horse unseat the rider, but there was always danger of the wild horse throwing himself backwards on to the rider. Many a Span- ish horse has been broken and tamed to be a use- ful animal that looked so ferocious when first cap- tured that it seemed impossible to tame him, and the trainers who mounted these wild steeds had many a jolt and shock in getting them to become obedient to the call of man. Many a man has been crippled for life in the effort to master one of these wild, untamed horses, not so many from being thrown as from the rearing, jumping and somer- saulting of the animals themselves falling back on the rider and injuring him by the animal's fall.
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These animals would double up in the air, then send their feet up almost straight, then their head down and their hind feet up, but so long as they remained on their feet, either up or down, the rider would hold on, and it was only when the horse fell backward that the danger came.
Bears furnished exciting sport also. They did not show much fight so long as they were not molested or hunted, but the bear hunted was gen- erally no tame affair, and it was no boy's game when the real work began. Bears did not molest us long, nor did we have much experience hunt- ing them, as they moved farther West with the buffalo as the white man came.
Deer were very numerous, and I have seen as many as 200 playing and sunning themselves in one bunch, where they had gathered from the Sulphurs, Bois d'Arc and Sanders Creek in the spring, lazily eating the abundant grass and ca- vorting and playing and enjoying themselves. Well do I remember the sport we had in racing, chasing and catching deer with greyhounds in those days. How we would test the speed of our horses and the endurance of our dogs in the hunt and race for deer. We did not kill for lust's sake, but for sport's sake. It was easy to kill any num- ber with our guns, but we tried our skill in choos- ing the biggest, and had contests to see who could kill at the greatest distance and with the cleanest shot. The deer in those days were so numerous that they would do great damage to our roasting ears and pea patches, and we would flash them with our fire pans, their eyes shining like stars.
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Then we would easily capture them. The choice, juicy venison made a feast fit for kings, and we enjoyed the luxury and the benefit of those veni- son hams for many a day.
Wild turkeys were also very numerous, and fine, fat, sleek, blue-headed fellows. What enjoy- ment we used to have to get among a nice bunch of frying size and shoot till our barrels were hot, then gather so many that we could just barely carry them home, and have to leave them strewn on the ground ! What fun it was to see some proud, strutting gobbler as he was helping to make the woods echo with his gobble, and take a shot at him just as he was making a bee-line for our wheat fields. What a load we had to get our trophies home, but I always found where there was a will there's usually a way. I can truthfully say that necessity is the mother of invention. It was quite common for the wild tur- keys to come close to our home and mingle with mother's turkeys, and I have shot many of them close to our yard fence. A little experience I had once that happened while several of us were out on one of our camping expeditions was rather humiliating, but I look back on it now with grati- fication. We had secured seventeen deer and an innumerable quantity of turkeys, and I saw on a sandy branch some turkeys laying in the little creek. There was a hole full of clear water and full of fish. I made up my mind to make a rec- ord for shooting turkeys-some of the boys had killed two or three at one shot, so I put an extra load in my gun, cautiously and secretly hid my-
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self in a good place on a tree in a reclining posi- tion, about six or eight feet from the ground, and, as I anticipated, the turkeys came in large num- bers down the trail towards the water hole. I took careful aim, expecting to bag quite a few, as I had cocked both barrels of my big double bar- reled shotgun, and just when they were in range pulled the trigger. But what happened ? The kick knocked me from my position, I swung under the log and couldn't get back around, so I had to drop, and nearly broke my back in doing so. After I was able to get up I picked up my gun and went after my prize, when, to my amazement, I found feathers, feathers everywhere, enough to make a big feather bed, but not a turkey anywhere. Imagine if you can, how humiliated I was and how disappointed. The prize I expected to boast of became my humiliation. You ask: Did I tell the boys in camp of my disappointment? Well, no. I kept it to myself for several days, but finally I let it out. The joke on me was too good to keep. Even at my own expense, I felt I was letting my comrades have no share in the fun, so we all enjoyed a good, hearty laugh around the camp- fire as I told them my experience as we feasted on venison, turkey, fish, squirrel, quail and wild honey, which we had in abundance. Those days were bright and happy days, and we'll never see their like again. Now we are striving for other things, times have changed, and sports have changed, and with the change we forget the dan- gers and the labors of the pioneers of the past, but just the same they paved the way for the comforts and the plenty we now enjoy.
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