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THRILLING ADVENTURES

BY

LAND AND SEA

BEING

REMARKABLE HISTORICAL FACTS, GATHERED
FROM AUTHENTIC SOURCES.

EDITED BY

JAMES O. BRAYMAN.

     "Wherein I spoke of most disastrous chances,
      Of moving accidents by flood and field."


PREFACE.

There is a large class of readers who seek books for the sake of the
amusement they afford. Many are not very fastidious as to the character
of those they select, and consequently the press of the present day
teems with works which are not only valueless, so far as imparting
information is concerned, but actually deleterious in their moral
tendency, and calculated to vitiate and enervate the mind. Such
publications as pander to a prurient taste find a large circulation with
a portion of society who read them for the same reason that the
inebriate seeks his bowl, or the gambler the instruments of his
vocation--for the excitement they produce. The influence of works of
this description is all bad--there is not a single redeeming feature to
commend them to the favor or toleration of the virtuous or intelligent.
It cannot be expected that minds accustomed to such reading can at once
be elevated into the higher walks of literature or the more rugged paths
of science. An intermediate step, by which they may be lifted into a
higher mental position, is required.

There is in the adventures of the daring and heroic, something that
interests all. There is a charm about them which, while it partakes of
the nature of Romance, does not exercise the same influence upon the
mind or heart. When there are noble purposes and noble ends connected
with them, they excite in the mind of the reader, noble impulses.

The object of the present compilation is to form a readable and
instructive volume--a volume of startling incident and exciting
adventure, which shall interest all minds, and by its attractions beget
thirst for reading with those who devote their leisure hours to things
hurtful to themselves and to community. We have endeavored to be
authentic, and to present matter, which, if it sometimes fail to impart
knowledge or instruction, or convey a moral lesson, will, at least, be
innoxious. But we trust we have succeeded in doing more than this--in
placing before the reading public something that is really valuable, and
that will produce valuable results.




CONTENTS.

Incident at Resaca de la Palma
True Heroism
Thrilling Incident
Incident in the War of Mexican Independence
Sketch from Life on the Ocean
Escape from Shipwreck
The Hunter's Wife
Deaf Smith, the Texan Spy
Escape from a Shark
Adventure with Pirates
A Sea-Fowling Adventure
Adventure with a Cobra di Capello
Combat of Wild Animals
Perilous Incident on a Canadian River
Leopard Hunting
Hunting the White Rhinoceros
A Leopard Hunt
Life in California
A Storm among the Icebergs
Fall of the Rossberg
The Rifleman of Chippewa
Shipwreck of the Blendenhall
Adventures of Sergeant Champe
Adventure with Pirates
Kenton, the Spy
The Dying Volunteer
Escape from a Mexican Quicksand
Charged by a Rhinoceros
Burning of the Erie
Conflict with an Indian
Fire on the Prairies
The Captain's Story
Tussle with a Wildcat
Incident in Frontier Life
Encounter with Robbers
Shipwreck of the Monticello
A Jungle Recollection
Attack of Boonesborough
Thrilling Incidents of Battle
Family Attacked by Indians
Thrilling Incident
Adventures of Dr. Bacon
A Battle with Snakes
Estill's Defeat
Incident at Niagara Falls
Skater chased by a Wolf
Our Flag on the Rocky Mountains
Running the Canon
The Rescue
Shipwreck of the Medusa
Hunting the Moose
Perilous Escape from Death
Fire in the Forest
Pirates of the Red Sea
General Jackson and Weatherford
Cruise of the Saldanha and Talbot
A Carib's Revenge
Massacre of Fort Mimms
The Freshet
The Panther's Den
Adventure with Elephant's
The Shark Sentinel
Hunting the Tiger
Indian Devil
Bear Fight
The Miners of Bois-Monzil
Ship Towed to Land by Bullocks
Destruction of a Ship by a Whale
Burning of the Kent



ILLUSTRATIONS.


Frontispiece
Attack on the Lighthouse
Before the Gale
Escape from a Shark
Tiger and Buffalo
Charge of the Buffalo
Loss of the Blendenhall
Death of Montgomery
Escape from the Rhinoceros
The Pursuit
Loss of the Monticello
Attack on Boonesborough
Death of the Widow's Daughter
Attacked by Wolves
Attack on Estill's Station
Our Flag on the Rocky Mountains
A Sail in Sight
Savages Torturing a Captive
Gen. Jackson and Weatherford
Gen. Coffee's Attack on the Indians
Hunting the Rhinoceros
Hunting the Tiger
Ship towed by Bullocks
Burning of the Kent




THRILLING ADVENTURES BY LAND AND SEA.


INCIDENT AT RESACA DE LA PALMA.

Sergeant Milton gives the following account of an incident which befel
him at the Battle of Resaca de la Palma.

"At Palo Alto," says he, "I took my rank in the troop as second
sergeant, and while upon the field my horse was wounded in the jaw by a
grape-shot, which disabled him for service. While he was plunging in
agony I dismounted, and the quick eye of Captain May observed me as I
alighted from my horse. He inquired if I was hurt. I answered no--that
my horse was the sufferer. I am glad it is not yourself,' replied he;
'there is another,' (pointing at the same time to a steed without a
rider, which was standing with dilated eye, gazing at the strife,)
'mount him,' I approached the horse, and he stood still until I put my
hand upon the rein and patted his neck, when he rubbed his head
alongside of me, as if pleased that some human being was about to become
his companion in the affray.

"On the second day, at Resaca de la Palma, our troop stood anxiously
waiting for the signal to be given, and never had I looked upon men on
whose countenances were more clearly expressed a fixed determination to
win. The lips of some were pale with excitement, and their eyes wore
that fixed expression which betokens mischief; others, with shut teeth,
would quietly laugh, and catch a tighter grip of the rein, or seat
themselves with care and firmness in the saddle, while quiet words of
confidence and encouragement were passed from each to his neighbor. All
at once Captain May rode to the front of his troop--every rein and sabre
was tightly grasped. Raising himself and pointing at the battery, he
shouted, 'Men, _follow_!' There was now a clattering of hoofs and a
rattling of sabre sheaths--the fire of the enemy's guns was partly drawn
by Lieutenant Ridgely, and the next moment we were sweeping like the
wind up the ravine. I was in a squad of about nine men, who were
separated by a shower of grape from the battery, and we were in advance,
May leading. He turned his horse opposite the breastwork, in front of
the guns, and with another shout 'to follow,' leaped over them. Several
of the horses did follow, but mine, being new and not well trained,
refused; two others balked, and their riders started down the ravine to
turn the breastwork where the rest of the troop had entered. I made
another attempt to clear the guns with my horse, turning him
around--feeling all the time secure at thinking the guns discharged--I
put his head toward them and gave him spur, but he again balked; so
turning his head down the ravine, I too started to ride round the
breastwork.

"As I came down, a lancer dashed at me with lance in rest. With my sabre
I parried his thrust, only receiving a slight flesh-wound from its point
in the arm, which felt at the time like the prick of a pin. The lancer
turned and fled; at that moment a ball passed through my horse on the
left side and shattered my right side. The shot killed the horse
instantly, and he fell upon my left leg, fastening me by his weight to
the earth. There I lay, right in the midst of the action, where carnage
was riding riot, and every moment the shot, from our own and the Mexican
guns, tearing up the earth around me. I tried to raise my horse so as to
extricate my leg but I had already grown so weak with my wound that I
was unable, and from the mere attempt, I fell back exhausted. To add to
my horror, a horse, who was careering about, riderless, within a few
yards of me, received a wound, and he commenced struggling and rearing
with pain. Two or three times, he came near falling on me, but at
length, with a scream of agony and a bound, he fell dead--his body
touching my own fallen steed. What I had been in momentary dread of now
occurred--my wounded limb, which was lying across the horse, received
another ball in the ankle.

"I now felt disposed to give up; and, exhausted through pain and
excitement, a film gathered over my eyes, which I thought was the
precursor of dissolution. From this hopeless state I was aroused by a
wounded Mexican, calling out to me, '_Bueno Americano,_' and turning my
eyes toward the spot, I saw that he was holding a certificate and
calling to me. The tide of action now rolled away from me and hope again
sprung up. The Mexican uniforms began to disappear from the chapparal,
and squadrons of our troops passed in sight, apparently in pursuit.
While I was thus nursing the prospect of escape, I beheld, not far from
me, a villainous-looking ranchero, armed with an American sergeant's
short sword, dispatching a wounded American soldier, whose body he
robbed--the next he came to was a Mexican, whom he served the same way,
and thus I looked on while he murderously slew four. I drew an
undischarged pistol from my holsters, and laying myself along my horse's
neck, watched him, expecting to be the next victim; but something
frightened him from his vulture-like business, and he fled in another
direction. I need not say that had he visited me I should have taken one
more shot at the enemy, and would have died content, had I succeeded in
making such an assassin bite the dust. Two hours after, I had the
pleasure of shaking some of my comrades by the hand, who were picking up
the wounded. They lifted my Mexican friend, too, and I am pleased to say
he, as well as myself, live to fight over again the sanguine fray of
_Resaca de la Palma."_



TRUE HEROISM.

While the plague raged violently at Marseilles, every link of affection
was broken, the father turned from the child, the child from the father;
cowardice and ingratitude no longer excited indignation. Misery is at
its height when it thus destroys every generous feeling, thus dissolves
every tie of humanity! the city became a desert, grass grew in the
streets; a funeral met you at every step.

The physicians assembled in a body at the Hotel de Ville, to hold a
consultation on the fearful disease, for which no remedy had yet been
discovered. After a long deliberation, they decided unanimously, that
the malady had a peculiar and mysterious character, which opening a
corpse alone might develope--an operation it was impossible to attempt,
since the operator must infallibly become