The Sun.
London, England, 1855-10-19 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

The Fur Hunters of the Far West: By A. Ross

2 Vole: Smith awl Elder.

This work transports the reader to an entirely
new district it leaves the turmoils and business of
civilised life, the ordinary risks and successes of
commercial pursuits, for the war-dance of Indian
chiefs, and the "hairbreadth, perils, ventures,
snares" of the trappers and traders. The author
is certainly qualified by experience to narrate the
troubles and adventures of a settler's life, for he
has "spent the last forty-four years of his life,
without a single day's intermission, in the Indian
territories of North America." The first fifteen
years he spent in Columbia, the extreme west of
the colony, and the remaining time in the Red
River Settlement, which is the most lonely and
isolated. A few years ago he published an account
of his adventures with the Pacific Fur Company,
which was the first established on the Columbia,
which after three years gave place to the North
West Company, which in its turn was superseded
by the Hudson's Bay Company. The favourable
reception of the author's former work has induced

him to publish the details of his later adventures,
commencing with his entering the service of the
North West Company, and ending with his settle-
ment on the Red River. The difficulties with
which the settlers had to contend in dealing with
the natives, mad the various peculiarities of Indian
life are narrated in a clear and graphic style. The
total novelty of the scenes and characters may be
refreshing to those who are wearied with the de-
scriptions of the civilised world ; and the attacks,'
escapes, and surprises prove attractive to the lovers
of adventure. But the work will be chiefly inte-
resting to those who are desirous of becoming
acquainted with the principles and management
of the trading companies, their method of action
in peace and war. It also furnishes to those who
desire information on such topics an outline of the
hiStory of the Oregon, affording an opportunity of
tracing the effect of the settlements on the natives,
and of studying their national character. Un-
questionably they have not gained by the intro-
duction of the fur trade into their hitherto de-
serted woods. Mr. Leith, of Cumberland, while
conversing with the writer on the subject of the
Indians, remarked, " the fur trade is dwindling
away to nothing ; the returns even now scarcely
cover the expenses, and shall we, after ruining the
country and the natives to enrich ourselves, leave
no other memento behind us than desolation and
death ? Half a century ago this country was rich
in furs and animals of the chase, the natives were
numerous, independent, and happy ; but now,
alas ! natives, riches, and happiness have almost
disappeared from the face of this and other parts of
the country." This gentleman, at least, was de-
termined to do something to alleviate their con-
dition, for on his death he left 10,0001. for the
religious instruction of the Indians, which was
subsequently set apart for the endowment of a
bishopric in Prince Rupert's Land. The following
extract describes an enterprise full of danger, a
journey to the Eyakema valley, to trade for some
horses, for want of which everything at the fort
was at a stand still. Many warlike tribes assemble
at this valley in the spring, to lay in a stock of
their favourite sweet potatoes, and hold their
councils, and settle peace or war for the year.
Horses can easily be obtained there, but, from the
vast concourse of mixed tribes, there is always
risk in attending it ; and, on the present occasion,
the danger was greatly increased by some fatal
encounters between the Whites and Indians. The
author, however, persevered in his exploit, though
cautioned by two of a friendly tribe to return. He
was accompanied by two men and their wives.
The women he subsequently sent off by them-
selves, and they travelled for three days and nights,
without food or fire, 138 miles I On their arrival
they found the camp extended six miles in every
direction, councils, root gathering, hunting, horse
and foot racing, gambling, yelling, singing, and
ditncing being vigorously carried on.

" Our reception was cool, the chief were hostile and
sullen, they saluted us in no very flattering accents.
These are the men,' said they, who kill our relations,
the people who have caused us to mourn.' And here, for
the first, time, I regretted we had not taken advice in tirne,
and returned with the couriers ; for the general aspect of
things was against us. It was evident we stood on slip
pery ground , we felt our weakness. In all sudden and
unexpected rencontres with hostile Indians, the first im-
pulse is generally a tremor or sensation of fear, but that
soon wears off ; it was so with myself at this moment, for
after a short interval I nerved myself to encounter the
worst.

" The moment we dismounted we were surrounded, and
the savages, giving two or three war-whoops and yells,
(trove the animals we had ridden out of our sight ; this of
itself was a hostile movement. We had to judge from ap-
pearances, and be guide.i by circumstances. My first care
was to try and direct their attention to something new, and
to get rid of the temptation there was to di<pose of my
goods ; ad, without a moment's delay, I commenced a
trade in horses ; but every horse I bought daring that and
the following day, as well as those we had brought with
us, were instantly driven oat of sight, in the midst of
yelling and jeering ; nevertheless, I continued to trade
'while an article remained, putting the best face on things
I could, and taking no notice of their conduct., as no in-
sult or violence has as yet been offered to ourselves per-
sonally. Two days and nights had now elapsed since our
arrival, without food or sleep ; the Indians refused us the
former—our own anxiety deprived us of the latter."

"The day after the women went off, I ordered one of
the men to try and cook something for us ; for hitherto we
had eaten nothing since our arrival, except a few raw roots
which we managed to get unobserved. But the kettle was
no sooner on the fire than five or six spears bore off, in
savage triumph, the contents ; they even emptied out
the water, and threw the kettle on one side ; and this was
no sooner clone than thirty or forty ill-favoured wretches
fired a volley in the embers beforeus, which caused a cloud
of smoke and ashes to ascend, darkening the air around
us ; a strong hint not to put the kettle any more on the
fire, and we took iL

At this time the man who had put the kettle on the fire
took the knife with which he had cut the venison to lay
it by, when one of the Indians, called Eyacktana, a bold
and turbulent chief, snatched it out of his hand ; the man,
its an angry tone, demanded his knife, saying to me, ' I'll
have my knife from the villain, lite or death.' `No,' said
I. The chief, seeing the man angry, threw down his robe,
and grasping the knife in his fist, with the point down-
wards, raised his arm, making a motion in advance as if
ho intended using it. The crisis had now arrived. At
this moment there was a dead silence. The ludians were
flocking in from all quarters ; a dense crowd surrounded
Its. Not a moment was to be lost ; delay would be fatal,
and nothing now seemed to remain fur us but to sell our
lives as dearly as possible. With this impression, grasping
a pistol, I advanced a step towards the villain who held
the knife, with the full determination of putting an end
to his career before any of us should fall ; but while in the
act of lifting my foot and raising my arm, a second idea
flashed across my mind, admonishing me to soothe, and
not provoke, the Indians, that Providence might yet make
a way for us to escape ; this thought saved the Indians'
life, and ours too. Instead of drawing the pistol, as I in-
tended, I took a knife from my belt, such as travellers
generally use in this country, and presented to him, saying,
" Here, my friend, is a chief's knife, I give it to you ;
that is not s chief s knife, give it back to the man." For-
tunately, he took mine in his hand ; but, still sullen and
savage, he said nothing. The moment was a critical one ;
our fats hung as by a thread : I shall never forget it ! All
the bystanders had their eyes now fixed on the chief,
thoughtful and silent as he stood ; we also stood motion.
less, not knowing what a moment might bring forth. At
last the savage handed the man his knife, and turning
mine round and round for some time in his hands, turned
to his people, holding up the knife in his hand, exclaimed,
She-augh Me-yokat Waltz '—Look, my friends, at the
chief's knife : these words he repeated over and over again.
He was delighted. The Indians flocked round him : all ad-
mired the toy, and in the excess of his joy he harangued
the multitude in our favour. Fickle, indeed, are savages !
They were now no longer enemies, but friends ! Several
others, following Eyacktana's example, harangued in
turn, all in favour of the whites. This done, the great
men squatted themselves down, the pipe of peace was
called for, and while it was going round and round the
smoking circle, I gave each of the six principal chiefs a
small paper-cased looking-glass and a little vermillion, as a
present ; and, in return, they presented me with two
horses and twelve beavers, while the women soon brought
vs a variety of eatables.
"This sudden chaege regulated my movements. In-
deed I might say the battle was won. I now made a
speech to them in tarn, and, as many of them understood
the language I spoke, I asked them what I should say to
the great white chief when I got home, when ho asks me
whore aro all the horses I bought from you ? What shall I
say to him ? At this question it was easy to see that their
pride was touched. Tell him,' said Eyacktana, that
we have but ono mouth and one word ; all the horses yon
have bought from us are yours ; they shall be delivered
up.' This was just what I wanted. After a little counsel-
ling among themselves, Eyacktana was the first to speak,
and he undertook to see them collected."

THE TRAGICAL OCCURRENCH IN THE FOREIGN LEGION
AT GOSPORT.—PORTSMOUTH, Oct. 18.—The inquest on
the body of Joseph Goltswaltz, a Frenchman, private
in the 31 Rifle German Legion, stationed at Haslar
Barracks, Gosport, whose death was caused by a bayonet
wound inflicted by another private in the same corps,
was held to-day at the canteen of the above-named bar-
racks, before J. C. Longcroft, Esq., coroner for the
county of Hants. The jury, after hearing numerous
witnesses, returned a verdict of "Justifiable homicide,"
it being their opinion that the prisoner had pimplY done
his duty. At the request of the coroner, Captain Cars:
tensen, who acted as interpreter, explained to tloie_Ppe
Boner the finding of the jury, and their opwn_
_crilthhe
propriety of his conduct, and of the manner in hl
bad done his duty as a soldier, The prisoner exhibited
some emotion on receiving the communicatir. M y
ee d
of the legionaries were present, but they hartoys
to comprehend the publicity that was given the pro-
ceedings, and Captain Carstensen bad several times to
invite them,' at the .suggestion of the coroner, to enter
the room, and had to assure them that such publicity
with the )3ritish public.
was only customary thing