The Wilmingtonian., 1824-01-08
ANECDOTE OF Golfer.
From Bradbury's Travels IN the interior

ANECDOTE OF Golfer.
From Bradbury's Travels iD the interior
of America.
Golfer came to St. Louis in small canoe, i,
from the head waters of the Missouri, disance
of three thousand miles, which he traversed inl
thirty days saw him on his arrival, and receiv-
ed from him an account of his adventures afterI
lhe had separated from Louis and Clarke's party 4
one of these, from its singularity, shall relate
ON the arrival of the party on the head waters OIL
the Missouri, Golfer, observing the appearance
of abundance of beaver being there, he got per-
mission to remain and hunt for some time, which
he did in company with man OF the name OF
J. DIXON, who had traversed the immense tract of Al
country from st. Louis to the head waters OF the
Miss, ri alone. Soon after he separated from
Dixon, and trapped in company with hunter
.Inamed Potts and aware of the hostility of the
4 lBackfeet Indians, one of whom had been killed
|by Lewis, they set their traps at night, and took
them up early in the morning, re naming con-
cealed during the day They were examing their
, traps early one morning, in creek about six
miles from that branch of the Missouri called
tlJeffersons Fork, and were ascending in canoe,
when they suddenly heard great noise, resenl.
bling the tramplng of animals; but they could
mot ascertain the fact, the high perpendicular
Thanks on each side of the river. impeded their
.view Golfer Immediately pronounced it to be
. .occasioDed by Indians, and advised an instant re
otreat, but was accused of cowardice by Potts
dlwho insisted that the noise was caused by buffalo
land they proceeded on In a few minutes alter
lwards their doubts were removed, by party o
It Indians making their appearance on both sides o
.tIthe creek, to the amount OF five or six hundred
oIwlo beckoned them to come ashore. AS retrea
: was now impossible, Golfer turned the head o
1.-THE canoe to the shore; and at the moment OF it
Al A. ha1~ r,r,frf
dIpotts but Golfer, who is a remarkably stron,
q Imam, Immediately retook it, and handed it t
" Potts. who remained in the canoe, and on receiy
,vng pushed off into the river. He had scarcel
ii Hquitted the shore when an arrow was shot at hin
,d and he cried out, !" Golfer, am wounded" Co
q, tier demonstrated with him the fcy of attcmp
,nIing TO escape, and urged him to come ashor
nr Instead of complying he instantly, leveiled h
e rife at an Indian, and shot him dead on the spo
This conduct, situated as he was may appear I
Il.a,e been an act olmadness; but it was doubtle:
1.-THE effect of sudden, but sound reasoning; for
taken alive, he must have expected to be tortu
II. led to death, according to their custom. He W.
he instantly pierced with arrows so numerous, tina
heIto use the language of Golfer, " he was made
its riddle Of" They now seized Golfer, strppe
n him entirely naked, and began to consult ON II
manner in which he should be put to death The
.ss were first INCLINED to set him up as mark
nd him by the shoulder, asked him If he could IT
ed fast! Golfer, who had been some time among
,stAe Zee -kat-sa, or Crow Indians, had in consi
,e, cradle degree acquired the Blackfoot languag
of and was also well acquainted with Indian Gu
At ttoms; he knew that he had now to run for b
onli with the dreadful odds of five or six htI
,r. dred against him, and those armed Indians; theT
ID, fore clinningly replied that he was very b
- runner, although he considered by the hu
~. x,,tt btpf nnfU n
on manded the party to remain stationary, and l.
nd Golfer out on the Prairie three or four hundr
nd yards and released him, bidding him to save hl
ed self fine could. At this instant the horrid W
ia. whoop sounded in the ears of poor Coulter, VIII
inIarged with the hope of preserving life, ran witt
allIspeed at which he was himself surprised.
se-l proceeded towards the Jefferson Fork shaving
TO. traverse plain six miles in breadth, aboundi
to with the prickly pear, on which he was every
M. slant treading with his naked feet. He ran ne
Iy half way ACROSS the plain before he ventur
TO look over his shoulder, when he perceiy
that the Indians were very much scattered, a
that he had gained ground to considerable
,ox tance from the main body; but one Indian v
er, much before all the rest, and not more than
lat. hundred yards from him. faint CLEAN OF no
I'VE now cheered the heart of Golfer; he derived CT
tch fdence from the belief that escape was with
ng|the bounds of possibility, but that confiden
dowas near being fatal to him, for he exerted hi
to self to such degree that the blood gushed fro
ot his nostrs, and almost covered the tore ps
to Of his body. He had now arrived within m
of the river, when he distinctly heard the app,
,ering sound Of footsteps behind him, and every
ge stant expected to feel the spear of his pursue
Ice gain he turned his head, and saw the sava
to not twenty yards from him, Determined if,pt
tic sible to avoid the expected blow, he sudden
I'll stopped. turned round, and spread out his arm
action. and perhaps at the bloody appearance
Golfer. also attempted to stop, but exhaust
with running. he fell whilst endeayouring
tryIthrow his spear, which stuck in the ground al
the broke in his hand. Golfer instantly snatched
ian the pointed part. with which he pinned him
ore the earth, and then continued his flight. T.
I'd foremost of the Indians, arriving at the plac
els stopped till others came up to join them, VIII
rse they all set up hideousyell. Every moment