The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1845-05-05

the thorns aud branches tore away fragments OF his
clothing, and barred his grey head. Twilight
came on The old human blood hound cared for
none orhese things. At length, suddenly and unex-
pectedy, he broke out from the woods, upon broad
surface Of rocks, stones and gravel, nespersed with
sluned bushes; while at a little distance on tho right
stood forest of dead trees, bare and white seeming
in the dim light like host Of skeletons All around
lowered high mountains, half clothed with shaggy
forests; and their precipious crags, old weather.
strains and scars of avaanohes gave them the aspect
of savage desoUtiOn. The old hunter scarcely
them All that met his eye was the slender figure Of
the Indian, Ieapng like frightened deer toward the
The base Of the mountain on the left lie dashed aI-
tor him in full speed over piles Of roak and stone,
slrewn by the ancient avalanche over the narrow val
ley, wheso none bdi n scep.waker, such frantic
spohsmnR, could have passed in safety II was in
the Notch, close to tho place where the unfortunate
Willeys afterwards met their fate.
The game soon began to ascend the mountain.
choosing the place where the avalanche had come
down, and cut for itself pathway; resembling in all
bat its depth, tie bed Of torrent These mountains
arc everywhere ohannelled with such rayines, which
often extend from top to bottom, and seem al little
distance like deep gashes cut in their sides. Most Of
ahem expand and grow shallow as they approach the
BASE where the torrent OF earth aud stone spreads it,
self over the valley. Such was the case in tho pres
ent instance The Indian bounded up; the hunter
and dogs followed The sides of tho ravine rapidly
approached each other, and grew abrupt and
high; the ascent became sleeper and more pGrilous.
A little stream that trctled down the narrow and
steep passage way, aud spread itself over the smooth
rocks, made the foohold very precnriOus The dogs
were brought up. They stopped at the foot of u
deep pitch of the rock against which they paved in
vain efforts to ascend, ard made the rocks echo with
their cries. The sides Of the rayine now lowered o.
yer his head leaving only strip Of the dakening sky
visible between their opposite edges His efforts
brought him to a height whence the buying Of the
dogs sounded up the passage faint and distant. lie
caught frequent glimpses Of the Indian, scramblng on
before him; and once getting fair sight he fred -
The mountains beloved back the report; but tho In
diam climbed on unhurt. Still tho old man gnncd
rapidly on him, cenching his J,ws together with ca
Eerness and longing.
At length, however, long reach Of the ravine
Stretched upward in tue ohscurity before him He
looked and nothing of his prey. Furious with
anger and disappointment at tho renewed activity Of
Abe savage, he pressed faster than before A
smooth rock nearly perpendicular, arrested his
progress lie did not dream Of pausng, but began to
work his way up the dangerous precpice with his
mind occupied with the sole thought Ur Oyerlhkng
Ind say ing the Indian. With every faculty at ia Ut
most tension, avang himself every litle point and
crevice, he did what no man else could have donei
he climbed half way up the steep wet face Of the
rocki but here he was obliged pause; and for the
first time, his blood cooled and he was conscious of
the peril Of his situation lie mnved his huRd to the
right and to tho left, the rock, cammy with the
spreading water OF the little streamet, and found
scarcely crevce large enough to thrust finger into
or projection that foot could rest against l!1
looked up; tho edge Of the precipce twenty feet
above his head lie looked down, there were the
sharp projecting angles of the rocky sides of the
vine; and below, all lay in deep backness, like
boitomless gulf lie tried to descend;b ut moved his
foot vany from side 10 side, searching FOR the place
where il had last rested when he was climbing up. To
Ascend was perilous enough; to descend impossible
Ills hair began to SristIe. lie listened ma heard
below the faiht bayng Of the hounds. Hitherto, he
bad chung 10 his gun by sort of Instinct, but he
let it drop The oaken stock struck NJ the foot of the
cliff with dull shock, and spntered to pieces; there
was pause for an instant and then came the cang
ing rattle Of the barrel il bounded from side 10 side
of the ravine, down the mountain. The old man
thought he must follow il, and the thought gave
him desperation His alternative IYas to bu dashed
TO pieces, or to gain the top of the rock; and lhis
fearful task he applied himself His success was al |
most miraculous, those who have the place |
will confess He did reach the top; and all his limbs |
were aching with the srang and continued strain Of |
every muscle; the ends Of his fOgers worn to |
the bone; the flesh was rubbed from his knees; and
his heart throbbed with violence that, though unelt
twh5n he was climbing, almost choked him when he
laid himself down at the top Poor wretch II would |
have been better for him had he fallen The level |
rock he had attained was not eight feet across, Be-
yond it, up another preoipice, full sixty feet high
perpendicular, smooth and wet; while each side
the oier walls Of the avine destroyed every chance
n escape. The old scaIp-hunter caught in his
own trap Thore was not civilized within
than ninety miles.
1t is useless to dwell on his fate. In the morning
he looked dnwn the frghtfaI gorge in front, and
the ellis that imprisoned him, to see if possibility
Of escape offered 70: ill then his hardy spirit Ind not
quite despaired. The day light dispeed every shad-
ow of hope At the edge of the ravne, hundred
feet over him, his startled eye encountered hnman
face peering down upon him from behind a s;un;cd
pine that projected the Gulf. II was tho Indiun
who had seated himself there TO exuin tho fate of
his enemy.
The old man spent two days in his prison. The
afternoon of the second day was peculiarly beautiful
Abe atmosphere had n so(tness common in New
England and while the western mountains seemed
enveloped in blue, transparent haze, the warm sun
light poured full on the rugged slopes to the east
The desolute valley the mdest aspect It's saw
age features could put on5 like sleeping warrior
dreaming Of his home The evening brought
change A thunder-gust up, and in u few mo-
ments filed every gully and ravinc with foaning wat
ers, and driit-logs driving down to the valley. The
old man swept from his place in an instant, but
the watchrul Indian found him morning wedged
under rock and week after, his grey hairs were
futerng in the wind from the top Of cabin in the
Indian village Of St. Francis, by the side Of the St.
Lawrence.
The Indians, it is we'll known, believed these
mountains the abode of malignant spirit; and this,
they say, the greeting he gave to the FIRST white
man who found his way into the Notch.