Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1845-07-19
DANG ERS OF THE PRAIRIE.

- '''h - ~ IN ~
States, vary the appearance oithr country. The
weather was lime, all around me was as fresh
and blooming as If it had just issued from the
bosom oil nature. My knapSick, my gun, and
my dog. were all | had for baggage and compa-
NY. But although well moccas,ncd, | moved
slowly along. attracted b. the brilliancy of the
lowers, and the gambols OF the lawns around
their dams, 10 all appearance as lhouglitlcsso of
dangers as | felt myself.
My march was ol long duration: | saw the
sun sinking beneath the horizon lon2 before |
could perceive amy appearance OF woodland,
and nothing in the shape of man had | met " it'll
that day. The track which followed was on
y AN Indian trace. and as darkness oyerslnl-
owed the prairie, | felt some desire tn reach at
least a spot, in which might lie down tn rest.
The night hawks were Swimming over around
me, attracted by the huzing wings oi the bee
Ties, which form their food and the distant how
lingoi wolves gave M SOME hope that ! should
soon arrive ut the skirts of some woodland. /
did 80, and almost at the same instant. a fire
nShtattracting my eye, | moved towards il, full
oil confidence that it proceeded from the camp
oil some wandering Indians. Twas mistaken:
discovered by its glare, that it was from the
hearth oil a small log cabin, and that a tall fig
ure passed and rcpas>cd between il and me. as
II busily engaged i'm household arrangements.
w l'A blil prosecuting NSill III
the door, asked the tall figure, which proved
10 be a woman, if | might take shelter under
her root Tor the night. Her voice was rough.
and her attire negligcntly thrown about her.
She answered in the Affirmative. walked i'm.
took wooden stool, and quietly seated myself
by the fire. The next object that attracted INV
attention was a finely formed Young Indian.
resting his head between his hands. With his ell
bows on his knees. Along bow rested against
the log wall nearhim while a quantity ofarrows
anu two or three raCCoon skins Law at his feet.
lie moved not; he apparently breathed not.
Accustomed to the habits Of lndians, and know
ing that they pay little attention to the APP
proach oil civilized strangers, a circumstance
which in some countries is considered as eyin-
eng the apathy of their character. | addressed
nm IN French, a language not unfrequently
partially known to the people in thatneighbor-
mood. lie raised his head, pointed to one Of
ms eyes with his finger. and gave me a sipni6-
cant glance with the other. His face wascov-
cred with blood. The fact was. that am hour
before this, as he was in the act of discharqinp
an arrow at a raccoon in the top of a tree. the
arrow had split upon the cord. and sprung back
with such violence into his right eve as To de-
stroy il forever.
Feeling hungry, Ienquired what sort of ia re
i might expect. Such a thing as a bed was
~. W ~ - u IldilN ldlNc Unnamed bear
and buffalo hides lay piled in the corner. |
drew my watch from my breast. and told ,bS
women that ii was late, and that | was fatiq-
ued. She had espied my watch, the richness
oil winch seemed 10 operate upon her feelings.
win electric %quickncss. She told me thai
iherc was plenty of venison and buffalo meat.
and that ON removing the ashes / should find n
cake. But my watch had struck her fancy
and her curiosity had TO be gratifed bv am inn.
mediate sight of'it.. Itook of the gold chain
that secured II from round my neck. and ham
ded il To her.
She was all ecstacy, spoke of It's beauty. ask
ed me Its value, and put the chain round her
neck saying, how happy the possession of such
a watch would make her. T~lioughtless, and
as l lancled myself in so retired a spot secure.
! paid little attention to her talk or movements,
! heiPed my dog To a good supper of venison 1;
and was not long in satisfying the demands of
my own appetite.
The Indian rose from his seat, as if i'm ey-
IRENE suffering. H. passed and repassed me
several times, and once pinched me so violent.
y on the side, that the PAIN nearly brorwhtfmth
an exclamation OF anger. looked at him. his
eyes met mine but his look was so forbiddinp
that it struck {, chill in my system. He again
seated himself, drew his butcher knife from It's
greasy seabbard, examined itsedgc as | wouId
NNN 10 'NNlNiNtu Nllll. Itlllttu IL and
again taking his tomahawk from his back. filled
the pipe OF it with tobacco, and sent me expires.
sive glanccs whenever our hostess Glanced TO
have her back towards us.
NtNer'uH that moment had my senses been
awakened To the danger which now slIspcct-
Ell To be about me. returned glance for glance
To my companion, and rested well assured thai
whatever enemies ! might have, he was not of
their number.
lasked the woman for my watch. wound il
up, and under prctence of wishing to see how,
the weather might probably be on the morrow.
loon up my gun aud walked out of the cabin,
l slipped a ball into each barrel, scraped tbe
edges oil my fllnts, renewed the primings, and
rtturiliiiS To the hut, gave a favorable account
oil my observations. | took a few bcar-skins
made a bed of them, and calling nv faithful
dog to my side, lay down with INV gan close
10 my side, and in a few minutes was. TO all
appearances, fast asleep.
"A short time had elapsed, when some voices
were heard, and from my half-shut ewes | saw
twoathletlcy youths making their entrance. bca-
ring a dead stag upon a pole. They disposed
oil their burthen. and asking for whiskev. helm
ed themselves freely to il. Observing me and
wounded Indian, they asked who | MAS. and
why that rascal, meaning the Indian, who they
knew understood not a word of English. was
III 'he mouse. The mother, Tor so she proved
10 De, told them to speak lower, mentioned INV
Wa'ch' anu took them to d corner, where a con-
versation took place, the purport of which re-.
CURED little shrcwdness in me TO guess. tan
ped my dog gently. lie moved his tail and
with Understandable pleasure / saw his fine eyes
alternately fixed ON me and the trio in IN. co..
ner: ielt that lac perceived danger in my iii.
uauon. The Indian exchanged a last glance
The men had eaten and drunk themselves
mo sVch a condition that already considered
them disabled and the frequent visits of ,be
whisky bottle to THE ugly mouth of the old h,g
! hoped would soon reduce her to a like state.
Judge oil my establishment when saw her take
a large carving knife, and goto the grindstonc
10 WIlet us edge saw her pour the water ON
tile turning machine and watched her working
away with the dangerous instrument. until q
cold PeIspirduon covered every part of my body
lndespItc OF rny determination to defend nv.
s'Ii to the last. Her task ended. She walked
To fHr mon and p.tl .fII-. ~ .t