Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-12-21
Obe Aoptnturer.
A Fur Trade Adventure.
BY WASHINGTON IRVING.

Colter, win the hardwood oil regular trap
per, had cast himself loose from the party Of
Lewis and Clark, in the very heart of the will
derness, and had remained to trap beaver alone
on the head waters of the Missouri. Here he
fell in with another lonely trapper like himself,
named Potts, and they agreed to keep together,
They were in the very region Of the terrible
Blackfeet at that time thirsting to revenge the
death OF their companions, and knew they had
no mercy to expect at their hands. They were
obliged to keep concealed all day in the woody
margins Of the rivers, setting their traps after
night-fall, and taking them up before daybreak
1t was running terrible risk for the sake Of
few beaver skins, but such is the life of trap
per-
They were on branch of the Missouri called
Jefferson's Fork and had set their traps at night
about six miles from small river that emptied
ltseIfnto the Forks. Early in the morning they
ascended the river in a canoe, to examine the
traps The banks on each side were high and
perpendicular, and cast shade over the stream.
AS they were softly padding along, they beard
the trampling of many feet npOn the shore
Golfer Immediately gave the alarm of" Inplans !"
and was Tor instant retreat Potts scolfed at
him fol being frightened at heard of Buhaloes.
Golfer checked his uneasiness, and padded for
ward They had not gone much farther, when
frightlul whoops and yells burst forth from each
side OF the river, and several hundred Indians
appeared on each bank Signs were made for
the unfortunate trappers to come ashore. They
were obliged to comply. Before they could get
ont of their canoe, a savage seized the rifle be.
longing to Potts Golfer sprang on shore, wres.
ted the weapon from the hands of the Indian,
and restored II to his companion, who was still
in the canoe, and Immediately pushed into the
stream. There was sharp twang of bow,
and Potts cried out that he was wounded Col.
ter urged him to come on shore and submit, as
his only chance of life but the other knew
there was oprospect for mercy, and determined
to die game. Leveing his rifle, he shot one Of
the savages dead on the spot. The next mo-
ment he fell himself, pierced by innumerabIe
arrows.
The vengeance of the savages now turned up
on Golfer He was stripped naked, and, having
some knowledge OF the BIackfoot language,
overheard conversation as to the mode of des-
patching him, so as to derive the greatest amuse-
ment from his DEATH Some were for setting
him as a mark, and having trial of their skill
at his expense The old chief however, was
for nobler sport He seized Golfer by the shout.
der, and demanded if he could run fast The
unfortunate trapper was too well acquainted with
Indian customs not to comprehend the drift of
the question. He was to run for his life, to fur
nlsh kind Of human hunt to his persecutors.-
Though IN reality he was noIed by his brUtlltr
hunters for swiftness on foot he assured the old
chief that he was a very bad runner His STRAIT
agem gained him some vantage ground. He
was led by the chief If to the prairie about four
hundred yards from the main body of the savages
and then turned loose TO save himself if he could
A tremendous yell let him know that the whole
pack Of bloodhounds were in full cry. Golfer
flew rather than run; he was astonished at his
own speed-but he had six miles of prairie to
traverse before he could reach Jefferson Fork Of
the Missouri; how could he hope to hold out
such distance, with the fearful odds OF seven
= hundred to one against him? The plain, too
= abounded with pricky pear, which wounded hi;
+ naked feet Still he fled on, dreadng each mo
$ ment to hear the twang Of bow and to feel al
arrow quivering at his heart He did not ever
W lo lGSl TIC SlOulu lose an lnCll q
n that distance on which his life depended HI
had run nearly the way across the plain, wher
the sound of pursuit grew somewhat fainter, ant
he ventured to turn his head. The main bod,
: Of his pursuers were considerable distance be
hind; several of the faster runners were scattered
K in advance; while swilt-footed warrior, armed
with a spear, was not more than hundred ward,
t behind him.
f Inspired with new hope, Golfer redoubled hi.
> exertion, but strained himself to such degree
o that the blood gushed from his mouth and nois
triIs, and streamed down his breast He arrived
within mile of the river. The sounds Of foot
. steps gathered upon him. A glance behind him
showed his pursuer within twenty yards, and
e prepared to throw his spear. Stopping short, he
# turned round and spread out his arms.-Tht
o savage COMPOUNDED by this sudden acten attempt
ed to stop aud throw his spear but fell in the yer,
act Golfer pucked up the pointed part, pinned
h the savage to the earth, and continued his flight
The Indians as they arrived at their slaughtered
companion, stopped to howl over him.-CoItel
made the most of this precious delay, gained the
skirts of cottonwood bordering the river dashed
Il through it, and plunged into the stream. He
e swan to a neghborng island, against the upper
end of which the drift wood had lodged in such
quantities as to form natural raft; under this
! he diged and swan below water until he succeed
ed in getting breathing place between the
y floating trunks of trees, whose branches and
a tushes formed a covert several feet above the
level of the water. He had scarcely drawn breath
4 after his tolls, when he heard his pursuers on
the river bank, whooping and yelling like Sc
many fends They plunged into the river, and
swan 10 the raft. The heart of Golfer almost
died within him as he saw them through the
chinks ofhis conceament, passing and repassing,
and seeking for him in all directions. They at
length gave up the search, and he began to re-
, ioice in his escape when the idea presented it,
4 self that they might set the raft on fire. Here
was new source of horrible apprehension, in
| which he remained until nghtfa Fortunately,
the idea did not suggest itself to the Indians
AS soon as it was dark, finding by the silence a.
round that his pursuers had departed, Golfer d.
we'd again, and came up beyond the raft. He
thaD Guam SiIentlv down the river for a cO0u;Jo