Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1850-04-24
PARISH OF IBERVLlt APRIL a. lSoO

"A brush Win catamOunt, or 4 single handed
fight with painter, wasn't circumstance with
us-nothing more nor an appetite whetter be-
4 fore breakfus One day, kinder thought I'd
like to take tramp five or six miles up the
river by myself. Well, you aee,I got on the
trail of varmint, and twisting about in various
directions, after while got little fustered--
kinder dumsquixxled. as to where abouts on
airth | was.
"It was about o'clock, reckon, in the ar
ternoon, and feeling sorter tuck cred out, | took
a preeemption on log, and gun to think about
taking up my quarters for the night somewhat
in that piece of timber l had been considerin
of matters an things in ginral for some minutes
and taking a sort of a surcumbendbus sarvey
of the surrounding circumstances, when all of
a sudden spied something a moving. Now
says l, hurra, hooraw for venom supper.
rolled myself up behind the log, to watch the
movements of Mr.. deer. Pretty soon saw ano
ther object moving, then another and another
coming right on my trail. POUNDS! what dye
thiuk! Four id Kickapoo Indians arter me
for sartain!
"Wel, thinks I, war just thinking about
a roasted deer. see thatI stand pretty good
chance of being roasted myself I knew |
could expect no marcy, so made up my mind
for the worst. On they came, tall, stout fel-
lows, in straight line, the last one at least
seven feet high-a perfect Goliah! l buckled
my belt one hole tighter, drew my knife-handle
round. where could reach it with either hand,
and, began to consider howl should best meet
the difficulty.
Il concluded to initiate the policy Of an old
Roman that l read of when a aboy-that is, to
diwarsify my enemies. So when they came
within about fifty yards, ! sprang up, and bawl-
ed out at the top of voice, Halloa, Mister In
uns, now for race! was answered with
such shout as I never heard before-ahoo-
ahoo-ahoo! Then felt little skeert; but
says to myself, make the best of it, old boy;
you're in hard place. Away went, snap,
crash, among the dried sticks IF warn't hard
running, never expect to see any.
81 ran on about twenty rods when thought
would take.a look behind to see what progress
the aborigines were making. saw that one
had got considerably ahead of the rest of the
hell-cats. Now's my chance, says to myself
I'll save one Of EN- | raised old Slam Bang
to my shoulder. Crack! went old Slam Bang,
ricker-rck-rack! went the woods, and chug!
went the Injun, as he fell forward over KNOLL
his feet sticking up in the air"
The crowd around the fire, which had lis
tened like statues, to the thrilling recital, now
began to breathe more freely. The mug was
replenished, each took another drink, renewed
the Virginia weed in his mouth, and anxiousxly
listened to B., as he graphically and minute,
ly detailed the circumstances attending the
death of all the Injuns, except three, whose ira
gical deaths he described in full.
@Wel, there We're but two left besidesathe
seven footer One of them had got ahead of
the others and was close upon me when some
how dropped my hunting knife among some
brush, and while was getting it, this fellow
was right into me. There was no time to be
lost. The other two were coming up, putting
and blowing, the seven footer still behind; SO /
mounted this one without any preliminaries.
He was tough customer, but managed to
take snap judgemant on him, and being some-
what tagged out, thought couldn't stand two
Of em, and SO concluded to give them leg
bail again.
Pretty soon l turned upon the nearest one.
This one was tougher than the other, but gun
him kick in the short ribs, which sent him
sprawling, and then cut his jigiter. Now come
on the big aeven footer Thinks to myself
I'll take my time now-rll butcher this fine spe-
cimen of anatomy scientifically. Sol sat COOL
ly down ON the carcass of the ninth injun, and
waited for an interview with the last of the
Kickapoos.
Gle came up sorter reluctantly, but haild
him. Well, mister injun, you seem fond Of
exercise? but not a word did he say. Twas
not to be bluffed Of ID this fashsion, for wan
ted to have some fun with the varmnt afore l
sent him to kingdom come. Not word could
get fom him. He came up within ten steps Of.
me and began to make motions with his hat
chet. Very well, mister injun, says /, that's
game two can play at; and, with that picked
up the dead injun's hatchet and commenced
making motions too. Pretty soon he let Ay. !
lodged as well as | could, but it struck me
midshiphs, sorter slantindicular, and cut my
girdle plum in two, and away went my knife.
Then was riled. Istooped down to pick up
the knife, and as did SO, mister ipjun thought
to steal march, and come cavorting On me
like young colt Ihad just time 70 let the