The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1850-11-28

OF game, sometimes together, sometimes
separate. When success crowned their
efforts, or when night approached, they
returned TO their camp and supped. After
this operations, which in the prairies is
very dangerous one, they made sober
attack on their whiskey gourds and tobac-
co pouches, and after little gossip, were
glad 10 find rest. Mary had a little hut,
formed of boughs and their three cloaks,
the brother and affianced husband keeping
guard on each side.
Thus they wandered for more than
week, and none thought of turning back
When the wild passions of rapine and
slaughter and murder, almost inseparabe
from savage life-which has generally all
the faults of civilized life, with scarcely
any of its virtues-are kept in the back
ground, wandering existence in the
virgin woods and fields of America has
an inexpressible charm. They all felt it.
To camp at night beneath trees hundreds
of miles from houses and men, is thing
which excites romantic feelings in the
rudest, and none of the tito belonged quite
TO the rough cast. Captain Snow had
received some education, and Mary Rock
had learned to read before / left the
country. They had thus some common
topic of conversation, and their excursion
gained redoubled charms.
One evening, little after dusk, having
failed during the day to find suitable
encampment IN an arid plain, they had
turned back towards that which they left
in the morning. They had ridden pretty
hard. and when they had come to the dry
bed of a torrent which they had TO cross,
their horses were very tired.
Il reckon" said Captain Snow, swe'Il
not circumvent Dicks Ferry this night.
My horse is getting cranky like, and trails
his legs like an old mustang"
"Hush ~ said young Rock, in low
tone.
whats up ?" whispered the other in
an equally cautions manner.
Young Rock pointed down the bed of
the torrent, which was thick with bushes,
and overhung by trees, and at some con-
siderable distance the blaze of fire
seemed reflected family on the silvery
branches of a larch. The fire itself was
| completely hidden, and would have been
admirably concealed but for an accidental
opening in the trees.
"fngins-redskins - observed Captain
TO yonder clump of trees, and hide away
sPry, while creep down to the reptiles
and look at their paint
With these words, the kentuckian de-
-scended from his horse, took off his cloak
or poncho, and divesting himself of his
rifle, pouch, every thing, in fact, but his
tough pantaloons, flannel shirt, mocasins,
and hunting-knife, began to descend the
stony bed of the river. Mary and her
/ brother rode away with every precaution,
leading the third horse between them.
Snow moved with all the stealth and
! caution of an Indian warrior. He had
! lived three years with the Cherokees, and
seen their arts and contrivances in the
| profession of thanksgiving. He now reused
all his recollection. The neighborhood
of Indians might be harmless, but it like
wise might be dangerous; and the safety
of his affianced wife quickened the young
mans blood, but took nothing from the
admirable GOODNESS of his head, which
was as fertile in expedients as that of a
backweod lawyer is in abuse. 1t took
him nearly an hour to reach a little hill
| lock, behind which lay the camp. Snow
now scarcely breathed. The spot he
occupied was rough, and filled by lhorny
bushes. 1t was about twenty yards from
the dangerous vicinity of the fire. Slowly
and gravely he raised his head, and then
his eyes fell upon a party of nearly a
/ hundred Indians in their hideous war
paint. Some were sleeping, some smoking,
while two or three were on the watch.
One OF these stood within three wards OF
him, leaning against tree. His side was
towards the Kentuckian, and his eyes
were fixed on vacancy. Once he turned
quickly in the direction of Snow; but the
darkness, and the scouts motionless posi-
ton, made him see nothing, and the white
man could continue his survey in peace !.
The long lances of the Indians leaning
against trees, showed him that the war
riors were cavalry, and this circumstance
made his heart beat. He had hoped that
the horses of his party would have given
him certain superiority over the Indians,
which he saw did not exist. With this
conviction he was about to retire, when a
young Indian moved aside the tree near
the fire, and advanced into the centre of
the opening, until he stood before the
chief, who was smoking his red clay pipe
with becoming gravity.
"Pale faces J" said the young man, after
the usual pause.
"Ogh J" replied the chief
Three, continued the young man;