The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1850-05-07

by the sight OF Mary, whom he loveu with
all the ardor of a single minded, honest and
frank backwoodsman. Still, he could not
divcst himself Of regret at not partaking of
the dangers of the expedition, and TO divert
his mind, proposed to the brother aud sister
a weeks hunting in the buffalo regions higher
up the country. Boh frankly acquiesced,
and one morning at dawn of day they started.
This time all the hunters rode horses, the
very best which Snow could pick from his
lot Each had a rife, powder horn, bun
die of corn-cakes, flask of native whiskey,
and a hurtng-knile. Mary, on this occa>
costume as her companions, and never was
happier, mere sprighty, or filled with more
of the enthusiasm of prairie life. Their
journey was up deep gullics, along heaving
plains by cool streams, and beneath the
shadow of thick woods. They rode along
in the morning until they found place fit
for sport, and then hating, lit fire, shackled
their horses, and started on foot in search of
game, sometimes together, sometimes sepa-
or when night approached, they returned to
their camp and supred. After this opera
tion which in the rrairies is Il very serious
one, they made sober attack on their whis-
key gourds and tobacco pouches, and after a
little gossip, were glad to find rest. Mary
had a little hut always formed of boughs and
their three cloaks, the brother and anianccd
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 inseparable from savage
life-which has generally all the faults OF
civilized life, with scarcely any of its virtues
- are kept in the background, wandering
existence in the virgin woods and fields o.
America has an incxpressible charm. They
all felt it. To camp at night beneath tree:
hundreds of miles from house and men, is q
thing which excites romantic feelings in the
rudest, and none of the trio belonged to tho
rough cast. Capt. Snow had received some
education, and Mary Rock had learned tc
read before left the country. They had
thus some common topic of conversation, ant
their excursion gained reloubled charms.
One evening, little after dusk, having
failed during the day to find suitable en-
campment in an arid plain, they had turncc
back towards tina, which they left in The
morning They had ridden pretty hard, ant
when they came to the dry bed of torrcn
which they had to cross, their horses were
very tired.
81 reckon" sad Capt Snow, "we'l no
circumvcnt Dicks Ferry this night. NJ,
horse is getting cranky like, and trails hi
legs like an old mustang"
Hush T. said young Rock, in low tone
WHATS up ?" whispered the other in az
equally cautious manner.
Young Rock pointed do Wn the bed of tn,
torrent, which was thick with bushes, anc
overhune by trees, and at considerable dis
tance the blaze Of fire seemed reflected
family on the silvery branches of larch
The fire itself was completely hidden, al,
would have been admirably concealed bu
for an accidental opening in the trees.
" Ingines-Redskins !" observed Captain
Snow. "Do you and Polly slope away t,
yondcr clump of trees, and hide away spoy
while | creep down to the reptiles, and lool
at their paint"
With these words, the Kentuckian de
scended from his horse, took off his cloak O
poncho and divesting himself of rifle, pouch
everything, in fact, but his tough pantaloons
flannel shirt, moccasins and hunting knife
began to descend the stony bed of the river
Mary and her brother rode away with ever,
prccauton, leading the third horse betwcer
them.
Snow moved with all the stealth and eau
ton OF an Indian warrior. lie had livet
three years with the Cherokees, and seer
their arts and contrivances in the profession
of thanksgiving. He now reused all his re
collections. The neighborhood of Indian,
might be harmless, but il likewise might be
dangerous; and the safety OF his alancet
wife quickened the young mans blood, bu
took nothing from the admirable cooIness O
his head, which was as fertile in expedient,
as that of backwood lawyer is in abuse. /
took him fully an hour to reach a little hill
lock, behind which lag the camp. Snow
now scarcely breathed. The spot he occu
pied was rough, and filled by thorny bushes
II was about twenty yards from the danger
GUS vicinity of the fire. Slowly and gravely
he raised his head, and then his eyes fell up
on party Of nearly hundred Indians in
their hideous war-paint. Some were sleep
ing, some smoking, while two or three were
on the watch. One of these stood within
three yards 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
position, made him see nothing, and the
white man could continue his survey in peace.
The long lanees of the Indians leaning a.
gainst the trees showed him that the warriors
were cavalry, and this circumstance made
his heart beat. lie had hoped that the hors,
es of his party would have given him a GER
tain superiority over The indians, which he
now saw did not exist. With this convic-
ton he was about to retire, when young