The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1851-03-12
A NIGHT AND DAY IN PERIL.

e. A NIGHT AND DAY IN PERIL.
= Any man who has travelled the Missouri
river, could not fail to have been stuck
with admiration by the wild and sublime
scenery which meets the eye in all direc-
tons. Tha: part of the globe is its Eden,
and without wishing to utter blasphemy,
| will venture to say, that our first parents
could not have forfeited nobler paradise
on earth. r
When was much younger than am at
present, one of my adventurous schemes
was trading trip to New Mexico-then
a rare, almost unheard Of project, but now
more common and less dangerous by odds.
There were four Of US. one Yankee, from
Maine, another quadroon Indian. and
third backwoodsman, like myself. He
and were old acquaintances, but OF the
others we knew very little, inasmuch as
we had met them only few weeks pre-
viously by the merest chance. The quad
room was stalwart fellow, with devel.
opment of muscle perfectly astonishing;
his skill in the use OF firearms. and
weapon he was without a huge knife,
samounted nearly to legerdeman. His
countenance was no particular passport TO
any body's good graces, and was not
surprised that, try how | might, | could
not like him The Yankee was, in APP
pearance andin character, a type of some
of his brethren-a little malicious. and not
a whit too brave. though. However, my
companion thought, coincident with my
self, that as they knew the country better
than we. could converse in Spanish. and
were we'll supplied with articles for traffic;
il was our interest to fratsrnizs
= Just above the Council Bluis--than
whose grandeur and sublimity ,oi aspect
there is nothing fner-we met six Pawnee
Indians, with whom we bivouacked over
night. 1t was dreadful night, in one
sense of the word. Wespread our blank
cts in circle, sleeping, as it were, with
our feet concentrated in the centre, our
heads radiatins outward. Ourpacks were
used for pillows. The Heavens were our
roof, and the forest trees our CURTAINS. 1t
was decided that the quadroon and the
Yankee should keep watch while we slum-
bered, and they accordingly took their
post few yards distant All was soon
silent as death, except the yelling. bowling
and waling Of the wild beasts, to keep
away which, we adopted the usual pre-
caution of fire.
I had slept, as near as could calculate,
about three hours, when | was awakened
by a gentle pulling at my pack. There is
no half.wake business in the lynx-eyed
watchfulness of dweller in the wilder
ness. II awake at at all, he is sure 10 be
wide awake, with every one Of his wits to
aid him at ten seconds notice. | in
stinctiyely scented danger. not as the bat
lie "afar off" but near at hand and imme-
diate. ] did not stir, for knew too well
that if an enemy were so close, the hrst
movement made by me would be the sig
nal for an unerring death-blow. The dus..
ky light cast forth by the half-consumed
brush, revealed the swarihy forms OF the
sayapes, and that of my friend. in motion.
less repose; but could NOT discover the
guardian in the fugitive glance | threw
around. The pulling at my pack contln-
ued, and perceived that it was being
slowly Withdrawn from beneath my head.
Still ieigned slumber. Att last it was en-
tirely Withdrawn, and my head was very
carefully permitted to descend to the
ground! manifested slight condition of
disturbance, ard, as if in the restlessness
of half broken sleep. changed my posi-.
ton. Ii was then heard the voice OF the
auadroon utter the command
..If he wakes, strike before he has time
to BREATHE" RI ''s't
81 will" was the cool reply Of the Yam
kee.
"Take this pack behind yonder rock
while go for the other one," said the
quadroon.
9 d"Make haste about it," whispered the
Yankee, as he moved away noiselessly
with my property upon his shoulders.
The quadroon now crept towards my
friend, who was sleeping nearly opposite
to mo, and as he turned his back drew
ono Of my pistols, without betraying my
real situation. II was my determination
TO shoot him the moment he attempted to
carry of nv friends property. but was
spared that trouble. Scarcely had the
ouadroon stopped over his intended victim,
ere he fell. One Of the Pawnees, like N.Y.
self, had been watching him with an eagles
unquailing glance, and had. with the speed
Of tho electric fluid. risen and buried his