Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1853-04-28

"Hal-by the heart of John jacob
Astorl we are in tight place now.
lads" he yelled out, as he was inter-
rupted by the dull, lazy whiz Of at
least a dozen rifle bullets, some OF
which came most socially near our
persons, as l myself judged from a
sharp tap on my metal canteen slung
under my left arm. and rather clean
cut aperture through the lapPell OF
my hunting lrock.
SHOW We see, lads; we must work
our horses into this thicket if we can,
so far that none of them rollin' devils
will get afoul of US, and when they
are all past, we must steer for the
river, for yon fellers are Grows. and
we had better take our chance
among the horns and hoofs Of these
critters, than to get within range ol
them red nigger's rifles. Comel
come, lads! In with vel"
But the old hunters advice had &C.
cupied several moments OF our time
that should have been devoted TO
digging into the brambles, and ere a
single horse had made break in the
dense wall of briars, twigs and
foliage, the buffaloes, with a plunge,
a roar and crash, were upon US.
In a moment we were separated,
and one here, another there, in
among a hedge Of horns, and amid a
continuous roar OF buffalo bull
thunder, we were borne on, helpless
and impotent in the centre OF the
vast herd, while at short intervals, |
could hear the sharp ringing report
of the Crow rifles, followed by the
whistle OF their bullets; but as if by
a very miracle for full twenty min
utes, during which time the herd was
confined between the belt of brush
wood and the ridge, we were hurried
along with them, without any one OF
our number receiving the slightest
injury either from the buffaloes or
our friends, the Grows.
At last when the head Of the belt
of timber was gained and the herd
began to spread out and sweep away
10 the westward, by some singular
chance the old hunter and myself
were flung together, and at the same
time, out clear of the buffalo stream
on the left.
For single instant we reined in
our horses, and as we did so,
pointed to the Indians-some fifty in
all, | should think-who had ridden
along the summit of the ridge, keep
ing Just about the same distance from
us that they had been at first.
"Yes, | see the red thieves" said
my companion very calmly, as his
eve followed the direction OF my
| finger. 81 see 'em, Leftenant, and
can tell We that they all carry the
Cincinnati rifle. Too light to kill a
hard shelled old feller like me thi:
distance. But our boys are all of
west with the buffaloes; and we are
left here to play at hop and dodge
with these thievin' Crows.
"Well, we must back towards The
river, and ford it somewhere; ioT
you see them skunks are dividing
about forty of 'em are coming down
TO follow the buffaloes and our fel
Hers, and them other sneaks-ten oI
'sm--will hang round US till they
wing us; unless we play Indian bet
ter than they can. Come, Leften
anti and the next breath we were
dashing away towards the river
while the ten Crows were gradually
closing in with us as they urged or
their horses towards the river.
We were within perhaps two
hundred yards of the bank. wher
the heads of a: least thirty Indians
were thrust up above the feathery
scarf Of fern that grew along th'
very edge of the bank.
"This won't do, Leitenant," saiC
the old hunter, apparently not in th'
. least moved as far as | could dis
{ cover. alt won't do, sir" and h
, caught my left hand bride rein
, whirling my horses head away from
the river along with his own; AM
: as both animals dashed off over tn
5 ground Just traversed, Old Juda
] went on
ats no use Leftenant, TO try 70
+ the river now. There's FIVE hun
+ dred of the iheiving Crows on th
, other side; and our only chance
!, now TO distance them devils on III
) hills there, and get far enough ahea
of 'em to cross the ridge again an
i pull out for the steamer. And nov
J, Leitenant, don't worry down you
/, animal ia the start, nor above every
d thing else, don't ye waste a sing
d bullet. We shall want 'em, ever
|, one, before we ever get clear"
. At the moment that we turned I
e retrace our steps, the savages who's
,r heads we had only seen above til
" fern, now rose fully into view, horse
=. and all as they rushed up the banI
aud in less than thirty seconds, fiji
II e H. ra1 Gands xxyara thundar,,