The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1853-03-11


'triun elegsnce-as went down the hin saw
Old Jude crawl into the hole in the old tree
and disappear-man, rife, hunting shirt, leg
gins, wof-skin cap and all.
| | was half way to the bottom OF the hill
when two sharp reports, and a moment later,
the Kissing Of two bullets as they cut the air
q guessed) within ten inches on either side OF
my head; told me, beyond all question, that
my Indian friends-two of them certainly,
were determined to keep up lesden cores
pondence with me at least
A single quick glance over my shoulder,
showed me the two Crows urging their horses
down the steep slope at their best speed, while,
by the way they had slung their rifles across
their shoulders, without reloading them,
knew that they judged my companion must
have fallen from a wound received on the 9TH
side of the ridge, and as they considered me
sure game, tbeH DIS Ut .lane~9e> worth while
to lose anything os aIcs - sts z between us,
by refining in NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. their rifles
| Thirty seconds might have passed after the
two shots were fired, and had almost gained
level ground, when heard a most unearthly
whoop, which knew in a moment to come
! from the old hunter, and turning in my saddle,
| saw the two Indians who had fired at me,
stopping, stock still, and were loading their
rifles, apparently in the greatest possible hur-
ry; while some hundred and fifty yards farther
up the hill side, stood Old Jude Just in the act
of taking aim at the third savage, who had
raised the ridge and now came sweeping down
the trail with his rifle leveled on the hunter
At the instant that was looking for the
! fash of my companions rife; the old frontiers
man, let fall the muzzle of his weapon, and
breath later, dropping it entirely, he drew
himself up to his full height, and turning
towards the single Crow, he uttered pecu-
liar taunting whoop, Of defiance which drew
forth wild yell of rage from the savage who
came driving on with furious speed, still cov-
ering the hunter with the muzzle of his rifle.
He was scarcely thirty yards from the old
backwoodsman when without checking the
speed o. his horse in the least, he fired. But
his bulle whisted harmlessly by, over the
PROSTATE form of the wary old hunter, who
quick as thought, dropped to the earth at the
flash of the Indians rife.
The tremendous whoop of the hunter had
startled the two Crows beneath him, g. with
their half loaded rifles they sat there apparent
ly bewildered and half stupefed by the sudden
appearance of Old Jude there in their rear;
while the single warrior came laundering
along down the hill side, his horse grown
unmanageable, his rifle unloaded, and himself,
accustomed as he was to rough riding, scarce
ly able to maintain his seat in his wild, plung-
ing course down that rugged steep.
Almost before one could have counted ten
the horse Ind borne his savage rider to the
spot, where the hunter now no longer pros
trate, but standing in the path, grasping in
his right hand a fragment of rock that giant
might have failed to WELD, while, his left was
outstretched as if to--the next breath reveal
ed his whole ntenton: for as the horse came
dashing on, the veteran hunter grasped him
by the nostrls with such powerful grip, that
in an instant the frightened mustang was
flung quivering back upon his launches, while
the Crow was hurled violently to the earth,
which he had barely touched when down came
the ponderous rock, upon his naked head,
manglng and crushing his face and skull out
of the very shape of humanity.
Scarcely had the rock left his hand, when
Old Jude snatched his rifle from the ground,
leaped upon the back of the Indians horse,
and with another unearthly whoop, dashed
right on down the steep pathway towards the
two remaining Crows, who as if panic-strick-
en- at the death of,their comrade and the
strange stratagem Of the old hunter, turned
and fled for life, while the cause of their ter
ror came yelling and whooping on in swift
pursuit.
When the two Crows passed me, they were
so near, and SO wholly defenceless, that l
could easily have brought either or both from
their horses with the butt ofmy crippled rifle
/ But was SO absorbed by the interest of the
singular race that scarcely noticed the lugi-
tives, permitting them to pass by unmolested
AS Old Jude drew up with me, observed
that he was guiding his horse from side to side
as he dashed on along the trail, holding the
hide reins in his teeth, while he every few
seconds poised his rifle an instant, and then
lowered the muzzle again, until comprehend
ed that his intention was to get in range SO
he could cover them both with his rifle.
He had passed me Perhaps thirty yards, and
the Crows wert some fiIty~ more IN advance
of him, when a sudden turn in the trail
! tntHi iHto iluC, anu III iSso tHoh lhicO
seconds the bullet from Old Jude's rifle had
sped ON its mission of death. ...
Striking the nearest Indian in the back of
the neck, at the junction with the spine, it
passed out through his throat, and hit the 9TH
er-who must have turned his head on the in
slant, as the bullet hit him in the right eye,
which it tore from its socket, and then buried
itself in his brain. "'.. .
Thirty minutes later, we were securing a
way across the praries towards the steamer,
with three extra horses, the same number of
rifles, and several articles of Crow property
which was Of small value except as trophies
Of victory.
j On the following day we picked up the re-
mainder of our party, and in less than an hour
! thereafter, we were off on another buffalo
hunt.
I ora little boy had his first pocket. knife
and for several days he used it himself, ant
1 oxtended the nriyilepe of the occasional usf