Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1854-05-18

ho'So hod uecHhtu. III was SIN all one,
and like all Of lis specie Git was cotton.
wood, there were no branches near the
root. knew that could Chamber up il
by embracing the trunk, which was no,
over ten inches in diameter. Gould
ONLY succeed in reaching it, il would a,
leas. shelter me better than the ditch. OF
which was getting heartily tired. But
the question was, could reach il before
the bull! 1t was about 400 yards off
by proper manGuvtng, should have a
star, OF fifty. Even with that it would
be "close shave and 1t proved so.
arrived at the tree, and sprang up il lik 9
n mounletank; but the hot breath of the
buffalo. steamed after me as | ascended
and the conclusion of bis heavy skull
against the trunk almost shook me back
upon his horns. After severe effort,
succeeded in lodging myself among the
branches.
was now safe from any immedi-
ate danger, but how was the affair 10 end?
knew from the experience of others,
that my enemy might stay for hours by
the ,ree-perhaps for days. Hours
would be long enough. | could not stand
il long. | hungered, but worse appe.
tits tortured me: thirst. The hot sun,
the dust. the violent exercise of the past
hou-, all contributed 10 make me thirsty.
Even then, | would have riskeG life for
draught of water. What would i,
come TO should not be relieved! had
but one hope--tha; my companions
would come to my relief; but knew
tina. would no, be before morning. They
would miss me of course. Perhaps my
horse would return to the camp-lhal
would send them out in search of me
but not before night had fallen. in the
darkness, they could not follow my trail.
Could they do so in the light! This
last question which | had put to myself
startled me. was Just in the condition
TO look upon the dark side of every thing,
and i. now occurred to me that they
might not be able TO find me! There
were many possibilities that they mis h,
not. There were numerous horse trails
on the prairie, where Indians had passed.
saw this when tracking the buffalo
Besides, II might rain in the night, oblit-
| crate them all-my own with the rest.
circle of ten miles diamaler is large
tract. l. was rolling prairie, full of inc
qualities, ridges with valleys between.
The tree upon which was perched
stood in the bottom of one of those val
! leys-iI could not be seen from any
point over 300 yards distant. Those
searching for me might pass within hail,
without pereeiving either the tree or the
valley.
| remained for long time busted with
such gloomy thoughts ana forebodings.
Night was coming on, bu, the fierce and
obstinate brute showed no dsp osition to
raise the siege. He remained watehful
as eveI, walking round and round at in
tervals, lashing his tail, and uuering ,ha,
snoring sound so well known to the
prairie hunter, and which so much re-
sembles The snulIing of hogs. when sud.
denly alarmed.
While watching his various maneu-
vres. an objec, on the ground drew my
at,ention-il was the trail rope left by
my horse. One end was fastened round
the trunk by firm kno,-ihe other lay far
out ON the prairie, where il had been
dragged. My attention had been drawn
TO i, by the bull himself, which in cross
ing had noticed, and now and then paw
ed il with his hoofs.
All at once brigh, ieea flashed upon
me--a sudden hope arose within me--a
plan Of escape presented itself, so feast.
bic and possible, that | leaped in my
perch. as the thought struck me.
The first step was to get possession OF
the rope. This was not such an easy
matter. The rope was fastened around
the tree. but the knot had slipped down
the trunk and la. upon the ground. |
| dared not descend for it.
Necessity soon suggested plan. NV
'picker-a piece Of straight wire with a
ring end-hung from my breast buttons.
This | took hold of, and bent into the
shape OF graphing hook. | had no
cord; but ny knife was still safe in its
sheath; aud drawing this. cut seversl
thongs from the skirt of my uckskin
shirt, and knotted them together until the y
formed string long enough to reach the
ground. TO one end | attached the
picker; and then letting it down. com
menced angling for the rope. Aftsr a
few transverse drags, the hook cargh,
the rope. and | pulled it up into the tree,
taking the whole Of il in until held the
loose end in nv hands. The other
permitted TO remain as it was; l saw il
was securely knoued around the trunk,
and that was just what wanted. Ii
was my intention to lasso the bull; and
Tor The purpose proceeded to make a
running moose on the end of the trail.rope.
This | executed with great care, and
with all my skill. could depend upon
the rope; il was raw hide, and better
was never twisted; but knew that if any
thing should chance to slip at critical
moment it nigh. cost me my life. With
this knowledge, therefore, spliced the
eve. and made the knot as firm as pos.
sib!e. and then the loop was rec we'd
through, and The thing was ready.
could throw lasso tolerably well.
but the branches prevented me from
Il