Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1854-09-28


experienced woodsmen, went out tC
hunt for this wei, but they missed it
going too far to the right At one time
on this salt-hunting trip, they were
without food three DAYS. Lack a:
the Col. says, did not favor US, and
we could kill no game Finally, i
was Sunday morning we believe, they
had luck enough to kill three squirrels
They camped to cook them. One o
the men Immediately dropped to sleep
but in times of danger the backwoods
men always slept with half an eye open
Col. Stafford went to skinning the squir-
rels, with his rife by his side ready tC
catch up in case of Indians or of deer
Pretty soon he heard the bushes crack,
and cautiously looking under them he
saw the legs of deer. Then did bis
mouth fairly water at the thought ol
venison, after his three days fasting
He carefully raised his rife and was
drawing bead at spot seen through
the bushes, which the sleeping man, in
dreamy state, saw, and came to his
feet with a quick spring, Indians by
- he sang out, and away went the
deer. They concluded to breakfast on
nothing but squirrels that morning.
On another occasion when ranging
back of GallipoGs, with his mate-spy,
they discovered two Indians, and i'm
mediately took positions for shooting the
Indians; both leveled their rifles and
were to fire together. Col. Stafford
says that by side glance he saw his
companion drop his rifle, then raise il
again, and again drop it. At this last
time he remarked that he saw seven OF
eight other Indians, who were hidden
from Safford's view by the bushes, so
they quietly suffered the Indians to
escape, themselves remaining undis-
covered by the Indians. This, Col.
Stafford remarks, was the nearest he ever
came to killing an Indian-very near it
surely.
At another time he and two others
were hunting on Raccoon. One Satur-
day party of Indians went into CALI
polls to steal cattle, which they &C
complished, and returning, only missed
the camp of.the hunters few rods by
filing up a ravine. The Indian who
was left back on the trail, as was the
custom, discovered their whereabouts;
and during the night the Indians came
about their camp, but, as Col. Stafford
remarks, he and one of his companions
had gibberish which they could under
stand between themselves, but which
the third one could not understand
To this idle talk of theirs he attributes
the saving of their lives, as he supposes
the Indians took them for French, at
least not American, and hence left them
undisturbed.
Col. Stafford told US some stories in
relation to the plenty of wild game, the
number of wild animals he and another
had killed in one winter, &c. We will
give his statement that James Burford
and Thomas Upton, noted hunters, trap
ped, during one winter, something over
one hundred beavers, on Symmes creek.
We will add that Col. Stafford has
been man of good deal of energy
and influence. He has served in the
Ohio Legislature, certainly as Senator,
and we believe, as Representative. He
started in life with nothing but his
hands with which to help himself, and
persevering disposition. He did own
until recently about LOO acres of land
near Gallipolis, but has distributed it in
a great measure, we believe, among his
children. From his appearance, al
though now in his 87th year, he bids
fair to live many years. May peace
and happiness be his lot during the
closing years of his life.
E The Albany Express says that a
Railroad train was coming towards
Troy, at its highest speed, on passing
curve it suddenly dashed into flock
of pigeons upon the track. All of them
save one-a pure and beautiful white
raised from the ground and escaped
The white one was not fortunate, for
rising, and flying low in line from the
locomotive it was overtaken, and
caught on the center of the cowcatcher,
where, unable to raise its wings against
the rushing air, mute and bewildered, its
head stretched forward, it stood trans
fixed and motionless, as though con-
yerted into stone. On went the train in
its wingless flight, and fourteen miles
were thus travelled by the train.
1t was only when the Union Depot at
Troy was reached and entered that the
pigeon recovered from its bewildering
enchantment, slightly rufied its feath-
ers, then tried its wings, and finally
trusted them once more, scared aloft,
lighting on a cross piece of the dome.
Here it was soon the observed of all
observers, the story of its marvellous
ride having many hearers. After an
hour or SO it sailed in the direction ot
its home, and doubtless will often tell in
pigeon-tongue Of its fight with the rail.
road.
EHow noiselessly the snow comes
done. You see it but never hear it,
1t is like true charity. Charity makes
no noise in the world, but distributes
wherever there is poverty. A person
who does good ont of pure benevolenee