Demoine courier., 1854-12-07

INV oSf'hS
night came TO a halt at The house of q
cotton planter, who kept us sale ill
morning. The next Gay We proceeded
safely to Tuskega, a small village where
there was an encampment of fifteen hun
bred Indians. including squaws and ch,l.
dren. The third Gay We arrived a. Nj.
Meigs, where there was another ''lndian
camp" containing twen,y.fi five hundred Of
the red skins. We were now within Ia
miles OF Montgomery, aud fell ou of all
danger. But being determined to play q
trick upon the courageous Vivalla, we
iliormed him the next morning that we
had TO pass over the most dangerous por.
ton of the road, as il was said 10 be in
tested with desperate hostile warriors
Vivaila. as usual, was all courage; say
ing, 'he only hoped he should see some
of the unprecedented ~rascals; how he'd
make dem rum" When we had travel.
ed about six miles, and had come to a
dismal looking, lh;ckly wooded place, a
large fox squirrel crossed the road and
ran into the adjoining woods. V~ivalla
proposed pursuing il. This was just
what we wanted; SO giving a hiat 10 sew.
eral who were in The secret, we hailed,
and they went with Vivalla in pursui, of
The squirrel. In the meaniime Penland
slipped on an old Indian dress with a
frlnged hunting shirt and moccasins,
which We had secretly purchased at MI.
Meigs, and coloring his face with Span
ish brown, which we had obtained for
The purpose, and mounting his heat with
a cap of colored feathers, he shouldered
a musket and followed the track of vi.
valla aud his party, looking as much like
a real Indian as any we had seen tho day
previous in The camp. Wien he had
60. near them. he approached sleal,hily
and was not discovered till he Ieaped in
their very midst, and uttered a lremend-
Gus "whoop."
Vi"alla's companions, who were all in
the joke, Instantly fled in the direction OF
he wagons, and Vivaila himself, hall
frightened to death. exhibited great swift
ness Of foot in his endeavors to take the
same route, but the artificial Indian be.
trayed extreme Partially and malignity
IN allowing all others TO escape, and De.
voting his whole attention to ~.beadirg''
The Italian. The poor lille fellow yell
ed like a wild man, when he saw The
muskes Of The Indian pointed towards
him, and found there was no possible
means OF escape, except by running in
tue direction opposite 10 where we were
waiting. lie ran like a deer, jumping
over fallen trees and s,umps with remark,
able quickness, not daring to look be.
hind him. pen,land, who was the mos,
nimble on foot, allowed the Italian to
keep about four rods ahead, while he
followed, gun in hand, u~,.ering a horrible
Indian yell at every other step. The
race continued nearly a mile, when The
Signor, completely GU. OF breath, per,
ceiving his red ska adversary fast gain
ing on him, stopped, and throwing him
sell ON his knees. begged for life. The
Indian, pretending no, 10 understand En-.
glish, leselled his gun at Fi,alla's head,
bu, The poor fellow wrilhed and screech.
ed like a panther; and, carrying on q
pantomIme, gave The Indian to under.
stand that life was all he asked. aud il
that was spared. everything he possessed
was al the service Of his foe. The saw
age appeared TO ~relent. and TO understand
The signs mate by the Italian. He took
his musket BY the muzzle and rested the
breech upon The ground. a. the same time
m%OtiOning ~ his trembling victim tC
~..sliell out"
Qnick as thought, Viyalla turned his
pockets inside out. and the lncian seized
his purse c%ea'aiaing eleven dollars
This was all the money he had about
him, the rest being deposited in q trunk
in one of our wagons. Gloves. hand.
kerchiefs, knives, etc., were mex, Offered
up to apPease the wrath Of The savage;
but he looked upon the offerings with
dlsdain Then motoning the Italian to
rise from his knees, the poor fellow 90
up and was led by his conqueror like a
lamb TO the slaughter. The savage
marched him TO a large and stately oak,
where he proceeded, with The aid of a
handkerchief, to tie his arms in The mos,
scientific and Indian like manner around
he ,ruEk Of The tree,
The red skinned warrior then departed
leaving poo: Vivalla more dead than
alive. Pen,land hasiened to JOIN Us, an
dotfing hls wampum dress aud washing
his lace, we all proceeded in ques. OF the
Italian. We found the little fellow tied
TO The Tree. nearly dead with fright. bu,
when he saw us his Joy knew no bounds.
We loosened his hands. ard he Jumped
and laughed. and chartered like a mon-
key. His courage returned Instantly,
and he swore that alter his companions
leit him. The Indian was joined by halt q
dozen others; that if had kept his gun,
he should have sho, one and beat out the
brains Of the other six, bu, being unarm.
ed. he was obliged to surrender. We
pretended to believe his story, and al
lowed him TO repeat and brag over his
adventures for a week after W atds, when
we told him the joke. Chagrin and
modification sat on every line of bis
c~ounlenanGe, but he soon rallied, and
swore that j, was all zone great lie!"-
Pen.land offered him his eleven dollars,