Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1854-04-13
THE BADFLINT-THE MAJORS STORY.
FROM "THE LITTLE 'Us."


shellbark hickory in large log hous'
on the banks of the Ohio, large jug
of cider stood steaming on the hearth
and cob pipe was on duty with both o
lus. 0I = Ir.
"How'd you make out with the tur
keys yesterday" asked the Major.
"Col. Clem killed four, and l three
and should have had four too, but fol
a confounded bad flint that" -I
1 "Don't you find fault with bad flint, ,
interrupted the Major; 81 never did"
"Now, look here, Major" said l.
"that's all very well 10 say now, but you
have fellow Just one turkey ahead Of
you and scare up fat old gobbler; you
draw bead on him-clinck-Mr. Cob
bier looks around at me, as much as to
say Go there yourself, you're another,
and after swapping at him half-a-dozen
times, | threw down my gun in dispair
then it went off, and SO did the tur-
key" f..lf-.
"Well, that would have made me a
little riley" said the Major, ''but 1 never
cuss flint, since the time one saved not
only my life, but seven Others"
"How was that, Major? Just fill
your pipe, take pull at the jug, and
then give us the story comfortably"
"Just after l built this cabin, which
was, in its time, the finest one in the
country, go by so feet, J l had with me
an Indian about forty years old; he
never went out after game but was
sure of some of it, and many a saddle
of venison has Red Jacket hung up in
this old house. L called him Red
Jacket l bought him a large red
'Mackinaw' from a trading-boat one
New Years day, and ever after he was
known by that name. Col. Clem came
over here one day, and said he, Major,
there's a half-a-dozen of us made up
our minds to take trip to Chicago;
and we want you to go along, and take
Red Jacket for guide, for he knows
every inch of the ground"
"When do you start?" said 1.
elm three days; SO you and Red
Jacket get your rifles cleaned, take
plenty Of flints, balls, powder, mould,
and all the fixins for two weeks hunt,
and be ready Monday, when we come
along
"Chicago was about 400 miles to the
northward, and it was long tramp to
take in winter; but was young and
strong, and could drill squirrels head
at sixty yards. Red Jacket was keen to
go, SO we fixed for it, and on Monday,
about O'Clock, five stout, hardy back
woodsmen, with Col. Clem at their
head, stood before just such fire as
this, in this very room. Col. Clem had
been with Gen. Harrison against the
Indians, and was just the man to head
such party. We started, and l needn't
describe all our adventures on that
tramp, of course, we had lots of all
kinds of meat. l generally cooked my
venison on a stick before the fire, and
ate it when about one-third raw, which
l think is the only decent way. We
camped at dark; each man rolled in his
blanket, with his feet to the fire, and
laid himself out for the night, after
listening to Col. Clem's yarns about his
adventures among the Indians, for he
was an old scout, and had seen service.
"After sixteen days tramp we ar
rived at Chicago, then but small vii
lage, we stayed there about week, and
started back. When within about three
days march of home, we had all nearly
lost our scalps. 1t had been showing
all day, and we had about two miles to
go to reach spring between two knolls
where we were to camp that night, when
1 struck out of our path, telling Col.
Clem / would fetch home some venison.
Just keep your eyes about you my lad,
said he, and 1 left them. l had been
gone about half an hour, when / came
in sight of rousing buck. | crawled
into an old tree top, and laid low for
him, as he was coming straight towards
me. When he was within about fifty
yards of me, l pulled for him; loud
click startled the buck, and he came
straight towards me, l pulled again, and
again, and with the same result
81 then freshening my printing, drew
my thumb nail several times across the
edge of my flint, Click. Now that
would rile parson. | unscrewed with
my knife and put in a new fint-the-
buck all this time striking the ground
and an occasional 'whoof' from him
showed that had no time to lose. |
had Just covered him and was ready to
pull. when he suddenly turned his head,
and / turned, too, to see what had
startled him, when 1 saw what might
have made an older woodsman than l
feel pale. Nine tall redskins were
treading single file along the path ! had
left.
81 saw one had Just knocked up the
rifle Of younger one, who was about
to fire at the buck. lay close hidden
in the tree top until l thought it safe to
leave. l knew enough about the red
devils to see the necessity of reaching
my party some time in advance of them,
and 1 started for our camp, taking care
to place several knobs between myself
and the red skins. kept far enough off
to prevent their hearing any cracking
of dry sucks, and never got over as
much ground in as little time before, or
after, that day.
"ln less than minute after reached
the spring (where thew had built a fire.