Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1854-03-18
TIL E BAD FLINT T.
THE MAJORS STORY,

I Hhoh Anr LII ALE
The Major and were seated one cold even
ing before rousng fire of shel.bark hickor,
In large log house on the banks of the Ohio
large jug Of cider stood streaming on tn
hearth, and cob pipe was on duty with bot
of u.s.
"How'd you make out with the turkeys YES
terday?" asked the Major
"Col Clem killed four and | three. and
should have had four too, but for a confoundet
bad flint that"
"Dont you find fault with bad flint" inter
rupted the Major; Il never do
| "Now, look here, Major" said l, "that's al
| very well to say now, but you have fellow
Just one turkey ahead Of you, and scare up a ia
! Old gobbler; you draw bead on him--click--
MIR. Gobbler looks around at me, as much as tc
say 'Go there yourself, you're another; and af
ter swapping at him half.a-dozen times, | threw
down my gun in despair--them it went off, and
so did The turkey"
swell, that would have made me little
riley" said the Major, "but 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 county, (2O by 60
feet0 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 saddle of
yenison has 'Red Jacket hung up in this old
house. called him Red Jacket | bought
him large red 'Mackinaw' from trading-
boat one New Years day, and ever after he was
known by that name. Col. Glenn came over
here one day, and said he, Major, there's half
dozen of US made up our minds to take trip
to Chicago, and we want you to 60 along, and
take Red Jacket for guide, for he knows every
inch Of the ground"
"When do you start! said !.
in three days; so you and Red Jacket get
your rifles cleaned, take plenty of flnts, balls,
powder, mould, and all the txens for two weeks
hunt, and be ready Monday, when we come
along
'Chicago was about 400 miles to the no'th'
ard, and it was a long tramp to take in winter;
but was young and strong, aud could drill a
squirrels head at sixty Yards. Red Jacket
was keento 60, so we fixed for it, and on Nom
day, 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 needn't
describe all our adventures on that tramp, of
course we had lots of all kinds of meat.
generally cooked my venson on stick before
the fire, and ate it when about one third raw,
which think is the only decent way. We
camped at dark; each man rolled in his blanket,
with his feet 10 the fire, and laid himself out for
the night, after listening to Col CIem's yarns
about his adventures among the Indians, for he
was an old scout, and had seen service
safer sixteen days tramp, we arrived at
Chicago, then but a small village; we stayed
here about week, and started back. When
without about three days march of home, we
lad all nearly lost our scalps. 1t had been
showing all day, and we had about two miles to
20 to reach spring between two knolIs where
we were to camp that night, when struck out
If our path, telling Col. Glenn would fetch
lome some venisoa. Just keep your eyes
about you, my lad,' said he, and left them
lad been gone about half: an. hour, when came
n sight OF rousing buck. Icrawled into an
I'D 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
traight towards me; pulled again, and again,
md with the same result.
then freshened my priming, drew my thumb
,ail several times across the edge of my flint.
Click. Now that would riIe parson. I'm.
crew with my knife and put in a fresh flint
he buck all this time striking the ground, and
n occasional twhoofr from him showed had |
10 time to lose. had just covered him, and |
lad my finger ready to pull, when he suddenly
urned his head, and | turned, too, to see what
ad startled him, when saw what might have |
nade an older woodsman than | feel pale
line tall redskins were treading single file
long the path had left
| saw one had just Knocked up the rifle of a
ounger one, who was about to fire at the buck.
lay close hidden in the tree.top, until thought
safe to leave. knew enough about the red
evils to see the necessity of reaching my party
ometime in advance of them, and started for
ur camp, taking care to place several knobs
etween myself and the red. SKINS l kept far
nough off to prevent their hearing any crack
g Of dry sticks, and never got over as much
round in as little time before, or after, that
ay:
In less than minute after reached the
,ring (where they had built FIRE, and were
King for the night) Col. Glen had heard my
port; he was too familiar with such things to
estate second to plan.
"Abe Harris, you aud the Major take Barlow
I'd Red Jacket, and take the back track to the
,ad old Oak, about eight yards to the right;
ell take t'other side of the knoll, and will pop
e first four, and you the next four, the odd
10 we'll fix"
Red Jacket had entered the room, and fill
ng his pipe, gently puffed away; but when the
ajor reached this part of his story, he gave a
,rce glance up to his old hatchet, that was
runk up over the fireplace, and an "ugh!"
lgh!"
we lay there some ten minutes; quietly they
me, listening with heads bent forward, tread.
g carefully, least by the accidental snapping
. dry stick, to alarm the pale faces, that had
e,n already covered BY their riass-so fatal in
q hands Of the borderers; one Simultaneous