The Sierra citizen., 1854-03-18

life. Time passed on, and he was the victim
of settled melancholy.

life. Time passed on, and he was the victim
of settled melancholy.
The sunny days of autumn were nearly
numbered, and an occasional blast from the
far north had brought a shudder to the
breast Of Wis-ka-go-twa, for they reminded
him of the long winter which he was likely
to spend in his wigwam alone. He pom
dered upon the gloomy prospect before him,
and in his frenzy made the desperate resolu-
ton that he would, by any means in his
power. obtain the love of his soft-eyed
charmer. He consequently began to exert
himself in his daily hunts, and whenever he
obtained an uncommonly fat beaver, or
large bear, he carefully deposited it before
the lodge of Muck-o-wiss, and he now min
gled more frequently than ever before, in
the various games Of the village, and was
not behind his more youthful rivals in
jumping and playing ball. In variety of
ways did he obtain renown, but it was at
the expense of efforts which nearly deprived
him of life. Again did he sue for the smiles
of Muck-o-wiss, but she told him he was an
old man, and that he did not wear in his
hair single plume Of the eagle to show
that he had ever taken scalp
The disappointed vagabond now turned
his attention to war. 1t so happened, how
ever, that permanent peace had been es-
tablished between the Ottawas and the
neighboring tribes, so that our hero was
baftled on this score also. But he had heard
it reported in the village that party of
roquois warriors had been seen on that
side of the Great Lake, and as they were
heartily hated by his own tribe, he con-
ceived the idea of absenting himself for a
few days, for the purpose of playing de-
ceptive game upon the maiden of his love
and the entire population of the village
where he lived. Having formed his de-
termination. he kept it entirely to himself,
and on certain morning he launched his
canoe upon the lake and disappeared, as if
going upon hunting expedition.
Four or five days had elapsed, and the
vagabond bachelor was not yet returned
On the afternoon of the sixth day, a couple
of Indian boys who had been frolicking
away the morning in the woods, returned
to the village in an uncommonly excited
mood. They visited almost every wigwam,
and related a grand discovery which they
haP made. While chasing deer into Sc
cluded bay, about ten miles down the lake,
they announced that they had seen Wis-ka-
go-twa engaged in most singular employ
ment. They were aware of his peculiar
reputation, and when they saw him in this
out-of- -the-way place they watched him in
silence from behind fallen tree. The first
act which they saw him perform was to
shoot into the side of his little canoe some
twenty of his flint-headed arrows, which
mutilated the canoe in a most disgraceful
manner. He next took some unknown in
strument and inflicted number of severe
wounds upon his arms and legs. But the
deepest incision which he made was on his
leg, just above the knee, into which they
were astonished to see him place with a
stick kind of white material that re-
sembled the dry shell of turtle. All this
being accomplished, they saw the vagabond
embark in his leaky canoe, as if about to
return to the village. They suspected the
game that was being played, so they made
the shortest cut home and related the fore
going particulars.
An hour or two passed on, and as the sun
was setting, the villagers were attracted by
canoe upon the lake. They watched it
with peculiar interest and found that it
was steadily approaching. Presently it
made its appearance within hailing dis
tance, when it was discovered to be occu-
pied by the vagabond bachelor. Every
man, woman and child Immediately made
their appearance on the shore, apparently
for the purpose of welcoming the returning
hunter, but in reality with view of enjoy
ing what they supposed would turn out a
good joke The hunter looked upon the
crowd with evident satisfaction, but he
manifested his feeling in very novel man.
ner, for he was momentarily uttering a
long-drawn groan, as if suffering from a
severe wound. As the canoe touched the
sand it was found to be half full of bloody
water, and one of the sides had evidently
been fired into by the arrows OF an enemy
A murmur ran through the crowd that Wis
ka-go-twa must have had dreadful time,
and he was called upon to give the particu-
lars, when he did so in a few words. He
had been overtaken, he said, by party OF
lroquois, consisting of some twenty men.
who attacked him while he was pursuing
bear, and though he succeeded in killing
four OF his rascally pursuers, his canoe had
been sadly mutilated. and he had received