Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-03-01
the Blackfoot language, overheard /. CON.
sultation as to the mode Of dispatchine
him, so a to derive the 0r~steet .,e

Il 0~-6Ss SNNIuC2Iu ~ COM
sultation as to the mode of disnatcb;nc
him, so IS to derive the greatest amuse,
ment from his death. Some were for
s,tting him up as mark, and having 8
trial of skill at his expense. The chief,
however, was for nobler sport. He seized
Golfer by the collar, and demanded If
he could run fast. The unfortunate
trapper was too well acquainted with the
Indian customs not 10 comprehend the
DRIFT OF the question. He was to run for
his life, to furnish kind of human hunt
70 his prosecutors. Though in reality he
was noted by by his brother hunters for
swiftness Of foot, he assured the chief he
was very bad runner. His strataeem
gained some vantage ground. He was
led by the chief into the prairie, about
four hundred yards from the main BODY
of savages, and then turned loose. To save
himself if he could.
A tremendous yell let him know that
the whole pack Of bloodhounds were in
full cry. Golfer few rather than ran
ne was astonished at his own speed: but
he had six miles Of prairie to traverse
before he could reach Jeffrson Fork of
the Missouri /; how could he hope to hold
out such q distance with the odds of
seven hundred to one against him? The
pain, too, abounded with the prickly
pear, which wounded his naked feet.
Still be fled on, dreading each moment to
hear the twang Of bow, and feel an ar
row quivering at bis heart. He did not
even dare to look round, lest be should
lose an inch of that distance on which
his lilesdependsd BE had run nearly
half way across the plain, when the
sound OF pursuit grew somewhat fainter,
and he ventured to turn his head. The
main body of his pursuers were q consid-
cradle distance behind him /: several Of
the fastest runners were scattered in the
distance while . swift-footed warrior,
armed with spear, was not more than
hundred yards behind him.
Inspired with new hope, Golfer re-
doubled his eXertions, but strained him
self to such degree that the blood gushed
from his mouth and nostrils and streamed
down his breast. He arrived within q
mile of the river. The sound of foot
steps gathered upon him. A glance be-
hind him showed his pursuer within
twenty yarJs, and preparing to launch
his spear. Stopping short, he turned
round and spread out. his arms. The
savage, confOunded at this sudden action,
attempted to stop and huil his spear, but
fell in the very act. His spear stuck in
the ground, and the shaft broke in his
hand. Golfer plucked up the pointed
part, pinned the savage to the earth, and
continued his flight. The Indians, as
they arrived at their slaughtered com
panion, stopped to bowl over him. Col
ter made the most Of this precious delay,
gained the skirts Of the cottonwood bor-
dering the river, dashed through it, and
and plunged into the stream. He swan
to the neighboring island, against the
upper end of which the drift-wood had
lodged in such quantities as to form a
natural raft /; under this he dived, and
swan below water until he succeeded in
getting a breathing place between the
fioatiag trunks Of trees, whose branches
and bushes formed q covert several feet
above the level of the water. They
plunged into the river and swamp to the
raft, passing and repassing, and seeking
for him in all directions. They at length
gave up the search, and he then swan
silently down the river, and made his es.
cape.