Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1856-06-06
THE TIIAI'IsE Err.
BY HARRY HAYWOOD.

THE IRA EPElc.
BY HARRY HAYWOOD.
Old Stephen Cooper was trapper,
who was sometimes i'll the employment Of
the American Fur Company, but often
for years, engaged with three or four part
ners in huhting. trapping and trading "on
his own hook" He was, at the time |
first became acquainted with him, about
fifty years Of age, and had been noun
taineer for thirty. lie had, like most
others of his class, been so long in the
camp, that he could not endure for more
than a week at time, the tedium Uf civ>
ilized life.
Once in every two or three years he
came in and spent IL short time at West
port and lndepence,o on the Missouri River
and as long in ST. Louis spending freely
his money. enjoying himself after the
fashion Of the mountaineers, and then be
off to his own wild home and stirring. adj
venlurous life. In his thirty years eXpe-
rience OF savage life, he had passed
through many dangers, and escaped,
sometimes not without wounds, many
snares set for him by his Indian foes.
Some of his adventures, which he rela-
lated to me, as we set by the camp fire.
on the frontiers of Missouri, may be worth
preserving, AS they are doubtless true, and
exhibit the nature of the life led by these
men, at that day, when the fear of our
government had not So wholesome re-
straint upon the savages as at present i;
and when for white man to be found
alone, by many tribes. was certain death.
,,1,l, I,>lO II l,, l.;
escape.
A TRIP IN.
In the spring of 1880, as had been
out for more than three years, thought
Id Just come into the settlements and see
how matters did. You see lellar likes
to get among the whites once in while,
ii It's Just to see the women like and be
reminded that his mother wasn't like them
dirty sqnaws. ~ man gets tired OF look
ing at great hairy>faced men, and ugly
red skin women. and kinder strait htens
him up and makes him feel more human
like to come in sometimes and see the
pretty ones.
Well. as l was saying, I determined
to come to the settlement; SO with Alb Mer-
riII and Old John BoswOrth, aud DICK
Powers, | started. AS we had TO pass
through the grounds OF the Blackfeet, aud
Sioux, after the leaving the trading post
on the Missouri, we know'd we'd have to
be cautious like and run some risks but
that we were used to, and didn't mind, rs
the only thing we cared for, was, that if
we got among any bands of the REDSKINS,
either hunting or on the war path we'd
have to give up hunting for time, and
live as we could for The crack Of a rifle
would bring them down on US like Iol
Of crows on cNrrion. But as it were
some time before the dug outs started
down the river for s.. Louis, we deter
mined 20 come through anyhow; so pack
ing up dog apiece, with such little things
rs we thought we mouymt need. we struck
out for home.
I'VE travelled four or five days with
out meeting any signs Of moccasn tracks,
aud killing plenty of game, enjoying our
selves finely ; when all at once one after
noon, about an hour by sun, on raising the
top of IL ridge near the Big Platte. what
should we see just below us, but whole
lodge o! BIackteet. We lodged back, and
thought we'd hide till night. and then
move ourselves from them parts bu.
twas no go, for twanty dskin just
then got sight on us. and then We started
away. and with such yeiIs as only lni;ns
can give, the whole on them were alter
us. some on foot and some On horseback
1t was no use lO try 10 leave them, SO we
just dashed down towards the river. and
and covered ourselves with bunch OF
wlIers growing there, aud let them come
on.
g. Now Musquate is rather tcklish
about coming nigh thicAct when he knows
that trapper is there with a loaded rifle
and as long as you can keep under cover,
and they know that you have one or two
loads always ready for them. they will not
likely make a charge, but try to bring
you to terms with signs Of peace while
deviItry is all the time hearts, or they will
try to starve you out. Well, these fellows
came charging at first little closer up
than they thought for. and they hoped too,
to get US to let off all our pieces at once,
but after having to carry off three or four
with slugs of clold lead through them, they
got our range and kept rather shy. Night
came at last and it was dark. We know
ed that the imps were outlaying around US,
but we knowed it would not do to stay
there SO we had to run the gauntlet, ho.
ping that we mought p'raps get through
without their knowing it, ,butwe had hardly
started before we stumbled on some Of
them, and then didn't we have a pretty
l running fight. Some on them know ne.