Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1856-06-20
LIFE AMONG 5TIIE INDIAN9.


kansas. Tue following shows the char
acter OF the river beds. over a portion Of
his travels, though the waters themselves,
We have been told, are remarkably sweet
and pellucid, throughout that whole re.
gion:
The brethren were on horseback, and
the roads being very rough. they out
went US little. By and by we saw them
ahead on the bank of a river-Bro. N.
dIsmounted. punching about in the edge
of the water up aud down the stream with
his umbrella. "What is the matter
what do you mean % said l. I've are
looking for place to cross" What
you are not afraid to plunge into this little
branch Why, it is not knee deep -
- Ah - said McA. T" the Quicksand! the
QWlckSanG! all the streams are dangerous.
Be sure you do not let your horse stop to
drink or you may be swallowed up-once
sink little, and you are gone" Thus
admonished, we drove quickly over the
wide but shallow stream. Our travelling
companions entertained US with several
stories about these quickSands, some S,
rlous, some ludcrous. We passed them
all iu safety, but will say 1 never saw
such sandbars and beds anywhere else.
The following describes night in an
Indian cabin
La'e in the evening we began TO cast
about for a lodging place, y lillIe before
dark we came 10 All Indian cabin, and by
signs and gestures made known our wish
to tarry for the night. BY sigus aud yes
lures were made to unde. sta nd that
we could stay. We were lef;, Of course,
to wait upon ourselves. So We stripped
our horses aud led them to water. and
when we returned. our host had brought
To the lot "A turn of corn and fodder, and
AS he let his own horses out, we put ours
in and fed them to our hearts content.
Now we marched To the house to see
about our own prospects for food and rest.
There was but one room, but this was
neat and comfortable. save that there was
about it an uudeinable odOr-anythinS
but pleasant. 1t is common, learned.
TO Indian habitations. The man, his wife.
and children. were well clad. and were
attentive and polite according to their no.
tions- Not IL word of English could we
get from any of the household. They
could speak it, for they understood us ve-
ry well in much OF our talk.
x
Supper over, we proposed family pray
er. Our ChOctaw host had Bible. and
they all seemed to know what we were
ABOUT. Father. mother, children, all
came in-seated themselves very devout
Iy, and. though none of them were reli
giOuS, manifested no little interest in the
exercises. l longed 10 give them IL word
of exhortation. but my ignorance of their
language forbade.
When bedtime came round, the family
all retired to the kitchen and left US to
occupy the chief rOum-Lheir common
dwelling. The beds-(two Of them y
were SO strongly impregnated with that
odor l decline describing, that conclu-
ded to make bed of my own. Lovick
and spread down the buffalo skin. and.
with cushions for pillows. and clOAkS
for cover, and feet to the fire, slept TO The
break Of day. When we were ready for
start in the morning, determined to
try once more to get word OF English
from my Choctaw friend. l said to him,
80 What do pay you % His black eye
twlnkIed in'eliigently--" tsO0 dollars"
sail he. o! the magic OF money. 1t
makes the "mare go" and Indians talk.
Anglo Saxon.
AN USE1PEcrED REUNIoN.-A friend
informs US OF the following incident which
actually occurred few days since:
A Boston ship. while on her way to
:his port from a distant cline. spoke an
Eastern brig from the West Indies in u
critical condition. The Captain of the
Orig was determined to stick TO his vessel.
yet he desired the commander Of the ship
TO take off his wife, (who was on board.
and she with great reluctance, parted
from her husband. with the fear at her
heart that she might never see him again.
For the remainder of the voyage the wife
was in a melancholy state of mind, con-
stantly regrettiug that she ever left the
side of her husband. In the mean time.
however. New York vessel had fallen
In with the wreck and had taken off the
husband. who. in consequence OF fayora-
BILE winds, reached New York in advance
OF the vessel due at this port. He came
at once to this city, and from day 10 day
watched for the approach of the ship.
which had been retarded on her voyage
oy contrary winds. Al length the vessel
was telegraphed. and the husband hasten.
ed to the wharf. The wife stood upon
the deck OF the approaching ship, when
suddenly her eyes fell upon her husband,
and the unexpected sight so much affec-
ted her that she tainted away, but
soon recovered. aud joined her husband,
Doth parties exhibiting great Joy and
gratitude at their unex0ectrd reunion