The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1858-01-01

wished, and got on the upper side agar
Al length Lost Ps,issce; and, still bold
ing hi, righ, smtghsly down, loosene'
the hand which held my knife. But
quick thought, Msmiskogabjhe changes
his knife into his left hand also. Thc'
commenced smother rolling and tearing
struggle, more like that Of tigers than o
men, for my foe sssailed rue fercely viii
bis teeth, We stabbed at each othel
wildly, and many wound I gave ant
received. AT length the Indian relaxeS
his hold, fell back, and arose victorious
Ny first thought now, after q fervcu,
prayer for my deliverence, was for my
poor guide. l found that, though dcs.
perately wounded and bleeding profascly
he was no. dead, l bound up bis wound,
as best could, and placed him upon hi'
bed. My own wounds though numcroua
were marvellously slight; more cuts than
stabs, and even those my thick clothing
had prevented from doing much damage.
| Idressed them, and, heaping more wood
on the fire, sank down beside it to watch
my poor Shegashie.
The next morning, Shegashic was so
weak from loss Of blood that each mo.
ment expected to sec him pass away,
and leave me alone in the woods, to die
in my turn. l now bitterly regretted
that | had ever entered on this disastrous
enterprise. However, there | was and
| had nothing for it but to make the best
of it; so set TO work, buried my dead
enemy in a snow bank, collected wood,
shot hare, dressed it, and returned to
my sad task Of watching my wounded
guide.
AT the end Of ten days, despite every
adverse circumstance, Shagashie was q
great deal better; yet it was evident to
both Of us that it would be long time
before he could travel. The poor fellow
earnestly cntrcated me not to stay with
him, but to leave him to his fate and he
me in the right way to pursue
my journey. would not have deserted
an enemy thus, much less one with whom
| had faced sorrow, danger, and death.
Yet powder and shot were rapidly failing.
After much cogitation, took all the
spare snow shoes, and, by the aid OF a
bcar-skin, succeeded in making sleigh
capable Of holding Shegashie very com.
iortably, as well as all our belongings
l rose proudly the next morning; and,
placing my companion in the sleigh, re-
commenced my journey.
1t was weary work to drag that clumsy
sleigh, the wasted Indian looking out now
and then to direct me on our way. ! was
often obliged to make long detouS to
avoid thickcts and places where the trees
grew too close to admit my sleigh between
them. When day was done. | had the
fuel to collect, the fire to make, shelter to
prepare, Shegashic to move, his wounds
to dress, and then the game to cook which
| had killed during the day. Many q
time thought | should be obliged to give
up the struggle. When lay down to
rest | was sometimes so tired that could
not have resisted another Mamiskogahjhc,
had he come to end the work the first
one had begun; and, when morning re.
appeared, recommended my tugging
and dragging with arms SO weary, that !
did not care If another snow-storm came
and sent us to sleep till the great day Of
awakening.
Neither Indian nor snow-storm came,
and was compelled to 60 from day to
day enacting by turns the parts Of horse
forager, frc.maker, cook, builder, aud
nurse. At length ! became so exhausted
that one morning, though it was scarcely
midday, began to look about me for
suitable place to cncamp for the remain
der Of the day and night; hoping, afte
such q rest, to start fresher on the follow
ing morning. Suddenly, a thin column
of smoke, ascending from the trees at
short distance, caught my eye; and, turn
ING off from our route, made the best Q
my way toward it. 1t rose from the hu
Of ncwly-arrived settler. The man CAV
us hearty welcome, and VIC slept bt
meath rooi, for the first time for consid
crably mosc than month. The ne'
day he put his horse TO his wood-train
aud, in two days more, brought us to heat
quarters-less, believe, for the rewar
l promised than from pity for our wor
and miserable condition.
The time appointed for the trial wa
now nearly three weeks past, and ! ii
not doubt that Il was over. But the 81
we're illness Of the accused had again d.
ferred it. The proceedings were onl
now coming to close. So far, they LEI
on the mind of all who witnessed the,
but one impression-that my poor friend
Il "a.