Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1858-01-14

never felt cold so intense as 1 did that night
night. have rarely felt more rejoiced thar
| did when | saw the early dawn steal over
the landscape, and was able to rise from my
freezing couch aud waken my companions, who
rose looking as uncomfortable as myself espe
cally Chingoos, who trembled as if he had an
ague fit. But little hot coffee revived him
Shegashie went to inspect his snares and
to his great disappointment, he found that
they had not been disturbed so there was no.
thing for it but to start afresh without break
fast. Just as we had tied on our SHOW shoes,
few fakes of snow, like siny birds, came
floating between Us and the clear blue sky
They were true harbingers and within a few
minutes, the clouds began gather and the snow
to darken the atmosphere. Warned by the
past days experience, we remained in our
camp. Hour after hour the snow poured
down in driving masses but we were sheltered
from its fury. We had fire, and the snow set
tling on the roof and sides of our bower made
it warm ; so we felt that we had more cause
to be thankful than to complain, though we
were compelled to fast.
Before long, Chingoos's indisposition of the
morning returned and as day wore on, he con-
tinued to get worse until, by evening, it was
quite evident that be was in the first stage Of
fever. We did the best We could for him,
giving him hot coffee and such other triilng
comforts as our slender stock afforded.
The next morning broke bright and beauti-
ful but it was at once evident that poor Chin
COOS could not travel that day. The fever in-
creased, and the ague so shook him that it was
with the greatest difficulty he could take the
It'll
empty, and this day also was passed without
food.
On the third morning Chingo0s was still
worse. No game had been shared or shot, and
hunger-pangs we're becoming very fierce. We
were so weak that we could scarcely creep
About midday hare come leaping by, through
the snow. [ shot it, and we dressed it imme-
dately. To this day think that that was
the sweetest meal ever tasted We made a
part of the hare into soup for our poor patient !;
but he was unable to take ito our surprise
for it seemed to US delicious beyond express
sion.
From that day we never wanted food, and
were able to give all our thoughts and ankle
ties to ChingooS, whose last hour was evident
" drawing near. He held out his hand to his
brother, and Shegashie forgetting the stocal
dcmeanour of his race which he had tried hard
to maintain, burst into tears as he folded it in
his bosom. When he released it, it fell cold
and stilfened upon the snow.
Shegashe did not speak for hours, but wept
incessanty The earth was frozen too hard
to admit of our digging a grave We were
therefore compelled to lay the ifeleSs Indian
deep in the snow in a shady place, until his
=, h.. I h;
On the following morning we resumed our
Journey but it had now become a melan-
cholv pilgrimage The day seemed long and
dreary without the joyous youth, whose lively
jests and ringing laughter had echoed among
the old trees Towards evening, for the first
time in all our travels, we came on the signs
of human being The broad trail Of pair
of snow-shoes preceded US along the course we
had to follow.
My guide, judging by the tracks, aDnounc-
ed the wearer to be an Indian, and not one Of
the white hunters who are sometimes to be
met in these forests. He was right The
wearer OF the gaiIy trimmed huntingshirt whom
we overlook about two honrs after with his
dirty blanket, rife, tomahawk, and knife, his
arms covered with bracelets, and punches Of
earrings Weighing down the loheS of the ears,
fully attested the accuracy Of Shegashie's fore
knowledge.
The Indians greeted each other with grave
courtesy, and the same polite reception was ex-
tended to me- But, in spite of all their gravi-
ty, faucied perceived CLEAN of joy in the
wild eyes of the stranger No wonder, poor
fellow thought. Perhaps he has passed
the whole winter without looking on one hu-
T. Ill, IL
living far to the north of Green Snake River,
and his dialect was great trial to my Indian
erudition.
As his path for the next day or two would
be the same as ours, the stranger proposed to
join u.s. Though must confess that the sight
of his blanket, caked with filth, made me feel
a repugnance to his company, yet | was too
prudent to object and afterwards. when we
stopped for the night, and / found that, leav-
ing the fire-making to Shegashie, he was con-
tent to hustle about to collect fuel, and to as
sist NE in forming our nights shelter, | felt
more charity towards him, and was more re-
signed to lis raising his pile Of branches near
my own.
As we sat, that evening, round our camp
fire, had better opportunity of observing
our new acquaintance. He was tall, finely
formed Indian, and more muscular than | had
ever seen any of his race. Moreover, there
was an unusual ferceness in his demeanor and
a strange fire cleaned from his eye. lie took
the tobacco we gave him with great pleasure,
but he was disappointed that our fire-water
was all expended However, he did not let
that damp his spirits, but talked on with more
than Indian volubility. Shegashie's stock of
of news, for which he asked, was soon exhaust
ed. Poor fellow be had little heart to talk
of anything except his beloved brother, to
whose story the stranger listened with con-
tracted brow but with few indications of SYM
pathy. In his turn, he treated Shegashie to
number of amazing and horrible stories which
were current in the woods.