The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1858-03-31
THE WILD GOOSE.
A DANG EROUS FEAT.

geous thing for the noted braves to lurl
Alexis cabinet and wait for the scalp; bu
| every such attempt proved miscarriage
and every miscarriage cost an Indian life O
two. So they learned discretion at length
and sought other war trails, wherein there
was less danger.
Then Aleck remained unmolested, ant
was allowed to grow grey-headed, and ir
due time 10 disappear altogether from the
field of human action without further inter
ruption.
The history Of this man, hermit yet hos
pitable, tacitun yet full of Interesting lore
is the history of a race whose fortunate des
cription immortalized Cooper. They are
fading fast away, and 10 find them, even
now, requires journey far beyond the
ultima thule of cockney travellers and city
sportsmen. The reader will not complain
especially he who loves wild romance and
startling peculiarities of character have long
remained fading and useless in my memor.
andom book.
Many daring adventure had Aleck Brent
in his lonely quarters; of such was the fol
lowing.
The lake by which his cabin was pitched
was horrid pool; in summer the head
quarters of alligators, water moccasin snakes
and gar-fsh in winter, backed by the Miss.
issippi river, until it frequently backed AL.
eek clean out of his little home and drove
him to the hills. Why he lived in such an
aguish spot none could say. Probably il
was for the convenience of the fish, which
were abundant, and TO be handy 10 the deer
and bear that came down to the lake to
drink. But whatever the cause, there lived
Aleck summer and winter, for thirty years,
fishing when he choose, hunting day or
two in the week-jsst long enough in fact
to knock down a fat buck or bear-and
drinking the lake water until its very slime
was reished as sauce piquante to French
man. With this introduction enters the
story of the Wild Goose.
One rainy, bleak March day, Aleck found
upon examination of his larder that his pro.
visions were out. Bread he had never cared
for, and there had been SO much wet wealth.
er, that the hunter who was getting rheu-
matte from life Of continued exposure,
had kept within doors, smoking his pipe,
till the last piece of dried venison gave out.
So with an ill.na!ured growl, he shouldered
an old gun that had done him service since
boy, and took the way to his favorite deer
haunts. But the deer were closely housed
and did not afford him single shot. Wear.
led and wet, he took back with the uncom-
Portable prospect of sleeping supperless,
when his eyes fell upon large gander that
had pitched into the lake some sixty Yards
from shore, and was swimming temptinrlv
about, quite regardless of his propinquity.
With but little reflection Aleck Ieveled
his piece, and had spread the bird headless
upon the water, before he had time TO think
how he was 10 get it out.
The alligators were so abundant that a
dog could not swim across without being
picked up, and even the deer were frequent.
ly attacked attempting passage.
But night was coming on, his canoe was
mile off at least, and it was the gander OF
no supper. o.
Aleck stripped his bucksins for the at.
tempt He attached his hunting knife by a
throng to his neck, took a stout chunk fol
support and club for defence, then boldly
plunged in. The first dash nearly chilled
him TO the heart but he reached The prize,
fastened it around him, and started back
Scarcely had he turned, however, when he
was startled by we'll known sound, and a
glance over his shoulder assured him tha,
an old soldier, bull alligator, to use the
expressions of the frontiers, was upon his
track, length ten or fifteen feet, teeth long
enough 10 carve him at a nip, stomach suf.
ficiently capacious to hold every ounce Of
him, and an appetite to match all three
1t is unnecessary to remark upon the velo-
city with which Alexis fms were moved,
following this interesting discovery. Dan.
ger may sometimes render men reckless,
but the prospects of such on ending 10 his
wild goose adventure only rendered Aleck
swift; he had seen fellow hunter dissec-
ted at his very side when their canoe was
upset, and the sight was one of unmitgaled
horror.
The alligator struck twice to his once, and
the race was short one. Aleck tossed the
bird from his back, and to his great satis-
faction the reptile stopped moment TO
smell it, which slightly delay saved his life.
But he had only reached the top of the bank
as his pursuer thrust his ugly nose high up
on the mud at his feet. His gun being al
ready loaded-for when did genuine hunter
fail 10 load before leaving his tracks ?-gave
him now an advantage and an opportunity
for revenge, and as the alligator, stimulated
to unwonted rapacity by his long winters
fast, came OH up the bank in his clumsy
way, the enraged hunter, putting the muz.
zle of his piece into his very mouth, fred a
ball down the throat he had so narrowly
escaped, mode of operation that killed
him as quick as such hardy chaps ever
die.
Will the reader believe me, that Aleck
Brent was reckless enough TO plunge again