The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1860-03-28


long way down the river, over the bot
toms and hills, but couldn't find bear
nor deer. 1t was four o'clock in the af-
ternoon when l made tracks for the set
tlement. Byand-by see buck just
ahead of me, walking leisurely down the
river. | slipped up with my faithful old
dog just in my rear, to within clever
shooting distance, and just as he stuck
up his nose to drink, drew bead upon
his topknot, and over he tumbled and
splurged and bounded awhile, when |
came up and relieved him by cutting his
wizzen--"
"But what has that to do with an aa-
venture ?" asked Riley.
"Hold on bit, if you please, gentle.
men-by Jove, it had great deal 10 do
with it. While 1 was busy skinning the
hind quarter Of the buck, and slowing
away the kidney fat in my hunting shirt,
| heard noise like the breaking of brush
under a moccasin up the bottom. My
dog heard it, and started up to recon
noiter, and lost no time in loading my
rifle. had hardly got my priming on
before my dog raised howl and broke
through the brush towards me, with his
tail down, as he was not used to doing,
unless there was wolves, or panthers or
lngins about.
Il picked up my knife, and took up
my line Of march, in skulking trot, up
the river. The frequent gullies in the
lower bank made it tedious travelling, SO
scrambled up to the upper bank, which
was pretty well covered with buckeye,
sycamore. and very little underbrush.-
One peep below discovered to me three
as big and strapping red devils as you
ever clapped your eyes on. Yes, there
they came, not above six hundred yards
in my rear, shouting and yelling like all
h---ll broke loose"
"Well," said an old woodman, set.
ting at the table, "you took tree, OF
course %
"DidI? No, by G., gentlemen /;
| took no tree just then, but took to my
heels like sixty, and it was just as much
as my old dog could do TO keep up with
me- | ran until the whoops of the red
skins grew fainter and fainter behind me,
and clean out of wind, l ventured to look
behind, and there came one single rcd
devil, putting and blowing, not three
hundred yards in my rear. He had got
on to piece of bottom, where the trees
were small and scarce. Now, thinks 1,
old fellow, I'll have you. So trotted
off at pace sufficient to let the red devil
gain on me. and when he was about near
enough, wheeled and fired, and down
| brought him as dead as door nail at
hundred and twenty yards
Then you scalped him immediate
ly," said the old woodman.
ID clear of it, gentlemen; for by
the time got my rifle loaded here come
the other two red skins, shouting aud
whooping close on me, and away broke
like a quarter horse. | was now about
five miles from the settlement, and it
was getting towards sunset. l ran un'
ill my wind began to be pretty short
when | took look back. and there ihe
rod devils came, snortng like mad butf-
aloes. one about two or three yards ahead
of the other. So / acted possum again,
until the foremost Indian got pretty well
up, and then wheeled and fired, at the
very moment the red devil was DRAWN 9
bead on me he fell head over stom.
ach into the dirt, and up came the last
red devil"
$50 you laid for him, and" gasped
several.
NO." continued the member,
didn't lay for him; | hadn't time 70
load, so laid legs to the ground aud
started again. heard the blasted devil
every bound he made after me. ] ran
and ran, until the fire flew out OF my
eyes, and the old dogs tongue hung ont
Of his mouth quarter Of a yard long!"
"Phe- e.e-ew," whistled somebody.
Fact, by -, gentlemen. Well,
what was | to do, didn't kuow--rifle
empty, no big trees about. and a murder.
ing devil not three hundred yard in my
rear, and what was worse. just then ii
occurred TO me that | was not great
way from Spring Creek (now called
Mill Creek }, and there should be pin.
red at last.
Just at this Juncture, l struck my
toe against root and down tumblcd
and my old dog over me. Before could
scramble up"
1.-The red devil fired p gasped the
old woodsman.
"He did. gentlemen, and / felt the
ball strike me under the shoulder bu
that didn't seem to put an embargo
upon my locomotion, for, rs soon as
got up. took off again, quite refreshed
by my fall. | heard the red skin close
behind me. coming booming ON, and ev
cry moment expected To have his do
tomahawk dashed into my head or shoul
ders. Something kind o'cool began Il
uickle down my legs into my boois--"
Blood, eh from the shot the var
mint gin YOU" said tho old woodsman
in great excitement.
Il thought So" said the Senator
but what do you think il was ?"
Not being blood. we were all puzzle'
to know what the blazes it could be
when Riley observed
Il suppose you had"
"Meted the deer fat which l ha
stuck in the breast of my hunting shlr