The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1860-09-26
sfIfet Mi,s;ee1Iangy
A PERILoUs ADVENTURE


which, our readers will admit, was sufficiently
Eexciting to affect the nerves of any man! -zse
On my return Che says) from the Upper
Mississippi, found myself obliged to cross
one of the wide prairies, which, in that por-
| tiCn of the United States, vary the appear
ance of the country. The weather was fine,
and all around me was as fresh and blooming
as if it had just issued from the bosom Of Ma
ture. My knapsack, ny gun and my dog,
were all had for baggage and company
The track which followed was an old Indian
trail and as darkness overshadowed the prair-
| lie, felt some desire to reach at least copse
in which might lie down to rest. The night
| hawks were skimmering over and around me,
attracted by the buzzing wings of the beetles
which formed their food, and the distant
bowling of wolves, gave me some hope that
should arrive 1T the skirts of a woodland.
did so and almost at the same instant a
freight attracted my eye. moved towards
it in full confidence that it proceeded from
| the camp Of some wandering Indians 1 was
mistaken. 1 discovered by its glare that it
was from the hearth of log cabin, and that
a tall figure passed and repassed between it
and me, as if busiiy engaged in household af-
fairs. as.
[ reached the spot, and presenting myself at
the door, asked the tall figure, which proved
to be woman, if l might take shelter under
her roof for the night. Her voice was gruff,
ard her attire negligeatly thrown about her.
She answered in the affirmative, l took
wooden stool, and quietly seated myself by the
fire.. The next object that attracted my atten
tion was finely formed young Indian resting
his head between his hands, with his elbows
on his knees. a long bow rested against the
log wall near him, while a.quantity of arrows
and two or three raccoon skins lay at his feet
He moved not-he apparently breathed not.
Accustomed to tile habits of the Indians, and
kue wing that they pay little attention to the
approach of civilized strangers, "a circumstance
which, in some countries is considered as
evinciDg the apathy of their entire claracter.)
addressed him in French, a language not
unfrequcntly partially known to the people in
that neghborhood. He raised his head, point
ed to one of his eyes with his finger, and gave
me significant glance with the other. The
fact WIS, that hour before this, as he was
In tho act of discharging arrow at Il rae
coon in the top of e tree, the arrow had split
upon the cord, and sprung back with such
violence into his right eye TO destroy it for
ever. ssssl. -..-. .
Feeling hungry, enquired what sort of
fare could expect. Such thing bed
was not to be seen, but many large, untanned
GEAR and tufalo hides lay piled up in cor
ner. drew my time piece from my breast
l was iatigued. She cspied my watch, the
richness of which seemed to operate Oh her
feelings with electric quickDcss. She told me
that there plenty of venison and Jerked
buffalo meat, and that on removing the ashes
should find a cake. But my watch had
struck her fancy, and her curiosity had to be
grati6cd by an immediate sight OF 1T. took
off the gold chain that secured it around my.
neck, and presented it to her. She was all
g e1-a1, ,&c x-ol
ue, and put the chain around her trawny neck
saying how happy the possession of such
watch would make her, Thoughtlcss, and, as
felt myself in SO quiet spot, secure, paid
little attention to her talk or movements. l
helped my dog TO good supper of venison,
and was not long in satisfying the demands of
my own appetite. The Indian rose from his
seat as if in extreme suffering He passed
me several times and once pinched on the
side so violently that the pain nearly brought
forth an exclamation of anger. l looked at
him.. His eye yet mine; but his look was so
ferbidding that it struck aschill into the more
nervous part of my system. He again seated
himself, drew his butcher knife from it's
greasy scabbard, examined its edge, as would
that of razor suspected dull replaced it, and
again taking his tonlahawk from his back, ell
ed the pipe of it with tobacco, and sent me
expressive glances whenever our hostess chanc-
ed to have her back towards US.
Never, until that moment, had my senses
been awakened to the danger which 1 now sus-
pected to be about me. 1 returned glance for
glance to my companion, and rested well as
sured that whatever enemies might have, he
was not of their number.
I asked the woman for my watch, wound it
up, and under the pretence of wishing to see
how the weather might be on the morrow,
took mp my gun and walked out Of the cabin.
I slipped ball into each barrel, scraped the
edges of my fints, renewed the primings, and
returning to the hut, gave favorable account
of my observations i took few bear skins,
made e pallet of them, and calling my faithful
dog to my side, lay down with my gun close
to my body, and in a few minutes was, to all
appearance, fast asleep
A short time had elapsed, when some voices
were heard, and from the corner of my eyes L
saw two athletic youths making their entrance
bearing stag on pole. They disposed of
heir: burden, and asking for whiskey, helped
themselves freely to it. Observing me and
he wounded Indian, they asked who / was,
ard why that rascal, lmeaning the Indian,
who, they knew, understood not a word of
English) was in the. house.
The mother--for: 50 she proved to be-bade
them speak less loudly, made mention of my
watch, and took them to a corner where con-
yersation took place, the purport of which it
required little shredness in me to guess. I
tapped my dog eently-he moved his tail, and
with indescribable pleasure I saw his fine eyes
alternately fixed on me. and raised towards
the trio in the corner felt that he perceiy-
ed the danger of my situation-The Indian
exchanged last glance with me. - -
) The lads had eat and drunk themselves into
such condition that already looked upon them
as hors da eonsbat; and the 'frequent visits of
the whiskey bottle to the ugly mouth Of the
dam, I hoped would soon reduce her to o ike
state. Judge of my astonishment, reader,
when saw this incornate fend take large
,whet its edge. I saw her pour the water on
the turning machine, and watched her working
away with the dangerous Instruments ,luntif the
.oIi -sSvsats covered eyery part of nv BODY, In