The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1860-08-09
A RUN EOR LIFE.
[ From the California Golden Err. !


was among the first who took the
Frazer River fever; and, like hundreds
Of others, arrived in Whatcomb too ear.
ly in the season to go up the river, and
my finances being at low ebb, | had to
look round for something to induce a
flow.
After turning over number OF
schemes to raise the wind, and each in
turn being thrown aside as requiring
too much labor, Ito which be it distinct
ly understood, | am decidedly oppc sed, }
or otherwise impTacticable, my partner
was struck by brilliant idea, which
was to trade with the Indians for salmon
and canoes, and sell the same at What's
comb-the Salmon in the market, and the
canoes to miners bound up the river.
Now, as the thing partook more of
pleasure than hard work, | agreed to it
instantly. So, away we went to a gro
Gerry, emptied our purse, and in exchange
for the contents, took -four and such
other "truck" as Indians are partial to.
The tribe we intended to trade with
lived near the mouth of the Skadget
river, and about forty miles to the south
ward Of Whatcomb. SO, having every
thing ready away we started, in HIGH
hopes OF realizing something handsome.
We had, among other things, bottle
OF whlskey, which was for our own pri.
v&te use; as we expected to be out in
the Sound one entire night, we had ta>
ken 1t to keep the fog out, of which there
was plenty in those ATTITUDES.
w &c had arrived at the place where
| we intended to trade; and had made o
bargain for boat load of salmon, and a
couple OF canoes to take back to mar.
ket, and had the Indian with whom we
were trading on board, going to his vii
iage to take in our cargo, when we met
a large canoe with ten Indians in 10, all
painted III the most becoming style, as
when they are intent upon committing
some coWardly murder. They were.
most OF them, in high spirits, having
swallowed, no doubt, double quantity
OF strlchnine or whiskey. Seeing that
there were but two OF us, and white
men at that, they considered it good
opportunity for plumber. They ran
their canoe along our boat,and demand.
ed Whlskey, which we denied, telling
them we had none; but, unfortunately,
the bottle was in sight under the stern,
sheets OF the boat, and everybody
knows what an eye a red-skin has for
anything that will make drunk come :
consequently one Of them saw the bottle.
tie was Oungster-probably on his
lrst war path-and wishing to distin-
sulsh himself, he stepped into the boat,
and before | well knew what he meant,
had the bottle. Having no notion OF
losing the whislloy, I gave him slight
Intlmation OF my disapproyal Of his CON
duct by bestoWing left handler under
his ear, which tumbled him overheard /;
but 1t did not save the whiskev, for the
thief held on to the bottle and took it
over with him.
Meanwhile my partner was fighting
the rest Of the red devils, with the ham
ole OF one of the oars, which was bro
ken when the canoe ran along side of
us.
just as l had got through with the
whlSkey thief, my partner called to me,
IN quick, stern manner, to look out tor
myself | turned to see what the mat.
ter was. l hooked towards the canoe.
and saw, within a couple Of feet Of NV
face, the muzzle of Hudson Bay Co.'S
muSket, and at that instant the painted
devil pulled the trigger; but, thank God.
there Is nothing certain in flint, or IN
prayers would have all been said. 1t
merely flashed in the pan. 1t took me
less time to draw my Six shooter. than
1t did hlm to re-prime, and as he was
raising his piece to his shoulder, fred.
l wanted to make sure SO : leveled for
his breast and pulled. He gave one
leap into the air, nearly capsized the
canoe, and fell overheard, gun and all.
As that was the only firearm they had
with them, my shot saved our lives, for
by this time my partner had got the
vessels separated, and had Strengthened
out two or more Of the red devils with
his oar; and as there were but six left.
and they found that we meant fight,
they took to their paddles leaving the
first one that / had knocked overheard
W SA SlAOLO bllt bGSb " dN ne cOulU.
and started for another village about
half a mile distant to obtain help, leav-
ing us masters of the feld-or slough.
rather, for the time being. We had
put one oar and part of another to make
our escape with.
We had about half mile to oct ont
OF the slough, where there was some
chance Of a breeze, which wonId onahie
us to make good our escape-proyided
we had enough OF it. We had a TttIe
more than half mile the start, and had
hopes Of keeping our hair. Arrivino
at the mouth OF the slough, hope van
ished, for there, not more than QUAR-
ter of mile astern, We're two canoes.
full of frantic Indians, and the sea was
as smooth as mirror. Ny partner
gave me a look which said as plainly as
a look could, whats to be done now?''
| could see that he expected me to take
the lead as he was young at frontier