Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1860-12-13
Captain Travis Shooting ArOuad a
Tree.

1 bC CtSPhhNp
Iy states Capt. Travis recent prop
srIion TO w,ger $3.50 that he corlt
shoot around tree and hit a mark
lsix by five inches in siz. aud says
Capt. Travis is by no means the
first TO attempt this novel feat, nor is
lit quite so astonishing as many might
at first suppose it TO be. The modus
oreIandi Of this s'boomerang" shoot
ing will he found fully illustrated ia
lrh. following lrgend, which We clip
from tn. Newcastle Chronicle. The
belt of wampum mentioned in the
extract is in the hards Of the editor
OF the Chronicle:
"Diraciiy after the purchase Of
. Loui lana from the French Govern
n.ent. Gel. Am.rew EIIicot. OF Lam
caster. Pa. with one hundred U. S.
troops and about fifty Typographical
engineers, axmen, &c, went down
the Ohio and Mississippi rivers from
Pilt>5nrg,s and, after Il sale aud speedy
pass ge on fa,hoats arrived at the
point where their !ahors were to COM
mence in running the boundary be-
tween NJ xico and The newly acquired
territory. After spending some time
at their labors, and after having pen
etraied into the interior, they were
surrounded by a large body Of Black
foot Indians, who had full determined
TO massacre the whole party.
"Mr. Eiicot, fortunately, had a.
sbrewd haIi.breed interpreter, who,
learning the intention Of the party.
made big talk to the chiefs. and
assured them that is master was a
great medicine capable of raising
the Evil Spirit at his will. He said
that if man WIS 10 stand behind
tree one bundreh and fifry yards dis
tant, he could Mil him without taking
aim or shooting through the tree.--.
After sum. consideration the Indians
concluded TO try tfeir prisoners pow
IT on turkey, The next day one
was secured. aud the distance Meas
nred off. The Colonel took an axe (
and split n stake whichhe drove firm
Iy into he ground u few feet beyond
he trunk of the ;ree.
after driving the stake into the
ground. and having lied the turkey
10 the stake, so tlat il could b. calcu
ated upon where it would be found
y hen shot Mt he passed to tho side
IF the tree in an obIlquc direction and Z
chalked a small spot on the blade Of
lis aXe,after baving stuck it.arparent. 4
Iy withou. caro-. into The ground. =
Taking the position assigned him. be
fred at ibe chalk on his xe. and so
malhematically correct bad The an
sles been calculated, tfat he with a.
glanced bal, absolutely accomplished
he feet Of killing the turkey without
having seen it when taking aim. So
great was The delight of The principal
-hief Tint he at ouce unbuckltd The
he belt around his body aud plnced
i around Col. Ellicol's waist, wherei it
served 10 render him bouored aud
respected during the remainder OF his
survey" yea l-tgis r +
Col. e licot's feat although r. mark
able, WAS nothing to what Capt. Tray :
is proposes to do. He bets that the
balls from his pistol shall make the
entire circuit Of the tree, and then
hi; the target the number Of times
stated. Il seems Impossible that
such shooting can be performed. but
il the Dispatch man im"gines the
captain can't accomplish what he pro.
poses. all that he hasto do is to send /.
along his money. 4
The Shelby vile bnnks, says The