The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1860-03-03
Adventures OF Party of Canadians
- - sEE1i1.faaY1 Killed -.

~
8 Thirteen Killed.
The Brechin AdveTtiser publishes letter
from q townsman who akrived In ictoria Ia
October last, latter thirteen months on the
Mains among the Indians The writer
saws: Fifteen of US left st. Paul, MIN
nesota. on the 18th Of August 1858. for
Fraser River, with horse each. The first
twenty days we got along pretty good. but
after that our trouble commenced. The
South Indians came on US in the night, and
took our horses and provisions. tied us
hand and foot, and commenced dancing
around us with their knives. One of our
party could understand a little of their
| language he got them to understand we
did not want to harm them-that we only
wanted to travel through their country, and
that we were going to pay them for it, but
they would not listen to him. They said
that some white men had killed some of
their tribe, and their friends were to be re-
venged on the white men. By the time day
light began to appear, they got up and loos-
ened our feet and made US walk to where their
camp was, and they put US in a wigwam
and left two Indians to guard US.
The second night came, but it brought an
awful sight. They came and took US out to
the woods, and tied each of US to a tree,
and stripped our clothing off. They told
us that the chief was going to burn US
After the chief came he ordered them to
build fire around the tree that John Fetch
was tied to, (this is the man that could
speak to them. They burned him to
death and killed two more, and the est of us
got away with our lives, after they had kept
us about three weeks. We travelled on for
about forty days, and party of Blackfoot
Indians came on US, and wanted to take our
horses, but we could not give them, SO
they went off in rage. We did not see
any more of them for three day, but on the
fourth about forty of them came down on
US, and fred at US, killing two and wound
ing three. We fired on them and killed
four, and then threw part of our provisions
away to Tighten our horses, as we could
travel faster, and trusted to our guns for
meat. There is no danger of man starry
ing on the plains if he has good gun and
can use it. We travelled for fifteen days, at
about fifty miles day; and thought we had
got clear of the Blackfoot Indians-but
they followed us till we came to large
river-and when we were crossing it they
| fred at US from behind the trees. They did
not hurt any of US then, but the next day
they attacked us in a thicket, and killed
four of our party, and wounded one, that
was myself got ball through my thigh.
There was now only six of us left, who got
off from them once more, and we had no
more trouble of them till we got to the
Rocky Mountains. Having got everything
ready for crossing the mountains, we saw
some Indians come down, and we made into
the woods. It was too late, however they
had seen US, but they happened to be Coutine
Indians coming to kill their winter provis-
ions. They were friendlylto us and gave
us several small things. They gave us
some stuff for my thigh and it got better.
We started into the mountains and trav-
eled four days, and then about twenty Blood
Indians came on us and killed three of our
number and wounded the rest, so that we
were not able to walk. They took US to
their camp and dressed our wounds. We
there learned that they took us for Indians,
as we were dressed something like them for
all our clothing had been worn out. They
took care of US, and doctored us up as well
as they could, and we got better again
When they saw we wanted to 60 on they
sent for our horses, and guided us through
the mountains, and then returned back. AS
we came on one man died, and that reduced
our number to two, out of fifteen. We got on
slowly, for we were poorly off from wounds
and we have now got into civilized country
once more, thank God I have commenced
to work little. as much as keeps me in life
until get well, and then I am thinking of
going to the gold mines on Fraser River.