New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-01-07
A Row ife-Preserver.

g or hair breadth 'scapes p--oruELIo
\ have read somewhere OF traveller who carried
with him brace of pistols, d earbne, eutIass
dagger and an umbrella but was indebted for his
preservation to the umbrellas it grapped with
bush when he was rolling over a precDice IN
Ike manner my friend W, though armed with
a sword, rifle and hunting knife, owed his exist
ence-to his wig
He was speeimenhuuting Cor Wis a first
rate natnralist) somewhere in the backwoods of
America, when, happening to light upon a denee
cayert there sprang out upon hifn-not panther
or a2catamountain-bnt, with terrible whoon and
YELL wild Indian, one of tribe then hostile to
our settlers. VS. gun was mastered in a
tWinkng, himself stretched on the earth, the bar
barous knife, destined to make him halder than
Granby's celebrated marquis, leaped eagerly from
its sheath.
Conceive the horrible weapon making its pre-
iiminary honrishes and cifcumgyratons; the saw
age features, made saYager by paint and rudde
working themselves up to q demoniaca crisis of
triumphant magnity his red right hand clutchine
the shearing knife his left the frzzed top knot
and then, the artificial scalp coming off in the Mo-
hawk grasp!
W. says the Indian catchpole was, for some mo.
ments, motioness with surprise recovering at
last he dragged his captive along, through brake
and jungle, 70 the encampment. Apeculiar whoop
soon brought the whole horde 10 the spot The
Indian addressed them with vehement gestures,
in the course of which w. was again thrown down,
the knife again performed its circuits, and the
whole transaction was pantomimically described.
The assembly made every demonstration of won
der; and the wig was fitted on rightly, askew, and
hind part before, by hundred pair of red hands,
captain Gulyers glove was not greater puZZler
to the Honbyems. From the men it passed to the
squaWs, and from them down to The least Of tie
urchIns WIS head, in the meantime, frying in a
midsummer sun. At length, the phenomenon re-
turned into the hands of the chief, venerable
ggeybeard he examined it afresh, very attentively
and, after long deliberation maintained with true
indian silence and gravity, made speech in his
his own tongue, that procured for the anxious
trembling captiTe very unexpected honors, In
round him, with such unequivocal marks of hon-
age, that even ". eomprehended that he was not
intended for sacrifice.
He was then carried in triumph to their wig.
vans, his body daubed with their body colors Of
the most honorable patterns, and he was given to
understand that he might choose any of their mar
fIageable madens for a squaw. Awaiting himself
OF this privilege, and so becoming by degrees
more proficient in their language, he learned the
cause Of Tins extraordinary respect. 1t was con.
sldered that he had been great warrior; that he
had, Dy mlschanee Of war, been overcome and
5Ialted but that whether by yal0r or stratagem-
ga equally estlmable amongst the saYages-he
had recovered his liberty and his scalp.
AS long as W. kept his own counsel he |
was safe; bnt trusting his Indian Deiah with the
secret OF his locks, 1t got wind amongst the
sqnaws, and from them became known to the war. |
rlors and chiefs solemn sitting was held at mid.
might by the chiefs, to consider the proprety of
knocking the poor Wig-owner on the head: but he /
had received timely hint of their Intention and
when the tomahawks sought for him, he was far On
his way, with his hfe-preseryer, toward British
settlement