The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1864-11-30
THE WILD HUNTER.
By wILLIEtH- soLANr

l.
. The following story was. related to me
by friend of mine, an old trapper while
we were sitting By camp fire on the
plains, last summer. viii tell it as near
assI can, in his own words.
at was several years Ance that 4 made
the trip across tresei plains, of which l
am about to teltyou 3 We wore small
partyee-odnlv fonr families s-eonsisting in
all Of twenty persons. Of these eight
were males-four men and four sturdy
boys. We did not apprehend any trcu
BILE from the IDdians, or we would not
have started, unless in a larger party
Still we were prepared and had our
trusty rifles and plenty of amunition land
were constantly on the watch for lurking
foes of any kind. -,5
"It was three weeks from the day we
had left Kansas city, and were encamped
within fifty miles of Bent's Fort. 1twas
our Intention to follow up the Arkansas
river to the Fort, there cross over, and
strike across tho Ration Mountains. Our
destination was Santa Fe.s
r"Well as have said, we were encamp-
ed within fifty miles of the fort. We
had eaten our supper, and the men folks
were preparing for smoke when a sin
gular apparition appeared before US. This
was nothing more nor less than a little
yirl-a perfect stranger to our camp
You may imagine we were surprised.
"Where did she come from 2" was the
question asked on every side, as every
body in camp came crowding around our
fire, where the creature had made her.ap-
pearance. -,;s-,.>.-hs,
"She looked almost starved, and said
so, before pressing her with questions, l
gave her something to eat. tell you
what, Will, if she.didn't pile down the
victuals, then it's a caution to all man.
kind. The crowd that were watching
her didn't seem to discompose her in the
least. Fried Butler meat, dissicated po-
tatoes, eorp-bread and hot tea. disappeared
like magic 1 had no idea that such a
little creature could eat 90 much. After
while sha quit and gave us her history.
"Sbe had, the day before, escaped from
party of Indians Two years before,
the party of which she was a member had
bean massacred by them. She gave it as
her firm belief that not soul, except
herself, had escaped. Her father. moth
er, and two brothers we're killed. She
alone was taken prisoner, and the relation
of the suffering she had undergone dur
ing that period had caused us to shudder.
On the day before she came into our
camp she had availed herself of an op-
portunity to escape, from her eaptors, and
bare.footed and bare headed, with no
covering but a, blanket. she had wandered
over the prairies ever since. She said it
had been her intention to try and find
the old Santa Fe road that once found
and she would be safe. for she knew that
great many people were passing to and
fro on that great thoroughfare, Among
these, she thought she would find some
one who would befriend her.
"She was not mistaken. My wife gave
her some of little Mary's clothes and told
her to consider herself one of the family
.frcm that hour, Her, name she gave as
Elmira, Lockwood, and her age as ten.
years. Her family was from Massachu--
setts. taaiio53 ids Aatat a,sf'
1.-TWO days more We were at Bent's
Fort. Here, after good deal iof delay,
we crossed the river, and took up our line
Of march for the Ration Mountains. On
the third day after crossing; the Arkansas
We arrived at little Amiu,as river, at the
Eastern foot of the Ration .Mountains.-
Here We laid over day and then re-
sumed our route. -asaf9''f tST
1.-The road suddenly became rough and
rocky. Stupendous crags rose on either
side; tall pines, rising a hundred feet or
more, stretched their tops apparently to
the cionds; beautiful streams crossed the
road at intervals which were alive with
fish. Taking it altogether / think it was
the host rsnte that can be travelled going
to New Mexico. BRAD 80 SssIeg
awe had been in the mountains about
six hours, when an exclamation from one
of my companions attracted my attention.
He pointed to some huge boulders on our
right. I followed the direction of his
finger, and curious object met my gaze.
It was a man half naked and half cover
ed with bear skin, who stood upon one
of tie highest rocks, and was Watching
us as we went filing by. There was a
Wild hageard look about him, that made
me tremble in spite of myself, he had
white, unshorn beard, which reached
down below his breast. In his right hand
he held beautiful double barreled rifle,
and in rude belt about his waist were
stuck pair of Colts revolvers and hunt
ing knife. .so-,,, ~
"This singular personage was in sight
but few moments with a wild cry that
seemed to proceed from nothing human,
he vanished frcm sight. Several of, us
Immediately started in pursuit, but we
saw nothing more of him. eva ,r.aT
HLttle Elmira was asleep In the wagon
when this incident occurred. When she
invoke up and I had told her about it she
turned pale. eph;55 : rs 4,icn
sQlsgO, father, she said (she had learned
to call me father), sthe man you have
seen must have been the wild hunter
"'The wild hunter! and pray who is
the wild hunter?' .gEaafl
40, father, he issaterrible being l-n9
ThsgApacbes fear him more than they
do the whole tribe of Bavajas., ,s:oP
t0etF And why p asked. .sSHEg
"She shuddered~ g'b-s fBsoR R.Ee