The Shasta courier., 1868-05-30
COURIER.
An Old Hunters Story.

There is something about an American
lndlan that always reminds me of the brute
creation. | do not refer particularly to their
well known savage dispositions and their
frequent total lack of mercy to innocent
persons, but to a certain characteristics
which seem born with them, and which |
have never observed in my own race.
In my experience in the early settlement
of Missouri and Iowa, | certainly have had
abundant opportunity to study these peculiar
people hose history is so interviewer with
our OVID. 1t has been my fortune to encoun.
ter the red man in every mood and under
every imaginable circumstance. My habit
of limping when walk, and numerou.
aches and pains that frequently rack my
limbs, and which my friends generally at
tribute to rheumatism, are the results OF
many grlevous wound received long years
ago. Few persons live to carry more sears
than do, and there are few, | can honestly
say, who can give more varied experience
than mine but at the present | can only
illustrate my observations with single incl
dent that happened nearly fifty years ago.
When a white man is shot mortally he
frequently gives utterance to some gaspine
exclamation, and as frequently succumbs
without ii word but | never saw an Indian
winged without yell and Il frenzied lear
INTO the air, just Il wild animal does wher
struck to death.
The unrelenting passion of revenge is
more characteristic of the same race than
our own race, aud the sullen, melancholy
disposition, which for lifetime in some OF
their race is never thawed into smile OF
evidence Of pleasure, is the same as thai
fali hat
live only to prev upon the weaker and un.
resisting portion Of the animal creation.
When | went to Iowa Territory, in 1918,
[ made my home with an old acquaintance
by the name of Green, who went from Wes
tern Pennsylvania, where he had led a pretty
eventful life, his house having been burned
twice over his head by Indians, during the
early settlement of that State He had lost
two Of his children by the same means, SO
that he had cause enough to emigrate.
He settled on Manson's river, or rather
creek, which flowed just by his door, and
which mile or two below descended fully
a hundred feet by Il series of rapids which
were sure death for any man to attempt to
shoot who was not perfect master in guild
ing canoe. Green could never summon
courage to attempt it in his birch canoe un.
courage after while, and learned to do it
with an ease and confidence equal to my
own. When we engaged in fishing we fire.
quently performed the feat, until it became
Il matter of amusement with both of US.
Green had wife, and one child of about
six wears, who was as interesting a little girl
AS | ever saw. | was much attached to
her, as | never had family of my own, and
IL,
tion second only to that which she entertain.
ed for her parents.
Shortly after | took up nv quarters With
them, in the Autumn of 1918, | was seized
with the chills and fever, and did not entirely
treated so well by the entire family, that,
when became well again, agreed to re-
main through the season, and to assist him
in clearing his land, and getting his scanty
seed under ground.
At that time there were Indians all around
us, and some Of them were of the very worst
kind They hated a white man like poison.
and | was sure we should have trouble
with Il en-. 1t was that more then anything
else, that made me anxious to remain with
them until the country became more settled
The season was well advanced, as a man
called at our house one day, and tod us that
party of Indians had attacked the settlers
further up the creek, and after massacreng
several families, were descending the creek
in large canoe, for the purpose of serving
US in the same manner
This was alarming news indeed, and we
decided to change our quarters at once.
while there was prospect of escape. Green
proposed we should start through the woods
.. IL Il
distant, and knew they would follow our
trail with the speed and certainty of the
bloodhound, he took my advice, which was
to embark in the canoe, leaving everything
behind us. BY this means we could effec-
tually cover our trail and as the shores
were both lined with luxuriant, overhang-
ing underground, we could glide under cover
and remain concealed until the danger pass
ed.
This was good plan, and would have
succeeded admirably had it been adopted an
hour sooner. The hunter who had given us
the intelligence started at once down the
stream, IN the hopes that he might be able
to warn some of the other settlers in time =
Inc light canoe comfortably seated us four.
including the little girl. and within fifteen
minutes alter the alarm reached us. we
showed out from the bank Green took the
paddle and we started on our perilous de.
scent OF the creek, which. however was
large enough to deserve the name of river
We had scarcely showed out from the shore
when whoop reached our ears. and look.
ing back, we saw to our dismav that tho
Indian canoe was in sight The redskins
had discovered us and naturally enouob
determined that we should not elude them in
this easy manner. | glanced at the miscre-
ants, as they came dashing down the stream
almost with the speed of the wind and saw
that the canoe was occdpied by five of them.
. Now Green" said |. " use the naddIe
for all depends on that"
| never saw him use the oar with sucb
skill. He had seen enough of Indians 10
understand that it was now case of life
and death, and with bis wife and ONLY child
depending upon his exertions, it need NOT
be said that every particle of strength and
skill that he possessed were needed and pui
into use.
Every moment or two the Indians uttered
one of their frightful yells-so frightful in