The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1868-11-27
SeGerfeS q aGe
GRIGNON THE CONJUROR.

GRIGNON THE CONJUROR.
1t was pleasant event in my life
when was thrown into the company
of Grignon, the famous conjuror. l
was on my way to California. and had
taken the overland route in preference
to any other. 1t was while on my jour
ney across the Plains that | made his
acquaintance. Our party overlook a
single wagon. 1t contained Il solitary
man. The horses were dead, the man
nearly SO. This man was Grignon. j
paid the utmost attention to his wants.
Being a medical man gave him all the
benefit of my skill and care. As he re-
covered he naturally entertained a
strong friendship for me. His wagon
had fallen behind the train to which he
belonged, and they had been compelled
by their own necessities to desert him.
The conjuror, however, was destined
for far more glorious fate than to die
miserable in the desolate American des-
ert. He was to become an astonisher
of the natives (Indians), a savior ofciyi-
lized lives, and lion OF California.
We resumed our journey. We had
started, however, like many others in
those days, with insufficient prepara-
tions. AS soon as we found out our
mistake we had to be very economical
with our provisions, We killed bnffa-
loes whenever we found them, and al
ways replenished our water-casks at
every stream. At length, however, we
came to dry and parched waste, where
there was scarcely a drop OF water,
scarcely blade of grass, and not a sin
gle living animal of any description.
And now began the real troubles OF
our journey. We had come into the
country Of the warlike Indians, and
they were not slow to acquaint us with
that fact. Every day they prowled a
round us in great numbers, threatening
and insulting us. Occasionally they
used TO snatch up something and dart
away ON their fleet horses. We did all
we could to be friendly land deter aimed
to avoid an open rupture as faras pos
sible, for there were only twelve on our
side, and OH their side apparently twelve
hundred. .ls4..t H.I-4 i
Every day, however, only made mat
ters worse. In spite ofour precautions
the Indians grew more and more abus-
i've ard insulting. We became watch
ful, and tried to be more forbearing, but
our forbearahce was taken for cowar-
dice, and the savages began to think
that they could do. any thing with us.
We held council of war, and deter
mined to bring matters to a crisis at
once. sH afaa.
The crisis soon came.
One day a big Indian came riding
along by us. lie began talking in a
conteniptous way, and gesticulating fu-
rlously. AZ last ne asked one Oh our
men LOT MS gun. Inc man reIuseu..
The Indian repeated hl5 question, anu
attempted TO take the gun from MS
nand. Inc man drew Dack. line IN
dian sprang Forward, houflshing MS
khile, ana threatehihg. Az tnls tne
man calhily ieyelea ms piece, anu siiot
Inc lndiah through the iieait'
AS the Wretcf Tell shriekihg rom MS
morse tne riti,i see'he1 w become "ilse
Win other INDIANS FROM pehinu eve
ry clump Oh trees every hillock, every
rock, aud every rising grouhu, eney
poured lOrth III couhtiess numbers. we
mad never pelore seen SO MANY ASSEM-
oiou toScIiCi do HoW'
Ana now our companion the conluror
came out conspicuousiy- lie mad oeen
once III the fiench army he sald, anu
understood all lts adniraole discipiiile.
A few words of warning and snort
explanation suffced to make us form a
circle OF the wagons. ana draw up De-
hind them, with baggage heaped up for
a Dreast-work. There we waited Tor
the savages.
But they dld not come just then
With loud whoops and screams they
gathered upon the plain at distance