The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1870-04-22
WHOLE NO. 1873.
A Winter Vigil.
From All the Year Round.

OF Wmte mans endurance and an Indian
/ vengeance ever came across IN the whole
J Northwest. As some of the more curious
portions of the official note book OF an In
dian agent, L transcribe the Memoranda re-
lating to it.
Albert Black was an honest, English gen.
} tleman, whose adventures in search of for
tune led him away from Regent street to
wander IN Western worlds, and that is the
way he put through" portion of the win
ter of that year. He was residing, with a
single companion, in little log cabin at
the Indian village Of Bella-Coola, on the
coast Of British Columbia. There was no
white man nearer than one hundred miles,
but the villages of many Indian tribes
were situated in the immediate vicinity.
Ihe winter was only half through; few ma
tlves came trading about the post, and as
time lay heavy on their hands, Black and
his companion resolved to go hunting for a
few days. A canoe was accordingly fitted
ont with stock of provisions and ammu-
milton; with an Indian as steersman and
pilot they proceeded to eruiZe about among
the islands, now and then landing and
stalking deer, or shooting the ducks and
wild geese which assembled in countless
tiocks by the mouths of the northwestern
rivers in winter The season was mild,
but thin coating of snow on the ground,
so that each night they eneampe / in the
open air, and slept well wrapped up in
their blankets around the blazing
log fire. Few old explorers in
these countries ever think of carry
ing a tent with them; and our hunters
were not possessed of one, even had they
cared to avail themselves of its shelter.
They had been cruising about in this man
ner several days, when, as usual, they en-
camped one night on an island, with the
canoe drawn up on the beach. Their pro-
visions they built up around them, to guard
them from the attacks Of any prowling
Indians or other mishaps. Their Indian
pilot had informed them he was Just out of
powder and bullets, at the same time
| begging to be supplied with some, exhibit
ing his pouch, which contained but two
charges. The hunters were too tired
to open their packages, and, notwith-
standing his solicitations, put him off until
morning. They then, as usual, loaded their
rifles, the Indian doing so also; and all three
men lag down to sleep, and all slept save
one.
How long they slept Black could not saw,
but all that he could remember was being
awakened by the report of a rife. A low
scream, and then a moan by his side, told
him that all was over with his companion.
The Indians place was vacant; and before
Black could become fully conscious of his
situation, he was fired at from the dark
and bullet struck his thigh. He attempt
ed to rise, but was unable; hisleg was frae-
tured. Instantly he grasped his revolver,
and-h had scarcely done so before he was
conscious Of figure erouching towards
him in the darkness.
He Immediately fired, but the shot did
not take effect, and his wOuld-be murderer
retreated behind some rocks. He now
staunched the blood flowing from his
wound as well as circumstances would per-
NIT tying handkerchief around it All
doubt was now at an end that the Indian
guide, tempted by the property had mur-
dered his companion, and was only
prevented by the want of ammunition from
dispatching him too. All night long-it
seemed year-he kept awake, too excited
to sleep, though he was faint from loss of
blood. Sometimes he would relapse into
an uneasy sleep, from which ne would be
startled by the barking of his little dog,
when he would grasp his revolver, only to
see figure again skulking into the dark. !
Daylight at last came, and he had now
time to contemplate his situation. Help |
less and badly wounded, far from white or |
even friendly Indians, he was alone, with |
an enemy watching every moment to de- |
stroy him, as he had done his companion, |
whose CLASSY eyes glared up at him. Pro- |
visions enough were lying scattered around; |
but none were accessible as food save the |
bag of sugar, and on this his chief chance |
Of subsistence lay. He knew enough of |
science to know that Magendie's dogs when |
fed on sugar soon grew emaciated, but he !
also know that it supported life for time. |
Before right snow fell, and covered the
dead body out of sight Sometimes |
he would relapse into half-waking sleep, |
when again the ever-faithful dog, who SEEM
ed almost conscious how matters stood, |
would warn him of the approach of his
enemy. 1t was in vain that Black attempt
ed TO get shot at him, and had it not been |
for the watehfulness of his dog-friend, the |
wretch must soon have been able to des- |
patch with his knife the guardian whose
revolver intervened between him and the |
coveted property. And so they kept their |
dreary vigis, and the snow fell heavily; and |
though his leg panied him greatly, he |
managed to keep him warm in his blanket |
lined barrow. The Indian would some |
times disappear for hours, and even day, |
apparently looking after food. The poor
hunter would then imagine that he had got
clear of his bloodthirsty enemy. when
again the barking of Flora would warn her
master. On one or two occasions the In
dian managed to approach within few
feet of his intended victim before his
presence was detected; and as both |
murderer and hunter were equally intent
on each others destruction, escapes were
sometimes rather narrow. Several days
elapsed in this manner, until at last the
Indian seemed to have grown tired, and
left the island in the canoe; for they were
no longer alarmed. The sugar bag was
getting nearly done, and the poor dog was
now so weak with hunger. that, even when
it did not absent itself searching for food
on the shore, it was scarcely able to give |
an alarm. If Black survived hunger and !
his wound, which was now getting very
painful, the IndiaE, he knew, would soon
return and accomplish his purpose. With |
such thoughts his prospects were gloomy |
enough, and so he dOzed away the hours, |
half frozen and faint 1t was the tenth |
night Che had long lost count of time, but
found so afterwards) since the murderous
attack, when he was awoke by loud talk
ing on the beach
The moon, sailing over the leaden. snowy
sky, enabled him to recognize the figures |
OF several lQulalS QAulin,5 u canoe On 10
the beach. He grasped his revolver, deter |
mined to sell his life dearly, for he was
now fully persuaded that it must be his
murderer returned with his assistance. 1t |
was strange, however, it struck him, that
they had landed in such an exposed sit |
uation. "Who are you p he inquired |
in the Chinook jargon-the trading |
language of the coast. A low, sur
prised cry came from them. They were |
apparently unaware of the presence of any
one but themselves. Again he shouted |
more cheerily, and they approached him, |
when he was delighted to recognize the IA |
miliar faces of several Bella Coola Indians !
old acquaintance Of his. -
He told him his story; and as they listen
ed, he uncovered the body of his murdered
companion, they, every now and again, /
bursting into q cry of horror. Food was
prepared, and every attention paid to him.
The dead body was buried, and Black con-
veyed to the Indian village, where he was
carefully nursed until news reached the
nearest white mans abode. The solitary
colonist hurried down, and happening to
have been in earlier days an officer in the |
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