Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1871-11-25
A Desperate Race.

Several years ago conyivial party
met in the principal hotel of the capt.
tai of the ok Buckeye State. Many
were the stories and adventures told by
the company. One man, in particular,
had Just finished narrative which was
regarded by his auditors as being little
more than marvellous, when a Senator,
who happened to be one of the party,
coolly remarked that the story just
told was all very well, but it did not
begin to compare with an adventure he
himself had few years before. OF
course all were eager to hear the story.
more especially because it was true,
and the Senator prefaced his remarks
by saying that what he was about to
relate he would most solemnly proclaim
to be the truth, except, of course, those
matters therein stated on information
and belief The company, however,
interrupted him, and insisted that he
should ego on"
Well, gentlemen, many years ago
came down the Ohio river, and settled
near the present site of Cincinnati. 1t
was very wild in that region then, for
Cincinnati was only small settlement,
and the blasted redskins were almost as
thick as trees in the forest. Well, to
come at once to my adventure start
ed off one morning pretty early to take
a hunt. and travelled a long way down
the river over the hills, but could not
find bear or deer. About four o'clock
in the afternoon | made tracks for
home. By and by sees buck just
ahead of me walking leisurely down to
the river. slipped up with my faith
full old dog close in my rear, to within
clever shooting distance, and just as
the buck stuck his nose down to drink
| drew bead upon his topknot, and
over he tumbled and kicked and
splurged awhile, when | came up and
relieved HIM by cutting his throat"
But what had that to do with an
adventure ?" they asked.
"a great deal, by Jove. For while
was busy SHINING the headquarters
of the buck and slowing away the kid
ney fat in my hunting shirt, heard q
noise, made, no doubt, by a moccasin.
NV dog also heard it, and started up to
reconnoitre, and | lost no time in re-
loading my rifle. | had hardly got my
printing out before my dog raised a
howl and broke through the brush
with his tail down, as he was not used
to doing unless wolves or Indians were
around. | picked up my knife and
took up my line of march up the river.
The frequent gullies on the lower bank
made it tedious travelling there, so |
scrambled up to the upper bank, which
was pretty we'll covered with trees, with
out much underbrush. Onepeep below
satisfied me, for | saw three as big red
rascals as you ever clapped your eyes
on. Yes, they were not above SIX hun
dred yards in my rear
"Well, said an old woodsman. who
was sitting at the table, "you took a
tree, of course
"Did l? No gentlemen ! | took nc
tree, Just then but took to my heels
like sixty, and it was just as much as
my old dog could do to keep up with
me. ran until the whoops of the red
skins grew fainter and fainter behind
me, and, clean out of wind, | ventured
to look behind me, and there came one
single red whelp, putting and blowing,
not three hundred yards in my rear.
Hehad got on to piece of land where
the trees were scarce and small. Now,
thinks |, old fellow, | will have you.
So | trotted off at pace sufficient to let
him gain on me, and when he had got
Just about near enough | wheeled and
fired, and down | brought him, dead as
door-nail, at one hundred and twenty
yards"
"Then you scalped him, l suppose y
said the woodsman.
Very clear of it, gentlemen; for by
the time | got my rifle loaded, up came
the other two redskins, shouting and
whooping close on me, and away
broke again like race horse. | was
now about FIVE miles from the settle
ment, and it was getting toward sunset.
l ran till my wind began to get pretty
short, when ! looked back, and there
they came, snorting like buffaloes, and
one about two or three hundred yards
ahead of the other. So | acted possum
again until the first Indian got pretty
we'll up, and wheeled and fred at the
very moment he was drawing bead on
me. He fell heels over head into the
dirt, and up came the last one."
$50 you laid for him. gasped sew
eral.
"No," continued the Senator, {" did
not lay for him | had not time to load,
so | ran. heard every bound he made
after me. ran and ran until the fire
flew out of my eyes, and the old dogs
tongue hung out of his mouth quarter
OF yard
"Phewr' whistled somebody.
"a fact, gentle zen. Well, what was
| to do? | did not know. Rifle empty,
no big trees about, and numbering red
Indian in my rear and what was worse,
just then it occurred to me that | was
not great ways from big creek, and
there | should be pinned at last. just
at this juncture | struck my toe against
root; down | tumbled, and my old
dog over me. Before | could scramble
up the Indian fired and the ball struck
me under the shoulder; but that did
not in any way impede my locomotion,
for as soon as | got up took off again.
quite refreshed by my fall. | heard the
redskin close behind me come dashing
on, and every minute | expected to
have his tomahawk dashed into my
head or shoulders. Something kind of
cool began to trickle down my legs into
my boots"
"Blood, ell for the shot the varmint
gin you," said the old woodsman, in a
great state of excitement.
Il thought so," said the Senator,
but what do you think it was? 1t
was the melted deer fat which | had
stuck in the breast of my hunting shirt,
and the grease ran down my legs until
my feet got so greasy that my heavy
boots flew off and one hitting the dog