The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1871-11-16

in my rear. He had got on a piece of land
where the trees were scarce and small
Now, thinks l, old fellow, l will have you.
So l trotted off at pace sufficient to let
him gain on me, and when he had got just
about near enough wheeled and fred, and
down l brought him dead as door-nail,
at one hundred and twenty yards
Then you scalped him, l suppose"
said the woodsman.
Very clear of it, gentlemen; for by the
time l got my rife loaded, up came the
other two redskins, shouting and whooping
close on me, and away broke again ike
race horse. l was now about five miles
from the settlement, and it was getting
toward sunset. ran till my wind began
to get pretty short, when l looked back,
and there they came, snortins like buffaloes,
and one about two or three hundred yards
ahead of the other. So l acted possum
again until the first Indian got pretty well
up, and l wheeled and fired 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 several.
No." continued the Senator, ~ did
not lay for him; had not time to load, so
| ran. heard every bound he made after
I Nd IL 81 c.,
of my eyes, and the old dogs tongue hung
out of his mouth quarter of yard
"Phew = whistled somebody,
"a fact, gentlemen. Well, what was l
to do? | did not know. Rifle empty, no
big trees about, and numbering red IN
dian in my rear; and what was worse, Just
then it occurred to me that | was not IA
great ways from a big creek, and there l
should be pinned at last. just at this
juncture | struck my toe against a root
down l 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 10
comotion, for as soon as / got up l took off
again, quite refreshed by my fall. / heard
the rcdskin close behind me come dashing
on, and every minute l 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, eh !! from the shot the yarmnt
gin you" said the old woodsman, in a great
state of excitement.
a 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 knocked his brains out.
| hope, gentlemen, no man here will pre-
sumo to think am exaggerating''
ooh, no ! 60 on y all chimcd in.
"Well, the ground under my feet was
soft, and, being relieved of my heavy boots
put off with double quick time, and see
ing the creek about half mile off, | VEN
tured to look over my shoulder to see what
kind of chance there was to hold up and
load. The redskin was coming jogging
along, pretty well blowed out, about five
hundred yards in the rear. Thinks |,
here goes to load, anyhow. SO at it went. |
In went the powder, and putting on the
patch, down went the ball half way, and !
off snapped my ramrod."
Thunder and lightningr' shouted the
old woodsman, worked up to the top notch |,
in the story.
"Good gracious! wasn't / in pickle I
There was the rcd whelp within two hum !
bred yards of me, racing along and loading
up his rife as he came. jerked out the
broken ramrod, dashed it away, and started !
OH, printing up as | ran, determined to turn
and give the redskin blast anyhow, as
soon as | reached the creek. | was now
within hundred yards of the creek, and
could see the smoke from the settlement
,himneys; few more jumps and | was
by the creek. The Indian was close upon
ne; he gave whoop, and l raised my ri
lie; on he came, knowing that had broken
my ramrod, and that my load was not half
Town. Another whoop! whoop! aud he
vas within fifty yards of me. l pulled
he trigger, and
"killed him % chuckled one of the
company.
"No, sir I missed fire p
"And the redskin ?" shouted the woods
nan, in a frenzy of excitement.
50 E,prn avn y,,,rn ,r,