, 1871-06-20
An Alaska Adventure.


dian traders who scour our coasts in little
sloops and schooners who can, for hours,
sit and tell of the hair-breapth 'scapes they
have made >ftom death at the hands of the
bloodthirsty hordes at the north. who
seem TO have particular relish for spill
ing white mems blood whether to crafty
a thirst for the same, or for p.under, or
for both, it is hard 10 say.
One Of these little traders left Sitka for
Takou, ana on the passage it happened
that the schooner was becalmed. 1t was
beautiful August morning, clear, and
though not yet o'clock the sun was well
advanced on his days march. Every
body-that is white man and an Indian
boy, were asleep, below, save the master,
who stood at the helm, watching the Jag
ged coast, and following with his eye the
foamy course of some mountain stream,
lea2ing down from its fountain in some
lofty height TO the sea. Presently he no.
ticed couple Cf small canoes putting off
from the shore towards The schooner, and
on nearing he could see that each carried
two natives. There was nothing unusual
about this SO il caused no uneasiuess in
lis mind, on the contrary, he imagined
they were coming off for the purpose Of
trading. The canoes were soon along
side aud having; made fas:, the Indians
came on board the schooner. After TAX
ing survey of the deck, two Of them
reached over The side and took their guns
from the canoe and placed them upon the
house. We viii now give the story in
captains own words:
gf'TLis in Itself, under some circumstan-
ccs would have heen nothing 20 notice,
but as the morning was bright and clear,
/ thought it little strange. Two OF the
Indians went forward and sat down by the
forward hatch, and commenced talking.
Two remained aft with me. Presently
Que of the inen who had stopped aft took
bis gun and attempted to put it into the
cabin, but stopped him, and noticed at
the time that he blushed aud looked away
from me. TIC other then came TO me
where was standing astride Of the tAler
aud grabbing me around the arms en-
deavored to throw NE down. 1 did not
allow lin to do so, but casting him off,
| d6hGu MN htiAt- hO AAiGAlAls ~ IuAo nO
jumped for his gun, and catching it up
presented it full at me, but his companion
threw the muzzle aside and the gun was
not discharged. uzs
SIN the meantime the Indians convers-
ing forward had awakened the Indian boy
asleep below, who had hrard enough of
their talk 10 understand that the party
had come off to the schooner to kill me
quietly, take what they could get their
hands on, and leave the schoooer to drift
| til some one On board should awaken,
when the mischief would be discovered,
but il would be impossible to tell who
were the perpetrators. The boy sprung
on deck just as the gun was presented
and the two Indians who had teen for
ward ran aft with their knives drawn.
He took in at a glance the state of the
case, and rushing aft placed himself be-
tween me and the one with the gun, and
told him if he wanted to kill me he would
have 10 kill him also. He also explained
to them that 1 was on intimate terms with
the Government authorities at Si;ka, that
l was well received on board the Govern
mcnt vessels that had come there, and
that to kin me would be the destruction Of
their whole tribe.
This conversation was wholly intrli-
gibleto me, as from boyhood l had been
on the coast, and well knowing the char
acter of the men with whom had to deal,
I'simply laughed at them, and told them
they were great towards 10 come off to my
vessel TO Kill one man. If tn wanted
the goods had on board they could take
them--they did not belong to me-they
wire BIr. Stewards. lie would settle with
them for the loss that would be incurred.
This cowed them. All the Indians at
the north have conceived great fear of
the Government, and when / told them
that the goods belonged to Mr.. Sewardr
whose name was familiar to them all, they
Immediately left the vessel. After they
had gone 1 felt strongly tempted TO take
my Henry rife ard give every one of them
taste of its lead; but on second thought
l concluded it was best TO let them go.
MY boy, who so bravely placed himr
self between the gun and me, l left ashore
at Sitka, when sold my vessel, and the
other day, when l wac there l learned
that the little fellow had been killed"
GoNE-To SAN FRANC1sco.-Lieut. G.