The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1875-07-15
OUR BOAT, AND A NIGHT ATTACK.

| Inc river nlSner III 1 eVCT SceH IL
afore," said Nat, as he stood on the top
of the bluff, and thoughtfully gazed over
the bottom lands, that were covered with
water for miles in width. can the
mischief of it is, that when this river
once gets up, there's no tellin' when it'll
60 down."
"Is there no ford but this that we can
use, Nat" inquired 1.
Fords 'aint no use with the water ez
high ez that"
1t was on the banks of the Rio Grande
that we stood, and its usually placid
current had become mountain torrent,
rolling on towards the sea like an
avalanche. The rich bottom lands were
overfowed, so that the entire space,
from bluff to bluff, resembled great
lake.
AS soon as we fully comprehended the
situation of affairs, we looked at one
another in dismay. We were nearly two
great annual fair at San Juan, Mexico.
The fair was to be held in ten days, and
the delay of "a few days, even, would pre-
vent our reaching it in season to be
present at the festivities.
"There's no other way but to give it
up" said the doctor, make the best of
the situation, and return to the settle
ments wiser men,"
81 don't like to give it up without a
trial, at least" said l. "Nat, can't we
build boat, or construct raft, so as to
float our goods and the wagons? The
animals can easily SWIM"
"Wal. Judge, aint much of a genus"
replied Nat. "Ef we had dozen empty
casks reckon we might do it; but you
see we haven't got 'em."
"That's just the trouble" said the
doctor; "we haven't got anything to
make boat OF, so we may as well return
as to wait here for the water to SUBJ
side"
"Well, boys" said /, 81 once saw a
company of trappers, belonging to the
old Missouri Fur Company, build what
they call bull boat They crossed the
Missouri River in it, and I'll undertake
to construct such craft for our use, if
you'll help do the work and obey orders,
which will be better than waiting here
two weeks for the river to go down, or
returning home without accomplishing
the object of our journey"
"Ha hap roared the doctor, taking a
seat on the ground; "that's a good
joke"
"Well, doctor, what is there to laugh
at ?" asked /.
"Why, the idea of our setting up a
boat-yard out here on the Rio Grande,
without so much as a plank, board, or
even pound of nails It's absurd"
Old Nat looked thoughtfully on,
chewed his tobacco furiodsly, and
squirted stream of saliva through his
front teeth, without uttering a word
either in favor of or against the sugges-
ton.
"I certainly can't do it alone" said / /;
"but if you will all help me, and obey
orders, I'll attempt the job"
"Signed, sealed and delivered" ex-
claimed the doctor, jumping up from the
ground and making low salaam. "Con-
slider me the slave of the boat. / listen
with anxiety for your Majesty's first
order"
(Which is this, doctor, that you take
one or two of the men, and return to the
camping place we left this morning.
Then, from that copse of willows that
l called your attention to, bring me
twenty or thirty straight sticks, five or
six feet in length, and as thick as your
thumb besides all the twigs suitable for
weaving, you can carry"
As soon as the doctor and his men had
departed, Nat and walked down the
bluff, until we came to grove of small
timber. Here we cut three hickory poles,
about twelve feet in length, which we
carried back to camp. Taking the larger
one, / held the ends in the fire until
they were heated, and we were able to
bend them to the right shape. / then
bent them in position with lariat, and
laid the stick on the ground for the
keel.
Upon the doctors return / selected
fifteen of the willow sticks, laid them in
the fire for few moments. and then bent
them into the proper shape for knees.
Then laid the center of each upon the
keel, to which firmly tied them with
cord, holding the ends in position with
lariats.
Next, taking the two remaining poles,
I bent them around the ends for gun
vale, firmly lashed them to each knee,
and then interwove the structure with
the twigs, to give it form and strength.
Early on the following morning, Nat
and myself mounted our horses and rode
out on the prairie until we fell in with a
herd of Texas cattle. Selecting two of
the largest, we shot them, and carefully
removed the hides, which we carried
back to camp. There we spread the
skins on the ground, and cut them into
the right shapes to fit our frame, then
sewed the pieces together as well as we
could with buckskin strings.
Placing the frame in the center, we
drew the hide up snug around It, secur-
;.,.< tho aLir 10 tha ounwala with thongs