The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-04-18

pOWerleSS. lulo tuottSlp Al'oitSNt 'AA
my mind in an instant, and, although the
moccasin was much larger than any snake
I had ever snapped, yet, as something
must be done, and that quickly, L re-
solved to try it. I lowered him so that
his head nearly touched the floor, and
giving him q quick twist and q jerk, L
could hear him crack like whip. A sick,
dizzy feeling came over me, and [ reeled
and fell on the bed; I had tainted. When
I came to my senses John was leaning
over me with a towel and basin of water,
and could feel the water dripping from
nv face. where's the snake 2 said l.
Il threw hun out of doors, said John.
Hes dead enough; YOU broke his back
while was hunting for stick. y"
"My my and what narrow escape
you had, anyhow! I don't know, but if
snakes be so plentiful as that, I think I'll
90 back to Ireland. I believe if one o
them would get on me I'd die of fright; l
have such dread of the ugly monsters, "
said Dan.
Chatting thus to while away the time,
we arrived at the outskirts of the Indian
encampment, when said to Dan: "Now
don't let these fellows see that you are
in any manner afraid Of them, for, al
though I don't believe they would do you
any harm, yet they might be disposed to
play some tricks on you. They are pref
ty keen fellows, and up to all kinds OF
devilment. Keep along with me all the
time, and, as they nearly all know me,
they won't modest you. Well give them
those three prairie chickens that you are
carrying, and you can see how quickly
they will pick and cook them"
"Do they just pick off the feathers an
cook them without taking out the in
sides ?" asked Dan.
eyes," answered; "they are not
fastidious in their appetites. believe
All Indian can eat and digest anything. y
At this moment tall redskin, wrap
ped in dirty blanket, stepped from be-
hind q tree, and stood directly in front Of
Dan. Neither of us heard him, Us he
had buckskin moccasins on his feet, and
his tread was as light as cats.
Dan started rs though he had seen
one of his favorite ghosts, and, clutching
me by the arm, he exclaimed: "Howly
mother. Mr.. Charles, il that the
divil?"
"No, it's only an Indian; now, don't
be fool, and he won't notice YOU.
knew this fellow right well. He was
one of the hunters of the tribe, and had
his rifle in his arms, while the blanket
concealed everything except his face.
He had been asleep, and was covered up
to keep off the mosquitoes and flies. He
was very friendly and could speak pretty
good English, and as we walked toward
the camp he informed me that he had
been out hunting all the morning, and
had not as yet killed anything for his
dinner. I knew what he was after. He
had seen the chickens that Dan carried,
and was talking for them. gave him
one, and we were not troubled any longer
with his company, as he hurried off to
cook it.
In about five minutes we reached the
camp, and found about fifty men,
women, and children lounging around
on the ground, some smoking, some
playing cards and talking, while others
were stretched out asleep, and not one
of the whole gang engaged at anything
useful, except young girl, who had a
rude frame in front of her, and was shay
ing the hair from deer skin. Dan
didn't know what TO make OF them; he
looked from one to the other, then at me,
but spoke not n word. At length one of
thenf came up to him and held out his
hand to shake hands with him, but Dan
hadn't reached that degree of familiarity
vet, and shrank away from him. took
the Indians hand, and the first ques
ton he asked was: "Some Catawba ?"
[whisky.)
l answered: No."
At that time the penalty for giving OF
selling an Indian Intoxicating liquor was
500 fine and three months imprison-
ment; they would get drunk whenever
an opportunity offered, aud when in that
condition were not unlike their white
hrethren-thev would fight and some
times kill each other. This tribe of
Winnebagos were a miserable set Of
vagabonds; they had sold their land to
the United States government, and spent
the money, and subsisted by hunting
and stealing. They occupied small
reservation on the south side of Buffalo
lake.
There was another tribe some twenty
mics to the northward-the Menomi.
ncas-:hose condition and general ap-
peaIance was superior to the Winneba-
gos. Tuey were protected by the gov
ernment, and received regular annui-
ties of food, blankets and money. About
the first of September they would come
down to the lake and cnca1np there
couple of weeks for the purpose of
gathering the wild rice that grows in
the marshes along the lake, and it not
unfrequently happened that they and
the Winnebagos would have fight, es-
pecially if either party were drunk.
The last fight they had was about two
years before I was there, when four were
killed and number badly wounded
with knives and clubs.
Dan and walked around among them,
but saw that he was anything but
and kept close by me all
the time. I gave my two remaining
chickens to an old squaw, who was very
profuse in her thanks, and l proposed to
Dan that we catch few fish and start
for home. Dan was very glad to get
away from them, and we walked down
to the bridge which span the channel
and commenced fishing, and in an hour
we had more bass than we could carry
home, and after giving some to the In
dian boys who had accompanied US, we
started for home.
Dan had not said much while we were
among the Indians, but he had made
good use Of his time taking observations.
After we had walked on for about q
quarter OF an hour in silence, he looked
cautiously about him on either
side, and sold: $50, them's Injuns,
hey? Well, 7 must say tn eyre the
ugliest and dirtiest set of bein IS I ever
saw. I don't like them, an I tell ye,
Mister Charles, if you hadn't been along
with me I'd been afeared O my life, m
I don't think I'll ever 60 see them again.
I seen that chap with the chicken, an
sure it was just rs you said, he pulled
tho .faotboro off bv tbo handful op1