The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-05-24
NUMBER SO.

storm, a large snake awoke me by drag
ging bis cold body over my face in seek
ing lodgment under my warm robe.
1 allowed him to complete his recon-
noisance unchallenged, and then he
withdrew as quietly as he came. The
Indians had lain down but a few rods
/ from us, but when daylight came we
discovered that they had taken the ad-
vantage Of the storm and darkness to
steal away, taking each horse with
him. We were now, as the Frenchman
thought, within three or four days
! travel Of the Usage village, near which
he had resided for a number of years,
and he insisted that we should proceed
/ forward TO his home among that people,
where, he assured Us, we would receive
the kindest treatment, and would be at
| liberty to proceed farther whenever it
/ pleased Us to do so. But I had lost
much Of my previous faith in Indians.
The ideal had proved himself so unlike
the real one that I seriously doubted
their consanguinity. The one was rep
resented as dignifed, magnauimous,
noble, and as never forgetting a kind
ness, while the other I had found grow
cling, selfish, vindictive, and ungrateful,
and 1 no longer worshiped the ideal,
nor desired the companionship Of the
real Indian. Yetconfiding in the French
man, and yielding to the opportunities
Of Boggs, at length reluctantly con-
sented to pass by the Usage village, but
to remain only until a safe opportunity
presented itself Of getting to the settle
ments.
Two days thereafter we reached a fine
stream of pure water which flowed
through a country that far surpassed in
beauty and fertility any 1 had seen since
wandering over the Western prairies.
On one side of the stream the prairie
was gently rolling, but on the other an
almost level expanse of green stretched
away to meet the horizon, with here
and there graceful fringe of timb er
marking the presenceOf brook or rivulet.
And as L stood and gazed,
[ ' Ny heart sweIled. while the dIated sight
Took in the eucirciIng vastness."
/ Rack fancy to the utmost, and it
would be impossible to conceive a pic
ture Of more enchanting loveliness than
the spot on the bank Of that limpid
stream where we rested one hot after
noon. The limbs of the graceful elms
that decked either bank reached over
as II TO commune with each other, while
the wandering grape vines climbed aloft,
and, locking themselves in loving en-
brace on meeting, looked the very
picture OF soft, pure and unsophisticated
nature. Here we rested in this grateful
arbor, where the timid deer had often
passed the hot noon-tide hour, shaking
his thirst from the sweetly singing
waters at his feet.
. % Breezes otthe south.
Who toss the golden aud the name-liSe
flower,
have ye tanned
A nobier or q IoveHer scene than this sr
While the unsympathetic Frenehman
and the selisatisfied Boggs were quietly
sleeping away the bright sunny hours,
I took a stroll up the bank Of the stream,
and suddenly no less than six beautiful
deer appeared feeding but a few rods
away. They raised their heads, gave
the usual whistle, and then stared with
their mild eyes toward me; but, instead
of leaping hurriedly away, they soon
bent their heads to the ground and re-
sumed their afternoon meal. l could
not regret that I was not provided with
any means Of strewing that very Eden
with trophies Of my skill as hunter,
for it would have seemed gross wicked
ness to wantonly kill those innocent
creatures. Yet had been at one time
,, an enthusiastic sportsman. / had often
when at home remained patiently at 9
stand hour after hour, waiting for pac /
of believing hounds to drive some af-
frighted deer within gunshot, and haC
in a few instances been rewarded by the
! faint glimpse of a buck madly dashing
through the bushes at very long range
but up to this time there were just a
many living deer as though had neve
' been born.
To be coutinued.I