The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1878-10-30
A WILD ADVENTURE.
ISan Francisco Golden Era. +,

1
Sam s. Hall. "Buckskin Sam" anC
old Rip Ford were trapping in the Ar
kansas river region. They were mer
of desperate courage, who had taker
their lives in their hands too often t.
care for the dangers they were exposed
to. Old Rip was a man who stood
five feet eleven inches in his moccasin:
Ia man whom you would hardly care
to meet in the close tug of desperate
battle. His hard, brown face was
scanned with scars FROM bullet, knife
and claws of wild beasts, and his mus
cular body showed the marks of many
a desperate struggle. "Buckskiu
Sam" was the beau ideal Of a noun,
taineer and plainsman, the Western
hunter that the novelist paints and the
fschool boy dreams of and wishes some
day to he. Although not so powerful
as Old Rip, he was man of great per,
sonal strength and desperate courage.
For many year these two had roam
ed the trapping grounds together,
fighting Indians. grizzlies and wolves,
chased by night over the burning prair-
les. defending their camp against the
sudden attacks of red fends, or
spending recklessly at the monte board
the money they hal earned so hardly
on the trapping ground.
They had been out all winter, and,
as spring approached, the last cache
was covered, and the trappers now be-
gan TO think of returning home. The
camp was built up near tie river, q
tributary of the Canadian which flow
ed through dismal canons, in which
the light of day never shows, under
the shadow Of giant cliffs upon which
human beings never yet set foot, and
only spreading out at places where the
cunning beaver built his dam. The
river was broken by great rapids, and
abounded in rare fsh, upon which they
had feasted royalty for many Il DAY.
They had canoe, and had been dis
cussing the chances of going down
strsfm in that, in order to save time.
i am ready to take the chances #
you are, Rip said Sam.
4 don't like to give myself away,
said Rip. What do you know about
the river, after we get down to the big
canon, and who ever passed through
itY
That's the fun of the thing, Rip.
We do what no one else dare do said
Sam.
Il don't like it, replied Ford, who
was by tar the most prudent of the two.
'I-ha! what in Jehu is that ? They
seized their weapons and ran to the
door of the hut, just in time to see q
dozen Indians running down through
the grass, blocking up the only way of
escape. The moment the repeating
rifles began to play upon them they
went out of sight among the rocks and
began their gradual approach, which
could only end in one way-the white
trappers would be overwhelmed!
There's only one chance, Rip cried
Sam.
And thstp
The canoe
4 am your man. cried the giant
trapper. 'You push the canoe into
the water and throw in the weapons,
while keep those fellows at bay. Oh,
would you? Take that
An Indian had raised his tufted
head to get better shot at the trap
pers, but before he could get back. the
unfailing eyes of the trappper had look.
ed through the double sights and the ri
fle cracked. The Indian sprung sud.
denly to his feet, spun sharp around
upon his heel aud fell dead in his
tracks.
The next moment the canoe shot
from the hank and headed down
through the boiling food, plunging III
the canon below so rapidly that the
Indians had scarcely time to receiver
from their amusement at the sudden
exodus before the trappers were out Of
sight. One of the Indians bounded tc
his feet and uttered a low signal whooF
and two large canoes, containing in all
about fifteen men, rounded a point in
the river above the canon and came
flying down under the stroke:
of the paddles. The Indians on the
shore simply pointed down the stream
and the canoes dashed BY at a furious
speed, the wild yell Of the paddlers m
nouncing to the white men that they
we're pursued. The first rapid passes
they entered long stretch Of watel
where the current was only four or tiv,
miles an hour, and there the propel
ling force of the other canoes began u
tell, and the Indians gained rapidly.
On each side of the canoe the canor
was like wall, two hundred feet il
height. and the trappers could only
lput all their strength in the paddle