Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1878-09-21

while ] vss in hsAwood city I
received . number al invifsaioss 10
Joan IN vsr'eas prospecsing parties.
sksch vese organised fron tioe %
tune. fos the parpoae a visiting diff
ferent parts of the sarrvunaine conn
try. viii . vi~v al detsrmining th<ir
value ~ metal producing regioes.
10 sdventurous per~ons the life al Q
pro~E~ctor is full % fascinstion. parsi-
calarly IN . coantFy like the blsck
Hiiis. where hostile Indians swarm
Beceising q very rrgent request to
Joan party tAssa vas gong 10 nAke .
journey Dorthsasd snong tie gulches
of the Belle = urche. ! joined ny for
tanes sith tb-irx. more 90 get IN m
saghf into the inertia of the region than
- . sseculasson- The party consisted
Of twelve men, the noss al whom we're
coaeenial spiritA- Thesefosr ve hsd .
most esloysbie fostnight Together.
There ven too chaps in oar company
Who Furnished sssFly ell the spot for
the entire trip. Ose Of these sss San
Baldwin. and the other vas geserslly
known by the euPhonioas It'll. q
ftGhnng Sloan.
Baldwin vss Q frst-rase fellos,
though tall. lAnk. and homely. He Vas
fond Of all manner Of fun, and vss
liked BY everybody. Fighting sloan,
on the other hand. was man Of narrow
intellect, vho bragged and svore .
great deal, and whose fefocious nick
name Was given him because he would
not and could not fight ct all.
The first two or three days Of our
journey were uneventful, and we all
got on we'll together. On the fourth
day ont, We hal our opening diversion.
The horses, together with nearly all
the men, had gone on ahead, while
Sam, Sloan. and two CT three more,
including myself. came on at q more
leisnrely pace, behind, following the
trail OF the others.
Suddenly, and before We fairly
realized our surroundings, we reached
the bank of stream about twenty
yards wide, and four feet deep, in its
channel. Our predicament, as may be
easily imagined, was anything but
pleasant. But as the horses had gone
on so far as to be out of ear shot, and
as we could not jump the creek, there
was no course left but to wade over.
Without more ado, all but Sam and
Sloan plunged in, and were soon on
the other shore.
Now it happened that Sam was q
great fellow for good clothes, even in
that rough country, and those he had
on were of finer texture than is usually
seen among such surroundings. And
as he was very averse to getting wet,
he offered Fighting" Sloan o dollar,
If he would carry him over on his back.
The tender was accepted, and with
Sam clinging to his gaunt shoulders,
Sloan decended into the current of the
creek.
As the pair approached deeper water,
Sam hauled himself higher and higher
upon his companions back in order to
avoid the moisture, until as the food
was close under Sloan's arms, his load
was we'll above his shoulders. In
order to maintain his position there
Sam wrapped his bony legs around
Slosn's body. He had scarcely com.
pleted this maneuver. when curious
incident occurred. 80 e.'.s~.t's 80 $685. I
Sloan, who had been proceeding eau
tiously under the weight of his heavy
burden, suddenly began to plunge
about in the widest way, and to yell at
the top of his voice.
"OuchW he cried, a. he almost fell
into the water. "Snakes! snakes!
o.w-w! Snakes is hitin' me under
water. Get down, Sam! For Heavens
sake get down! O-w-w"
Sam Immediately concluded that
Sloan was inventing the snake story, in
order to give him ducking; but be
not to allow the trick TO
succeed on any account. So he took q
firmer hold on his companion, and
yelled into his ear:
"No You don't, old boss! You can't
play me for a duffer-not if I know it.
You just wet me, and I'll give you the
blamedest licking you ever had in your
life-you hear me.?'
As Sam wound his legs tighter
around Sloan's ribs, the poor fellow
yelled with renewed vigor, and plung-
ed around more tiercely than ever.
cit amt no game, tell you! Git of!
Ow! They're bitin' me all to pieces!
Whoop! Drop off from there, I say!
Oh. my! They're eatin' me alive"
just then Sloan's foot slipped, and
down he went. carrying Sam with him.
In moment they came to the surface
again, five or six feet apart. with their
eyes. mouths, and ears full Of water.
Sam was fearfully and wonderfully
mad. He didn't stop an instant, but
making furious dive at Sloan, caught
him by the throat. Down they went
again under water This time they
came up three or four rods apart, the
rapid current having separated them.
Sloan now dashed for the shore, with
Sam at his heels in full pursuit. As
soon as they were on dry land, Sam
whipped out his pistol and began blaz-
ing away at his late carrier. who dodg-
ed about in mortal terror.
Hold on. SAM he screamed.
Don't shoot. don't shoot! / see it all
now. Hold on q second can't We, SOS
/ eau tell about i.,"
..,vell," responded Sam, ceasing his
revolver practice, ''spit it out quics.
confound you, What WAS it,"
why. said = Dan, rubbing his sore
ribs. and pointing down toward Sans
boots. What took for snakes chawin'
me. vas nosbin' but them darned old
- ..,~c Rl.v.o.l 70 thar .ssln .