Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1878-10-10
A Wild Western Adventure.

ldheu IuelE lives III iutlI utuuS tOO
often to care for the danger they
were exposed to. Old Rip was a
man who stood five feet eleven in his
moccasins-a man whom you would
hardly care to meet in the close tug
of desperate battle. His hard
brown face was steamed with scars
from bullet, knife, and claws Of wild
beasts, and his muscular body show
ed the marks of many a desperate
-struggle. "Buckskin Sam" was the
beau ideal of the mountaineer and
plains man, the Western hunter that
the novelest,paints and the schoolboy
dreams of and wishes some day to be.
Although not so powerful as Old Rip,
he was a man OF great personal
strength and desperate courage. For
many year these two had roamed
the trapping grounds together. fight
ING Indians, grizzlies, and wolves,
chased by night over the burning
prairies, defending their camp against
the sudden attacks or red fiends, or
spending recklessly at the monte
board the money they had 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
began to think of returning home.
The camp was built up near the
river, tributary of the Canadian.
which flowed through dismal can
ons in which the light % day never
shows, under the shadow Of gigantic
cliffs upon which human beings never
yet set foot, and only spreading out
at places where the cunning beaver
had built his dam. The river was
broken 10y great rapids, and abound
ed in rare fish, upon which they had
Toasted royalty for many day. They
had canoe, and had been discussing
the chance Of going down the stream
i'm order to save time.
Il am ready to take the chances, II
you are. Rip" said Sam.
Il don't like to give myself away"
said Rip. what do you know about
that river after we get down to the
big canon, and who ever passed
through it?"
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 Far the more prundent OF the
two. "I-hal what in Jehu is that?"
They seized their weapons, and ran
to the door OF the hut, just in time to
see a dozen Indians running down
through the grass. blocking up the
only way Of escape. The moment
the repeating rifles began to play up
on them. they went out of sight
among the rocks, and began their
gradual approach, which conld only
end in one way-the white trappers
would be overwhelmed
"There's only one chance, Rip,
cried Sam.
and that?"
THAT canoe"
Il Am your man. cried the giant
trapper. you push the canoe into
the water and throw in the weapons
while I keep those fellows at bay.
Oh, would you? Take that"
An Indian had raised his tufted
head to get a better shot at the trap
pers, but before he could get back
the unfailing eyes of the trapper had
looked through the double sights and
the rifle cracked. The Indian sprung
suddenly to his feet, spun sharp
around upon his heel and fell dead in
his tracks.
The next moment the canoe shot
from the bank and headed down
through the boiling flood, plungine
| in the canon below so rapidly that
the Indians had scarcely time to re.
cover from their amazement at the
sudden exodus before the trappers
were out OF sight. One OF the Indians
bounded to his feet and uttered &
low signal whoop, and two large can
oes. containing in all about fifteeI
men, rounded the point in the rive
above the canon and came flying
down under the strokes OF the pad
dies. The Indians on the shore sim
ply pointed down the stream, and tn,
canoes dashed by at a furious speed
the wild yell OF the padlers announ.
cling to the white men that they were
pursued. The first rapids passed
they entered long stretch of waite
where the current was only four o
five miles an hour, and there the
propelling force in the other canon
; began to tell, and the Indians gainet
; rapidly.
On each side OF the canoe the can
, on was a wall. 200 feet in height
and the trappers could only put al
their strength in the paddles an
dash on as fast as they could. Tw'
miles further and the pursuing can
? oes were scarcely one hundred yard
! behind, the Indians yelling like de
Z mons as they saw the white men al
a most within their grasp. Rip For
shook his head as he looked over hi
Y shoulder, when suddenly his cano
| was seized by a mighty force an
s hurled downward, like bullet fron
. a rifle. They had struck anothe
, rapid more powerful than the frs
|. - a.