The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-04-26

head, / still think / talleu 10 10 tie SUI
iect iustice. Weighty consideration,
however, tempered justice with mercy
Lost as I was on an inhospitable desert,
the company Of an ungrateful, snarling,
and in every way disgusting Indian dog
was to be preferred to being entirely
alone. Then l thought it not imProba-
bic that an emergency might arise when
my lost meat might prove as thread
cast upon the waters" that might YET
ere I reached land of civilization and
safety, be forced to subsist upon the OBJ
ject that had come so OppOrtunely to be
my companion in tribulstiOn.
But a more exciting scene was In
store for me during the day; for as sat
on the bank Of a small stream feasting
upon uncooked erawfish 1 was startled
by the sudden appearance of buffalo
COW that came dasbing madly down the
hill toward me, with three mounted In
dians in close pursuit. They were
armed with long lances, which they
carried poised in their hands, while the
inevitable bow was swung to their
backs. Their dress consisted of few
feathers fastened in their long, stream
ing hair. So intent were they on cap
turing their prize that they seemed not
to see me, although they passed within
a few rods of my seat. l was at loss
what to do. / felt sure that Others
would follow at slower pace, aud that
it would be impossible for me to evade
their lynx eyes; and the thought Of be-
ing returned to captivity, after all my
pains, to me was then terrible. But
while these thoughts were chasing each
other through my mihd, a solitary
white man came riding down the bill
toward me at a very leisurely pace. He
drew his pony up to me and saluted MT
in French in as uncOncerned a manne
as if We had met upon much fire.
quented highway. He was large
muscular man, past middle age, and hi
appearance marked him as one of an &c
centric class who, crossed in love, or il
some way soured with the world, or,
may be, to escape from the punishment
due their crimes, quit the abOdes of civ
ilization and bury themselves in th
unfrequented wilderness. His iron
gray locks hung far down on his shOul
ders, while his tangled beard entirel
covered his face. He was dressed j
skins beaded and fringed by the del
fingers, doubtless, Of an Indian wife
and on his shoulder he carried long
barreled fiint-lock rifle, of the patter
used in Revolutionary times. He SCENE
the coolest, most unapproachable son
Adam I had ever encountered. l a.
tempted to draw him into conversation
for 1 was quite familiar with the Frene
t language, in which he saluted me, bI
be wrapped a hduteur about him mol
: impenetrable than his buckskin shir
and with all my French vivacity al
Yankee ingenuity 1 ignominiOus
failed to interest him in the least. II
yes was quick like the swapping of
pipe-stem, and his no came swapping
from him like the grOwl Of my incOrri
ible cur. / tried to learn his name, b
y place OF nativity, his present residenC
- his business in the Western wilds, d
destination, in short, who or what
, was, but be evaded every question th
'e could not be answered by yes or no.
- While "interviewiug" my straDl
u companion, however, about fifty /
" dians came riding down upon US, al
p proceeded at once to alight and prepa
ID for the evenings bivouac. With &
I their traditional stoicism, they man
J. tested considerable interest in me; tC
u although they conversed in tong
that was new and uuintelligible to m
3 they crowded around aud displayed
= much eagerness to learn the myste
that enshrouded my lonely wanderin
, as white people would have done, whi
u the impassive old statue leaned his he
- against the trunk Of tree aud pass
, over to the land Of dreams. These I
dians exhibited no disposition to ]
y strain me Of my liberty, and, in fact
- had no wish to leave them for whi
as my experience in travelling alone b
- been anything but pleasant.
Just at dusk the hunters that had
y persistently followed after the fleei
= buffalo returned, well laden with [
spoils of the exciting chase, and 1 W
invited to join them in their repa
. Fearing that my present entertainC
might be friends of the Wacoes, fro
whom l was escaping, I was on n
guard, and feigned Ignorance Of eve
~ language but French and English.
> learned, however, during the event
- that 1 was now among the Usage !
'' dians, and that they were just enteri
9 upon an extended buffalo hunt. WI
u then, if it was agreeable, should q
- accompany them, and realize some
10 my cherished fancles?
:" FOREIGN NEWS.