The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1880-03-11
1t was lust round the point ic The il

/ .
prevented his seeing it before. A party
of Uncapaps, as was subsequently learned
from the Indians themselves, was camp
ing there for the purpose of cutting off
scouts from below or above.
! Starbird might have turned back, and
probably would, if he had foreseen what
was to follow. But on the spur of the
moment he determined to give them the
''go by" Striking of toward the fur
ther bank, he shot down the river like
an antelope.
At this point the Missouri is from three
to four hundred yards in width. Starbird
had veered off so as to put rather more
than half the width of the channel be-
tween himself and the right shore. Be-
fore he had got down fairly opposite the
smoke loud whoop, followed by a
chorus of Sioux yells, told him he was
seen.
Seven or eight redskins dashed out Of
the bushes down the bank with their
guns, and crack came shots upon the air,
and bullets skipped past Starbird's legs
and screamed along the ice.
Every Indian shot at him one after the
other; but he was lunging ahead SO
swiftly it is no great wonder they failed
to hit him. In half minute he was far
past them, and not little elated with
his feat, he turned his face and twinkled
his fingers at them in lively fashion.
A prolonged whooping answered this
signal of defiance. There WAS a long,
straight stretch ahead, down which Star
bird flew at full speed, thinking himself
safe from that party at least.
But he did not know the ground as
well as the redskins knew it. Glancing
back minute later. he saw that four or
five of them had crossed the ice and were
hurriedly mounting the bluffs of the
other bank. Yet he did not at once mis-
trust what they intended-which was to
cut him off at the next show"
For some three or four miles below,
the river turns north again, sweeping
round in majestic bend. BY running
overland, not much more than two miles,
the Indians would reach the river, where
as Starbird had to skate more than seven
miles to reach the same point.
Not knowing this, and seeing that the
savages were not in pursuit on the ice,
Starbird went on for a couple of miles,
and then rested for ten or fifteen min
utes, and took breath.
To his surprise, just as he was starting
out from the bank to go on, he saw two
indians coming after him on skates,
mile back up the river.
He watched their skating a moment OF
two, and concluding from their move
ments that he could keep out of their
way, he struck off again at ordinary
speed. They did not. gain on him. On
the contrary he saw that he was leaving
them.
-Four or five miles were soon gone
over, when, to his CONSERVATION, he saw
three Indians run out on the ice from a
thicket, not hundred yards ahead. He
realized the situation at once. He had
been headed off; and there, too, were the
redskins behind.
For an instant he was on the point of
cutting his skate straps and taking to the
bank. But knowing the redskins would
have the advantage of him there he re-
solved to remain on the ice, and bore
down toward them.
"Matou, broder' (hold up brother),
the wretches shouted to him, and then
returning his compliment their
fingers at him with whoop of derisive
laughter.
But Starbird had no thoughts of hold
| ing up. As he drew nearer the savages
presented their guns; but he dashed
| toward them, till he was within two hun
dred yards, when gliding round he darted
back up stream.
Thinking he now meant to try his
| chance with the two Indians on skates,
all three fired their guns at him, as he
dashed away, and again the ice screamed
with the sound of bullets.
Instantly on hearing them fire, Star
bird circled round, and drawing his re-
volver, skated toward them at full speed.
Two of the savages who stood together
dubbed their guns and ran to meet him
then, catching sight of his revolver, they
turned and ran for the bushes, and be-
gan loading in haste. But the other, who
was further ont on the ice, dropped Oh
his knee and took aim.
Starbird then saw that this one had q
double barreled gun, with reserve
charge in it. Tacking off from him on
the instant, he darted off toward the
further bank to get past him on tha,
side.
The savage jumped up and ran to head
him off, holding his gun ready to shoot.
Starbird was now within hundred feet
of him, and feeling he should certainly
be winged if he tried to skate past, he
dashed directly at the Indian, at the same
time firing his pistol.
Either the shot upset the redskin or be
slipped. Down he went on the ice, and
bang went his gun. Starbird cooked and
fired another shot at him, as he flew past,
and was off before the other two indians
could finish loading their rifles.
But he bad not gone far when he felt
the strap of his right skate give way, and
on stopping to tighten it, found that il
was worn nearly off close to the wood. II
hung only by shred. For moment he
was appalled,, then thinking of his belt
he hastily pulled it off, and with hi:
knife, on the ice, cut strap from if.