The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-08-01
TIE TRAPPER.
a Tale Of Western Adventure.
BY GAsKRLL.


10 the year 18-. While in CON
pany with some trappers ard trader:
l heard the following tale of wild en-
thrilling adventure, which one {
them, a man whose TeatheI-b, ate
face bespoke q life Of constant aciivit
and exposure, related as one Of hi
many hair-bresdth ESCAPES from tn
hands OF the red man:
"Some thirty years ago" saii be
II left my home in the State Of Ver
mont, and with several companions
like myself in quest OF adventure, lei
COY home and the confines and pleas
ures Of civilization. We turned on
steps resolutely towards the wite ant
boundless prsiriss OF the west. wher
the buffalo Tos Md ia security b,
countless thousands, ard where tn
Indian then held undisputed sway
After many days of incesssnt travel
ing, with no food but the proceeds o
tHe chase, or covering by night bu
the bright-gliiteIing. star-2emmeC
canopy OF hea"en, at length VI
emerged, tired and travel,xoL- -.
sue UisUkIcss IUIcsIt anu lock las
view Of the mighty Missouri, ss i
rolled ia turbid, but resistless ma
itsty before us. My feelings as
gszed we're strange mixture OF awe
and delight-oi indefnable dread snd
secret presentiment. The face OF the
mighty volume of water flowing be
lore me displayed Gsd's power, and
though awe-stricken, yet l felt de-
light.
SILL turning our faces westward We
continued our toilsome journey, which
now required redoubled vigilance and
sleeples5 care to guard US from the
wiley foe who enVironed as on every
hand and stood ready, upon the least
lndiscTetion on our part, to rush ftom
the r concealment and immediate us
to their vengeance. There being but
ten of us, We had to be very careful,
not needlessly exposing ourselves, and
we knew that the prowling savages
once aware of our weakness. would
need no other incentive TO fall upon
and destroy us. At night We too <
turns in guarding; part sleeping while
the rest watched. In the daytime We
pursued cur journey, carefully avoid
ing all places that might conceal an
ambush or lurking Toe.
One day we were travelling leisurely
up the Platte, or Nebraska River
each step bringing US nearer those
mighty mountains which span the
continent with their rugged bands,
when sc deserted In advance large
column of dust, rising spirally as
though proceeding from a large body
ia violent motion. Whether from
or Indians we could not tell.
however, discretion the
better part of valor in our weak state,
we determined to secure some place
OF concealment and defense, from
which We could discover them if foes
and resist them IL they Gssailed us,
with some hope OF success. Looking
about US fer this purpose, We discov-
cred a small grove of cottonwood trees
growing upon the edge Of the river,
the green umbrageous foliage OF
which babe fair tc hide Us from pry-
ing eyes. OF these We took immedi-
ate possession and awaited their ap-
proach.
soon after long column appeared
in sight and our worst fears we're re
alizsd-;bey were Indians. Startled,
but not dieheartened by the appear
ance OF this dsshing cavalcade, We
should they discover our
concealment and attack us. to give
them a warm reception. With palpi-
tating hearts we watched their ap-
proach; for VITO, even though brave,
has not fel. strange feeling of IN
when impending danger
threatened. Mounted on spirited
barbs that had never felt the calling
power OF the bit-the riders wild and
unt4med as the mustangs that bore
them, they presented e savage and
martial appearance. Decked out IN
all the tswdy fnery they possessed,
and awful hideous with paint, they
looked more like demons than hui
man beings.
1 afterwards learned they were a
party OF Cbeyenues who had been on
e wild iolsy against their inevitable
enemies. the Crow Indians. They
numbered, as near as We could count,
100 braves, and ne saw with appre'
nension that many of them were
armed With rifles.
Fearful that our horses, by neigh
ing, might betrsy US, each man stood
ready, at the head OF bis steed, TO put
a stop TO any such demonstration
But in vain our precautions. Nc
sooner had lhe hostile cavalcade sp
preached opposite where We we're
concealed, than one of our horses be-
came unmapagesble, and dartlnE
from us. Was soon IN the midat OF The
Indians.
instantly they halted, as il 70
council about attacking Us. Unabi'
to form an opinion of our numbers
they for q while hesitated; but know
| ing by the trappIngs of cur horse tna
ge we're white men, they were losti
to let us escape, for they were e
deadly enmity WITH all our race. Be
sides would We have hidden had VI
been numerous? at length, giving
wild, unearthly whoop, they divides
and dashed pel!-mell st our cover, Il
the expectation CT forcing US to qui
lit, or of forcing us into the rive
which flowed rapidly in the rear c
our position. Our captain, I'm
athletic fellow from Kentucky, ha
previous to the charge, told only one
| half to FIRE at a time, so that "
might keep Gp an incessant al;
charge. as well as deceive the enem
as to our numbers.
| Onl OIL they came, the groun
Shaking beneath the weight of the
| fnrious tread. When within abor
fifty yards they we're met by II
Ileaden hail, and many of the hO|llr
devils fell TO rise no more. Bat it ii
| no, stop the headlong charge of Il
survivors, and sgsin and again th'
| fell before our discharge, st short
range aud with greater havoc. The
Ihalted, and another fire from our r
, lvolyers changed their hesitation IN
flight, and they hurried away wi
: even greater rapidly than they al
i vanced. We congratulated on
. selves upon our easy victory. on
having one wounded By a rando