The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1880-07-02

had kept the ice from freezing thick, and
breaking It in, ne dug out some mussels
and a few crayfish, some of which he ate
raw. He then set about Ills fire. He tried
rubbing two sticks together, but failed, as
every one fails who tries it, no matter
what different stories are told. He hunted
for tinder aud flint stone. With them
he scraped and knocked. getting a few
sparks, that soon went out Intellectually.
He had given it up, more because it took
up time than from despair, when, as he
walked about, he picked up slender reed,
which he was going to throw away i'm
patiently on seeing that it was an Indian
arrow, until he thought OF its flint head.
This he took to his tinder, soon struck a
shower of sparks, and had cheerful flame.
Black John. cheerea with swafntl, ard a
repast of baked mussels, became himself
again, gaYe Characteristic whoop, and
was as confident of getting off the island
as when lie first landed. One after another,
his plans of escape were tried and abandon
ed, until the day was nearly worn
away. He cursed his folly in leaving
Col. Lynn, and took the lesson solidly to
heart as an unbreakahle fact that the Colo
mel was no fool, and that lie. John Fcrmon,
was. That this was Christmas eve and
Tomorrow was Christmas, kept adding to
his impotence. He thought again of
Christmases at the fort, and how they
were spent, and his Imagination went
down the river and Joined in the frolics.
This put the thought into his head to cele-
brate the day III way it deserved, and
especially to do honor to Christmas 1--we.
He had. by great good fortune, kndEked
over a wild duck with a stone, and had
even succeeded in getting it. He gathe red
a store of mussels ami excellent crayf1sh.
In short, one way or another, with his
backwoods resources, he contrived to get
up qnite n supper. He sat on big stone,
swinging backwards and forwards, and
''Oll, mussel soup,
And wild duck hash,
md poe-cat smash,
Is a devil of doup;
And rotten trash
Ill settle up fellow in the strikin' of a flash;
And a whoop
Anda whooo, 9 whoop, whoop; whoop, whoop
And a wh-o-o-oDi''
The whole, being set to jigging air, sung
with extraordinary rapidlty, was tcrmina-
ted with series OF wonderful yells. There
was something in this. He ditln t remem-
Der ever having been il place before
where he could yell as much as he pleased.
He charged his tin cup with hot steam
ing soup which he cliristened ''red eye,'
and went at registering, drinking bout
with imaginary companions. He sang
and hiccuped wild songs, seemed to listen
to other songs and intermingled his per-
formances with boisterous shouts of laugh
ter. He stumbled and bacame thick tonguetl;
he got up an imaginary fight of halt an
hours duration. He reeled aud fell, COM
pletely drunk, having accomplished his
design of having Christmas spree, in the
most extraordinary place, in the most ex-
traordinary manner. the mind has ever
conceived.
Black John arose next morning with
furred tongue aud burning up with thirst.
The violent exercise had acted as power
ful stimulant, and it was hard for him to
realize that he had not been intoxicated
the night before. The night had turned
bridge completely. so that wedges and
cakes of ice darted down the current un-
checked. This destroyed one hope he had
relied on for getting to shore. Somewhat
disheartened. he walked towards the point
where he had noticed the ice hummoeks.
While til-s proceeding IN the shade of the
trees along the shore, be noticed on the
81
and Immediately took TO the brush. 1t
was canoe containing three Indians,
making for the point where he stood. At
the edge of the ice they stopped, and two
got out of the canoe. 1t was evident that
they were afraid to leave the canoe alone,
man with only two to one. The result of
the tieliberation was, that the one in the
canoe pushed out into the river to be out
of danger, and the other two came cautious
ly towards him. They stopped suddenly
and spoke together in under tones. Black
John knew that they had found his tracks
of the night before, which led direct to his
camp, and saw them disappear in the
woods. His first thought was to follow
them, but his next was the canoe. With
out that ne could do nothing. After q
sufficient time he saw them cautiously re-
turn and beckon to the third Indian.
They had advanced near enough to his
camp to see that his fire was smouldering
very low. 1t was yet early, and the In
dams had inferred. from the hour of the
morning and condition of the fire. that the
woodman still slept. They had returned
for re- enforcements, with the intention of
taking him captive. The third Indian
came, and the three, leaving the canoe,
in the woods. Black John
allowed them time to get out of sight,
when he rushed for the canoe, jumped in,
and pushed off. Presently the Indians
caught sight of him. and set up their usual
yells, but of course came off SECOND best i'm
that game. Black John pulled steadily
on, and in good time reached the fort,
where he told his story with such adorn-
ments and embellishments as pleased his
fancy. OF what became of the Indians,
nothing is known. though it is presumable |