The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1880-10-28

humble larder, and game was uncom-
monty scarce on his own side of the river.
These considerations were sufficient to
impel him upon his dangerous errand, in
spite of all the warnings and forecasts Of
misadventure that were held forth to de.
ter him.
He had capital sport and shot num-
Der of deer and wild turkeys, carcasses
of which he secreted, to await q convey
ance to his home, when the subsiding
waters of the river and other favoring
circumstances should enGble him to make
another trip on horseback for tnat pur-
pose, and accompanied by his associates.
1t was toward the middle of the after
noon when he started to return home,
from which he found himself about eight
miles distant.
Up to this time he had not encountered
a single red man, or even any signs OF
their being in his vicinity. But he had
no sooner quilted the belt of timber in
which he had been hunting, and began
to make his way across the broad, rolling
aud somewhat broken plateau that lay
between him and the precipitious river
bank, than shot from a concealed foe
man whistled through his squirrel skin
cap. He at once crouched close to the
ground, and prepared for fighting.
But another and yet another shot fol-
lowed the first in swift succession, aud,
upon peeping up from his semi-covert,
he was astonished at perceiving score
or mere of savages cautiously but rapidly
approaching his position from different
points of the forest.
He was astonished but not alarmed,
though he at once knew them to be hos
tile Shawnees, from the popularity of
their scanty costumes, and therefore
understood that nothing but his scalp
would satisfy their murderous intentions.
They had him almost surrounded, and
there was nothing to do but to run for it
SO, after bringing down the foremost by
well dsrected shot, Van Bibbe- sudden
ly sprang to his feet and sped over the
open plain like hunted stag, escaping
the numerous shots that were sent after
him as if by miracle, and with the en-
tire band in yelling and blood thirsty
pursuit.
Van Bibber, who was famous run-
ner, however, was under no apprehension
of being overtaken by his enemies, swift
of foot as they undoubtedly were.
1t may here be observed, in passing,
that it is a common mistake to suppose
that the Indian has. as rule, ever been
able to surpass the white hunter in wood
craft, natural cunning, or any of the
athletic exercises belonging to his own
savage condition aud training.
1t needs but to recall the examples of
Boone, Kenton, Brady, the Weitzel broth
ers and many others too numerous to
mention, to prove the contrary. Upon
anything like an even footing, Caucasian
intelligence, allied with Caucasian
strength and daring, has ever proved the
red mans superior, even upon his native
heath, and among its chosen and heredi-
tary employments.
Captain Van Bibber had long been
noted as the strongest, feetest and most
formidable hunter of the Kanawha Val
ley. Nobly did he vindicate his reputa-
tion on that eventful day.
He not only acquitted himself so credi-
tably as to keep beyond the range of the
poor rifles with which his pursuers were
armed, but was also enabled to load and
fire rs he ran, thus causing several of
them to bite the dust before they finally
drove him to bay out upon the further
most point of Wah-kun-gee-tah. the
great jutting rock overlooking the terri
BILE whirl pool at the foot of the falls, and
his humble but smiling home on the fa1
opposite bank.
/ Yes, the Indians, though unable to
| overtake their fugitive had nevertheless
succeeded In battling all his attempts to
reach the river at the point at which be
had effected a crossing in the morning.
They had so managed to dictate the
direction of his flight as to bring him al
last to final and apparently hopeless
stand upon the very edge of this tremen.
dous abyss, with obviously no choice
left him but surrender or death at theil
hands, or an equally fatal plunge into the
boiling caldron like whirl pool, far, ia,
/ below.
But, even in this desperate strait, Var
Bibher did not lose jot of his cool anc
collected daring.
Ensconcing himself behind small group
OF stones and bushes, and loading anG
discharging his trusty rifle with wonder
full rapidIty, he succeeded in keeping
the enemy at bay for more than quar-
! ter of an hour, i'll full view of his wife
ana friends on the opposite bank OF the
river, while the Indians, though not ven
turing opt upon the open shelf, withiy
range of his terrible craftsmanship, clus
tered along its bushy sides, and ever
crept down far below in the very face o
the cliff, yelling like demons, in the Ger
tainty of his speedy capture or death
aud seeking every opportunity to picl
him of from behind his little fsstness il
which he had temporarily intrenchet
himself.
That it was ouly temporarily, 500,
! became evident.
Captain Van Bibber suddenly ceased
/ firing, and for the first time feeling o.
despair must have come over hiLa. He
had used the last bullet in his pouch, and
] WAS No lpprrar ~ l,fa o. Iofapcat