Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1882-01-19

of his position told SO strongly upon
! him that the would almost have
been glad Of brush with the In
: dians. or to have undertaken a
venture of almost any kind to re-
lieve the weary monotony of his
situation.
At length he felt that he must do
something to divert his mind. Iand
taking his rifle one morning he
wakei up the creek to the cabin OF
the nearest miner, taciturn tel'
low who seemed to court solitude,
but whose cabin was in sight of his
own and asked him if he would
not. as favor, keep an eye on his
hut that day.
| Scarcely looking up the man
gr1fy assented, then turned to his
work, which seemed to be the fash
ioning OF rude clair from some
shakes which he had split.
Thanking him, Bently turned
away and proceeded rapidly up
from the creek among the hills, re-
solved on a*good long tramp at any
risk. 1t was fiae day. His spir~
its rose as he climbed the rocky
bluff and caught the piney odor of
the evergreens which clothed their
sides.
For two or three hours he hunt
ee for game, but found none. There
were, as he knew, hundreds of black
tailed deer in the miles of woods
through which he had come but
the wind was blowing steadily in
the direction in which he was trav-
cling, and he began to be aware
that he must change his course il
he would carry home a haunch of
venison.
Accordingly he now bore off te
, the eastward, and ranging among
the hills in that quarter, succeeded
about room in shooting fine buck
Salt and matches he had brought
with him from the cabin, as also 6
!, canteen of cold coffee, and a hal
= dozen hard tack In the course
e Of an hour he had dressed his dee,
after manner-kindled a fire
0 and was dining with relish of
n sone Of the choicest titbits roasted
q on the Goals.
n Later on he secured one Of the
It hind quarters, bundled up in th'
e skin for convenience of carrying
e and then set off to return to tht
creek.
IS But meantime the sun had beer
IS clou,led in; and after going on fol
Is some minutes. a feeling Of uueasi
y ness to his course began to stea
I, upon him. Uneasily he cast hi
e eyes about him for some point Q
observation which would enabl
l. him to overlook the surroundin:
g country.
/ Out to the east there extended
range Of high bluffs or rather
u long rocky ridge and for this n
at once directed his steps. AS tn
{ distance was scarcely more than
mile, he soon reached the ridge.
e Scaling the crags in front, h
d saw upon gaining the summit, tina
e the end of his journey, in that di
n rection at least, was reached. Fo
a stretching away on either side AM
/, in front, there extended deep
e black canon, and the ridge o.
: which he stood proved to be, Oh
the side next the canon, g shee
It precipice, from one hundred t
: one hundred and fifty feet in height
: Bewildered, and fairly out of hi
l. reckoning, my friend turned to lool
in the direction from whence h
= had just come, when almost thu
first objects that met his eyes wcr
: fifteen or twenty horsemen ridiu;
- at a gallop round the base Of hill
G making directly towards him, AM
j., not more than half mile away.
- - 1t hardly needed second glanc
! to assure the startled miner tha
4 they were Indians, and that the
% were after him--attracted n,
% doubt by his incautious cam
10 fire.
AT first the peril Of his positio
OF nearly overcame him with terrol
re There seemed positively no avanu
III W SSSupS. Il liz Ncdlo Gas
10 iiy separate at the foot os the blu
at and surround him !; while the onl
IN alternative lett him was, either
rs fight, or to fling himself into tt
ae yawning depths of the canon.
v Instantly the Indians perceive
he that he had discovered them, ar
as set mp hideous yelling, and spres
Gu out in line to surround his pere
tn on the bluff.
The canon was hi. only chance
ue escape, and he turned with despe1
WI ate earnestness in that direction
spurred by the yells of the India
10 10. which rang in his ears, as he Fl
.is as along the edge of the precipice. e
= .iio geriv scanning the rocks for sor
~, no fissure by which he might cir
down.
.ad Already he was nearly inclos
by semicircle of the savages.
1, 90 q,