St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1883-09-14

for his life, with the dreadful odds of
five or six hundred against him and
those armed Indians he therefore
cunningly replied that he was a very
bad runner, although he was considered
by the hunters as remarkably swift
The chief now commanded the party
to remain stationary and led Golfer out
on the prairie three or four hundred
yards and released him, bidding him
save himself if he could. At this in
stant the hOrrid war whoOp sounded
in the ears of poor Golfer, who, urged
with the hope of preserving life, ran
with speed at which he himself was
surprised. He proceeded toward the
jefferson fork, having to traverse a
plain SIX miles in breadth, abOunding
with prickly pear, on which he was
every instant treading with his naked
feet. He ran nearly half way across
the plain before he -ventured to look
over his shoulder, when he perceived
that the Indians were very much scat
tered and that he had gained ground
to a considerable distance from the
main body, but one Indian who carried
IL spear, was much before all the rest
and not ai9re than hundred yards
from him.
A faint gleam of hope now cheered
the heart of Golfer. He derived conf
dence from the belief that escape was
within the bounds of possibility, but
that confidence was nearly fatal to him,
foI he eXerted himself to such degree
that the blood gushed from his nostrils
and soon almost covered the fore part
of his body. He had now arrived
within Il mile of the river, when he
distinctly heard the appalling sound of
footsteps behind him and every in
stant expected to feel the spear of his
pursuer. Again he turned his head
and saw the savage not twenty yards
from him. Determined, if possible, to
avoid the expected blow, he suddenly
stopped, turned around ana spread out
his arms. The Indian, surprised 10y the
Suddcnncss of the action and perhaps
by the bloody appearance of Golfer,
also attempted to stop, but exhausted
with running, he fell whilst endeavor-
ing to throw his spear, which struck in
the ground aud broke. Golfer in
stantly snatched the pointed part with
which he pinned him to the earth and
then continued his flight. The fore
most of the Indians, on arriving at the
place, stopped till others came up to
join them, when they set up hidcous
yell.
Every moment of this time was i'm
proved 10y Golfer, who, although faint
ing and exhausted, succeeded in gain
ing the skirting of the cotton-tree
wood. on the borders of the fork
through which he ran and plunged
into the river. Fortunately for him.
IL little below this place was an island,
against the upper part of which Il raft
of timber had lodged. He divcd under
the raft and after several efforts got his
head above water amongst the trunks
of trees, covered over with smaller
wood to the depth of several feet.
Scarcely had he secured himself when
the Indians arrived on the river,
screeching and yelling, as Golfer eX-
pressed it, "lille so many devils" They
were frequently on the raft during the
day and were seen through the chinks
by Golfer, who was cOngratulating
himself on his escape, until the idea
arose that they might set the raft on
| fire. In horrible suspense he remain
ed until night, when, hearing no more
of the Indians, he dived under the raft
and swan silently down the river to q
considerable distance, where he land
ed and travelled all night. Although
happy in having escaped from the In
dians, his situation was still dreadful
he was completely naked under a
burning sun-the soles of his feet were
entirely filled with the thOrns of the
pricllly pear-he was hungry and had
no means of killing game, although he
saw abundance around him, and was
at least seven days journey from Lisa
fort, on the Big horn branch of tn,
Roche james river. These were cir
cumstances under which almost any
man but an American hunter woult
have despaired. He arrived at the
fort in seven days, having subsisted OF
a root much esteemed by the Indians
of the Missouri.