Nevada County picayune., 1886-01-07

Then we're approaching lake?
 Yes-wal, darn my skin, look wander! By the jumpin' Jedosha- phat. l didn't think they'd dar' do that!
 He half rose to his feet with Gi- lating eyes, as he uttered this sud den exclamation, and for the first time he seemed trifle uneasy.
 The cause was instantly. .appar- ent to me. Glancing back over my shoulder 1 saw a canoe filled with Indians come flying out of the narrow part of the canyon from which we had just emerged.
 They've dar'd to foller us, con- tinued the trapper. 1 didn't think they'd do it. They've alters had a mortail fear O this kenyon, but I reckon the imps 'ud run any risk ruthur'n let me escape. He! he! I made six on lem bite dust since sunrise. Lord, see how fast they come!
 The Indians set up a wild whOop as they came in sight of us, and bent to their paddles with renew sd energy.
 They cannot fail % catch us now, 1 said, feeling that all hOpe was gone. See; they have half a dozen paddles while we have only one.
 Anyhow, we'll give lem as long chase as we kin, an then die fightin', said Piper, philosophical ", apparently finding much conso- lation in this conclusion. We ha;n't got but one time to turn up our toes.
 Suddenly the canoe was seized by mighty force, and hurled downward like bullet from a rife. We had struck the other rapid, of which the hunter had made men, ton, and the rocks absolutely seemed to fly past us as we were once more borne forward by the roaring, missing torrent.
 This time, however, it was a short dash. and ended as abruptly as the other.
 The rocks suddenly opened in front of us, and the light craft, darting like a bird from the mouth of the canyon, went skimming out upon the placid surface of a lake.
 It seemed like the opening of a paradise upon our vision. It was lovely valley, and the miniature lake, less than two miles in width, lay like a sheet of furnished silver under the glancing sunbeams, while on every side rose towering cliffs and cloud-capped mountains all making a scene so pictur- esoue and sublime that 1 could not help taking it in, notwithstanding the imminent peril of the moment.
 But it was no time to give way to admiration of scenery. We were hotly pursued by band of bloodthirsty savages, and, although there was scarcely a chance of es cape, it was our duty to make a tremendous effort. 1 urged Nick Piper to let me relieve him at the paddle, but he stoutly, and no doubt wisely, refused. His pow. erful muscles stood out like bands of steel on his arms, as with long, steady sweeps of the ashen blade he sent the canoe flying toward the opposite shore of the lake.
 1 watched anxiously for the ap- pearance of the Indians. In few ments they came in sight, bursting like rocket from the darkness of the canyon, and heading towards us with wells of demoniac fury.
 Then began a hot race, with all the odds in favor of the pursuers. With compressed lips and heaving chest, Nick Piper put forth all his strength in the hopeless endeavor to defeat the united muscular pow CT of a half-dozen stalwart savages; but those six paddles flashed mockingly in the sunlight, steadily diminishing the distance between us and our enemies. We saw that we must soon be over hauled, but kept on in the desper. ate hope that something might oc- cur in our favor if we could only reach the land ahead of the In dians,
 On the shore which we were ap- preaching was a peninsula project ing a considerable distance into g,f lN .t Ga