Nevada County picayune., 1886-01-07
A RACE FOR LIFE.
BY FRANK SHERIDAN.

said Captain Scarboro, after sever al of his comrades had related in- cidents of their army experience in the far west. l had not been long in Oregon, and was not familiar with the lay of the land; conse- quently the very first time I ven tured out few miles from the fort 1 became hopelessly lost in the mountains.
 l had neither guide or compan- ion, and 1 don't think I should have needed any if 1 had not com pletely lost my head in pursuit of deer that just kept out of rife range all day, and finally gave me the slip. 1 was so confused after the long chase, that the more 1 tried to determine in which direc- tion the fort lay, the more bewil- dered 1 became.
 1 spent the night on the moun- tains. In fact, to make long sto- " short, l spent three successive nights there; for l was four days lost. There was game enough to keep me from suffering the bangs of hunger, and 1 did not permit myself to become too discouraged to eat
 On the fourth day 1 was sitting on a fallen tree in beautiful glade resting my aching limbs, and won dering if I was destined to pass the remainder of my existence in this lonely wilderness, when faint sound fell upon my ear. It was so distant as to be scarcely perceptible, but the yell of the red man had become such a familiar sound to me during the dozen years of frontier warfare that l could not believe l was mistaken now.
 While straining my ear to catch a repetition of the sound, there was a cracking and snapping of brushwood near by, and q man burst from a thicket and came run ming toward me.
 He paused however, as he caught sight of me, and then came forward at a more leisurely gait, viewing me critically as he did so, He was big muscular man, and l saw at once from his garb and gen eral makeup :hat he belonged to that adventurous class of semi civilized trappers who are not so plentiful now as formerly.
 Hullo, stranger, he said in a gruff voice, as he drew near. Pears to me you're takin' it mighty easy hyer, all things considered. Without noticing any signiii- canoe in his words 1 replied;
 l sat down here because 1 was tired out from wandering about these mountains. l have been lost four days.
 Have, chi Wan cf yer don't hustle round putty spry, an make yerself skeerce. you're going to be lost for all time to come, remarked the trapper coolly. Thar's as many as fifty Injuns on my trail, and they'll be swarmin' round hyer as thick as flies on dead buf fer inside O ten minutes.
 I rose to my feet somewhat has tily.
 Are you in earnest? l demanded.
 Sure's my names Nick Piperl he answered; and then immediate ly added: Have yer got any narre stranger!
 I am not a coward, l replied.
 Then you kin go with me, if ger willn' to take the risk; an tell yer the honest truth, it's the only chance we have to save our skulps, Them blasted Injuns are after me y-split, an they're rabid as a pack O wolves, We're meat fur the buzzards eff we stay hyre ten minutes. HarS.
 A yell, as from hundred threats was borne faintly to our ears.
 They're comin' said the trapper. We must stir our stumps, stranger. Thar's only one hope for us.
 And that!
 Nick Piper pointed toward a chasm near by.
 You hear the roar O the water thar!
 The canyon? I said.
 Exactly, We must go down the kenyon,
 WHAT?