Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1888-03-02
md gave few gutteral words of com.

mand.
A half-dozen or more of them instantly
sprang from their ponies and giving the
lariats in charge of Others, speedily
pulled the blankets, "grub- box" and
other contents ont of the wagon, gave
the blankets to the chief-there were
only two rolled together in a bundle
then, with their hatchets, they fell upon
the wagon-box and began hacking il in
pieces. While they were dong this two
of the mounted Indians rode out, pulled
the picket-pins and led Odolph's horses
| away up the ravine.
Jorgensen and his man stood looking
helplessly on, well knowing in fact, that
they must do nothing else if they would
save their lives.
The angry Indians soon demolished
the wagon, chopping the 'reach' in the
centre and piling the wheels and frag-
ments of the box in heap together.
They then scratched matches of which
they seemed TO have good supply
and lighted splinters in several places at
the bottom, and in few moments the
whole heap was enveloped in flames.
They stood back and laughed as the
blaze cracked about the wreck, and
malic:ously eyed the two Danes as
though they wished they might dare
to fling them also into the burning
mass.
However they made made no hostile
demonstration then-owing, no doubt, to
the fact that the two white men stood
with thcmuzzles of their carbines pointed
! toward them-but after making sure the
fire had made too great headway to be
! put out, the smOunted ones got on
their ponies and the whole party rode off
up the ravine.
Now" said Odolph, as the last Sioux
disappeared over the summit, I'VE must
run for it, Hans We must make the
river and get across at once or we'll
never get out of this hollow alive"
They did run, as swiftly as their short
Danish legs would carry them.
The river was not more than two hun
dred yards distant, but even as they
reached the bank they heard the clatter
of horse hoofs upon the bluff above.
Looking back, Odolph saw that the
whole troop were riding along the ridge
at a headlong gallop and evidently
making ready to fire upon them.
''lnto the river, llans" he shouted,
and they plunged in. The bank was
sloping, and there was no shelter unless
they could reach the timber which grew
upon the other side.
The water came up to their armpits,
and, holding their carbines above their
heads, theypushed through the current at
Il rate that made it boil behind them.
They had not more than reached the
middle when the Indians drew up on the
crest of the bluff above and began firing
down upon them. The bullets pattered
"chook chook." close about their shoul-
ders.
"Down, Hans! down to your noser'
shouted the ready witted fur buyer, and
sinking down until only the tops of
their heads and the muzzles of their car
bines protruded above the surface, the
imperiled Danes scooted through the
water like hunted deer.
The moving heads presented small
marks at that distance, and some of the
Indians dismounted and came bounding
down the steep side of the bluff to get a
close shot the white men came up on
the opposite bank.
But Odolph understood this game also,
and heading down strcam--he was in the
lead, for Hans followed in every move
he made for big fallen tree that leaned
out from the bank and had formed d
sort OF boom for the lodgment of mass
of drift stuff. Behind that they would
be safe.
The Indians saw this move and with
yells of disappointment halted, fired q
few Ineffective shots aud then hustled
back to get out of range of the carbines
which they we'll knew were loaded with
waterproof cartridges and would be
turned upon them in a moment from be.
hind the drift. The whole party then
hurricdly withdrew out of sight.
OdoIph and Hans who had both
reached the shelter of the drift, now
crawled up the bank and walked out
among the trees to where they could
safely pull off their dripping clothes and
wiring the water from them. Here they
stayed, on the watch, until dark, when,
having seen no signs of the indians
prowling about, they set out in the di
!. rection of u Morse settlement, which
thcy hHcW W IdN6 beeu Inaue hOInt
twenty -four miles to the southeast, near
the head of the Floyd River.
They reached the sod -shanty of Nor.
J wegian just after daylight the next
morning, and were Hospitality received.
They related their adventure, and few
| days afterward, securing the services OF
: an ox-team and two of the settlers to &c
r with them, they made second and sue.
cessful journey after the pipe-stone.
1t was brought back to the settlement
| and subsequently taken to Sioux City
and shipped to st. Louis on the first
downward bound steamer.
1t is needless TO say that Niche Koton.
ka never put in an appearance at Yank
ton, and in fact, though Odolph had oc
casion several times afterward TO pass
through the agency" he never coulG
succeed in getting sight of the trea h
erous chief.
The pipe-stone was received by the St
Louis merchant and paid for. 1t made
beautiful tabletop, and yet remains il
possession of the family. 1t is greatly
admired by guests, not only for the eX
, quisite polish of its mottled surface, bu
also as witness of the Danish fur
| buyers determined fulfil of peril
GUS contract. - Youths COmpanion.