Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-05-10

chances of this plau, the Indians about
him had begun to wind up their dano-
ing, with peculiar gyrating movement
known among them rs the Moon Dance.
In it the dancers wheel slowly about
-leggedly, lettering first upon ono
foot and SIN upon the other, and
swaying the body from the hips in
snake-liSc movement. The head is
rolled in imitation of lolling bear and
the arms are worked writhingly, while
the wriggling savage sings, in a most
luSubrious, granting tore: "E-yungh,
e-yungh! Hi-yee. hi-ycr! E-yongh,
e-yongh!"
The prisoner kept his eyes upon one
OF the Indians, whom he knew-for ne
knew them all well-to be the best run
ner among them. AS this one swung
around between himself and the line of
retreat he had marked out, Bat sprang
up and with an agile jump planted both
heels OF the army shoes he wore in ting
small" of the dancers back.
Tho Indian went down with n screcch
of pain and surprise, as the keen witted
Canadian passed over him and shot
away toward the lake.
Certain that he had disabled their
swiftest runner, Bat felt chiefly con-
cerned for the moment in lodging bull
lets and arrows. He sprang this way
and that at MS sharp angles as he could,
and at the same time make good head
way.
The Indians caught up their guns iu-
stantly upon seeing what had happened.
but luckily only few of their arms had
been reloaded, and the shots aimed by
Indians, breathless with the exertion Of
shrieking dance, missed their target.
Throwing down their guns, the whole
party gave chase, yelling frightfully, as
is their fashion.
Bat glanced back ward, and sew them
spreading out in pursuit, the swiftest
runners heading straight for the bayou
on either side AS there was no longer
any danger from bullets, the boy put
himself down to his utmost speed, and
bent his head toward the nearest point
OF rushes. He was hampered by having
his hands tied behind, aud the triumph
ant yells, which sounded little louder
at each passing minute, caused him to
fear; greatly that they would overtake
him.
Over moved ground, through tall
grass for several minutes he ran like an
antelope. lie had gained number of
rods the start of the Indians while they
were picking up their guns and firing,
and this advantage was what saved his
life. He reached the low bank of the
inlet in advance of the foremost Sioux,
but so near were they that, rs he plunged
among the rushes, Ratchet thrown by
one of them swished past his head, and
dropped into the water in front.
He threw himself hendlong into the
water, and diyed amid the rushes. Then
no nIyehnH hin,catf MI l,,y-I -,a -.
the mud at the bottom When his
breath gave out, he raised his head out
long enough to get fresh breath, then
duckcd it and showed ahead.
In this way he was speedily out of
sight and reach of the Sioux, who did
not follow him into the rushes. His
pursuers spread out, and hurriedly sur
rounded the bayou IN the hope, no
doubt, to catch him in the grass rs he
attempted to crawl out upon the other
side.
But Bat had no notion of going out of
the bayou ut present. He found bottom
shallow enough to stand upon, and then
began working his wrists out of the
thongs which bound them. This he
was soon able to DO, rs the water soaked
buckskin stretched at every strain.
He then waited and listened Soon
he heard Indians talking upon the bank
of the bayou opposite his entrance They
were looking for his trail at the edge Of
the water, aud asking each other if he
had crossed. and which way he would
go. Finally one of them said, mo, he
is in there: the dog will not come out. ~
Then all was quiet.
Bat would not stir again, for fear he
should be discovered by the rafting of
the rushes. The time wore on heavily.
Toward night mosquitoes rose out of the
water, and pestered him fr:ghtfully.
He dared not thresh about, for fear his
whereabouts should be discovered and
fred upon by lurking Indians. Bullets
and buckshot were to be dreaded, even
though rushes enough interviewed TO hide
him completely, although the bank was
only few rods distant on either side.
AS the vicious insects alighted upon
his face and neck in swarms, he discov-
cred method of alternating his suffer
ings. Every few seconds, us his face
became black with them, and their
stiDgs began to make him vince, he
would quickly and softly lower his head
under water, and hold it there as long
as he could keep his breath. The cool
water soothed the irritation of their
bites. and gave him refuge from them
good part Of the time.
Darkness came at last and with it
breeze which rustled the rushes. so that
he could stir about without attracting
attention by noise. He now speedily
made use of his legs and arms in work
ing his way down nearer the lake, where,
in thicket of tall cornstalk grass, he
crawled out of the bayou, feeling stiff
and water-logged.
He lay in the grass resting aud listening
for an hour or SO, and then, bending low
in the grass, made his way to the high
land prairie, mile or more distant.
Not daring to attempt to, reach Fort
Fidgely through the country which he
had learned from his captors was over.
run by the Sioux, he set out for St.
Cloud, nearly two hundred miles distant
on the Mississippi.
He travelled three days aud nights,
occasionally lodging war parties of
Sioux. During that time he lived upon
roots and grass. these he chewad and