Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1890-03-07

aOatlng, NaC uecluou IudI VIC uniSuO
soen resume our journey.
The next morning, breakfast hav.
ing been dispatched, Nat went ou
for the purpose of shooting a deer,
leaving me in the cave. 1 could
not help thinking of the singular
facts all around me that proved so
incontestably the settlement of the
entire wilderness around US more
than thousand years before.
Soon l saw Nat hastily approach
ing. AS he cane towards me, he
uttered only two words but they
we're quite enough to reveal to me
the situation, for he said:
"They're comm !"
"Whof" asked L.
"a party of seven Injuns; and |
reckon they're comm right for this
cave, 100, from the looks.
We watched for them with no
little interest, and at last saw them
approaching on horseback. And
when within about quarter OF a
mile of US, they dlsmOunted and
klndled fire, apparently making
preparations for camp.
In a short time two of the num-
Der, who seemed to be indulglng In
some scene of incantatlon, starUel
towards the cave. As l saw them
approaching, a thought struck me,
and, requesting Nat to remove the
buffalo robe from the entrance
the cavern, l placed my mask at
point where they could not fail to
see it, high up In the wall, and
lighted some pitch.pine splinters
behind it.
We then retired to the further
corner, and in the darkness, with
our revolvers cooked. waited with
breathIess anxiety the result.
At last we heard their steps az
they approached. [ glanced a
the mask. 1t looked truly fright
ful. The fire and fame seen
through the eyes and mouth, oveI
which the long, black hair hung II
matted locks, and though which tht
thick black smoke was rolling, gave
it a most satisfactory demoniaca
appearance.
A moment more, and VIC hearC
footsteps in the narrow passage
and as the forward Indian turned
the corner, the sight of the 1gl.
face vomiting forth Gre and smoK'
was too much for him, and glvlnt
one yell, he bounded back past his
companion. The latter paused {
moment, and finally concluded b'
would ascertain what had caused
the singular retreat of his conrad
and timidly advanced. AS nj
form was seen, revealed in the din
light, the report of pistol startled
me, and l saw the Indian drop t.
the floor, while the mules, evident
ly frightened at the reverberation
that echoed through the cave, CON
menced the most unearthIy bray
, ing.
AS soon as l could hear mysel
speak, upbraided Nat for shoot
q ing, telling him that there were n
q necessity for il, as it was eyide1
that the mask had frightened tn
first one badly enough.
Y 81 s'pose you want the rest o
= 'em ter come pokIn In, don't you
There want nothin' happened
D the fust one, and if the other on
:, he'd got off all right, we'd ha
= every mothers son of 'em up hel
!. lookin' at 1t. But now they'll thin
y that the Great Sperit's mad, an
It that he showed it to the fust on
j. and when the second one looked II
he struck him dead for DARN
t look at him when be was mad.
y know the varmints, and tney,l
mighty superstitious, can tell 20
7 Pll bet a dollar there amt an IDjC
+ in sight this minute~ and to sho
= his own confidence IN his theor
=. Nat stepped boldly. to the entranC
and announced that not an India
a was to be seen.
4 A visit to their camp shove
z. with what haste they had desert'
| it; for many to them valuable ar
+. cIes were left behind, among whl(
IA | found a very elegant Novaj'
Y. blanket, and shield made of ra
Dr. hide, exqulsiteIy painted, aud Ell
d broldered to represent the llgl
st ning,-a symbol that Nat declar'
IA the head medicine man of the tri
" is alone permitted to use.
ID We we're not troubled with auot
er visit from the Indians during I
10 the remainder of our stay in G
Nj cave, and two days later we resul
ID ed our journey, reaching the rui
a we sought, safely aud witho
n. further adventure.