Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1890-08-02


for every year |
hadhved. Ihad
exactly four pounds to begin life on
in the colony, and that was more
than some of the English boys who
had come out with me could boast OF.
We were a queer lot who had sailed
from Liverpool-gentlemen, loafers,
clerks, lackeys, whole families, single
men, servants and whatnot-all bent
on a new lite in the wonderful island
Of the Indian Ocean. We had come
In q sailing ship and been knocked
about for months, and a happy lot
we to be set onshore in the then
email and struggling town | have
named.
Luck was with me. On the second
Cay after landing hired to a sheep
raiser who had ranch on the Murray
River near its junction with the Darl-
ing. and on the third we started of
up the country. We had two OK
teams-that il, we had two covered
wagons, each loaded with supplies
and each drawn by three yoke of
oxen. A part OF the goods were to be
lett with settlers along tie route, and
a part belonged to Mr.. Davidson, my
employer. He did not hire Irse, not
being present, but the teams were in
charge of an overseer named Mccall,
whom | soon found to be a good
natured, good-hearted fellow. Each
of us had a native to assist in man
aging the teams, and, though neither
Of them could speak ten words OF
English, they were valuable men, and
hadno difficulty in being understood.
1t was about Christmas time, and
the weather was very sultry, ana we
aimed to make only fifteen miles a
day. We had a full weeks Journey
before us, and nothing Of much inter
est happened until the fourth dav.
We went into camp a little earlier
than usual on that afternoon, rs
one of the wagons needed repairs.
Our vehicles, after coming to a halt,
stood shout twenty-five feet apart.
While was building a fire to ret
supper hv one of the blacks went of
after rabbits, and Mccall took tile
other with him to help cut and bring
back a lever with which to raise tho
wagon off its wheels. | was thus left
alone for q few minutes, and they
had scarcely disappeared from sight
in the scrub when a man hurst out
of the thicket on tine other side and
came running up tome. His face and
hands were scratched and bleeding,
his clothing in tatters, his hat gone,
and he had such wild and terrible
look that | should have run away
from him had | been able to do any
thing but stand and stare with
mouth wide open. Mccall had told
me of escaped convicts and
| hard cases. who had taken to the
bush to make living by robbing,
and the man had come upon me So
suddenly that / was knocked cut for
the moment.
For Gods sake, young TELLER, give
me bite to catl" he said as he stood
/ before me. Don't be afraid Of me
I'm a sheep heFder who has been lost
in the bush for three days"
/ | stepped to the wagon and hand
ed him a piece Of bacon, some hard
crackers, and handful of tea, and
then found voice to ask:
But why not stop with us for the
night?"
Thanks, but I'm in a great hurry
to get back to my helg. | know
where / am now, and chi. get there
in three hours. Any matches2"
gave him some and he looked all
around to make sure that we were
alone, and then said
Young Teller do me greater
favor still. Lend me your pistol
and knife until tomorrow, when ven
will pass my station. And. furtt .r
more be kind enough not to mention
to any one that was here. DO this
and YOU shall never regret it..
/ handed him knife and pistol
promised what he asked. and he
shook me by the hand and disap.
peared in the scrub. Ten minutes
after he had gone ] figured it out
that he was bushman who had
been bard rim by the police, but II
was. all the same to me. He could
hays taken what he wanted for an o.