Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1892-11-05

the tall grass and went whistling over
my head. Then knew I was in for It
II saw 'twa'n't but . little way to
the rapids, and quick IS lash l made
up my mind what to do. Yon can bet
| that old birch-bark darted down
stream for the next mile!
1.-THE reds yelled like maniacs when
they came out in tho river and could
see me padding away from 'em. 1could
see there were four of them. two in each
canoe. They couldn't be loaded much
heavier'n I was, and they could catch
me anyway by running ashore an
takin' it afoot, but knew they'd stick
to the water as long as didn't land.
II tell you. il you ever get parcel o
reds after you. just do something thatil
make their black eyes pop out Of their
| heads-something startling, you know
They're chock full of superstition, and
born towards, every one, where any
thing unnatural is concerned.
"When they sec fellow do some
thing that they've no idee any human
being would dare to attempt, it just
strikes their weak spot every time.
IT they don't come to the conclusion
that he is an evil spirit, and let him
alone entirely, they're mighty sure to
form q good opinion of his courage;
|
late at all ON what's going to happen
when they NEEDLE with such fellow.
That Just knocks the pluck out Of the
varmints-
$50 instead Of landing an taking to
my heels, which looked to be my only
chance Of saving my scalp, tust pad
died right straight on.
.'Butl didn't impress 'em very much
for l could tell by the way the Indians
yelled that they thought just didn''
know enough to land! I s'pose they
thought was some greenhorn thai
3 didn't know anything about fighting
In juus, and was scared out OF my wit:
q to boot.
..They all padded like Sam Hill. ant
kept up the 'tarnalest screechiug yo'
ever heard. OF course they gained OF
me fast. with two paddles to my one
and ! wondered why they didn't shoe
the two that hadn't fired ut first. Blu
il didn't take mo long to see VIVA
their game was.
"They thought I'd have to land whe,
came to the rapids, and they wer
holding their fire to pick me off at shor
: range while was making landing.
THAT tickled me SO that l had T.
e laugh. and padded all the faster as
r 60. within hearing O the rapids.
e 'sWhen l reached the first rifle. tn
t reds wern't more'n twenty rods behln'
n me. padding and yelling like mad.
It never let up till could feel the swli
d current pullin' the canoe along. The
y l turned round an swung my old hat
+ 'em, and yelled like a steam-cngine.
l. "Well, if you wouldn't a died laugh
e in to see them Sioux about that timt
# They stopped padding and stared &
Y me like they'd seen a ghost. as I 'ver
A. shooting into tine big rollers. If L
d gone down without saying anythin
d they'd thought it only an accident; h'
c when laughed and yelled ut them
u made their hair stand on end!
.'Ihey could ha- popped me over
n easy us nothing at the distance, 81
If there wasn't one on them that ma
e sense enough left to think of shooting
Is I felt kind OF ticklish myself, b'
N thinks l.: In n case like this the boil
n est course is always the safest' II
,r can ride he's through Pm all right. ar
r il l happen to bust upon rock 'twon
ot be no worse'n Icing hacked to piece
and scalped.
TO II reckon I've steered n cane
in through as rough places as any ma
Is alive. but, tell you. never got I'M
n such roaring, whirling, mixed i
nj mess of rocks and water rs that wa
at NV canoe jumped and dipped. and ":
ur half-full of water in no time. But
e didn't happen to hit any rock. ar
" soon ] was sailing into smooth water.
Then ran her ashore at q shai
IN bend, jumped out into the river, a
e, threw my steel traps into deep wat'
Id beside a big rock. where cd find e
H. acin Then dipped the canoe botto
as side up. and set it drifting down stream