Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1894-12-17

hour one rode away to the west 70 bear
information to the chiefs in waiting.
The sold hunters must be wiped out
TO the last man. Their number had
been counted over and over, their
weapons noted and the chances calcu-
lated. The time was not yet. The lay
OF the ground was not suitable and
enough Indians had not come up. They
dared not attack with fifty-a hundred
"a hundred and fifty. They would
move upon the little band with two hun
dred or more-four or five to one. That
is Indian bravery.
When a dozen Of them have run down
hunter and lifted his scalp there are
shouts Of victory-words of boasting-a
war dance about his body. They never
figure on odds-unless against them
selves.
When the train was ready TO move on
after its halt the leader called all the
men together for counsel. He had been
a soldier, as had many of the men. He
knew what to expect, and was prudent
ly preparing for it. Each horseman and
each driver was given orders for emer-
gency, and every man received them
willingly and with a 4esire to obey.
AS the train moved on it was closed
up as solidly as possible, and each driver
had his weapons at hand. 1t was an
hour before the Indians showed their
hand. Then one after another appeared
in sight out of rifle range, until fifty
could be counted. A train of emigrants
would have been ratified at sight of
fusion and disagreement as how best to
act. When you have an enemy alarmed
you have him half whipped. No one
knows this better than an Indian.
The men of an emigrant train would
have begun firing, and thus wasted their
ammunition. The holder spirits would
have voted for charge, thus giving the
devils hiding behind the rocks and
ridges with cooked rifles a chance TO
pick them off.
The men of the train fired no shot and
made no halt. Never a wagon moved
faster or slower. 1t was a great plow
cutting its way through the earth over
all distractions.
Anxious? Yes. Your brave man may
even tremble III the presence of danger
1t is only drunkard or fool who puts
up his life against chance and betrays
no emotion. Not anxious about the four
score warriors galloping about them and
now becoming Gerisive and defiant, but
about what was TO come farther ON, and
what the odds against them would be.
Never halt in the presence of an
enemy unless you fortify," says a mill
tary authority.
$50 long as you are moving, the enemy
cannot mass against any one point. says
another
An old veteran commanded the train
and rode in advance of it. He saw the
lay of the country changing and as he
reached a ridge he could look down and
see where the attack would be made.
The natural roadway ran down for Il
mile between dry gullies. These gullies
had been scooped out by the heavy rain
falls of perhaps a century, for here the
watershed ran sharply to the north for
many miles.
The Indians had massed in these ra-
vines and the train would be in trap.
"Never do what your enemy hopes
you will do" is another military maxim.
The captain made a rapid survey of
the ground and turned to the north.
Here was a plateau strewed with bowl
ders, but tolerably level. A battle must
be fought. Here was the place to fight it.
1t is midafternoon now. Come with
me and | will show you a sight to be re-
membered forever. There is going to
be fight which men will talk of around
hearthstones fer the next twenty years.
ITO BE CONTINUED. .,