The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-06-20
INDIAN REVENGE

spirit of adventure, we joined a com
pany of threescore hardy fellows who
Were on the point Of starting off up the
Ump-qua river.
After many days of the most difficult
travel we came at length in sight Of an
Indian village, and approaching this
village to within a quarter of a mile we
pitched our permanent camp.
We had been there a very few min
utes before our redskin neighbors be-
came aware OF our presence, and imme-
diarely they swarmed down upon us,
displaying the most hostile intentions.
The sight of our weapons cowed them,
and they saw it would be best to leave
us alone.
The chief Of the tribe was one Wah-
kama, a tall, muscular Indian of per
haps As. AS the days went by Wah-kia-
ma became quite a frequent visitor. His
f~avorite Longing place was the log
cabin in which Jed and I did the cook
ing.
One morning Jed discovered Wah-kia-
IA in the act of jabbing a long, sharp
pointed piece Of iron he invariably car
|" LII liz bI1U lAto tiic Sup hGlJle,
hoping no doubt to fish u a nice hot
chunk Of beef. This was more than my
companion could stand.
Knocking the iron out Of the redskins
hand with a quick blow, Jed grabbed
the fellow by the scruff and the slack
and rushed him out of the cabin, quit
ting him with n push that sent him
sprawling upon the ground.
After that Wah-kia-na came to the
cookhouse no more, and in a month or
so the incident had dropped completely
from our minds. But not from the In
dams. In his heart he nurtured ven
geance.
. One day we learned that there emp
tied into the Ump-qua a certain stream,
the exploration Of which promised con-
siderable sport. This tributary was
known as Smiths river, after an unfor-
innate trapper who had been killed by
the Indians many years before.
When we had arranged our plans, we
made them known t. Waite Linn, a
sturdy old backwoodsman, who had TAX
en- quite a fancy to us youngsters and
had more than once proved himself a
true friend.
Don't We go, boys" said Waite.
why not?" asked Jed. ave. can
manage the ano all right"
"'Tain't that"
"What is it, then? Are you afraid Of
the Indians cutting us Off"
WAL, yes, that's about it" replied
Waite.
Just as we were pushing off along
came Waite.
$50 yer bound to 60, boys?" he said
half reproachfully. "Waal, good luck to
re. But look hyar, I want We to promise
me a something. Guess it'll take We
three days to get up to Smiths, thar
bein a freshet in the river, but a day
ought to fetch ye back slick as grease.
Now, give me yer word, boys, to be
back hyar by five days at the latest
that is, if ye kin"
We promised the old fellow and dip
ped our paddles, inpatient to be off.
Good, lads, and now look hyar. Ifso
be as you meet trouble and hev to quit
the and tramp home make tracks
down the right bank Of the river; the
right bank, do You heer:"
Nothing particular happened until the
afternoon Of the third day. We were
ripping along very quietly when sud
denly Jed reached over the side Of the
n and fished something out Of the
water. 1t proved to be a small closely
woven Indian basket.
That's bad, jed" I exclaimed.
Sure as guns theirs redskins ahead Of
u.s."
WED have met the beggars if they
had come down stream; so they must
have gone up" said l. Whats to be
done, jedi"
Done! Go ahead and trust in Provi-
dence," replied Jed. They may be
friendly or they may not. Anyhow
we've got u rifles"
whats that yonder?' cried Jed,
pointing too hill a little distance ahead.
Its sloping side was dotted with what
looked to be huts. We rested on our
paddles and gazed upon the scene with
silent anxiety.
We found the cause Of our wonder to
be an old Indian burying ground. The
hutlike risings We're simply hillocks Of
earth, each Of which marked the resting
place Of a warrior.
Padding a mile or two farther along,
we camped for the night.
As soon as it was light enough we
started to mount to the top of what we
meant to be bur long toboggan slide
back to Ump-qua. 1t was the worst
rapid we had yet encountered. After
trying it several ways without success
we had to resort to the towing line.
We dragged our little craft up through
the boiling current yard by yard. 1t
may have been within a dozen feet of
Us when crack! the stout hide line sud-
denly snapped, and away went the canoe
with all our stores and Jed's rifle, dash
ing madly down the falls.
what fools to worry" cried Jed,
"when we can get all the canoes we
wantl"
''Where?"
Down in the burial ground Of
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