The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1899-01-07
AFRAID OF INDIANS
An Adventure of Two Scotch Boys in
Upper Canada.


Upper Canada.
About sixty-five years ago, says a
writer in the Montreal Witness, two
youths came from Scotland, and struck
out Tor the wilderness of oxford Coun-
ty, in what was then Upper Canada.
They had heard that Indians might be
found in the region, and they kept a
sharp and somewhat fearful watch.
Nearing their destinat ton, they encamp-
ed one chilly night by the side of a
stream. While they were getting their
lunch, lowering over the fire, they were
overwhelmed with establishment and
fear by seeing small band of Indians
suddenly arrive.
AS it was too late to try to escape,
and as the Indians were too many to
fight, the youag fellows decided to par
ley with the savages; but their par
leying" was rendered of no effect by
the fact that while the Indians spoke
not word of English, the Scotch boys
were totally ignorant of the sign Ian
guage in which the Indians tried to
converse.
But presently the savages made a
gesture which the boys understood. 1t
was a reckoning sign, and plainly
meant Come along
'Well," said one OF the boys to the
other, ''it is evident that we have got
to die, and we may as well die at their
camp as here"
I'm any event, we will die like men,"
said the other.
1--WE will"
SO they started along, following the
Indians, or rather followed by them
Soon they reached a large Indian lodge,
which they entered. The Indians beck
oned to them to sit down In front of a
large fire in the center of the lodge.
which was directly beneath a hole in
the roof that served for chimney. win
dow and ventilator.
The Indians offered them food, but
appetite had been scared out of them
The Indians ate. and then got out
hatchets and knives.
"Our time has come" said one of the
boys.
$50 1t seems" said the other, 'but let
us sell our ives dearly.
However, instead of falling upon
them with the weapons, the Indians
procured lot of strips of ash wood
and went to work making baskets,
stripping, measuring, splitting and
bending the wood. The boys were a
little treasured, and yet they argued
that probably the savages would pre-
tend to fall asleep, and would murder
them in the night. They resolved that
but one of them should lie down. while
the other would sit up and watch, each
taking his turn.
After the Indians had worked at bas-
ket-making for some time, one of them,
who seemed to be sort of chief. sud
denly gave a yell that froze the blood
in both boys veins. The Indians threw
down their implements, and formed in
a circle about the fire and the white
boys The terrible ceremony of death
was about to begin!
Then the chief Indian sounded a note
with his voice, and all the Indians be-
gan to sing; but what was it that they
were singing? The Scotch boys, pious-
~ Ted-tuy KNEW the tune Wcus II was
the one to which they were accustomed
to sing the words:
How pleased and blest was
To hear the people cry,
"COme, let us seek our God to-dayr
The boys looked at each other in as
constituent, and when the Indians had
sung this song-in their own language.
of course-they sung a greater and
more thrilling one: Rock of Ages,
cleft for mer'
The fears of the boys were gone. In
their own tongue, they Joined in the
song with more JUNCTION, no doubt, than
they had ever before known In singing
it: and when the Indians had finished
their devotiOns-for it was with a de-
votional purpose that they had sung
the boys lay down to sleep, and slept
sOundly in the warmth of the fire.
The tribe was one which had been
visited by missionaries. and the men
had no other purpose than one of CRATE
full hospitality in bringing these wan
dering white Youths to their lodge.
The next morning they ate with gusto
the food which their hosts offered them,
and expressing their thanks as best
they could, went their way.