The Plymouth Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1878-1901, 1901-09-05
CHAPTER IL.
AT MUX-SEN-KUCK-E ZEE.

OF the 1DuldllS III tile NOCuS, DuO Ilic
naughty savages would pass them by
with imperturbable Indifference and if
spoken to would respond only in
grunts or in the fewest possible words.
Some of the soldiers were inclined to
resent such disdainful airs but Angus,
remembering what he had learned
from Sammy John of blessed memory,
always insisted that kind and respect
full treatment of the Indians would
obviate much Misunderstanding and
trouble. On one occasion he and two
comrades saw Wea hunter fall heay-
ily from tree while investigating
raccoon hole and they ran to his as
sistance, finding him much bruised
and shocked but with no bones bro
ken. They carried him into the vii
lage. rubbed his bruises with soothing
oil and Angus, knowing his language,
spoke kindly to him while ministerlng
to his wants. The Indians counte-
nance was impassive and inscrutable
but Angus knew that should occasion
arise that Indian would be his friend
and the friend of the garrison.
The opening of navigation ON the
Maumee and Wabash brought mes
sengers from Detroit, where Captain
(,,11 t,.d ~ec,,r,ad command and
after one of these had returned to the
city on the strait there came back
letter addressed to sergeant Angus
Corbly. . the first letter he had re-
ceiyed i'm all his life. AS he opened 1T
he thought of that letter he had eag-
erly looked and waited for years b
fore. all hope of which he had now
abandoned, and instead of such a fond
and loving letter as he had yearned
for he found himself in possession OF
warrant making him sergeant In
British regiment. With this was in
Guided an order to take one of the
rangers and one or two friendly Ind
ians if he could secure them and pro-
coed across the country to Fort ST. JOS
eph, on Lake Michigan, thence to De-
troit by way of the Maumee, arriving
not later than in the fall. He was to
observe the disposition of the Indians
i'm the country traversed by him and
to notify the French officer atSt. JOS
eph that detachment would be sent
to take possession of that post.
The new sergeant chose for his
companion on the perilous mission a
strong. 1.-the and resourceful young
ranger from the Green mountains and
together they spent several days in
arranging their plans. The selection
of the Indians presented serious diff
culties, but it was finally agreed that
the Wea whose accident has already
been described should be approached
upon the subject. Angus was
received courteOusiy by the Indian,
whose name was Totega, and when
he had cautiously stated his GRAND
the Indian advised him TO abandon
the project as one too dangerous to be
practicable. but finding the young
white man determined upon his pur-
pose Totega agreed to 90 himself and
said he would get another Indian to
complete the party. In the course OF
two days he appeared at the stockade
with a pleasant looking young buck
who had spent much time with the
French and was called Pierre. Pierre
had passed the winter at -Nincennes
and their alarm lest the English should
suddenly descend upon and utterly
DESTROY them had so impressed him
with the power of the conquering
nation that he was quite willing to
transfer his allegiance.
The party was now complete and
that they might the better perform
their preparatory work and become
acquainted they pitched camp on
little wooded knoll on the edge of the
river some miles from the village and
there they repaired and strengthened
a light canoe and gathered their small
quantity of baggage. In the latter
part of balmy April they dipped
their paddles in the sparkling water
aud a shaded bend in the river soon
took them out of sight of few COM
rades who were gathered on the shore
to bid them God speed. With flash
ing blades they urged their little craft
up stream, avoiding the swifter cur
rents where they could, and when the
vent of the Tippecanoe was reached
they headed into it. passing an aban-
doned village not far above t'sS Wa
bash. and soon encamped for the re-
mainder of the day and the night.
For days now they progressed leis-
urely up the stream, through level
champaigns, grassy morass or decse
forest. the startled kingfisher darted
TO cover or the awkward blue heron
tapped excitedly over the marsh at
their approach, and swift deer or