The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-11-08

had, along with the search light, and sew
eral other private matters, and somehow
or other, am convinced our visitor had
got on to it's existence, and whereabouts.
But I did not suspicion anything at the
time, and commissioned him to purvey his
good savage, and have him on hand early
the next morning. I wanted him to go
along, but he declared he was more than
up to his eyes in work, and could do no
more than guide me to the little crlck,
where Indian and birch bark canoe were
to be in waiting; though what work the
old sinner ever did, beyond living, the
Lord only knows.
"Well, in the early dawn he shook me
out of lovely sleep, got coffee, etc.
ready for me before our cook was astir,
and, having had copious lunch put up
the night before, was quickly ready, and
off we went without waking another soul
in the party. OF course I brought the
precious grip along. There might be
snakes along the little creek or the lake,
and besides the boys left behind might
catch on. We found Injun, accompanied
by small edition Of himself, in waiting at
the creek, with q big canoe, and my traps
were slowed aboard, speedily followed by
myself, and up the creek we went. 1t
was no joke Of a passage, the creek be-
ing filled with snags, rapids, fallen trees,
and all kinds of hindrance, but the say
neon we had reached the lake, had
lunch, and I was ready for shooting.
II set out my decoys, the Indians made
a blind, the best I ever saw, and then
both curled up in the canoe and went to
sleep, leaving me to do business with the
ducks at my own sweet will. The latter
didn't come very rapidly, but I got fair
shooting during the afternoon, and along
towards dusk they began to arrive In
droves, and better shooting I never had.
It was moonrise before I got my own con-
sent to quit, and then I had royal bag,
I can tell you. And the next question was
to get home. The old Indian suddenly
forgot all the United States he ever
knew, the boy likewise, and not a word
could I get from either till we reached an
old cluster of wigwams about two miles
below the lake. There the old one ran
the canoe ashore, motioned me to get out,
and merely remarking, heap good place
for camp began making fire. 1t was
plain enough they meant to finish the
night right there, and I was powerless.
We had enough to eat, so l made the
best Of it, and drowsed by the fire till the
moon went down, and then the devil put
it into my head to try that Internal
searchlight. So I put half a dozen buck
shot shells in my pocket, lighted the lamp,
fixing it around my head, and sailed out.
Not too long did it take me to get into
|
an hour, then 'shined' a pair of eyes. OF
cource I was sure they must be those Of a
deer, and let go both barrels at them,
and they went out instanter.
| Il went up and to my horror found
| had fairly blown the head off an Indian
| pony, and visions of the owners, scalpine
me by way Of getting satisfaction swept
| through my head like lava tide. Back
put to the wigwams to rouse my savages
and fee from wrath to come, and found
them and the canoe both gone, likewise
my grip. and was up against it for fair
I covered by the fire till daylight, ant
| then the ancient fraud wha had engineered
| the whole thing made his appearance il
another canoe. He bore a moderate jag
| with him, and lost no time in informing
me that I was in a most deplorable fix
That I had 'brung whisky into an India1
reservation; was liable to Uncle Sam fol
that; had broken the game law, was in thu
states danger on that count; had killed
an Injun pony, all the boss they had, ant
>. was due to lose life and all had on tina
score, and had better settle with him
that he might appease the savages, ant
get out Of the country before the othe
offended parties got wise I settled
| Thrty-fve dollars was all I had with me
and perforce he had to be content witt
that. And he delivered me back to tn
boys and assured them that I'd only beer
maxim night Of it with them Injuns'-
And they're joshing me YETI
&C. C. Kelly.