The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1904-11-03
CHAPTER XVII.

CLARK led an army across the
Kaskaskia river and camped
This was the first step in his march
toward the Wabash. An army. DO not
smile. Fewer than 200 men, 1t is true,
answered the roll call when Father |
Gibault lifted the cross and blessed !
them.
1t was an army small indeed, but |
yet an army, even though so rudely |
equipped that, could we now see 1t be |
fore us, we might wonder of what use
II could possibly be in military way.
Clark knew when he set out on his
march TO Vincennes that he was not
indulging visionary impulse. The
enterprise was one that called for all
that manhood could endure, but not
more. With the genius of n born lead
er he measured his task by his means.
He knew his own courage and forti-
tude and understood the best capacity
of his men. He had genus-that is he
| possessed the secret of extracting from
himself and from his followers the last
| refinement of devotion to purpose.
Theso was certainty, from first to
last, that effort would not flag at any
point short of the topmost possible
strain.
The march before them lay over
magnificent plain, mostly prairie, rich
as the delta of the Nile, but extremely
difficult to traverse. The distance, as
the route led was about 10 miles. On
account of an open and rainy winter
all the basins and fiat lands were in
I laau nj
water ranging in depth from few
inches to three or four feet Colonel
Clark understood perfectly the stra-
tegic importance Of Vincennes as post
commanding the Wabash and as n
base of communication with the many
Indian tribes north OF the Ohio and
east of the Mississippi Francis Vigo
(may his name never fadeD had
J brought him comprehensive and ac-
curate report OF Hamiton's strength
and the condition of the fort and gar
rison This information confirmed his
, belief that 1t would be possible not only
to capture Nincennes, but Detroit as
well.
Just seven days after the march be
. gan the little army encamped for a
nights rest at the edge of u wood, and
, here, just after nightfall, when the fires
p: were burning merrily and the smell of
/, broiling buffalQAsteaks burdened the
/. damp air, a wizened old man suddenly
appeared, how or from where nobody
had observed He was dirty and in
=. every way disreputable in appearance,
looking like an animated mummy
bearing a long rife on his shoulder and
> walking with the somewhat haltng
activity OF a very old yet vlvacious and
energetic simian. OF course 1t was On.
; Gle Jazon, "Oncle Jazon sui generis," as
Father Beret had dubbed him.
"Well, here / ann he cried, APP
i preaching the fire by which Colonel
/ Clark and some of his officers were
e cooking supper. But ye can't guess In
mile o. who l am to save yer livers
l. an lights"
He danced few stiff steps, which
made the water gush out of his tat
tered mecca sins, then dotted his monde
script cap and nodded his scalpless
head in salutation to the commander
Clark looked inquiringly at him
tHt oiu iNiio" "hN
rubbed his shrunken chin.
81 smelt yer fat a-fryin' somepin
like a mile away, an 1t set my in'ard
to grumbln' for snack, so l jes
thought I'd drap in on ye an chav
whites WI ye.'
"Your looks are decidedly agains
, YOU" remarked the colonel, with dr..
smile. He had recognized Oncle ia
zon after little sharp scrutiny. %
suppose, however, that we can let yo
gnaw the bones after we've got off tn
meat"
Thank zee, thank zee, plenty good
A Teller ats as hongry as | am kin &
through a bone like feesh throug
water"
Clark laughed and said:
81 don't see any teeth that you bav
worth mentioning, but your gums ma
be unusually sharp"
"Ya-a-s, bout as sharp as yer wi
Colonel Clark, an sharper n yer eye
Ia a long shot. Ye don't know me, d
yer Take ernother squirt at me, al
see 4 ye kin member a good lookil
man.
"You have somewhat the appearance
In Of an old scamp Of the name of Jazo
y that formerly loafed around with
worthless gun on his shoulder, an
used 10 run from every Indian he sa
On down yonder In Kentucky" Clark he
out his hand and added cordially:
w allow are you, Jazon, my old frien
rk and where upon earth have you con
,rl, FROM
I'm Oncle Jazon pounced upon the haT
ut and grlpped 1t in his own knotted II
gers, gazing delightedly up into CLARK
bronzed and laughing face.
. "Where'd come frum? come fru
ever'wheres Fust time | ever &
: Hst in all my born days. I've been
rst trompin' round in the water seer
like week, crazy as a plzened rat, n
= a.knoWln' north fom south ncr 4