The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1904-07-20
Indian Revenge


camp near an Indian village on the
Ump-qua river. The chief of the
tribe was one Wah.kia-na, tall,
muscular Indian Of perhaps forty
Ave. Wah-kia-ne became quite q
frequent visitor. His favorite loung-
ing place was the log cabin in which
jed and did the cooking.
One morning Jed discovered
Mah-kia-na in the act of jabbing q
long, sharp pointed piece Of iron he
invariably carried in lis belt into
the soup kettle, hoping, no doubt,
to fish out nice hot chunk of beef.
This was more than my companion
could stand.
Knocking the iron out Of the red
skins hand with quick blow, Jed
grabbed the fellow by the scruf and
the slack and rushed him out of the
cabin, quitting him with a push that
sent him sprawling upon the
ground.
After that Wah-kia-na came to
the cook house no more, and in q
month or 30 the incident had drop
ped completely from our minds, but
not from the Indians. In his heart
he nurtured vengeance.
One day we learned that there
emptied into the Ump-oua g certain
stream the exploration of which
promised considerable sport. This
tributary was known as Smiths riv-
er, after an unfortunate trapper who
had been killed by the Indians many
years before.
When we had arranged our plans,
we made them known to Waite
linn, sturdy old backwoodsman,
who had taken quite fa1cy to us
youngsters and had more than once
proved himself true friend. Just
ias we were pushing off along came
Waite.
".Waal," he said, s'good luck to
ye. But look hyar. [ want ye to
promise me 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 kim"
We promised the old fellow and
dipped our paddles, impatient to be
off.
"Good, lads, and now look hyar.
If so be as you meet trouble and hev
ito quit the canoe and tramp home,
make tracks down the right bank of
the river; the right bank, do you
hear?"
Nothing particular happened un-
Til the afternoon Of the third day.
I'VE were ripping, along very quietly
when suddenly Jed reached over the
side of the canoe and fshed some
thing out of the water. It proved
ito be small, closely woven Indian
basket.
t'That's bad, jed" I exclaimed.
f'sure as guns there's redskins ahead
of us.''
seWe'd have met the beggars if
they had come down stream; so they
must have gone up" said !. "what's
Ito be done, Jed ?"
@Donel Go ahead and trust in
Providence" replied Jed. .'They
may be friendly or they may not.
Anyhow, we've got our rifles
whats that yonders* cried Jed,
pointing to hill 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.
Wefound the cause of our wonder
TO be an old Indian burying ground.
The hutlike risings were simply
thillocks Of earth, each of which
marked the resting place Of war
rior.
Padding 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 our long to-
boggan slide back to Urap-qua. It
was the worst rapid we had yet en-
Fcountered. After trying it several
ways without success we had to re-
sort to the towing line. '23
We dragged our little craft up
Through the boiling current yard by.
yard. It may have been within q
dozen&feet Of ,is whan, crack the
stout hide line suddenly enapped,
and aways went the Ecan6e with all
our atnrae end and J Cd "a 5 Eiie, dashing
anadly down the falls. E.
<'What fools TO worry, cried Jed,
when we can get allsthe canoes We
want l 81 ..s .. 5.5 ssig
where ?'' Y
Down in the burial ground, Of
course rs only q mile or so. Come
along gsi; 81 5}sls