The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1919-02-27

fore them, filled their hearts too full
for utterance. They. too, had swal-
lowed the food which their captors
words had been exchanged by the
gave them, In unbroken silence; but
like them they could not sleep. and
they tossed uneasily from side to
side till late hour, when exhausted
nature asserted her dominion, and
they slept by fits and starts till rous-
ed by the sentinel In the morning.
Breakfast over, they again took
their line OF march up the river in
Indian file First went one Indian
as leader of the file; then followed
the French Canadian. who was be-
ginning to grow somewhat intimate
and loquaclous with the Indians; he
was followed by Malbon; then another
Indians Their march this day was
the rear, followed the remaining three
Indians. Their march this date was
tedious and dsagreeable; for much
snow fell. and 1t was 80 'slushy' as to
soak their clothing thoroughly, and
30 loaded their snowshoes as to rem
der travelling in their heavy packs,
very painful. This long soak start
ed the hair upon their moosehide
moccasins, and many OF them before
the close of the day knew by the
| smarting sensation they experienced
that their toes were denuded of skin.
together with no little OF the adjoining
flesh, That night they reached the
Great Carrying Place and camped In
! one OF the huts which Arnold's men
had built here the fall before. After
the evening meal was dispatched, the
Indians rugged a small pole in crotch
es about two feet high, horizontally,
before the side OF the log fire which
they occupied, and placed their feet
upon it so as to allow the heat Of
the fire to dry their legs and some
portions of their bodies
This WAS highly relished by them
for some little time; but as one after
another began TO browse from the
combined effects OF fatigue and the
| genial warmth of the camp fire, they
found that the consequent relaxation
OF the muscles caused their feet to
slide from the pole and in two or
three instances they dropped among
! the embers to the no small dlscom-
/ fort OF their owners. After being
! buffled in this manner once or twice,
in their attempts to dry their wet
clothing, the two youngest OF the In
dams drew the straps from their snow
shoes and used them to tie their feet
to the pole to prevent a recurrence
OF the previous disaster Sometime
during the night Chase, who had lain
awake rejecting with no little bitter
ness upon his fate, and the desolate
condition of his famly-for he had
wife and child at Watervlle-judg
ed by the unmusical snore emitted by
the savages, that they were all sound
asleep, and two of them with their
feet tied to the pole. judged that a
favorable moment had arrived for
freeing themselves from their bond
age Thus far their route was ia
mlliar to him; for he had been here
the fall before, az one Of the Is boat
men whom Arnold had engaged at
Ticonet, to assist the expedition to
the Great Carrying Place. AS his en-
gagement expired at this point he
had returned to Waterville; and con-
sequently his Knowledge OF the re-
mainder of the route to Canada. was
slght-being such only as he had ac-
quired by 'hearsay' from the lips OF
other hunters and the struggling de-
serters who left Arnolds command
between Flagstaff and Lake Megantic.
II they could make their escape now,
their return would be comparatively
easy; but should they be taken thru
the unbroken wilderness to Canada,
Chase, though illiterate and residing
upon the extreme outpost OF civiliza-
ton, knew enough of the struggle
then in progress between the colonies
and the mother country, to assure him
that his escape would be no easy mat
ter, and that his captivity might be
prolonged for years. Full OF these
feelings he silently nudged Malbon, his
fellow prisoner, and as cautiously as
possible communicated his scheme.
Malbon readily acquiesed in the pro-
posal OF Chase. TO seize upon the
hatchets OF the savages and dash out
their brains while asleep, but at the
same time suggested that one OF the
Indians might be still awake, and
slyly watching their motions, and
should he succeed in preventing their
complete success In the first onset,
the odds against them in a hand to
hand encounter, must render their
case desperate and hopeless; but they
might awaken the Canadian, Wishua.
and induce him to join them, when the
success OF the enterprise would as
sumo a greater degree OF certainty,
Chase urged in reply that the Canad
ian had nothing at stake. compared
with themselves that he was APP
preaching the land OF his birth, and
would soon be among friends who
would see him liberated. and as con-
firmation OF the little likelihood OF his
joining in an attack, called attention
to the apparent social good feeling
existing between him and the Indians.
Bus Malbon could not be persuaded to
the contrary. and Chase yielding to
his representations. Wishua was
reused as gently as the circumstances
would admit of, and urged to assist In
the undertaking. But he not only
fatty refused to accede to the pro-
posal. but rousing up, threatened to
alarm their captors and inform them
OF the plot against them. In this
dilemma Chase and Malbon with no
little address, succeeded in silencing
the Canadian by pretending that the
proposal had not been in earnest. but
that they had merely preached the sub
ject to while away the hour. and to
try his temper and the strength OF his