The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1922-09-29
INSTALLMENT II.

bringing in prisoners and (what wa
much worse) scaIps, both male an,
female, for which they were paid at
fixed rate; and assure you the sigh
was not encouraging. Altogether we
could scarce have come at a period
more unsuitable for our designs; oui
position in the chief inn was dread
fully conspicuous; our Albanian
fubbed us off with thousand delays
and seemed upon the point of a re-
treat from his engagements; nothing
but peril appeared to environ the poor
fugitives; and for some time we
drowned our concern in a very irregu-
lar course of living.
This too proved to be fortunate:
and it's one of the remarks that fall
to be made upon our escape, how
providentially our steps were conduct
ed to the very end. What a humilia-
ton to the dignity of mani My phi
losophy, the extraordinary genius of
Ballantrae, our valor, in which grant
that we were equal-alI these might
have proved insufficient without the
Divine blessing on our efforts. And
how true it is, as the Church tells us,
that the truths of religion are after
all quite applicable even to daily af |
fairsl
AT least 1t was in the course of our
revelry that we made the acquaint-
ance of spirited youth by the name
OF Chew. He was one of the most
daring of the Indian traders. very well
acquainted with the secret paths of
the Wilderness, needy, dissolute, and,
by a last good fortune, in some dis {
grace with his family. Him we per l
suaded to come to our relief; he pri- l
vately provided what was needful for '
our flight; and one day we slipped l
out of Albany, without a word to our s
former friend, and embarked. a little a
above, in a canoe. s
To the tolls and periIs of this Jour
ley, it would require a pen more ele- B
rant than mine to do full justice The g
readful wilderness which we had now al
0 thread; its thickets, swamps, pre- al
ipitous rocks, impetuous rivers, and es
mazing waterfalls. Among these bar TT
arous scenes, we must toll all day, m
ow padding, now carrying our canoe hi
pom our shoulders; and at night we M
ept about fire, surrounded by the he
owing of wolves and other savage hi
annals.
1t WAS our design to mount the as
sadwaters of the Hudson, to the roc
of Crown Point. where tir
g French had strong place in the tw
oods, upon Lake Champlain. But to siv
I'VE done this directly were too per- at
Jus; and it was accordingly gone bot
ION by such labyrinth of rivers. bro
kes, and portages as makes my head lax
Idly to remember. These paths so
re in ordinary times entirely des- con
:; but the country was now up, the and
bes on the warpath, the woods full sior
Indian scouts pen
Again and again we came upon littl
'se parties, when we least expected cou
I'M; and one day, in particular, | e
III never forget; how, as dawn was shol
ming in, we were suddenly sur trea
nded by five or six OF these paint coul
devils, uttering very dreary sort rest
cry and brandishing their hatchets. swo
passed on harmlessly indeed, as barr
the rest OF our encounters; for fortl
Nv was well known and highly val The
among the different tribes. In scril
d, he was very gallant, respect what
young man. But even with the of t
antase OF ms companionship, you down
It not think these meetings were cut
tout sensible peril In 6,
prove friendship on our part, it swan
heeolui 10 draw upon our stock rotte
under whatever dis h
g, that is the true business of the and $
an trader, to keep a travelling pub I hav
ouse in the forest; and when once ing p
braves hau got theT bottle of trunk
ra Gas they call this beastly away
~ 1t behooved us to set forth and ner
lie for our scalps. Once they were the k
tie drunk, good-by to any sense aImos
ecency; they had but the one branc
sn'' 70 get more scaura; they our bt
easily take II IN their heads to is do
us chase; and had we been over What
!, had never written these me- get
: perpet