Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1941-11-28

an Indian interpreter. who advised
against going to the treacherous In
dians near the harbor of Neweetee.
But the pig-headed Thorn. brushed
this counsel off and pushed ahead into
the harbor.
The next morning large numbers of
Indians, under the leadership of their
chief, Wicananish, came out in their
canoes and climbed aboard the Ton
! quin with sea otter skins to trade.
The peltS of the sea otter have al
ways been regarded as far more val
liable than those of the beaver and
the Indians, knowing that their furs
were much in demand, refused to bar
ter them for the stuff that Captain
Thorn spread out for their inspection
blankets, knives, cloths, beads, trim
kets and fishhooks.
Nookamis Worked Him
Thorn, in high disgust, began pacing
up and down the deck with his hands
in his pockets, muttering to himself.
Nookamis, the old chief, thought to
taunt the captain into a fair trade
by following him up and down the
deck, waving a sea otter skin in his
face. But it was not smart to use
such tactics upon one of the shippers
temperament. A couple of minutes of
banter was all that worthy could
stomach. He seized the pelt from the
Indians hand, rubbed it in the chiefs
face, and dismissed him over the side
of the ship.
This turn of events veXed old
Nookamis no end. The dripping and
suffering chief reached shore in a
terrific passion. The interpreter, know
ing the Indians would get revenge or
know the reason why, begged Mackay
to urge the captain to lift anchor and
depart for a safer locality But Skip
per Thorn only pointed to the cannon
and firearms that the ship boasted
and reckoned as how they were safe
enough, no matter how huffy the red
men became.
The next morning the Indians again
came out to the ship, bearing more
furs than on the previous day. They
seemed unarmed and were allowed to
mount the deck. They came in gener-
Gus numbers and soon the bartering
was brisk. But Mackay detected that
the trading mostly was for knives and
being blessed with a goodly amount
of common sense, urged the captain
to get rid of the visitors. But the
captain treated the advice lightly until
another consignment of indiana
swarmed aboard. Then he saw the
danger and commanded them to clear
out
Just then a warwhoop was heard
and the Indians got down to the real
business at hand. Knives flashed and
from heavy Indian blankets war clubs
appeared Mackay was struck with
club and pushed backward into the
sea, where he was finished off by
squaws awaiting in canoe below.
Lewis, the ships clerk. fell at the
first blow. badly wounded.
Thorn was the chief objective of the
red men, and in fairness to the thick
Skulled skipper it must be said that
he put up valiant scrap. Shewish,
the son of the chief, was especially
anxious to polish off the captain and
made desperate lunge to strike him
down. But Thorn had succeeded in
opening his clasp knife and finished
off the young savage in one stroke.
Others sprang upon him, and the deck
around the captain was soon cluttered
up with his aSsailants. They finally
got him, however, cut up his body and
threw it overheard.
Four Sailors Escaped
The crew fought desperately, but
we're cut down and hurled into the
sea. Finally four sailors smashed their
way through to the cabin, secured
guns and ammunition and soon cleared
the decks with brisk firing.
The four white survivors and the
MORALLY wounded Lewis were left
alone on the ship. They let the flee