Year: 1859

CHAPTER |.


Like most people who have been brought up
in the back woods Of America, | have had some
Indian experience, or, rather, have had opportu-
mites OF learning some Of the pecuiarltes OF
Indian character; and now that the savage
race have been swept away from us by the tide OF
civilization. and are only known to our children
in story, like to recall, sometimes, that part of
my life which was spent in their wigwams, and
in hunting with them the game which inhabited
the " frontier; !" and like, also, when surround
ed by friends, to recount the occurren ces and
adventures of many years ago.


I am not "story teller" at least not pro-
fessed one; only relate facts in bungling
way, bui as they are facts, they are sometimes
listened to, especially by my more partial friends
and the lruthfulness of what am here about
to relate must be my apology for wishing to put
in print my own composition which know to
be wanting in everything like rhetorical orna-
ment. But to my story.


My father was quite hunter, and l. after the
fashion of the times, was also taught the use OF
the rifle when quite young Well do rcmem-
Der the first time that ever accompanied my
ia her as his companion in arms | was
fourteen years old, and he had presented ME with
beautiful rife as birthday present. 1t was
a warm day in the latter part of spring, and
the woods were alive with merry singing birds,
which, as they fitted about in the branches OF
the green trees, seemed no less joyous and happy
than felt myself on this, the proudest day OF
my life. I doubt whether any man was ever
more conscious of his Importance than was,
as I walked by my fathers side. on that day,
with my rife swung careIessy across my should
er, in pursuit Of game game, mean, in the
full scnse--not merely wild turkeys, deerS and
such like, for whatever my father might have
thought, had no idea of being turned aside by
such trihes. | was in pursuit Of something
worthy the metal of a maa--bears, panthers,
wolves, such as these was | ambitious 10 en-
counter.


The Fatcs smiled upon me that day, or al least
thought so then. Now however, when look
back to that time and think Of all that has
since occurred l. But let me not anticipate
my story. say the Fatcs smiled upon me;
for we had not been out in tie woods long when,
just as we were emerging from the dense forest
onto the bank of the Portage river, wolf,
very kindly have since thought, sprang from
little ravine, which until then had concealed
him from us, onto dry log near BY. My
father, as if to test my qualities as hunter, left
him to me--a fact which did not know then,
however, and may have attributed his seeming
want OF boldnesS 10 nervousness on his part
however this NAV be. was too eager to do somr-
thing worthy of my new dignity, to hesitate or
discuss the cause then, and bringing my rifle to
my shoulder with more GOODNESS than have
been able to command at all times since when
similarly situated, ! soon hal the satisfa ction
of seeing Mr.. Wolf lying ifeless at my feet
With what feelings of silent exutation did
behold him But did not give expression to
what felt. rather treated this, my first sue
cess, as a matter Of course and when my
father related to the Indians that we frequently
met that day, the hunting qualities which he
said had displayed though feeling immensely
fattercd, affected to esteem it very ri1ing
matter at was only a WOLF not a bear that
| had killed. | would say, much TO the amuse-
mcnt of those swarthy old hunters who had
grown grey in roaming through the forests in
quest of all kinds of game,


In the afternoon of that day, as Ily father
and were returning home. we stopped at the
little Indian village where the Chief of the tribe,
which then Inhabited this region of county,
resided. Ny father knew him we'll and VIC went
to his wigwam. The Old Chief listened to nv
fathers recital of how had killed the wolf, and
then coming up to where | sat on log, in front
of his wigwOm, and putting his hand on my
head, said You will some day be as great
hunter as your father" He insisted on our re-
naming some time with him, and it may be
that he was induced to do so the more urgently
from the fact that he knew il was my fathers
custom to carry flask of lre-water" in his
pocket when hunting. We had not been there
long when two Indian girls, dressed more gaily
than any that | had ever seen, came running
ployfHlly towards us. They were, as after
wards learned, the daughters OF the Chief and
were respectively, abou. ten and twelve years
old. thought, then, as they came bounding
along as lithely as young rawns, that never
had seen ANYTHING so beautiful. Many years