Show THE TRAPPER t A Tale of Weaiern Adventure BY GASKELL In the year 18 while in company com-pany with some trappers OLd trader3 I heard the following tae of wid find ibrillm sdventare which one of them a ClaD whose vreathorbaten lace bespoke a life of constant activity and exposure related as one of hi many hairbreadth eecaj es from the bonds ot the red man Some thirty years ago eaii hoI ho-I left my home in the State of Vermont Ver-mont and with eeveral companions like myself quest ol adventure left my home and the confines and pleasures pleas-ures of civilization We turned onr steps resolutely towards the wio and boucdlesd prairits ot the webt where the buffalo roamed in eecunty by countless thousands acd where the Indian then held undisputed away After many days of incessant travel tug null no food but the proceeds 01 toe chase or covering by night bu the hngutgliitsring Btar emme canopy of heaven at length wi emerged iuo lintklecs tired luicsi acid travelv nuu tOCK a Ins l view of the mighty Missouri as it rolled in turbid but resistless majEsty ma-jEsty before us My feelings as 1 gazed wore a strange mixture of awe and delight oi indefinable dread end secret presentiment Tho face of the mighty volume of water flawing be lore me displayed Qsda power and though nweatricken yet I felt ft delight de-light Still turning our faces weetnard we continued our toilsome journey which now required redoubled vigilance and sleepless care to guard us from the wiley toe who environed us on every I band and stood ready upon tho least indiscretion on our part to rush fiom the r concealment and immolate UB to their vengeance There being but ten of us we hd to be very careful not needlessly exposing ourselves and we knew that the prowling eavige once aware of our weakness would need no other incentive to fall upon and destroy ug At night we took turns in guarding part sleeping while the rest watched In the daytime we pursued cur journey carefully avoiding avoid-ing all places that might conceal an ambush or a lurking to3 One day wo were traveling leisurely up the PlattE or Nebraska River each step bringing us nearer those mighty mountains which spau the comment with their rugged bands when we descried in advance a large column of dust rising spirally as though proceeding from a largo body in violent motion Wuetaer from liuOaloes or Indians we could not tell Thinking however discretion the better part of valor in our weak state we determined to secure come place of concealment and defense from which we could discover them if foes and rcsiol them if they cEsailed us with some hope of success Looking bout ua for this purpose we discovered discov-ered a Email grove of cottonwood trees growing upon the edge of the river the green umbrageous foliage of which bade fair tc hiJe us from prying pry-ing eyes 01 these we took immedi ito posscsson and awaited their approach ap-proach boon after a long column appeared in sight and our worst fears wero ra ilizcd they were Indians Sirlled but not disheartened by the appearance appear-ance of this dashing cavalcade wo determined should they discover our concealment and attack us to give hem a warm reception With palpitating palpi-tating hearts we watched their approach ap-proach for who even though brave lao not felt a strange feeling of unM easiness when impending danger threatened Ulennttd on spirited baiba that bad never felt the calling power of the bittho riders wild and untuned as the mustangs that bore them they presented G savage and martial appearance Decked out in all the tawdy finery they possessed and awful hideous with paint they loosed more like demons than human hu-man being I afterwards learned they were a party of Oheyenuea who bad been on a wild foray against their inevitable enemies the Cruw Indians They numbered near as we wuld count 100 braves and we saw with apprehension appre-hension that many of them were armed with rifle Fearful that our horses by neigh fng might betray us each man stood ready at the head of his steed to put a atop to any such demonstration But in vain our tirecautions No socntr had tire hoatila cavalcade approached ap-proached opposite where we were concealed than one of our horses became be-came unmanageable and darting from us was soon in the midst of the Indians instantly they halted 213 if lori lor-i council about attacking us Unable to form an opinion of our numbers but know they for a while hesitated ing by the trappings of our hone taat wo were white men they were loath to let us escape for they were at deadly enmity wth all our race Besides Be-sides would we have hidden had wo been numerous At length giving a wild unearthly whoop they divided and dashed pelnull at our cover in the expectation cf forcing us to quit it or of forcing us into the river which flowed rapidly in the rear ot I our osition Our captain a fine athletic fellow from Kentucky had previous to the charge told only one half to firo at a time so that we might keep cp an incessant discharge I dis-charge aa well as deceive the enemy as to our numbers Onl Onl they came the ground shaking beneath the weight of their furious tread When within about fifty yards they were met by the leaden bail and many of the howling devils fell to rise no more But it did not stop the headlong charge of the survivors and again and again they fell before our discharge at shorter range aud with greater havoc They halted end another fire from our revolvers re-volvers changed their hesitation into flight and they hurried away with oven greater rapidity than they advanced ad-vanced VTo congratulated ourselves our-selves upon our easy victory only u > i t n nnn fMi r rf fcH KIT o f ft n n nm navaug J > uuts vuuu j shot BUutg we were mistaken they I had retreated to take surer vengeance Taught prudence by their losses they dismounted and taking us in front and both flanks they recommenced the fight Our small numbers having hav-ing to be divided into still smaller parties could not long withstand the desperate odds against them One by one our bravo comrades Ull until but tho captain two others and myself my-self remained Knowing that re elelance wa useless and that our fate would be a lingering death if taken we embraced the only chance lelt lor life and mounting our heroes dashed from our cov r We thought if wo could breakthrough break-through the fast closing ranks of tho fee > we might eacapo by flight Vain hopr No sooner had we lefl the friendly shelter of the forest than we were met with a shower of balls and arrows which stretched two ol my companions on the ground sark end stiff But the captain and myself my-self remained of all our party and with a parting fire we dashed past them and went scouring over the plain in the desperate cflort to escape es-cape Presently the found of pursuit > va beard in our rear and looking back with consternation we laN savages to the number of a dozen following us bt the ulmoatspeed of their horses Our chance of escape seemed hopeless hope-less but encouraging each other we stilt dashed onward Our arms were unalung ready for use We determined deter-mined not to yield nile life remained re-mained We knew that we had offended too deeply to be forgiven bj such vindictive savages and if cap I 1 0 tuieu KUL Mue Sr euuio uiur hideous mcde of rture would ut suredly be our portion Could we maintain our distance til I night we hoped to he able to dud their vigilance ia the darkness Bu now was it to be done Our steeds fatigued with tho journey or the day i were almost u used vAtrilona dyer unfi t distance our pursuers Their yell became louder and louder as they gained upon us and despair settles < deeper and deeper within our breasts A chance shot brought my companions com-panions horse to the ground Accustomed Ac-customed at all times to yield to the first promptings of my heart seeing that escape by flight was well nigh hopeless I determined to stay with I him and if necessary to die but nol without a desperate struggle for life Instantly checking the speed of my faithful horse I dismounted and turning him loose to shift for himself laid myself beside ciy companion behind be-hind bin dead animal which served as for a fortress Lying flat upon too ground we leveled our rifles over the dead carcass at the foe Commending ourselves to heaven we awaited the last struggle for life It seemed to me the reflection and experience ex-perience of a whole lifetime were centered cen-tered in those few abort momenta so acutely did danger make my thoughts felt As they approached we laid the first two dead with our rifles and not having time to reload we drew our revolvers and waited their nearer approach Our pistols did good service but what could two persons expect combalting a dczen devils pofaetRed of as many lives as a cat They were upon us I received a stroke on the bead from one of their war clubs and remember no more When consciousness returned it was night The silvery stars were shining witb an efiulgenco brilliant and beautiful the pale rays of the moon displayed the outlines of the distent hills whoso beauteous verdure during the day cheered the lonely scenery The river away in tho distance edged with its border of green and waving willows shone in the light of the moon like molten silverthe tops of the crested waves rising and filling with the gentle breeze presented the appearance of burnished gold I saw all this but my mind at first could not comprehend compre-hend its import BO like a dream did it appear I recalled my scattered senses and strove to remember the event of the past day Gradually like the dim shapeless phantom of a dream they appeared I remembered the fight in the grove onr wild flight acroa the prairies and our last fearful struggle for life I recalled all these to mind Raising myself upon my elbow I looked about me Tho carcass car-cass of the horse was still there and tho bodies of several men lay around they were Indianswhere could be my companions By great exertion I stood upon my leetI felt buriaed and sore My head was dizzy with the cflects of the l blow Seeting among the bodies about me I sought that of my late companions the gallant Kentuckian But in vain sought it was not there 3iving up the fruitless search I wearily made my way towards a brook I remembered having crossed a few moments before losing recollection recollec-tion Dragging my sore and aching body to the brink I took a hearty drink and lelt much revived I sat down upon the shelving bank and reflected upon my proopects My chance of regaining the settlements destitute as I was seemed impossible and I almost despaired I determined to await in my present situation tho approach of morning and if possible discover the fate of my companion in misfortune That he bad escaped or been taken prisoner I felt certain and I longed for daylight to come that I might more surely know If be had escaped I knew not where So seek him If a prIsoner his doom was sure for all I could do to help him Suddenly tho sound of voices struck upon my car and at first I felt fearful tho savages had returned to complete their bloody work but a voice speaking in my native tongue reassured me I arose and staggered towards them They were Americans and my companion was with them From him I learned that as I fell unconscious of surrounding object the crack of rifles was heard and several of the savages tumbled from their horses Startled and alarmed by this the survivors took to flight flying with the speed of the wind towards the main band They were however doomed to disappointment they wore pursued by twenty horsemen horse-men and killed before reaching them Knowing that all was now safe said my friend I caught yoar horse grazing near by and mounting followed alter my unknown un-known friends After mutual explanation ex-planation they determined to attack the Indians and avenge the deAth of our friends But when we got there they had fled taking with them everything of value belonging to our comrades Alter performing the last rites of sepulchre for our friends we returned to perorm the same Bad office for you but thank heaven you are worth a dozen dead men yet Our rescuers I found were a company com-pany of free trappers those gentle men rovers of the west on one of r their annual expeditions who by chance of Providence happened to pass in time te save us from death and avengo our friends on these fiends who dtlght in blcood These men my friend and myself alter sometime some-time joined and I have epent my life till now in the wilderness I Such gentlemen was my first adventure ad-venture in the region of the far west I have since then been in many dancers but never in one which made such an impression on my miLd I have stood in the deadly ambuscade when my companions were falling around me like leaves from the trees in autumn but my spirit wag unsubdued and my reso lution was uncorquered for I bt lievrd that heaven would never let I me perish by the hands of the savage alter carrying me safely through EO many scenes ot danger and of blood |