m 
 
 YARNS 
 (: ilAilUE CAMP FIRE: 
 
 
 

 
 University of California Berkeley 
 
 Purchased from 
 
 THOMAS W. STREETER 
 BEQUEST 
 
YAKNS 
 
 ROUND A PRAIRIE CAMP FIRE: 
 
 OB, 
 
 TALES OF WILD ADVENTUKE IN THE FAB WEST, 
 
 ETC.; 
 
 CONTAINING THE FOLLOWING 
 
 EXCITING AND AMUSING TALES, 
 
 NOW FIBST PUBLISHED IN ANY FOKM, 
 
 viz: 
 
 HOW JIM BOLTON TACKLED THE GKIZZLY BEAK. 
 A FIGHT WITH INDIANS AND BUFFALOES. 
 THE FRENCH CANADIAN'S DEATH WAENING, 
 
 A BEITISHEE'S STOEIES OF A EOYAL BENGAL TIGER 
 HUNT, AND A SKIEMISH WITH NEW ZEALAND 
 MAOEIES. 
 
 A NEGEO'S " TALE OF A TAIL." 
 
 THE SQUAW'S EEVENGE ; AND 
 
 A CACHE IN THE EOCKY MOUNTAINS. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 PRINTED FOB THE AUTHOE, F. M. FETHEBSTON, AND TO BE HAD 
 OF ALL BOOKSELLERS. 
 
 PRICE SIXPENCE. 
 
ENTEBED AT STATIONERS' FALL. 
 
'YAKNS" ROUND A PRAIRIE 
 CAMP FIRE: 
 
 OB, TALES OP WILD ADVENTURE IN THE FAR WEST. 
 
 BY P. M. FETHEESTON. 
 
 No pent-up Utica confines our powers, 
 But the whole boundless Continent is ours.' 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 PBINTED FOB TUB AUTHOR, AMD TO BE HAD OF ALL BOOKSELLERS. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 I. HOW JIM BOLTON TACKLED THE OBIZZLY BEAR . 10 
 
 II. A FIGHT WITH INDIANS AND BUFFALOES . , . 13 
 
 III, THE FBENCH CANADIAN'S DEATH WARNING .... 20 
 
 iv. A BRITISHER'S STORIES OF A ROYAL BENGAL TIGER HUNT, 
 
 AND A SKIRMISH WITH NEW ZEALAND MAORLE8 . . 22 
 
 v. A NEGRO'S "TALE OF A TAIL" 31 
 
 vi. THE SQUAW'S REVENGE . 38 
 
 A 
 
 VII. A CACHE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 44 
 

 PEEFACE 
 
 The following collection of " YAENS" is entirely original, and now 
 appears in print for the first time. 
 
 The Author can only say that if his Book takes its place among 
 other minor works of imagination, and if its pages should afford an 
 hour or two's amusement to the youthful reading public, his highest 
 expectations will be fulfilled. 
 
 F. M. FETHEKSTON, 
 
 KNABESBOBOUGH, 
 
 YORKSHIBE. 
 
 N.B. All these Tales are copyright, and cannot be republished in 
 any shape without permission. 
 
YABNS BOUND A PKAIRIE CAMP FIEE 
 
 OB, 
 
 TALES OF WILD ADVENTURE IN THE 
 FAB WEST. 
 
 rpRA YELLING, as well as misery, makes us acquainted 
 _L with strange bed-fellows and companions. Any one 
 who has no objection to rough it, and wishes to see life 
 in all its shades and varieties, should cross the Atlantic, 
 and proceed to "the Far West" for a summer month or 
 two. 
 
 There will be found " Nature with her hair uncombed," 
 as the Yankees say ; and we shall meet with contrasts of 
 character, an unrestrained display of peculiarites, and an 
 energy of existence we can form no idea of in our state 
 of overwrought civilization, compelled conformity to cus 
 tom, and almost slavish deference to appearances. We 
 shall there feel the truth of Byron's lines 
 
 " Dear Nature is the kindest mother still, 
 Though ever changing in her features wild." 
 
 Stretched out upon the boundless prairie, every sense 
 awake and alert, our pulses beating rapidly with a new 
 born life and vigour the virgin air giving to our every 
 breath a fresh and undefmable sensation of delight, silence 
 and solitude casting a spell, as it were, over all around 
 the deep blue heavens, the emerald earth, the gorgeous 
 sun visible the live-long day from one horizon to another 
 the silvery moon and glistening stars by night all 
 to the young, the hopeful, and the imaginative, make 
 their first experience of "the Far West" a charmed 
 existence, once felt in its deep intensity, never to be 
 forgotten. 
 
10 
 
 Exulting in the greatness and grandeur of the mighty 
 land the Creator has given them for an inheritance, well 
 may Americans exclaim 
 
 " No pent-up Utica confines our powers ; 
 But the whole boundless continent is ours." 
 
 Let us transport ourselves in fancy amid the scenes I 
 have endeavoured to outline. Let us draw near to this 
 wild group, and see if they will not afford us some charac 
 teristics quaint and new some shades of disposition and 
 modes of life out of the common. At the worst, we shall 
 find food for present amusement, and future pleasant 
 reflection, in what we behold and listen to. So let us 
 approach this desert camp-fire, and hear, see, and say 
 nothing. 
 
 At a glance we take the whole scene in. A slight 
 hollow in the undulating plains plains seemingly without 
 end or limit, and covered with high grass and myriads of 
 wild flowers ; a wood fire casting its fitful glare unsteadily 
 around; and some dozen swarthy, bearded men lying 
 and lounging in every kind of posture around its light : 
 such is the view presented to us. The men are nearly all 
 smoking and drinking, and seem bent upon enjoying the 
 calm, quiet evening. 
 
 Ah ! they are preparing for " a Yarn" a good way to 
 pass an idle hour or two before sun-down ; though we 
 must not take for gospel all these rough sons of nature 
 tell one another. There are " Tales for the Marines" on 
 the prairies as well as in " Punch!" 
 
 " Jim ! " " Jim ! " is now the cry ; and a tall, angular, 
 ungainly backwoodsman, evidently possessed of immense 
 strength, leans on his elbow, and in reply to the general 
 <jall gives the following account of 
 
 HOW JlM BOLTON TACKLED THE GRIZZLY BEAR, 
 
 " You want to know how I tackled Old Grizzly ? Well, 
 I'll tell ye; but first stir up those timbers, or may be 
 we'll have a visit from another o' the same family ; and 
 pass the can this way." 
 
 "You must know," continued he, as his mates com- 
 
11 
 
 plied with his request, " that in the days I'm agoing to 
 speak of I hadn't the 'sperience I have now, and was new 
 to the half Ingine life we're leading. I wasn't certainly 
 ekeered at a little, and rather liked a bit of adventure 
 with the wild critturs I met with now and agen : but I 
 weren't up to the divilment of the Ingins, and ginerally 
 tried to make my way by main force, and shoot iviry 
 .thing down, promiscus like, right and left. 
 
 "I've found since this way won't do if you wants sport. 
 The critturs gits shy of you; and may be, some day, 
 you'll be game for them instead of them being game for 
 you ; and they '11 come upon you unawares like, if so be 
 as you are too fool-hardy. 
 
 " In them days I had a bit o' a shanty in the woods 
 off the Columbia Eiver Astoria way, you know and I 
 spent my leisure time a-looking out for something better 
 than corn-cake and molasses, my usual fare. I wasn't at 
 all perticular what I cooked, if it weren't right unwhole 
 some like as foxes, shunks, and sich carrion. I've eaten 
 much none if you would, I'll be bund ; but circumstances 
 alter cases, as the black soldier said when he took his old 
 master prisoner, and cowhided him. And I dare say 
 you'd have eaten a'most anything slick off if you'd been 
 stuck six months in a wild wood on half rations, and them 
 often mouldy. Well, never mind that now ; it's about 
 Old Grizzly you wants to know, and shall. The can this 
 way, please. Thank 'ee ; all your good healths. Well, 
 I'd treed, and got a 'coon one day, and^'was a-thinking 
 what I'd do with the crittur, and how I'd cook him, 
 when I heerd something a moving behind me gentle like, 
 as if somebody didn't wish to intrude upon my company 
 without axing. I turned, and then I seed one of the 
 biggest and ugliest specimens of the Grizzly Bar I ivir 
 sit eyes on. 
 
 11 When I turned, he stood still, and got on his hind 
 legs a-sawing the air like with his fore paws, and making 
 a curus noise with his mouth. I didn't like his looks at 
 all ^ and when he got down agin on his fore feet, and made 
 at me, I certainly did skedaddle pretty considerable sharp. 
 It was no use tho', I found the bar could race me two-to- 
 
12 
 
 one. I had a rifle, but it was unloaded, and my powder 
 and shot left on the ground where I first ran from, so that 
 weren't no use jist then. I tried dodging him round the 
 trees; and certainly they are monsters in that part o* 
 Americy. I guess some of them Columbia foresters is as 
 big round as a good house ; anyhow the Ingins often live 
 in the hollow ones, and have plenty o' room to spare. 
 
 " Well, I kept dodging ' Old Grizzly, ' as I called him, then 
 and there, for two hours or more, and I calculate he was 
 mighty savage, and I mighty tired. He'd wait sometimes 
 quite slyly, for all the world like boys playing hide and 
 seek, and all at onst Old Grizzy'd make a dash to catch 
 me ; but I was too spry for him, and got behind another 
 tree afore he could make acquaintance with my skin.. 
 Then he'd stop and howl like a good'un, and seemed to 
 say, ' Why don't ye let me have my dinner off your 
 carcass ? I've arned it a-racing arter ye!' and then he'd 
 walk arter me slowly for a bit to get wind. 
 
 " Them ere big trees were precious good to dodge round ; 
 but I found I couldn't get up 'em all I tried ; they were 
 too large in girth. So, thinks I, if this game goes on 
 he'll tire me out ; and night's coming on, and then I'm a 
 lost nigger, and there'll be a shanty to let. 
 
 " Well, I began calculating and considering what I'd do 
 to get rid of Old Grizzly. So I thought of the 'coon I'd 
 shot and left when the bar followed me first of all. I 
 dodged and dodged until I reached the spot. I then 
 unwound a thick rope I had round my waist, and which 
 we lumberers use in our work, and made a good noose. 
 The bar all this while was a raging arter me like mad, 
 and onst or twice vary nearly had me ; for I stumbled over 
 the rope, as I was a-speculating how I'd come over him 
 an inch or two more and he'd made mince meat o' me. 
 Well, I chucked the 'coon down, and watched what Old 
 Grizzly would do. He went up to it, smelt and smelt, 
 and then raised his head, to look arter me I suppose, 
 keeping one paw on the 'coon. ' Now or never, Jim,' 
 says I to myself, and I threw the rope like what them 
 Mexicans calls a lasso over his neck; and then racing 
 round and round,, a tree, fastened him tight enough* 
 
13 
 
 My word, didn't lie rage and try to bite tlie rope ; and 
 sartainly he would have done it, had I gin him time. 
 But I loaded my rifle, and fired at him point blank, and 
 kept on loading and firing; and, if you believe me, it 
 took seven balls afore I got the life out o' him. I'd a 
 famous skin for winter nights, and no end of bar's 
 grease. That's how I tackled Old Grizzly. 
 
 Jim Bolton received his meed of applause ; and his 
 face was soon half buried in the can. 
 
 " The Mormon" as a light, wiry, tailor-looking man 
 was termed was next called upon for a yarn. He rose 
 to his feet, and, like an orator, with arm outstretched, 
 thus addressed the others, first smoothing a head of 
 unkempt hair " I'll tell ye about 
 
 A FIGHT WITH INDIANS AND BUFFALOES ; 
 
 and I did ought to know a leetle about them ere buff'los, 
 I calculate, and them Ingins ail-so, seeing as I've lived 
 pretty welly five year among 'em. It arn't a very com 
 fortable ex-is -tence, as some on ye knows, till ye gits 
 used to it ; it tries your narvous system above a bit. The 
 first month I camped out, I never any night slept a dozen 
 winks barely without rising and peering round, and 
 fancying all sorts o' things were arter me. 
 
 You see I was on my own hook ; I'd joined a party of 
 the Saints, as they call themselves , though I'm a think 
 ing, if every one knew as much of their goings on as I do, 
 they'd give them ere Saints another name. But that's 
 nayther here nor there there's good and bad o' all sorts ; 
 and perhaps I only come across the worse of them Mor 
 mons. Anyhow, after I'd travelled some weeks with 'em, 
 and larnt more than I know'd afore of their precious 
 system of poly-game-eye, as they calls it giving half-a- 
 dozen wives to one fellow, as if one wern't enough to 
 plague most men's lives out o' 'em 1 ! I ups to one o' 
 the alders, as they calls 'em, and says I, " Brother Heze- 
 kiah, ex-cuse me, but I wish you'd enlighten me a bit 
 about this poly-game-eye of yourn. I never yeard in the 
 States that a Saint was obligated to take and keep half-a- 
 
14 
 
 dozen Salt Lake gals," says I. "I've come on my own 
 hook, to save money, as well as my soul ; and if I'm com- 
 pulsinatedto support a whole house full o' wimen," says I, 
 " out o' my hard yearnings, why, I won't be a Saint no- 
 longer ; I'll turn sinner again," says I; " I'll cave in, 
 and skedaddle." 
 
 " Where to ? " says he, looking vicious. " Take care i 
 the wicked one is a-tempting of you to doubt our blessed 
 religion," says he, and he shook his finger at me; " yourn 
 will be the fate of Hagar in the wilderness. You're a 
 thousand miles away from the nearest settlement in Kan 
 sas," says he. " Keep your doubts to yourself, or you'll 
 be cut off from the assembly of the faithful, like a rotten 
 branch, or an unsound sheep," says he, " to save the rest. 
 To doubt is to sin. Poly-game-eye is ordained from 
 the time o' Solomon," says he; " and if you say a word 
 agin it, you're no longer a Latter Day Saint, but a Gentile 
 one of the congregation of Satan, an unbeliever, and a 
 despiser," says he, " and your last fate will be worse than 
 your first," says he ; and he again shook his finger at me, 
 and with a scowl he left me. 
 
 "Well, I was in a fix ! I'd left a pretty good berth in 
 Illinois to join the Saints : I know'd little or nothing of 
 their creed. I went on 'spec, to better myself in Utah, 
 the Holy Land, as they calls it ; and now to find I was 
 obligated to have half-a-dozen ugly, sallow-faced, canting 
 Mormon wimen tacked to me for life, and to support and 
 feed, says I, " I won't do it." I'd left a nice, little, rosy- 
 faced crittur behind me, and I'd promised I'd have her 
 when I'd saved a few hundred dollars to sit us up ; so, 
 says I, " I'll leave the whole precious lot afore I goes 
 any further ; for if they onst gits me to the Salt Lake, 
 and them Mormon wimen sees me, I'm booked, and I'll 
 have to work like a horse to keep 'em." So I made up 
 my mind to de-camp as soon as possible. An overland 
 party to Californy was making their way a hundred miles 
 or so west of us, and a scout of them had come across 
 us. 
 
 I'd tipped him a word or two of my intention, and he 
 promised to wait for me next night in the woods. I 
 
15 
 
 hadn't many traps with me ; I left part, and only took a 
 six-barrelled revolver, a bowie, and some parcels of 
 biscuits, and coffee, and sugar, and a change o' shirts 
 and stockings. I tied all these in a bundle ; and, after 
 the Saints had sung their last hymn, and read a chapter 
 or two from the Book o' Mormon, and turned in full o' 
 piety and pumkin pie, I turned out without blessing the 
 precious lot, and made for the forest. 
 
 The scout, a half-bred un, called "Bed Eiver Jack," 
 was a-waiting forme ; and, says he, " You'll have to make 
 tracks pretty sharp, for them Saints think nothing o' 
 sending a ball through a fellow's skull as deserts 'em." 
 Wai, we walked all that blessed night, the moon shining 
 by fits and starts, and givin' us a little idear of our right 
 way. We had gone welly nigh thirty mile, I'm sartin, 
 and the sun was a breaking over the plains, just, for all 
 the world, as ye know, like it do over the great oshun ; 
 when the half-bred un, says he, touching my shoulder, 
 " Hish ! lie down ! " says he ; " guess there's Ingins close 
 to us." I warn't long in stretching meself on the turf, 
 you may be sartin. 
 
 A clump of trees was on our right, and a big bluff in 
 our front, " Follow me," whispered Red River Jack; 
 and he crawled like a sarpent along the ground till he 
 reached the bushes, and got into the middle of 'em. I 
 did the same ; and then he pointed out into the open, 
 t'other side o' the bluff; and there, sure enough, was six 
 Ingins in their war-paint, five of 'em asleep round a fire. 
 Jack had seen the smoke ; and one sitting up, and tip 
 ping his arrows with poison, may be, as them varmints 
 does generally in them parts. Fortunately the sun shone 
 from us upon the Ingin, and he had his back to us. Still 
 he didn't seem satisfied like. He got up slowly and care 
 less like, as them Ingins does, as if nothing was the matter 
 at all, and peered, and looked all round, and fixed his eyes 
 on the bushes, though he nivir seemed to take a bit o' 
 notice, and went on pointing his arrows as before. We 
 kept as still as mice ; the Ingin seemed content, and sat 
 down agin. 
 
 Wasn't I skeered though ! I wished myself back with 
 
16 
 
 the Saints twenty times in a minute ; for them Ked Skins 
 is ferocious, and they'd tear your hair off your head, 
 they're so jealous, becas them is like horse-hair, and ourn 
 is so much finer ! They call it scalping, ye know ; and it 
 ain't a pleasant way at all to get your head barbered, I 
 can assure ye ; but that's nayther here nor there. 
 
 Whilst I was a-lying, a-waiting for them varmints to 
 walk their chalks, if they ever meant it, I never wanted 
 to cough so bad in all my life as I did then. I rammed 
 my neckerchief into my mouth ; I was amost choking. 
 I did at last make some noise ; for the Ingin slowly got 
 up, and peering and peering again like he did afore, 
 indifferent like, he touched the other Ingins quite gently. 
 Tiey all sot up, natural like, as just waking out o' sleep, 
 and they listened and listened, and the first Ingin I see 
 point his finger our way. They all slowly took their 
 arms, and turned to go, quite unconcerned like. 
 
 " Now," whispered Eed Kiver Jack, " we must fight and 
 run for it. Two of them Ingins has been in a scrimmage, 
 and is wounded, I see ; they can't run fast, and they've 
 nothing but bows, and arrows, and tomahawks. They've 
 heard you cough, that's sartin. Cover that big un with 
 your revolver, and I'll shoot the thin un ; mind you hit 
 my gun never misses." . 
 
 The Ingins came on ; we rose up quick as lightning and 
 fired at 'em. I missed Jack hit one, and then we raced 
 up the bluff side, two or three arrows flying harmlessly 
 over our heads. Jack loaded as he ran, and the Ingins 
 came after us like mad, whooping in a most horrid way, 
 that made my blood run cold. 
 
 " Fire again, and don't miss this time," shouted Jack ; 
 I did fire I fired twice, and missed both times I'm 
 blessed 'tis true. Bother them plaguy revolvers, I could 
 have hit with a gun ! 
 
 A great Ingin now seized me, and dashed me down ; I 
 rolled to the bottom of the bluff, and into the bushes 
 again. I heard Jack fire again, and a long screech 
 followed. I got up and looked about ; my shoulder 
 pained me very much, but I'd no time to think o' that ; 
 I had my revolver safe, thank goodness. 
 
17 
 
 I could see Jack tearing away over the prairie, and 
 three Ingins after him two lagging behind, and one 
 racing him hard. On the bluif lay the big Ingin who had 
 struck me ; he was quite dead ; and another Ingin was 
 crawling along back to the fire, blood flowing from his- 
 side very fast. I thought onst, " I'll kill him, and make 
 sure of him;" then thinks I, "I won't; he's wounded 
 mortal, may be ; I'll leave him alone, and help Jack." 
 And then I tore arter the Ingins, a-shouting and a-hol- 
 lov ing like mad. They heerd me and stopped, and this 
 saved Jack; for he was worn out, and could'nt load 
 again, they raced him so ; and the foremost Ingin had a 
 poisoned arrow ready to shoot him. The first Ingin now 
 stood still, to allow the other Ingins to come up, and they 
 began whispering and pointing. 
 
 I took a long circuit and joined Jack, when he motioned 
 me to be silent and lie down, and he did the same. He 
 then looked steadily westward ; I did the same, and, sure 
 enough, we saw a sight enough to frighten the best dare- 
 divil that ivir left a good home to live like a beast in 
 those wild deserts of the west. At least twenty more 
 Ingins, in their war-paint, was a-coming over the prairies,, 
 and jist in the very way we meant to go ! The sun shone 
 upon their faces, and they did not see us for a minute or 
 two ; nor did the other Ingins see 'em at onst a-coming. 
 But these varmint have the eyes and ears of grizzly bars 
 or jaguers, and niver miss a chance their natural gifts 
 can give 'em. 
 
 A whoop, a sign, and the new-corned Ingins knew what 
 they'd to do in a minute. They scattered to surround us. 
 "Now," says Red Eiver Jack, "hope's gone; let's die 
 bravely." I'll tell the truth. I couldn't die bravely. I 
 would fight and do my best, but I trembled above a bit 
 as the cunning varmints came nearer and nearer, and 
 our old enemies moved towards us in t'other direction. 
 They saw we had firearms, and they noticed the signs 
 made, I dare say, of our having killed one and wounded 
 another ; and the Ingins, in them parts, at that time, 
 didn't like the smell o' powder. Anyhow they all walkd 
 cautious like to make sure on us, without losing any 
 
18 
 
 pore. I could only see bows and arrows, and tomahawks, 
 in their hands. 
 
 They came on on. I could see their glittering eye 
 balls, looking like demons at us, and thinking of the fine 
 scalps they'd get, no doubt. Jack says, when I spoke of 
 running, " It's no go ; we must die, and may as well die 
 Jiere as elsewhere," says he. They came on on. Jack 
 had his gun to his shoulder, to secure one at least. I 
 had my finger on the trigger of my revolver ; we were 
 resolved to sell our lives as dear as we could. They were 
 within twenty yard of us, or may be less, when, all of a 
 suddent, the whole of the Ingin varmints turned tail and 
 ran, helter skelter, as if for their lives. 
 
 " What's up, now ?" says I, mighty relieved, but taken 
 aback like. 
 
 "Hark!" says Eed Kiver Jack; "do you hear that 
 sound?" And, sure enough, there was a sound, a-coming 
 on the wind, like far-off thunder, and drawing nearer and 
 nearer. 
 
 "Is it a storm brewing?" says I; but thinking it 
 strange them wild fellows of savages should run from a 
 ducking when a-washing would have done 'em good ! 
 
 "I wish it was a storm," says he, " and them Ingins 
 faraway. It's worse nor ten storms," says he; "it's mil 
 lions of millions of buff'los a-coming upon us, and we'll 
 be trampled to death 'neath their hoofs," says he. " Them 
 Ingins are making for the hills over yonder ; that's their 
 only chance. If we folly 'em, they'll scalp us ; if we stop 
 here, we'll be crushed into pancakes by them buff'los. 
 "We're in for it either way, and cannot live long. See, 
 they come!" 
 
 And, not very far off, I seed oshuns upon oshuns of 
 black manes tossing up, and wildly rushing upon us. 
 They stretched away, away, as far as ivir I could see. 
 They looked horrid, like an army of infernal ones ; clouds 
 of dust, and the smoke of their breaths and their sweat, 
 was all around them ; and the very ground seemed to 
 shake under 'em as they tore along. I thought of home, 
 and mother, and Jane; and if ever I prayed, I prayed 
 then ; for I felt worse dying this way, somehow, than 
 
19 
 
 fightin the Ingins it seemed more unnatral like; and 
 whin you fight, it keeps your blood a-moving, and you 
 havn't time to think much, except how to give and take. 
 
 Wai, my eyes was on the buff'los, but my thoughts was 
 far away, when Jack calls out, " Kun for the bluff, friend 
 we may be saved yet ! " And he sat off like greased 
 lightning for the small hill where we had first seen the 
 Ingins. I followed we raced up it and, as we got atop, 
 thousands upon thousands of buff'los tore round the bluff, 
 making way for it, like an island in the great waves of 
 the sea, and rushing headlong on. We saw the wounded 
 Indian, who had crawled to the fire, trampled on; then 
 tossed high up on the buff'los' heads and backs, from one 
 to another, 'till he fell cross ways, dead, no doubt, on a 
 big un, which raced madly on with the crushed-up body. 
 For a time none of the animals tried to mount the bluff; 
 they seemed tired and worn out ; and when a man, or a 
 beast, is tired, every little extra work is a bother to him. 
 So they went on each side of us, and glad we were they 
 did. 
 
 At last a great bull, with a monster of a shaggy head, 
 came a-galloping up at full speed like, followed by a score 
 of others. " Now for life or death ! " says Jack ; and he 
 lets fly right in the bull's face. I fired my three barrels 
 all- so and mercy ! the great brute fell dead at our feet. 
 It was all done in a moment the cows a-following were 
 scared, and they turned tail down the slope. 
 
 One or two others came up afterwards ; but we crept 
 close under the great bull, and they passed us at a run. 
 For hours the herds went on, and then they left us in 
 silence again the wide plains all to ourselves. We was 
 saved that time ! 
 
 Another night, may be, if ye '11 let me, I'll tell ye some 
 other close shaves I've had for my life, and of poor Bed 
 Eiver Jack's horrid death. 
 
 " The Mormon" was thanked, and all expressed a desire 
 to hear his further adventures another time. 
 
 Then a unanimous demand for a story was made upon 
 a third member of the party. This was a middle-sized, 
 
20 
 
 sallow-faced, solemn-looking young man, whose deep 
 hazel eyes and whiskerless face bore the impress of much 
 sensibility and of settled melancholy. 
 
 He was addressed as Dubois, and, from his speech and 
 looks, was evidently a French Canadian. 
 
 He began his tale, which I shall entitle, 
 
 " THE FKENCH CANADIAN'S DEATH WAKNING," 
 
 as follows : Messieurs, You will hardly me credit, I know, 
 what I say, but it is true. You have me ask why I so 
 solemn look ? I will you it tell. 
 
 Two years ago, no one happier than Jean Dubois ; now 
 no one more miserable than he. I had then friends, 
 relations, a wife. They are all gone ; I am alone. Death 
 in many ways come. By accident, by sickness, by fire, 
 by the Indian sauvage, one by one, I lose all mes amis, 
 my friends, mes relations. But I one had left, and she up 
 made for all. It was my wife. Messieurs, I am young ; 
 she was young, and good, and excellente, and innocent, 
 and pure as these prairie flowers at my hand; oui, sweet 
 and modest as them. 
 
 When I did grieve for the gone, I did rejoice at the 
 found ; when I weep for the dead, my heart laugh for the 
 living ; and the same breath was sorry and was glad. 
 
 But I was happy more than sad ; for when I see 
 Marie's blue eye, it was too like the heaven for me over 
 much to lament for them beneath the earth ! When I 
 did shed a tear for them at rest, she me would say, 
 "Have you not me? If you not smile, I perhaps go 
 too !" And when I see Marie so happy and so gay, and 
 try my soul out of the dust to raise, I could not her 
 trouble with my looks triste and sorrowful. But I can not 
 stop where I lose my parents, my friends, and I cannot 
 leave my only one. What can I do ? Civilization I am 
 going from, our cottage, our jardin, our fields I leave ; 
 I sell, I go to the grand Company of the Hudson's Bay, 
 far off over wild country, by forests, by lakes, by deserts. 
 Shall Marie go ? My friends, her mother, her sceurs, my 
 conscience say, "No." It is sin, it is shame, her to take 
 to a land yet sauvage wait, make de Vargent^ money, 
 
21 
 
 come back in year or two, fresh settle, and happy be with 
 Marie in pleasant pays, country, and civilization. 
 
 But Marie, poor thing, and my heart poorer tiling 
 say " Yes ! " Let her go ! You alone go ; she miserable, 
 you miserable ; take her, le bon Dieu, everywhere in 
 desert, too. He will protect. 
 
 And I her take, and I try all for her make happy. And 
 now we change she unhappy, I gay, for I her had, and 
 she all was to me. She cry to leave home and mother, 
 and ses amies ; I laugh in my heart I now have no father, 
 no mother, no relations, and I have them all in her ma 
 Marie. Bien ! We travel far, but travel slow. We halt, we 
 miss road, we turn, we get on lake, far, far away. Marie 
 half lie, half sit, in small canoe ; I, and two voyageurs, all 
 there. I look at her face, sleeping so fair, so young. I 
 joy in her beauty, I joy in her love ; I thank le bon Dieu 
 she come. 
 
 By mountains, by forests, by rocks, by deserts, we on 
 pass. No foot mortal, mes voyageurs say, ever come near 
 this great wood, with trees mighty as the fable giants 
 grande, beautiful, manifique. 
 
 "How no foot?" I ask. " There are people, there is 
 house, there is church ! Wherefore if not that bell toll ?" 
 And I hear, mon Dieu, plain plain as now my own voice 
 I hear a bell toll for the dead ! 
 
 They say it fancy; it no fancy I it hear plain plain 
 as I hear now that thunder distant, far away ! They laugh, 
 Marie awake, and laugh too, and say I dream I dream 
 not I wake, too wake ! Too quick I hear that message ; 
 but I muse, I say nothing more ! 
 
 By mountains, by forests, by rocks, by meadows, we on 
 pass. We draw near the other side, a woody bank, to 
 land. Mes voyageurs cry out, " The Indians ! the In 
 dians ! " They come, they fire, we push off ah ! but too 
 late ! I cover Marie, but a shot her bosom pierces her 
 blood flows all me over, as we away row. 
 
 She died, and my heart died with her ! I walk, I eat, 
 I sleep, but always I hear that forest bell where foot 
 mortal never trod ; and I, too, no more soon shall be ! 
 As the Canadian finished his story with a deep sigh, all 
 
22 
 
 felt for him. Those Far- West travellers have Death too 
 often near them to fear him, but they can feel for the 
 bereavements of another; and rough as they are, they 
 have often good, and kind, and humane hearts. 
 
 After a pause of a few minutes, and a replenishing of 
 pipes and cans, Bob Garside, an Englishman and evi- 
 idently, from his burly form and rosy complexion, a recent 
 importation into the States was called upon to contri 
 bute his share to the amusement of the evening. He 
 complied at once, and good humouredly said he would 
 give them 
 
 " A BRITISHER'S STORIES OF A EOYAL TIGER HUNT, AND A 
 SKIRMISH WITH NEW ZEALANDERS." 
 
 I am not in the habit of spinning yarns, he began : I 
 don't belong to this country I'm a Britisher, as you call 
 us ; but -when I was in the real Indies or, as we call 
 them, the East Indies I did see a few things would 
 astonish some of you. 
 
 You see the East Indies are not at all like the West 
 Indies; and our Indians are as different from your Indians of 
 the West here, as the animals of the two countries are dif 
 ferent from each other. You have the neat-looking, wiry 
 jaguer we've the heavy monster of a Bengal tiger; you've 
 the racoon and such like we've in those parts real man- 
 monkeys. Your grizzly bears and buffaloes are woppers 
 certainly, but they can't come up to our Indian elephants. 
 The natives are just as varied, but yours are a finer set 
 generally than ours ; they have more pluck and hardi 
 hood. Them Bengal fellows especially often cry quarter 
 before they're half fairly in a fight ; and this your mocas- 
 sined red chaps won't do anyhow, as I hear. There's 
 not much to choose between them in cruelty and treachery, 
 as our Sepoy mutiny showed plainly. 
 
 I went out to India to assist in surveying a railway 
 they were about making across the country. A portion of 
 the way it was to run through thick jungles, full of tigers 
 and wild beasts, like your Pacific line is carried through 
 the Buffalo Plains. Those Koyal Bengal tigers are not to 
 
23 ^~ 
 
 be sneezed at, I assure you. If you ever go into York 
 shire, the empire county of Old England, where I come 
 from, you'll see in the Museum at Leeds a monster of a 
 brute killed by Colonel Reid ; and we saw several quite as 
 large. They came prowling and watching about, evidently 
 puzzled at what we were up to. The night's their favourite 
 time ; for those tigers are like cats, and see best after 
 dark. We kept up good fires, and the men had orders 
 not to go far from their huts after sunset ; but such orders 
 are seldom well kept by the young and hardy. Our 
 English chaps liked to show off before the natives 
 rather a cowardly set and do all sorts of hair-brained 
 and foolish things. The black beautiesj too, smiled and 
 showed their white teeth at our games, and this encouraged 
 our fellows to perform all sorts of outlandish antics the 
 darkies were afraid to attempt. Nothing would do for 
 them but to organize a tiger hunt on a large scale. I was 
 asked to make one, and could not well refuse. 
 
 We had a very odd collection of weapons to use against 
 such a formidable customer as a Bengal tiger. Our ar 
 moury consisted of a rifle or two, half-a-dozen fowling 
 pieces and pistols, and a few swords and spears. Some 
 even came armed with bars of iron, pickaxes, hatchets, 
 and shovels ! I don't think such a hunting-party ever 
 set out before. A number of darkies followed in the rear ; 
 and an old Sepoy sergeant, Topee we called him, volun 
 teered to show us where a great tiger and tigress had 
 made their lair. Between them they had carried off, in 
 the space of a few months, fifty bullocks, three men, eight 
 women, and eleven children ; and the poor people, for . 
 miles around, were afraid to go to their rice-fields or 
 fetch water. The native post dawhs had double guards 
 that way, and torches blazing before them, and they went 
 on the run. So we thought if we could rid the country 
 of such pests we'd be doing good ; and what Englishmen 
 ought to do in a land they rule. 
 
 To help the poor benighted villagers, was doing what 
 any of you would do to aid a settler who was plagued 
 with a grizzly, eating his honey and live stock. So we 
 went off in good heart, each of us determined to do his 
 
24 
 
 duty, and destroy the man-eating beasts. Most of ns 
 didn't know, however, what desperate animals we'd got 
 to deal with; for when those tigers once taste human 
 flesh, they take such a liking to it, that they'll have it 
 wherever they can get it ; and they'll dare anything to 
 obtain their relishing food, and tit bits off man, woman, or 
 child. On we went through a great belt of jungle, so thick 
 that we had to follow each other along the narrow path 
 way, one by one Indian file, as you call it. The best 
 armed went first, and a tag-rag-and-bobtail of all sorts 
 followed behind. Topee once or twice pointed to some 
 of these heroes, and said, "No good, send back." but they 
 would'nt go back ; and as our leaders thought they all 
 might be useful to beat the grass, or woods, we let them 
 come on. Topee kept grumbling and growling over this 
 folly all the way. 
 
 After a time we reached a space of open country, bor 
 dering a broad stream. Our path now lay through tall 
 grass, and our guide counselled caution and silence. 
 One of our surveyors on the railroad had built a fine 
 bungalow close to where we passed, and had laid out 
 gardens along the banks of the river. The fear of the 
 tigers, and other wild animals and venomous reptiles, had 
 driven him and his family away to Calcutta, and the 
 whole place was fast going to ruin. The natives had 
 gutted the house, and carried off the garden gates and 
 many bricks from the walls. It seemed now just the 
 place for all descriptions of wild creatures to resort to ;. 
 and as we passed, we walked carefully and without 
 speaking. Topee now told us to spread out in a semi 
 circle, and approach the path leading round the walls to 
 the river side the resort of many animals during the 
 intense heat. We had scarcely done so, when, with a 
 roar I shall never forget, the two immense brutes, tiger 
 and tigress, we were in search of charged from the 
 garden right into the midst of us. It was a grand and 
 appalling sight as they sprang forward, their tawny backs, 
 black stripes, and white bellies glistening in the sun 
 beams ; and fear, imagination, and surprise making their 
 fierce, open jaws seem larger and more awful than they 
 
25 
 
 really were : there was no need for this ! It was now 
 " save yourselves who can !" A few stood their 
 .ground, and fired at the royal beasts as they dashed on ; 
 but it was without effect. The chief part of the hunters 
 fled to the river banks, and in such haste and consterna 
 tion, that several fell into the water, which is deep and 
 rapid at this part. One of them a fat, unwieldy, middle- 
 aged man, who had flourished an old horse-pistol all the 
 way along, vowing " to exterminate the vile man-eating 
 wretches" had stuck in the mud, and, with only his 
 head and shoulders above water, was crying piteously for 
 help, and conjuring us not to let the tigers come his way. 
 " Kill 'em, boys," he shouted; " keep 'em off, boys cut 
 'em up, don't be afraid, they're only big cats take me 
 out o' this, or I'll be drowned some of ye get a boat." 
 At last he called aloud, " Save me, never mind the 
 beasts, save a Christian !" and his cries were heard above 
 all the noise and confusion, and confusion there was 
 worse confounded ! 
 
 The tigers, scared for a time at our numbers, shouts, 
 and the discharge of fire-arms, had retreated into the tall 
 grass, and there lay crouched at no great distance. Topee, 
 indeed, pointed out the very spot. 
 
 We rescued our fat friend, and could not forbear joking 
 him about his courage his horse-pistol had gone to the 
 bottom of the river ; and also got several others safe to 
 land. We then drew up near the deserted bungalow, to 
 concert what new measures we should take. We had not 
 long to consider. The tigers made up their mm&s first ; and 
 coming down upon us in a grand charge, scattered the 
 crowd right and left as before. Most of them rallied 
 though ; and all who had firearms of any kind kept up a 
 quick discharge upon the brutes, the effect of which was 
 seen in blood marks upon their sides. With sensations 
 of horror we were soon, however, forced to cease firing. 
 
 The huge beasts had not charged for nothing. They 
 rushed amongst the retreating men ; and, singling out a 
 young native and an Englishman, employed as driver on 
 the line, bore them bodily off, as easily as a cat would 
 carry a mouse ! An appalling shriek for help burst from 
 
26 
 
 both the unfortunate fellows ; and we attacked the tigers 
 with every weapon we possessed as they dashed past us. 
 It was all useless they were away in an instant, and 
 bounded into the grass, and out of sight, before we could 
 reload. 
 
 We followed their track made visible by gouts of 
 blood staining the stems of grass and dull brown earth.. 
 We saw the brutes once or twice in the distance on a 
 rising ground, and heard a few last faint groans and cries 
 for help ; but after hunting about for an hour, Topee said 
 it was all over with our companions, that evening was 
 coming on, and with such a gang he would not hazard 
 more. We returned, sad and disheartened, to our huts in 
 the jungle. 
 
 The two poor fellows were never seen or heard of again. 
 Some months after, a party of English officers followed 
 up, and shot both the tiger and tigress, and a litter of 
 young ones. In their den was found a vast pile of human 
 and other bones, with the remains of a number of gar 
 ments. Our countryman's clothes formed part of the heap. 
 
 It was admitted that these animals had rarely been 
 surpassed for ferocity, and for the extent of their depre 
 dations. I don't think I need say that we railway men 
 never went hunting Eoyal Bengal tigers again ! 
 
 When the news arrived in India of the discovery of 
 gold in New Zealand, I and two of my mates made up 
 our minds to try our fortunes in that country. I went to 
 Auckland and other places, all prosperous, and springing 
 up into fine towns by degrees. Some day that land will 
 be a second England, and people will go there, rather 
 than to the sandy plains of Australia. 
 
 I found it hard work at the diggins, and not over good 
 pay. I did pretty well for a time, when loss of health 
 made me give up. j| 
 
 I went to a farm-house to rest, and get my strength up 
 again. Whilst I was staying there, the Maories, as they 
 call the natives, broke out in rebellion; and, like your 
 Bed Men, they showed no mercy to any white man they 
 came across. I won't repeat the tales I heard of their- 
 doings. They are worse than your Indians in some things.. 
 
27 
 
 The New Zealanders were cannibals in the old times, and 
 many are cannibals now, and they have horribly shown it 
 in the treatment of some of their white prisoners. 
 
 The priests, called Yohungas, and who hate the Chris 
 tians because they take their influence away, started a 
 new religion, " Pai Marire" they call it ; and having been, 
 taught to read the Bible, they apply many passages in 
 the Old Testament to their own case, and say they are 
 like the Jews, oppressed and driven out of their land; 
 and it is curious they spare all the Jewish people they 
 take prisoners, and make much of them ! 
 
 The natives there have got a plan it is well your In 
 dians havn't learned. It's a way of making strong forti 
 fications of trees and earth works, called pa hs. Some of 
 these places are immensely strong ; and, when defended 
 by desperate men, the Queen's regulars have been beaten 
 before them. It needs cannon to force them properly.. 
 Those New Zealanders do fight plaguey well, I assure you. 
 They'll die hard ; and they must die, if civilising them is 
 impossible. The white settlers want their land that's 
 the bone ; and, sooner or later, they'll get it, and the old 
 race, like your Eed Indians, will be exterminated. It 
 appears cruel, doesn't it ? but it seems like a fate a 
 law and cannot be avoided, as far as I see, especially 
 when the natives turn murdering, and burning, and rob 
 bing all before them. Self-preservation, then, makes the 
 whites retaliate. 
 
 A company of volunteers for the war had been enrolled, 
 in the neighbourhood where I was stopping. They were 
 to join other companies of settlers, and proceed to rout 
 out some Maories who were lurking in the bush, about 
 twenty miles away from the settlements. I felt better, 
 and wanted excitement and exercise, and I agreed to 
 make one of the party. We were lightly equipped, armed 
 with good rifles, and started one fine morning upon our 
 expedition in the best of spirits. 
 
 New Zealand is a country of mountains, rivers, and 
 forests ; and a great part of the surface, in many districts,, 
 is covered with a dense growth of tall thick ferns and 
 other plants. These afforded excellent, shelter for tha. 
 
28 
 
 rebels, and it was a difficult matter to find their detached 
 parties. We went -on at first very cautiously, knowing the 
 sort of enemy we had to deal with. We marched in ex 
 tended form, but well within reach of word of command 
 or bugle call. We had learnt that a pah had been built in 
 our neighbourhood, but of this we were not quite certain. 
 For some hours we marched on, and saw and heard 
 nothing. At about the tenth mile of our march, we came 
 quite suddenly upon a young Maori boy asleep, or pre 
 tending to be asleep. His surprise and resistance, when 
 we seized him, were so natural, that we thought we 
 had taken him unawares. "Pakeha! Paheka!" he 
 screamed out ; then, " Let go, let go !" They most of 
 them have some English words ; and he struggled to get 
 free. After a time, however, he went on quietly enough, 
 and did not seem anxious to escape. In reply to our 
 questions, he made us understand that he had lost his 
 way. " Maori all go, long way over there," said he, 
 pointing north. " Pah empty!" he showed this partly 
 by signs. " Maori sorry, no fight, all go, no more 
 come !" and he led us to believe that the natives had left 
 that part of the country. He told us after a time that, 
 if we unbound him and treated him well, he would stop 
 with us, as his friends were " all away far." He seemed 
 so simple and artless, we believed him and untied the 
 rope we had bound him with, and, putting a guard over 
 him, let him march with us. Before another mile, 
 however, the young rascal had sloped, and it was vain to 
 seek him in the high thick undergrowth of ferns. This 
 ought to have put us on our guard ; but it did not. We 
 were full of reaching and destroying the deserted pah, for 
 we still trusted the boy's word, and we thought this 
 would begin the campaign well, the pahs being the strong 
 holds of the natives. 
 
 We marched on rather carelessly, smoking and talking 
 as we went. After proceeding on a few miles we came to 
 a kind of deep ravine, a considerable distance across, and 
 on the opposite bank, partially surrounded by a belt of 
 pine trees, stood the native pali. It was formed of trees 
 driven deep into the ground, with a trench and bank in 
 
29 
 
 front* It had inlicli the look of the dams we form when 
 making bridges across a river. 
 
 We watched it narrowly for some little time through 
 our glasses. We could see numerous loopholes, but every 
 thing was as silent as death not a sight, not a sound, to 
 show that a single native was within! "It's empty 
 they're gone, sure enough!" was the cry of our men; 
 and, despite the bugle calls, and their officers' commands 
 our recruits were new to soldiering, and didn't under 
 stand obeying orders ! the -great bulk of the volunteers 
 rushed towards the pah " to see who would get in 
 first," as they shouted. They paid dearly for their fool 
 ish conduct. 
 
 Our men had got down the slope, and were clambering 
 the other side of the ascent by two's and three's ; when, 
 to our astonishment, a fire of rifles was opened from 
 twenty different parts of the pah, and the heads of two 
 Queen's soldiers were hoisted high above the defences on 
 poles, while a deep, unearthly yell of defiance arose from 
 the interior. Three of our fellows fell dead, or danger 
 ously wounded, at once ; the others fled back, many of 
 them hit more or less seriously, blood flowing fast from 
 their wounds. In an instant the New Zealanders were 
 out with clubs and knives. They cut the heads off the 
 dead, and held them up to us, yelling like fiends our 
 drooping fire only wounding one of them. They were 
 proceeding to further mutilate our unfortunate comrades, 
 when a chief stopped them, and led them on after our 
 retreating men. 
 
 Our commander had seen some service. He soon rallied 
 our men, kept them well in hand, and seeing that nothing 
 could be done against the pah with our small force, ordered 
 a retreat at the double. Then suddenly half our number 
 were ordered to lie down amid the fern, whilst the rest 
 were told to continue their retreat, seemingly in all the 
 terror of unexpected defeat. The Maories came running 
 on, with confused shouts and imprecations, so full of the 
 pursuit as to neglect any precautions. At the bugle's 
 sound our companions turned, and we arose ; and then 
 we paid the murderous savages for their cruelty and 
 
30 
 
 treachery. Between two fires they fell fast; and not 
 liking this sort of fighting, they all fell upon the body I 
 was with and tried to force their way back. We had 
 desperate, close-quarter fighting. 
 
 They are fine, tall, powerful fellows, those Maories 
 like the ancient Britons, I should fancy. 
 
 " When wild in woods the noble savage ran ! " 
 
 as .somebody says of the natives of Britannia in the old 
 days. And they fought well, they did; but clubs and 
 spears won't do against the bayonet, and this the New 
 Zealanders soon found. 
 
 Expecting an easy victory, they had left most of their 
 rifles behind in thepah, and now several of their bravest and 
 best warriors fell before our charges. But they fought on 
 desperately and fiercely. A chief set on me, and gave 
 me to begin with a crack across the head, the mark of 
 which, you see, I shall carry to my grave. I nearly fell 
 stunned, but rallied and struck him with my bayonet on 
 the shoulder. Another blow broke my weapon in half. 
 I clubbed my rifle, and struck at him with the but- 
 end. With a third blow from a huge carved club he 
 carried, he knocked my rifle clean out of my hands ; and 
 we then grappled in a death struggle. He was too 
 powerful for me, just recovering as I was from a long 
 sickness. He drew his knife. I tried to clasp his arm 
 I could not my last hour seemed approaching, when one 
 of our fellows put his rifle to my antagonist's ear, and 
 literally blew his head to pieces ! 
 
 Our comrades from the front now came up, firing and 
 cheering; and we drove the whole lot of the Maories 
 back down the ravine, and into their pah at the double. 
 They left saven killed, and nine wounded upon the field. 
 Our loss in all was five killed and eleven wounded, several 
 only slightly. Their wounded we carefully tended like 
 our own, and a surgeon with us saw the dangerous cases 
 were relieved as far as his means at command would 
 allow. We left them with water and food, in a position 
 where the Maories would soon find them, and began our 
 march back. We thus showed them that Christians were 
 
31 
 
 above killing their defenceless enemies. I hope the 
 lesson did them good ; but I doubt it, for they're a blood 
 thirsty lot. 
 
 I left New Zealand next year for San Francisco, and 
 then came east to these parts. That is all, gentlemen, I 
 can tell you now. 
 
 " The Britisher" was thanked ; and a good many ques 
 tions were asked him about New Zealand. Some of the 
 Americans seemed to think it might be a good " spec" 
 going there ; others said, " There was enough land under 
 ' the stars and stripes ' to satisfy any reasonable mortal 
 without going further." 
 
 The discussion was interrupted by Jim Bolton crying 
 out, " I declare if that nigger Pompey ain't a-sneaking off, 
 and it's his turn to give us a yarn. Stop him ! stop him ! " 
 A general chase now took place after the black man, and 
 he was brought laughingly back, and told he must tell a 
 story or take some awful consequences, the nature of 
 which they would not reveal to him. Thus compelled, 
 the negro sat down and began. 
 
 " A NEGRO'S TALE OF A TAIL." 
 
 Oh golly! what's dis child .to do? He's not up to 
 nothing o' dis sort ; he's niver had no 'ventures. Oh, he ! 
 oh, hi ! oh, ho ! dat's it ! 
 
 " Pull him tail, pull him tail, 
 'Possum up a gum-tree." 
 
 I got him ! no, I arn't ! Der now he's gone slick out 
 o' dis nigger's wool ! Let me tink. 
 
 " Pull him tail, pull him tail ! " 
 
 I got him now fast ! We was reared in de old times, 
 before all men free in dat part o' 'Mericy dey call Virginy. 
 Massa ver good man. We slaves, but we no slaves ; we 
 work, but we no work. If we slope into de woods, if we 
 go sleep in de sun, massa say, " No flogee, no 'low it, 
 'gainst my conshunce!" And he talkee to us " to make 
 us good and 'bedient, and say our prayers, and work, wid 
 ao eye on us," he say. But laws, when you're young and 
 giddy, massa's sarmons* ain't a much good; we tink 
 
 B 
 
32 
 
 minister's sarmons at chapel quite enuf. So I nearly 
 choke trying to stop laffin ; and I nudge de yellow gals 
 to make 'em laf tu, when old massa was a sarmoning. 
 He make us sit down, and he in de front on de chair, and 
 talkee, talkee, till we in fits amost to git away, and roll 
 on de grass and laf. 
 
 " You, my sarvants," he say, " I wish to makee you 
 good, not idle, not lazy, not bad-for- something, like that 
 Pompey (dat's me !) What will he say whin he come die? " 
 And massa wait for a answer like, and look at us wid all 
 him eyes. 
 
 "He say, massa," says a little pickaninny just at him 
 feet 
 
 " Pull him tail, pull him tail, 
 'Possum up a gum-tree." 
 
 And den de long shut-up laf come at last, and we all roar, 
 and massa heself must laf tu ! 
 
 But he soon look sarus again ; and he say loud, wid 
 him hand up, " No ! Pompey no say 
 " Pull him tail, pull him tail, 
 'Possum up a gum-tree ! 
 
 " He no see 'possum at all ; but de big, ugly, blacky-white 
 man, wid de long tail, and de great horns, and de fiery 
 eye ; him no pull him, tail, I think ! " 
 
 And golly, massa go on so, he frighten all dem yallow 
 gals dem ar' is easy put. out, poor tings! and dey are 
 skeared whin de dark come, and I wait round de corner, 
 and call out sharp, " Pull him tail ! " and dey shriek and 
 run into de house. Dey tink de big blacky-white man a- 
 coming, poor tings ! Massa a-kept on telling me dat no 
 good would come to me if I went on so ; and dat I'd find 
 him word true some day. But golly ! I tak' no notice 
 I sing all de same 
 
 " Pull him tail, pull him tail, 
 'Possum up de gum-tree !" 
 
 and I like mak' them yallow gals scrim, de poor foolish 
 tings ! 
 
 One night I'd been playing 'em tricks, and dey squalling 
 out like fun, poor frightened tings ; and I laf and roll 
 ever on de grass, and kick up my heels at de jolly row 
 
33 
 
 dem stupid, cowardly yallow gals mak' ! Den I go to de 
 loft where I sleep, singing 
 
 " Pull him tail, pull him tail, 
 
 'Possum up de gum-tree !" 
 
 all de way. I'm soon abed and fast asleep, when all at 
 onst I hear a big noise in my room over my head. I 
 look up, and I see on de rafter a great black ting a-moving 
 back'ards and for'ards, and a long tail hanging down ! I 
 tought it blacky- white man come at last, and I tink, " Oh 
 golly ! him swallow me live ; " den I cry out, " Oh ! massa 
 divil, let me go 'dis time I'll niver sing any more, " Pull 
 him tail, pull him tail !" He no answer, but de great, big 
 tail wag, wag, wag all de same ! It nearly all dark, but 
 I see de long tail jist over me, quite plain. I tremble all 
 over, and shake; and den I cry for all de plantation 
 people I know, and I scrim, " Murdair ! murdair!" loud 
 as I can ; but no one come, and de tail go wag, wag, wag 
 all de same ! Den I pray out loud I niver pray so much ; 
 but de tail go wag, wag, wag all de same ! Den I cry 
 out, " Oh 1 massa divil, whin I say, ' Pull him tail ! pull 
 him tail !' I mean de 'possum's tail, not de divil's tail! 
 Let me go dis onst I niver say 'tail' niver no more in 
 all dis life." But de tail go wag, wag, wag all de same ! 
 and de pursrashun came out like beads on me head ; and 
 I tremble so again I shake de bed. I try to get up, but 
 de tail hit me on de nose, and I fall back and scrim 
 tin tousand murdairs ; but de tail go wag, wag, wag all 
 de same ! Den all at onst de big, blacky-white, ugly 
 divil jump on me ! Oh ! den I scrim fifty tousand mur 
 dairs worse nor iver ! and all de plantation people came 
 with de lights, and de guns, and de sticks, and dey rush 
 in de room. And den oh, dem yallow gals ! I found 
 dey'd been and dressed up de tame 'possum in Massa's 
 long-tail black coat, and tied him on de rafter over rny 
 head : him break him string, and fall on de bed. Dey 
 hide and hear all I say, dem yallow gals ! 
 
 Dey did all laf so, I tink dey nivir stop. Dey laf 
 till 'em cry, and den dey laf again ! and dern gals was 
 wos of all ! Dey all sing after me 
 
 " Pull him tail, pull him tail, 
 'Possum on de rafter!" 
 
34 
 
 
 I run after, and dey run away ; but I play dem no more 
 tricks ! 
 
 " THE SQUAW'S EEVENGE." 
 
 Pompey's " Tale of a Tail" had caused much laughter. 
 At its conclusion, Old Jacob was told it was his turn to 
 continue the yarns. In reply to the general cry, an old 
 weather-beaten trapper, his face dyed like the autumn 
 leaves of the American forests, raised himself from a 
 recumbent position, and taking a short pipe from his 
 mouth, commenced thus : 
 
 I dare say you'll all poke fun at me when I says it, 
 with my old mahogany phiz ; but fifty year ago, I was as 
 fine and likely a looking young fellow as you'd meet with 
 in a day's march. I know " self praise ain't no recom 
 mendation," as them copy-books says ; but I'm a-talking 
 o' days long agone, and an old man can say what he 
 pleases, so as he speaks the truth. 
 
 Ah ! Americay was a very different place then to what 
 it is now. Where there's cities, and towns, and railways, 
 and steam-boats, and noosepapers, arid life, and trade, and 
 money-making, and all sorts o' villany, too, agoin on 
 more's the pity there was'nt nothing in my young days 
 but the wild wood, and the wild beast, and often the wilder 
 and more cruel savage Ingins. Ah ! 'tis wonderful it 
 beats me out and out sometimes a-thinking of the changes 
 on this slice o' airth o' ourn ! Why, fifty year ago, I 
 think there must have been six times as many Ingins as 
 there air now. I don't know where they've all agone to 
 in creation, I don't. Why, Pensylvayney, Ohio, and 
 Kentuck was full o' them ; and them big States we've 
 carved out west was all Ingin hunting grounds. They 
 came sometimes right up to the coast cities, and scalped 
 men, and carried off wimen and children within sight o' 
 the Atlantic oshun that's a fact ! and now you may go 
 a thousand miles back without seeing nothing but w r hite 
 and black not a red skin anywhere ! It's Fate, 1 dare 
 say, as our English friend was a- saying, and them Ingins 
 will be ex-ter-mi-na-ted some day to make room for white 
 farms and homesteads. I am sorry for it, for I've found 
 
35 
 
 some few rale good Christians among them Ingins, 
 Pagans though they air; and I should jist aliked to 
 to have give 'em a bit o' ground, as big as your British 
 isles may be 'tis nothing here and a million or two 
 o' buffaloes our Mormon friend likes so ! just for sport ; 
 and then they'd be happy evermore, and keep theirselves 
 to theirselves, which same is best for all sides, black, 
 white, or red. 
 
 But I must hark back a bit. I was, as I was a- saying, 
 a handsome young fellow when I was young. (Jim, stop 
 that Pompey making faces, or I'll spoil his beauty !) 
 In them days, " the far west " was in Wisconsin, Iowa, 
 and Indiana ; but they wern't States then, as you know, 
 nor territories either, and trappers and squatters thought 
 it desperate venturesome a-going there, just as it is now 
 in Kansas or Arizona if there isn't plenty o' you, and 
 store o' rifles ; and even then you chance your scalps 
 twenty times a day. 
 
 It was " a dark and bloody ground," that border land 
 atween the settler and the Ingin ; and many a poor 
 pioneer and all his family 'woke in the morning and 
 found their throats cut, as the saying is. But all our 
 Anglo-Saxon race has got the spirit o' adventurers, and 
 danger never yet hindered a good bit o' land from finding 
 an owner, be it Ingin ground, or chuck-full o' rattlesnakes, 
 jaguers, and bars ! If Brother Jonathan can make a location 
 pay, and can grow corn, and build a log farm-house, and 
 rear up his nestlings rent free and tax free, why, he'll squat 
 and take all risks rea^y, rifle in hand, for all customers ! 
 
 My father was a settler o' this , sort; he found our 
 village home on the Hudson getting too populous to suit 
 him. I don't think, men, women, and children, we had five 
 hundred folks around us, on land where you could a-built 
 three New Yorks, and our next neighbour was a quarter 
 o' a mile off. But father said, " People were a-getting so 
 thick, he'd soon have no fresh air." So off he goes west. 
 
 I was a young fellow of 15, and had two older brothers, 
 17 arid 19, and three younger sisters. We youngsters 
 were pleased enuf at the idea of going west, and seein 
 fresh lands, and having plenty o' adventures ; but mother 
 
didn't like it at all. Most wimen is more stay at home 
 nor men, and she tried all she could to get father to stop 
 in the old place ; but she might just as well have talked 
 to Niagary Falls. We had soon all our stock sold as he 
 didn't want, and with all o' us, and two stout, active 
 New England men, and an Irish help for mother, off we 
 were. We had three wagons loaded, and one empty ; 
 and we were all well armed with spike span new guns of 
 a long range. I remember how proud we all were of 'em, 
 tho' they were pop guns to our repeating and breech 
 loaders o' now-a-days, I calculate. 
 
 Wai, after many weeks of journeying, and many halts 
 in all sorts o' places and all sorts o' weather father 
 hard to please, mother always on the grumble, and 
 a- saying the rain 'uld spoil her bed clothes and fur 
 niture we at last came to a stop. It was at a rising 
 ground, near a forest, that father said he'd squat for the 
 sake of the wood timber, and a fine stream o' water 
 handy the creek, we called it. The country at our 
 back was open and pretty, and the comfort was we could 
 take as much as iver we pleased: it was all " cut and 
 come again," barring the Ingins taking our scalps, which 
 they uncommon often did in them ere parts. Mother 
 didn't like the place at all, and wanted to go back. " That 
 ere forest," says she, "will be the death o' me I'll nivir 
 go to sleep but I'll fancy the savages is a-coming ; and if 
 we 'scapes them," says she, "we shall all be eaten alive 
 by elephants, tigers, caineleopards, rattlesnakes, wolves, 
 bears, and otiier awful wild things." 
 
 Poor deasfniother had been a-reading "Goldsmith's 
 Nateral Histtfry," and thought all the beasts of Noah's 
 Ark would come to us. We had enuf, we found arter- 
 wards We set to work to fell trees and build a house. 
 Our first one was only a log hut like ; but in a few 
 months we enlarged and strengthened it and you might 
 go many a mile and not see a finer one. All the 
 trappers and tame Ingins who came that way said so. 
 We had four good rooms clown, and two lofts above, and 
 the walls as solid and warm nearly as brick. 
 
 By the second year, we'd got a pretty garden full o' 
 
37 
 
 flowers, and a good many acres under corn, grass, turnips, 
 and sich like. We had cows, horses, and sheep ; and 
 were in good health, comfortable, and happy. Mother 
 began also to like the place better, and we children got to 
 love it as a rale neat, pleasant home. We had no neigh 
 bours ; but strangers and travellers came sometimes, and 
 we heard now and again of bloody massacres by the Eed 
 Skins, and dreadful revenges by the whites. And then 
 mother would go on, and have her fits for the old 
 home again ; but father paid little heed to the tales, or 
 to her whims, as he called 'em. 
 
 Time went on, and the second Autumn came the finest 
 part o' the year in Americy, in my view " the Ingin sum 
 mer." It was very beautiful in our new home then ; the 
 forest trees were just getting their tints of iviry shade 
 of red and orange ; the mild sunbeams and the soft haze- 
 like air made it a treat to sit down and think o' nothing, 
 and look only at the deep blue heaven over ye ! You've 
 often felt this same feeling at this season, I dare say. 
 Mother and sisters were out gathering flowers. Father 
 and I were sitting on a bench under a bower we'd made, 
 and trained roses, and jesniin, and sich like over it ; 
 brothers were in the woods, shooting ; Biddy milking ; 
 and the men in the fields. Everything was that calm 
 and silent in nater, you felt happy in being silent, too 
 in a dream, like ; you hardly cared to speak, you were so 
 fond o' the quiet all around. Willing to be pleased with 
 a little, and satisfied with yourself and your lot, and iviry- 
 body that's just how we all felt that fine evening, and 
 I'll nivir forget it. 
 
 But we aint born to be happy in this ere world no how, 
 for long, I don't believe. A black thunder cloud was 
 a-coming over us, soon to burst. The sun was slowly 
 going down, making iviry thing a tinge of gold, and all the 
 west a blaze o' fire like, when a white man, a trapper 
 we knew well he was called Wisconsin Joe dashed out 
 of the forest into our clearing towards father and me. 
 He had no covering on his head, and the blood was 
 a-flowing fast down his pale face. " For God's sake get 
 All into the house," were his first words when he saw us. 
 
88 
 
 
 Then he said, " The Ked Skins are out on their war 
 path they're only a few miles off. They caught me, and 
 nearly scalped me, as you see ;" and down he sot on the 
 bench, quite done up. I got him water, and bathed his 
 head and bound it up the skin was partly torn off. 
 
 Father at once got mother and the gals in, and the two 
 men from the fields. One called Isaac, he sent after my 
 brothers, and gave him caution enuf to be on the look 
 out. We then closed all the doors and windows, and the 
 loft shutters, and dragged our mattresses agin the 
 windows to keep out shots and arrows. Then we looked 
 to our fire-arms, and got 'em in order, and loaded. 
 Besides the three guns with my brothers and Isaac, we 
 had five other pieces, a blunderbuss, and three pistols. 
 These I, father, and Ebenezer, our other man, got ready 
 for action, and waited the result. We u-ere in a fix; " we 
 may be chawed up," says father, " but we'll die 
 game." Mother no sooner saw our preparations, and 
 heard something of what the trapper had said, than she 
 burst out a-weeping for my brothers, and gave 'em up for 
 lost. She kept on a-saying, poor woman, " I knew my 
 words would come true I knew what would happen in 
 this ere wretched country. Oh ! why did we leave our 
 safe home on the Hudson ?" And then she'd weep agin, 
 and all my sisters, too ; and Biddy doubled the row with 
 a loud roar for lt ould Ireland and the sky over it." We 
 had no time to comfort them : we shut 'em in the kitchen 
 with our fine half-bloodhound, half-mastiff dog, Bruno, to 
 protect 'em ; he was a dog worth looking at, and no mis 
 take, and he'll tackle a .man any day. He was very 
 restless, and sniffing and sniffing, as if he knew inimies 
 was a-coming ! His sniffing turned to a deep bay, as 
 our preparations were quite complete, we rested and 
 listened for iviry sound, gun in hand. The dog heard 
 what we couldn't. Father was pale, but calm, and very 
 anxious like about Fred and Tom, my brothers, and 
 Isaa c, too, for he was a good, faithful fellow. He naterally 
 thought also of our fate if them Ingins got in ; and how 
 could four of us, and one o' them wounded, and one a 
 boy, keep a pack of bloodthirsty varmints out for long ? 
 
89 
 
 Another deep bay from Bruno, and our door was tried ! 
 My heart did go pit-a-pat a bit, I reckon ! " Who's there," 
 says father, and the answer came in a mean, made-up 
 voice, " Poor Ingin lost no find way let in." I ran up 
 to the loft, and, leaning out of the opening, could see 
 below. The Ingin was covered with a large cloak, but 
 my eye was sharp enough to see the war paint ; and I 
 came down and told father they were on us. He had 
 already answered in Ingin way, " No open door arter 
 sun-down Ingin eat give bread drink at creek fine 
 night no hurt Ingin sleep under tree." 
 
 The rascally shunk tried his dodge again. " Ingin cold. 
 sick," he said; "no sleep out Ingin die let in go 
 way morning." 
 
 Father said, " Bed good in barn hay plenty no open 
 for no one." 
 
 Bruno was baying all this time, and mother and all of 
 them could hardly keep him in the kitchen. 
 
 " Come window give food poor Ingin hungry die," 
 was the next words we heerd. Father, to keep up the 
 little game, sent me up in^the loft. I let down a loaf by 
 a string ; and as I peeped out of the loft, the moon shone 
 out, and I plainly seed a number of savages a-lurking in 
 the forest opposite. I dropped the bread, and informed 
 father of what I'd seen. The Ingin took the loaf with a 
 grunt ; he wanted our lower window open, the varmint, 
 for his gang to shoot father ! 
 
 Mother all this while was a-weeping for my brothers 
 out in the woods, and we were all terrified to think what 
 their fate 'ud be with sich treacherous brutes near us. 
 Our man Isaac had made no sign nayther. The Ingin 
 went away ; arter a time he'd another dodge. We were 
 all four waiting with our arms ready. Wisconsin Joe 
 seemed recovered a bit, and listening for iviry sound, you 
 may be sure, when the Ingin knocked agin. " What now," 
 father cried out. " Sheep go way ; wild dog many ; open ; 
 Ingin help find !" was the answer. The lying shunks, 
 they'll try iviry mortal dodge in war, and think it fair ; 
 and yet other times I found 'em keep their word better 
 nor a white man ! Father called back, " Sheep must go; 
 
40 
 
 no open ; go sleep ; see wild dog morning ;" and lie 
 tramped hard to let his footfalls be heerd, and banged the 
 kitchen door loud. The Ingin went off agin, and for a 
 time all was quiet : then back he came, and knocked loud, 
 and said, "Much Ingin man come; open door must; 
 Ingin break; will come in !'' and an awful yell came from 
 the forest, like that from a pack of hungry wolves, to 
 show they was in arnest I 'spose. Father says, " Go 
 off, shunk, or I'll shoot ; plenty gun !" The varmint 
 vamosed double quick ; and another, and longer yell came 
 from the forest, enuf to make your blood run cold : ye've 
 all heerd it more nor onst may be ? Mother screamed 
 out " Oh, my poor children !" and went off in a fit. Then 
 all was silent agin. I was in the loft with a gun and" 
 pistol ; father, Ebenezer, and Wisconsin Joe down below. 
 
 I kept a good look out, and very soon saw some black 
 crawling objects making across the clearing. I raced to 
 father, and asked " if I should fire at 'em ?" " No ; leave 
 'em to me, Jacob," says he, and I wint back to the loft. 
 They crept on till they was close to the house ; then they 
 rose up, and tried to force the shutters off the window, jist 
 to the right o' the door. Father fired through a loophole : 
 a deep groan followed, and then a loud, long yell from the 
 forest, and all was silent agin all but our big clock tick 
 ing and Bruno's angry bay. I lifted up the loft window 
 shutter to look out. I soon closed it agin ; for a bullet 
 whizzed near my hed, and wint into the wall behind me. 
 " Air you hit ?" shouted father. " No," says I. " Has 
 the bullet lodged where you can git it," says he. " Yes." 
 " Then cut it out and bring it," said father. I did so. In 
 them days the Ingins hadn't firearms like they've now. 
 Congress would'nt allow it ; and only here and there the 
 tribes had any guns, and them old-fashioned dangerous 
 things. " Thank God," said my father, when he saw the 
 bullet, "it isn't one of ours." I could see he thought 
 brothers or Isaac had been taken, and their guns used. 
 
 Wai, I should be all night if I was to tell you one half 
 of the tricks of them savages. They tried to cut a way in 
 at the back, where we'd no opening, and couldn't, the logs 
 was too big and hard ; they tried to dig under the logs, 
 
41 
 
 and couldn't, they was too deep down ; they tried to git 
 on the roof, and did ; and I shot one a-letting hisself down 
 on to the loft ledge. " Well done, brave boy," said father, 
 and I felt a hero in a minit ! Then the Ingins got wood, 
 and piled it up and burnt our barns and outhouses, and 
 tried to burn us out too, but heavy rains had made the 
 roof damp, and the lighted torches they flung wint out. 
 They next set the door a-fire, and nearly got in that way ; 
 but we shot three on 'em, and the rest held back. It was 
 desperate work though ! We fired so quick, and had so 
 many firearms, the Ingins thought we had more men 
 inside, else they'd not been so long a-thinking about a 
 dash all at onst, and settle us right off. All silent for a 
 time agin, and no signs of my brothers or Isaac. Our 
 door kept a-burning, and we couldn't git it out, we had no 
 water barely inside ; and iviry now and thin the Ingins 
 would rush across and pile fresh bushes and branches on 
 the fire, and run agin. The "stout, thick door-posts of 
 great logs didn't catch, or the house itself, but the door 
 was a-going fast. They tried onst or twice to help the 
 fire, and cut a way with their tomahawks ; but father and 
 Ebenezer hit 'em hard, and they gave it up. This wint on 
 a bit longer, when a most horrid' shrieking from the 
 kitchen made father and me run there. A tall Ingin had 
 got on the roof, and fell down the chimney ! and come 
 plump in the middle of the wimen and gals ; mother had 
 got out of her fit, and now they all shrieked wos nor 
 Pompey did at the 'possum ! 
 
 They had cause, and it was a caution to hear Biddy 
 abusing " the nigger," as she called him, and a-hitting at 
 him with a broomstick ! Bruno, however, soon settled 
 his hash ; he pinned him to the ground by the throat, and 
 the Ingin vainly tried to get the dog off. We bound the 
 fellow hand and foot, and dragged him into a cellar. 
 Wisconsin Joe knew his language, and told him if he kept 
 quiet we would'nt kill him, but if he made a noise we'd 
 set the dog on him again. I ran back to the loft, and jist 
 in time : a young Ingin was half in and half out. I gave 
 him a sudden blow with the butt o' my gun, and he fell 
 heavily and groaning to the ground. Other Ingins came 
 
42 
 
 and dragged him away. Then came another charge at 
 the door, and they smashed it right in ; but they couldn't 
 git in, father having placed two great beams across. They 
 fired through this into the house, and wounded Ebenezer 
 badly. He fell, crying out, " I'm done at last !" Things 
 did look desperate now. 
 
 A thought struck me, and I raced down to father. We 
 had an old six-pounder cannon in one corner of the loft : 
 we had found it in the ruins of an ancient border-post on 
 our journey, and father brought it on for us lads to play 
 with. We dragged it about sometimes, and acted Eobinson 
 Crusoe and the savages. " Father," says I, " could'nt 
 we load the old cannon, and give it 'em ?" " Eight, my 
 boy," says he; " that may save us; I'm almost done." 
 We brought it down. It was mounted on a rough car 
 riage and wheels, for us to pull about. We crammed it 
 with powder, shot, old nails, buttons, and other things, 
 and wheeled it right agin the door. The Ingins had 
 brought a lot of hay around the house to fire the whole 
 place ; but before burning ivirything they thought, maybe, 
 they'd make a last dash to git in. They came crowding 
 up, shooting their two guns I only saw them and 
 arrows and spears through the open space. We kipt out 
 o' the way and nivir fired a shot, and they thought they'd 
 "cooked our goose" no doubt, and came on in a heap, 
 a-yelling and a howling like wild beasts. They were all 
 round the doorway and pushing agin the planks and logs 
 father had put up, whin Wisconsin Joe says, " I'll pay 
 'em for half scalping me," and fires the cannon off. 
 
 You nivir see sich a sight in your life ! It seemed to 
 sweep the whole of the Ingins clean away. The cannon 
 had burst, and all the pieces wint among 'em. Whin 
 the smoke cleared, I could only see three dead bodies right 
 afore the door one half-in and half-out. I raced to the 
 loft to have a better look below. I was stretching and 
 stretching over the ledge no shot came at me this time ! 
 when I overbalanced myself, and fell plop upon the hay 
 heaped around the house. In an instant several great Ingins 
 were on me, and they dragged me into the woods ! I ex- 
 expected death iviry minit. I was stupid like, and hardly 
 
Ip 
 
 43 
 
 felt fear ; and I made no resistance I knew it weren't no 
 use. This, I dare say, saved my life ; they bound me and 
 tied me to another Ingin, and he and another, our 
 sneaking friend of the night before, guarded me. They 
 had lost many men, I saw ; litters were making for the 
 wounded. They did not attack the door again, but yelled 
 and fired at a distance. It seemed like a dream to me. 
 I fancied I saw (I was right) three white men, with guns 
 in their hands, make a dash at the burning doorway and 
 get in my brothers and Isaac, no doubt ; and I felt glad, 
 but weary and sleepy. 
 
 The Ingins now retreated further back ; and, after a 
 talk among the old ones, made up their minds to give up 
 father's house as a bad job. Just as day came, they 
 made off, carrying their wounded on our horses and in a 
 wagon with me as prisoner, and driving father's cows 
 afore them. My head was all in a whirl like, as I took a 
 last look o' my dear home. I darn't think what mother, 
 and father, and brothers, and sisters would feel I darn't 
 think of the fate afore me ; but I made up my mind to 
 go quietly on, to be brave, and patient, and willing, and 
 do all I conld to make friends Avith the Ingins. They 
 are often not so bad to the young ; sometimes they have 
 white boys and girls in their wig-w T ams, as you know, and 
 train 'em up rale Ingins, except the colour. They made 
 me march pretty sharp, they did, and at nights tied me 
 tight enuf to another guard and a tree ; but they didn't 
 ill-use me, and fed me with what they'd got. The Ingin 
 I have spoke of so often said the first day to me, " Try 
 run away kill go on no kill ;" and I told him I 
 wouldn't run away. 
 
 Wai, I can't tell the miles on miles we walked ; they 
 seemed as they'd nivir harve any ind. We all on us got 
 pretty well worn out, and were glad enuf to see the 
 Ingin's village at last. Scouts had gone first, and the 
 wimen and children and the very old men came out to 
 meet us and the howling they set up when they seed 
 how many men we'd lost ! Some on 'em, the old crones 
 'specially, spat at me, and pull'd my hair, and struck me ; 
 but the men soon stopped that. 
 
44 
 
 The chiefs daughter, Wishing-Eye, they called her as 
 they often call each other some fanciful name had been 
 promised to a young chief we'd killed ; and her father, I 
 learnt arterwards, axed her if she'd have me in his place, 
 and she smiled and said " Yes." I believe the other 
 squaws were jealous enuf ! If she'd said "No," and no 
 one else had had me, I'd a been tortured ; so they said, 
 when I got to understand 'em a bit. Of course I was 
 thankful to Wishing-Eye ; but for a young fellow a-going 
 on for eighteen to marry a Ingin gal of same age, why I did 
 laf a bit at the idea to myself. And it was right to laf 
 to myself ; for if I'd refused the chief's daughter, it would 
 have been a pretty kettle- of-fish for me, you may be sure ! 
 So I walked with her, and talked to her, and taught her a 
 little English ; and she smiled like, and showed her white 
 teeth, and was always happy to be with me and listen to 
 me. I did all I could to please all the Ingin s, and taught 
 'em many things ; and though some of the young ones 
 didn't like me at first, and mocked at my white face, and 
 tried many spiteful tricks on me, I got over most on 'em 
 at last, and the name they gave me in their lingo means 
 Willing-Heart. Not a bad name to have, was it ? 
 
 Wai, I found them Ingins aint so bad as some makes 
 'em out. They're sober till we teaeh 'em to drink the 
 fire-waters ; they're brave, and endure any suffering or 
 pain without a tear ; they're kind, good husbands and 
 fathers giuerally ; they keep their word to a friend to the 
 world's end how many Christians do that ? and they 
 respect old age, and grey hairs, and the memory of those 
 gone afore 'em. I wish all whites did the same. 
 
 Wai, it was all made up that Wishing-Eye and Willing- 
 Heart should be married ; and how to get out o' it, I 
 didn t know. Wishing-Eye would be always with me, if 
 she could ; and I had to tell her all about the white 
 people, their towns, and big houses, and carriages, and 
 ships with wings ; and she'd clap her little hands and cry 
 out, " Oh, nice ! fine ! me wish go see white men's wig 
 wams." That girl did get very fond of me that's a fact ; 
 and I often thought I'd tell her I couldn't ever marry her, 
 and save her fixin her heart too much ; but, some- 
 
45 
 
 how, she looked so pleading like at me, I couldn't bear to 
 make her unhappy, and so things went on. 
 
 When I came back from hunting, (for in a few months 
 I made one of the Ingins in all their journeys,) Wishing- 
 Eye would come to me, and ask me no end o' questions 'bout 
 my 'ventures and dangers, fighting the buffalos and other 
 wild critturs, She'd listen and look serus like, and hang 
 on my words, as it was ; and then a smile would go all 
 over her face whin I told her how I'd circumvinted the 
 brutes. I couldn't but feel her 'fection for me ; but for 
 my life I couldn't nayther make up my mind to stop with 
 them Ingins, and make one o' them, and take Wishing- 
 Eye for a wife. She was a fine, plump, handsome gal as 
 you'd see anywhere. She weren't all Ingin, as she told 
 me ; her mother was a Mexican Creole, stolen from her 
 home by the Ingins. The rich red blood would come to 
 her light brown cheeks at a word o' mine ; and she'd the 
 grace of a fawn, and the lightness and up-airy-ness of a 
 forest bird. She had spirit, too the bold, daring spirit 
 of her Ingin father and she looked beautiful in iviry 
 temper and iviry move. But I couldn't take her, and 
 forget mother, and home, and my country. Some might 
 a-done it, and have done it, and married Ingin wimen, 
 and lived a wild life like,' and then been made chiefs. 
 I couldn't take to it no how. 
 
 But day arter day it came harder and harder to tell 
 Wishing-Eye my real thought. Like a coward, I put it 
 off and off. I meant many a time to speak the truth to 
 her ; but when she sot by my side, and nestled her head 
 on my breast, and looked up at me, with her fond eyes 
 full o' trust and love I don't know how it was I forgot 
 my resolution and caved in. "Willing-Heart," she one 
 day said to me, " my mother Christian ; she die when me 
 young ; she teach me love God, far, far up there and she 
 pointed to the blue sky over us : if we true, God love us ; 
 if we false, God no love : you true always ?" and she 
 turned to me with that pleading, longing look in her eyes, 
 which had got her her name with the Ingins. I felt my 
 heart heavy, for I knew now the time was come to turn 
 her heart cold, as she would a- said. I knew now I must 
 

 46 
 
 speak straight out, and save us both. " Wishing-Eye," I 
 said, " if you prisoner with whites, and your father, 
 mother, and all long for you, what you wish? stop with 
 whites or come back home ?" She seemed to understand 
 what I was a-aiming at, and she turned quite pale, and 
 said, "I wish go home." " Then, Wishing-Eye," I said, 
 " /wish go home." " And me leave !" she cried, and she 
 clasped her hands, and looked at me mournful like oh ! 
 so mournful. I did feel bad like, but I knew it was " now 
 or nivir ;" and I said, " Yes, Wishing-Eye, I must ; you 
 say, ' God no love us if -false' I should say false, to say 
 I not want go. Your mother, when 'live, love you ; my 
 mother love me also, and break heart I lost. You no 
 want poor mother heart break?" "Oh, no, no, no!" 
 Wishing-Eye cried, with tears flowing down her cheeks. 
 "Why no go come back; why no take Wishing-Eye? 
 Wishing-Eye you all love ; Wishing-Eye be Christian." 
 I said, "No, Wishing-Eye, it no be ; / may get way; I 
 ask you help ; you no get way ; I go ; no come back. I 
 say true." " I see you nivir more ; and me you help go?" 
 she asked in agony like, the tears coming fast agin. 
 " Yes, Wishing-Eye," I replied, " if we good ; if we true ; 
 no false, we meet there," and I pointed to the bright 
 clouds over our heads. " You help me go poor mother ?" 
 " Willing-Heart," she said, mournful like, " if father 
 know, he kill he say you false to Wishing-Eye you no 
 live he 'venge on you me heart break me no 'venge 
 on you me 'venge on you, help you back for poor mother 
 sake ; but me no long live me soon down there ;" and 
 the poor thing pointed to the ground. 
 
 " Oh ! dear Wishing-Eye, no say that," I cried, " live, 
 make father happy ; me always think of you." "What ! 
 Yes," she said, half bounding up, "you always think of 
 Wishing-Eye ? Then she always of you think that make 
 not so much grieve." She agreed to help me to escape 
 and be silent on all I'd talked to her about. She kept her 
 word like a true Ingin squaw. From that night all my 
 thoughts was bint upon escaping. When on the hunting- 
 path with the Ingins I had heerd of a new American fort 
 about 250 miles from our settlement, and I managed to 
 
47 
 
 git its bearings. I made up my mind to make for it soon 
 as I got a chance. 
 
 A month or two later it came. Wishing-Eye was sorry - 
 ful enuf, but true as steel ; and I took care not to be with 
 her too much her winning ways might have conquered 
 me. Wishing-Eye always rode the best and fleetest horse 
 in the settlement, and no one but her, or her father, might 
 mount it : it was a fine animal, stolen from the whites. 
 After our agreement she began to take long rides alone, 
 and often remained out all day, saying " it made her 
 strong ;" and the chief was proud' to see her so spry and 
 Ingin-like. It is free life in them far back woods. I could 
 go and come, and shoot as I liked I was so far from the 
 States, and seemed so contint to remain and share a wig 
 wam with Wishing-Eye that no one took any notice of my 
 goings in and out. I was a good marksman, too, with a 
 gun, and the Ingins wern't, and the game I brought in 
 was useful to 'em. This all helped me to escape. 
 
 The day I had fixed came at last. Wishing-Eye 
 mounted her horse early, and was off like a shot. I took 
 my gun and as much food as I could stow away without 
 making much show, and went another way. We'd 
 appointed where to meet, and, making a long round, I 
 joined her. She was waiting in the woods, standing by 
 her horse, and looking, oh ! so sad and beautiful, like ! 
 As I came up, she said, " What, then you go you leave 
 Wishing-Eye never more you come !" and her tetars 
 flowed fast. 
 
 "Yes," I said, " Wishing-Eye, it is hard ! I feel my 
 heart heavy; but poor mother, her heart heavy, too, 
 for me !" 
 
 " Ah !" she said, "poor mother! Go, no love like 
 mother she first, she last, next God up there ! Wishing- 
 Eye pray you safe !" 
 
 I gave her one kiss, my only one, and mounted the 
 horse. My tears were falling too. I felt so choked, I 
 could only say, "Good bye, Wishing-Eye! God bless 
 you ! I always pray for you good bye !" and I rode off; 
 and you'll believe, more than onst I half made up my 
 mind to turn back ! Each time I looked, Wishing-Eye 
 
48 
 
 was standing quite still where I'd left her. I waved my 
 hand as long as I could see her ; but the trees soon hid 
 her from my sight. 
 
 I can't tell you of all the dangers I met with in that 
 long ride. I was eight days out, and if I had'nt been half 
 an Ingin, I'd nivir have lived through it. I got to the 
 fort at last, worn out and starving, and my horse the same. 
 Another night I'll tell ye about my longer journey home, 
 and a little more about poor Wishing-Eye. 
 
 I dare say whin you heerd about a "Squaw's Revenge," 
 you thought it would a-been something frightful like ? 
 we often hear sich things happen to whites in the Bed 
 Skin's land; horrid, terrible, torturings and revenges. My 
 poor Wishing-Eye's revenge for giving her up, was doing 
 me good ; and I don't know, arter all I've seen in this world 
 of fighting and blood for blood, if that sort o' revenge often 
 aint the best ! 
 
 THE CACHE IN THE EOCKY MOUNTAINS. 
 
 The next, and last, who addressed the group around th e 
 prarie camp fire, was a fine, tall, military looking man? 
 (as in fact he was, his companions calling him Captain), 
 with a dark, heavy moustache and beard. His tale was 
 given in the folio wing words : 
 
 If you want grand, majestic, or, as some down-easters 
 would say, tall, high-faluting scenery, you must, gentlemen, 
 go to the Rockij Mountains. You'd think when you saw 
 the sun rising in the morning o'er this great barrier of our 
 immense empire, this back-bone of our vast continent; 
 you'd think when you saw the rosy light dancing on the 
 snowy peaks and rocky pinnacles, that all the spires and 
 towers of universal Christendom were gathered there ! 
 
 These dull, level praries these endless ocean-like plains 
 tire me out ; I long for the mountain breeze and the sky 
 ward pass, the fathomless ravine and the roaring cataract. 
 That's nature in her glory, and her pride, and power. Then 
 when you're standing ten thousand feet high, five hundred 
 miles from a living soul beyond your comrades only 
 the blue heavens above and the eternal rocks, and the 
 deep-piled snow around; then you begin to feel what 
 
49 
 
 solitude is like; then, when you hear the scream of the 
 soaring eagle floating near, you realize what a fit emblem 
 it is of our aspiring nation and ever-restless people. I 
 have done, and seen, and thought of this in years long 
 past years happy, adventuresome, and full of dangers 
 "of flood and field," and I'd live the same life again had 
 I the opportunity, and enjoy it. On the hill tops we hear 
 the voice of God more plainly, and seem nearer the Creator. 
 
 " Grand mountains of our native land, 
 Ye frown as proudly now, 
 As when the infant sunbeams first 
 Set jewels on your brow." 
 
 I was one of Colonel Freemont's men, when he set out 
 to explore the Eocky Mountains, at that time a terra incog 
 nita, an unknown region to Americans and all the world. I 
 followed the main body in care of stores ; I had the command 
 of six men and care of the baggage mules. We had a long 
 and hazardous journey over the western prairies ; there 
 were not a fourth of the halting places, and fort stations 
 in that direction then that we have now. We made every 
 effort to come up with Colonel Freemont's band, but failed. 
 We had once or twice to go a long detour to escape wan 
 dering bands of Indians ; and this threw us so much out 
 of our reckoning, that when we at last made the Eocky 
 Mountains, it was at a part far distant from that struck 
 by the main body. We did not know this at the time ; we 
 only found it out long afterwards. We had information 
 given us that there were practicable passes, and our object 
 now was to find these, confident that we should meet some 
 of our comrades in the neighbourhood of them. We 
 camped the first night of our near approach to the great 
 monarchs of the west, within a mile of their eastward 
 spurs. I shall never forget the influence these stupendous 
 forms had upon me ! It was like being raised half way 
 to heaven to look at them only, changing with every 
 change of sunlight and shade, and moonlight, and calm, 
 and storm ! You may boast, gentlemen, of your great 
 plains, like the wide, circumambient sea; give me the 
 upland pass, the mountain top, the uncontaminated hills 
 rocks, and crags; grey with lichens or white with 
 
50 
 
 virgin snow, and pure from mortal defilement as when, in 
 endless ages gone, the Almighty first set "their sunless 
 pillars deep in earth." We may conquer, we shall conquer 
 and cultivate these glorious .prairies ; they will be the happy 
 homes, when we are no more, of millions of industrious 
 husbandmen, the. granary of the universe. But let our 
 ever onward-marching States last a thousand, or ten 
 thousand years, and the Rocky Mountains will be as free 
 from man's control then, as now alone, magnificent, 
 unassailable ! But I'm getting quite poetical, as you some 
 of you know I do on this point. Let me return to my 
 sheep, or rather to my mules and baggage. 
 
 We had urged the poor beasts on beyond their strength, 
 and three of them gave in the night of our arrival at the 
 mountains ; and what with fatigue and cold, and want of 
 food and water, the other three were in a bad state, and 
 seemed likely to follow their companions. 
 
 For several days we sought in vain for the tracks of 
 our companions. We keld a consultation at last as to 
 what we had better do. The great chain of the Eocky 
 Mountains rose like an immense wall for miles upon 
 miles each side of us, presenting an impregnable obstacle to 
 our progress. We had fruitlessly sought an opening far 
 and wide, day after day, and had evidently missed our 
 bearings. It would have been madness for us to 
 remain long where we were ; we must find the passes, 
 and rejoin our party. After some discussion, we resolved 
 to make a cache. You old back-woodsmen and trappers 
 well know what that is ; but I'd better tell our British 
 friend here that a cache is a hiding place for food, or 
 other things, to keep them from the Indians and wild 
 animals. We found it impossible to remove the stores 
 the three dead mules had carried : we did not like the 
 idea of abandoning valuable property, so we determined, 
 as I said before, to make a cache. We searched a long 
 while before we discovered a suitable place in which to 
 deposit our extra provisions, &c. You know, gentlemen, 
 how keen the senses of the Indians and wild beasts are ; 
 and if our trail had been followed, the slightest indica 
 tion would have betrayed our hiding place to our two- 
 
51 
 
 .footed or four-footed enemies. At last we hit upon 
 a plan which we thought would put all our foes off 
 the scent. Each taking a portion of the stores, we 
 carried our packages chiefly over rocky ground, which 
 left no impressions of our footsteps, to the base of 
 a steep, abrupt cliff, at least five hundred feet high. 
 Half way up the cliff, we had perceived a deep cavity 
 suitable for our purpose. Then one of the best climbers, 
 and boldest of our men, fastened a rope around his waist, 
 and contrived, after great exertions and no little danger, 
 to ascend the cliff upon the other side. The difficulty of 
 the ascent was . increased by the caution necessary not to 
 make any marks, or displace any fragments of rock. This 
 would, to the acute eyes of the savages, have given a 
 clue directly. He made the rope taut and fast to some 
 boulders above, and lowered it to us. We sent up other 
 ropes, and he soon landed himself in the cavity. He 
 called out it was just the thing, some dozen feet square, 
 well sheltered, and quite dry, with no signs of its being 
 frequented by birds of prey. We now rove a line, and sent 
 up parcels of clothing, tea, coffee, sugar, tobacco, andcans of 
 preserved pork, beef, &c., and some quantity of ammunition. 
 Some cases of medicine, and a small supply of wine and 
 brandy, completed our hidden store. Everything was 
 well covered with sacking and tarpauling, and great care 
 was taken to leave nothing visible from the outside. 
 
 Well, we finished furnishing and protecting our cache 
 to our own satisfaction ; took the bearings of the cliff, 
 removed every vestage of our having been in the neigh 
 bourhood hunting even, I remember, for some broken 
 strands of rope which had blown about and then 
 departed for our camp some miles away. The next day, 
 -I and two others went off to find the passes, leaving four 
 men with the three remaining mules. They were to 
 stop three days to rest and recover the animals, and 
 then, if we did not return, they had orders to follow me, 
 coasting the mountains along the route I had taken. 
 We were well armed with rifles and bowie knives six- 
 shooters were not fashionable then ; and we carried a 
 stock of provisions sufficient for a week's consumption. 
 
52 
 
 Wishing our comrades "good bye" we proceeded onward 
 cheerful and full of hope. The elastic atmosphere gave a 
 keen sense of life to our frames, and an energy to our 
 movements, we had seldom before experienced. The 
 weather was fine, but cold, and as we went on I was more 
 and more struck with the wondrous grandeur of that great 
 range, which seemed once to be an everlasting barrier 
 between the lands washed by the two oceans ; but which 
 man has surmounted, as Anglo-Saxon courage and en 
 durance can surmount anything within the power of 
 human kind. We travelled chiefly between sun-rise and 
 noon, and after dinner, and a rest of an hour or so, went on 
 till sun-down. 
 
 The first day we met with little remarkable, though to 
 our English friend and may we in America ever be "friends" 
 with the noble-hearted race he represents, "bone of our 
 bone, and flesh of our flesh," as they are; together we may 
 one day dry the tears on the cheeks of the mourning 
 millions of humanity, and give temperate freedom to the 
 world ! (A loud cheer chorused these sentiments from all 
 around.) 
 
 As I was saying, to our English friend, much that we 
 passed over as ordinary and every-day like, would have 
 appeared worthy of notice and remark. Familiarity breeds 
 not contempt, but indifference to many signs and creations 
 in nature. The wild flowers, the trees, the strange animals, 
 the geological formations, fifty things on the ledges of the 
 Rocky Mountains would attract a new and acute observer ; 
 but we had no time or inclination for minute inquiries. 
 One great object engrossed all our time, to find our party 
 and thereby save our own lives and the lives of the men 
 left behind. The general beauty of the whole panoramic 
 vision (if I may so term it) struck me ; but I was too 
 absorbed in the performance of my duty to inspect the 
 details. So we passed on our way, not heedless, but bent 
 on one great design alone to find the passes, and join 
 Colonel Freemont. 
 
 The second day we had a little more excitement than 
 the first. The sun had barely risen in his glory, lighting 
 up the mountain peaks like the illumination of a vast city 
 
53 
 
 when we had three visitors we would much sooner have 
 been without. These were a she-bear and her two cubs. 
 
 We had come upon a belt of land slightly wooded and 
 covered with rank grass ; a small stream ran through it, 
 flowing rapidly eastwards. We had camped close to the 
 water, and had made use of the grass and wood for bed 
 and firing. It was a good thing we had been able to make 
 a large fire ; you cannot often in those parts, fuel being 
 scarce, though water is plentiful, and many of you would 
 I dare say compound for the loss of the first with the 
 possession of the second in these dry, arid plains. We 
 were all three asleep, a careless way of carrying on which 
 that night's adventure soon altered! But we had had a 
 long day's march, had seen no signs of Indians or wild 
 beasts, and we naturally all took to our beds, thinking 
 ourselves quite secure. 
 
 A sharp cry from one of my companions made me start 
 up, and I saw him fling a young bear from him ; it had 
 been licking his face ! Another young one and the mother 
 were busy devouring the remains of our last night's 
 supper. I seized hold of a burning branch, and broke 
 it over the old bear's head, sparks flying all around, and the 
 fire singeing Mrs. Bruin's hair. She howled and ran away 
 a short distance, and then sat up cleaning her face with her 
 fore paws. I had only scared, not hurt her ; but as her cubs 
 joined her she did not seem prepared to return our way. 
 We were soon up and ready, rifles in hand. The bears 
 could easily have got off through the tangled bushes, but 
 the young are generally fearless of danger, and Master 
 and Miss Bruin were not content to lose their breakfast 
 BO easily. After licking and fondling their mother a bit, 
 they turned and came back towards the fire, and their 
 fierce old mother followed them. We had no ropes with 
 us to lasso them, like our friend Jim Bolton did his 
 Grizzly ! so it was " make ready present fire !" One 
 of the cubs fell dead, the mother received a slight wound ; 
 our third ball struck harmlessly against a distant tree. 
 
 The old one now charged into the middle of us, and we 
 had to run for our lives. She burnt herself at the fire, 
 and this stopped her an instant, and gave us time to 
 
54 
 
 reload. We fired again, but did not wound her mortally, 
 though the blood flowed freely from several places. She 
 followed us quickly, howling piteously the while. One of 
 my companions fell ; she was on him in an instant, and soon 
 tore his thick jacket to pieces, and wounded him severely 
 in the shoulder. I struck her on the head with the butt 
 end of my rifle, and she left the wounded man to turn on 
 me. We had run close to where the dead cub lay, the 
 live one remaining by it and licking its blood. I now 
 seized the dead one, and trailed it along the ground for 
 some distance, the mother following as quick as her 
 wounds would allow. I then, as she came near me, let 
 the cub go ; and it really was affecting to see the old 
 thing's affection for her young one. She licked and turned 
 it over and over, and smelt and looked at it, as if trying 
 to find out the cause of its being so quiet. That stoppage 
 and fondling was death to her and the remaining cub : our 
 rifle balls soon settled them. We had no time to think 
 about the skins. We left the three bodies as they were, 
 and, after binding up our comrade's wounds, and a hasty 
 breakfast, we proceeded on our journey. 
 
 We had not gone a mile when fate brought us across 
 another bear, evidently the he of the family we had 
 slaughtered. Our wounded friend could not of course aid 
 us, and we really had a fearful fight for life with this 
 monster. I've had many a desperate encounter with the 
 denizens of our forests and prairies : that day's battle, I 
 reckon, came up to some of my worst and hardest combats. 
 We fired at and wounded him directly we saw his approach, 
 and he came on as if he knew his losses, and was resolved 
 to revenge them. He made the usual dangerous rush at 
 us. We were in an open, level country, covered with 
 huge fragments of rock, and round these for a time we 
 played Jim Bolton's game of "hide and seek" with 
 Monsieur Bruin. We loaded and fired as we could. The 
 brute kept us good part of the morning at this work, and 
 we had not been able to wound him mortally all that time. 
 
 Matters then came to a crisis. We were hiding behind 
 a great boulder, big enough for a giant's pulpit, if giant's 
 ver preach ! when an enormous venomous snake crawled 
 
55 
 
 close alongside us, and rose up with fangs projected to 
 strike at us. We quickly killed it, but the delay and 
 confusion gave the bear his long-expected chance. He 
 rushed upon us, struck me down with a severe blow from 
 his fore right paw for he had risen on his hind legs 
 and then seized and hugged our unwounded companion ! 
 Blood was streaming from half-a-dozen wounds on the 
 bear's body, and he was evidently weak and exhausted, 
 else our comrade would have been speedily killed, their 
 muscular power is so great, as some of you have ex 
 perienced. I quickly arose,,and drawing my bowie, ran to 
 my companion's assistance. I was just in time to save 
 him ! Plunging my long knife deep into the bear's 
 throat, I had the pleasure to see the brute fall back 
 gasping ; I stabbed him again and again, and he very 
 soorneank down, all in a heap, quite dead, our friend still 
 clasped quite tight in his paws ; and we had the greatest 
 difficulty to free him from the monster's embrace. He 
 was frightened pretty considerably, as he freely owned, 
 being quite helpless ; but no bones were broken that 
 was a comfort and he was soon ready to go on. 
 
 After collecting our luggage, scattered in every direction, 
 and taking a short rest, we proceeded on our route, our 
 spirits not quite so buoyant as they were the day before. 
 We saw fine specimens of game, deer, &c., on this day's 
 march ; but we did not care to follow them; we were too 
 tired and anxious. We kept near the mountains, vainly 
 seeking an opening in their frowning flanks. Frightful 
 precipices, rugged ravines, adown which torrents were 
 dashing and sparkling, and piles upon piles of over 
 hanging crags, these blocked up every upland path we 
 took, and forced us to return. 
 
 Our way for some days was through a grassy wilder 
 ness, with scattered rocks and boulders on every side, suf 
 ficient to make gravestones for the whole human race since 
 Adam ! And often the scene struck me as resembling an 
 enormous cemetery full of tombs and head- stones. Day 
 after day we took our weary way arnid such scenes as I 
 have partly described. March after march began and 
 ended without result. Morn after morn the sun uprose, 
 
56 
 
 and shone the livelong day in unclouded splendour, and 
 set in glory ; and still no pass, no hope of crossing the 
 heavenward bulwark. 
 
 A week had come and gone! We had again attempted 
 several apparent passages, but after hours of dangerous 
 and wearying climbing and some severe falls, we found 
 no practicable outlet. Our provisions were now nearly 
 used up ; our want of success had made us husband them, 
 and our rations had been small since the second day. 
 Our wounded companion was feverish and ill, and scarcely 
 capable of a good day's walk. His wounds did not heal, 
 and from friction and want of rest, were getting worse 
 each day. Game, too, was scarce, and all kinds of beasts 
 and birds. We shot a few of the last, but they were tough 
 and tasteless ; some mountain deer which we saw ajid 
 followed some miles, escaped us. When we ascended any 
 rising ground, "hilts upon hills, and Alps on Alps" arose in 
 a seemingly interminable series of ranges. We however 
 persevered and continued onward. At the end of the tenth 
 day, however, it became painfully evident that we could 
 proceed no further. 
 
 My second companion had begun to fail ; his struggle 
 with the bear had shook him much, and the short rations 
 and fatigue were too much for him. He did not complain, 
 for though the weakest of the three, he was a man of firm 
 and resolute will, and undaunted bravery. I owe this 
 tribute to him, for he is no more ! We had halted a whole 
 day at the termination of a week, hoping that our com 
 panions with the mules would be moving in our direction : 
 we now resolved to camp another twenty-four hours, and 
 if we saw nothing of our party left behind within that 
 period, to move back to meet them. The hours came and 
 passed wearily enough, and our friends appeared not. Our 
 position now was a fearful one, we had had barely quarter 
 rations for three days ; and worn, sick, and exhausted, we 
 began our return to the neighbourhood of the c&che. 
 
 The hope that every fresh mile would bring us across 
 our absent companions, cheered us up for a time ; but when 
 the evening of the third day came, and no signs of succour 
 appeared, then our souls were tried indeed. We had divided 
 
57 
 
 our last biscuit, and all the next weary day we plodded 
 on, starving, tottering with weakness and fatigue, but still 
 unconquered ! A restless night, another day of hunger 
 and dream-like walking on, on, on ! The great massive 
 cliffs towering on our left, the wild barren plains on our 
 right, the scorching sun overhead, the screaming condor 
 and vulture hovering around in circles, as marking us out 
 for their prey such is the only memory athwart my brain 
 of that and the succeeding days. 
 
 I kept up best : thanks to an iron-built frame and a 
 first-rate constitution. I managed to shoot a kind of goat, 
 and we eagerly devoured it raw. I snared some blue 
 pigeons also, great numbers of which we saw at times ; 
 but for this help we should have sunk and died of starva 
 tion. Day after day, and still no signs of our companions. 
 We searched eagerly for tracks, but could discover none. 
 Day after ..day of the same misery. Our wounded com 
 rade became delirious and threatened us both, and we 
 were compelled to entirely disarm him. Day after day we 
 dragged on, the poor madman following behind and vent 
 ing every abusive term upon us ; then bemoaning his sad 
 fate and wishing for death. Day after day, bare life left 
 in us ; reptiles, creeping things, plants eaten to stay our 
 ravening stomachs. Day after day, famishing, exhausted, 
 despairing. One morning after many days of this hor 
 rible existence I had risen with the sun, to seek for 
 something to satisfy the cravings of hunger, when 
 oh joy ! I cast my eyes northwards, and beheld the sun 
 beams glittering on the mountain cliff where we had made 
 our cache ; it was of a peculiar shape, and I could not be 
 deceived. I called my fellow-travellers ; the madman had 
 calmed down, his fever had subsided, and he was sensible 
 again, but sinking with weakness : I and my other com 
 rade were barely stronger. 
 
 The sight of the cliff had a wonderful effect upon them ; 
 they laughed and cried, and laughed again ; and we pro 
 ceeded on, hope once more nerving us for a last effort. 
 
 We managed to get over a mile or two by middle day ; 
 and, after a long rest, we again crawled along. At night 
 fall we reached the neighbourhood of our first camp. As 
 
58 
 
 we drew near we shouted as loud as our weak state would 
 allow, and I fired my rifle (I had done this each day), but 
 no response came. We reached the old place ; it was 
 vacant ; all were gone ! Then I admit it freely a feel 
 ing of despair did come over me ; but I cast it off. " Is 
 not God," I thought, " as much here in the solitudes of 
 the Kocky Mountains as in the crowded streets of New 
 York? He will still protect and 'save us:" and I arose 
 with renewed confidence and courage. 
 
 I cheered my companions, who had fallen as if dead, 
 quite incapablei of further exertion. I searched around 
 the camp, and found many remnants of food, nauseous 
 and mouldy, but of infinite delicacy to us. Never did a 
 morsel of hard biscuit, an old bone, seem such a treat! 
 we even eat a few handsful of oats, some of which had 
 been brought for the mules, and found them a wonderful 
 relish of sweeter taste than all the made dishes of past 
 days ! Water, as I have before said, is plentiful in this 
 region, and the free use of this, the remnants we found, 
 and days of entire rest, brought us round a little , but the 
 effort was too painful to walk above a few yards. 
 Hearing nothing of our companions, and our small 
 providential supplies having been devoured to the last 
 morsel, we determined to get to the cache as the only hope 
 of prolonging life. We set off, but we were a long while 
 getting to it. It seemed so near, and yet to us, was so far 
 off. Part of the way one of my companions had to drag 
 himself forward on hands and knees ; he could not walk, and 
 we dared not leave him behind. We arrived at last under 
 neath the giant cliff, within whose bosom was hidden food 
 of every kind, sufficient to sustain us for weeks. We slept 
 at its base, but it was fitful waking sleep, often broken by 
 sudden star tings and cries of anguish. We had arrived 
 fainting and quite done up. 
 
 The morning light brought no hope or relief with it ; 
 we gazed despairingly up at the huge cliff, and our hearts 
 sank within us as we measured its vast outlines and the 
 distance up to our cache. How could we ever reach it ? 
 For two weeks we had been starving by inches, and -now, 
 with plenty, with abundance a few yards above us, it did 
 
59 
 
 seein hard that we should die of sheer hunger. But how to 
 reach the cache ? We had no help to climb the moun 
 tains ; no ropes ; and if we had, our strength was so 
 emasculated that we felt we could not reach the top five 
 hundred feet high at least. Oh, those tortures of Tan 
 talus ! Those hopeless glances up to that crevice, con 
 taining more to us than all the gold mines of California ! 
 How we thought, and reflected, and contrived plans to 
 reach the treasures just above our heads ! In vain ; in 
 vain ! Night came, and day again ; no relief ; no hope ! 
 Famishing, and suffering the pangs of a martyr's death, 
 we debated whether we should draw lots for one to die to 
 find food for, and save the others ! I put the horrible 
 project on one side ; but, almost fiendish in our pro 
 longed agony, we watched each other's wolfish looks, fear 
 ful that a sudden blow or shot might be given to gain a 
 cannibal's feast ! 
 
 Another day : oh, how long ; how long ! Another 
 night : a blessed, lovely night ! the placid stars beaming 
 down on us, and the moonlight, flooding vale and moun 
 tain top, and foaming stream with splendour ; but all 
 blank and dark to us, poor sinking wretches, lying torpid 
 in trance-like slumber, or praying deliriously for the hand 
 of the deliverer ! Oh, the anguish of those interminable 
 days and nights ! Never since have I turned from a man 
 who has said, " Help me, I am starving!" The very 
 words send a thrill through me ! Never has the wander 
 ing beggar of any land asked bread of me in vain ; for I 
 have known how bitter hunger is ! 
 
 How is it the soul depends so much upon the body ? 
 You all know it more or less. Courage, invention, energy, 
 spirit, hope, all seemed to leave our sinking frames all 
 for want of a few ounces of gross meat, a little bread ! 
 How we dreamt of feasts, wholesome dinners, and the 
 merry glass ; and how we woke to look upwards at that tall 
 cliff, despondently, despairingly. The second day I rallied 
 a little. I determined to make a last effort for life. I 
 left my comrades lying in a drowsy, half-unconscious 
 state, and approached the cliff. I found on one side there 
 were ledges which would take me up some twenty or thirty 
 
60 
 
 feet, but I could go no further, and the cache was in a 
 crevice nearly three hundred feet high. 
 
 A sudden thought struck me. I had read of workmen 
 repairing spires and weathercocks of churches by driving 
 spikes into the wall to form resting-places for their feet, 
 and thus mounting hundreds of feet. I took my com 
 panions' steel ramrods and bowie knives, and again went 
 up the ledges. I drove, with much labour, a ramrod 
 into the crevices of the rock as high as I could reach. I 
 then was forced to come down, utterly unable to stand, 
 I was so dizzy and faint. Providence this day sent us a 
 supply of food. A young fawn, wounded by some wild 
 beast, came our way ; we quickly killed it, eat it raw, and 
 drank its blood ! The effect o this food was magical ; I 
 only served a small portion to each, but it seemed to give 
 us new life. Next day, we had another meal, and I 
 again ascended the mountain, and placed the other ram 
 rods and the three stout bowie knives one above the 
 other. I drew myself up from one to the next above ; 
 but when I reached the highest, I was still far off the 
 cache. I came down and rested, and next day went up 
 again, withdrawing the lower ramrods and bowies as I 
 went up. It w r as dangerous and fearful work, and doubly 
 so in my weak state. Often I had to pause, and cling 
 like grim death to the rock, and keep my eyes from 
 gazing below, or my " deficient sight" would have 
 "toppled me down headlong." Not to keep you all 
 night, I may say, after a thousand difficulties and hair 
 breadth escapes, I managed to reach the cache. I found 
 ropes within, and soon made a ladder ; and then all our 
 sufferings were over, though not soon forgotten. 
 
 I had to be very careful how we at first used the abun 
 dant food we had become possessed of. The spirits and 
 wine I only gave as medicine, in small quantities. Our 
 companions with the mules soon after rejoined us : they 
 had vainly searched for us in every direction, of course, 
 but the right one. We turned our backs on the Kocky 
 Mountains and made for the States again. I was mad 
 enough at our failure, but it couldn't be helped, and we 
 had cause to be thankful that we had saved our lives. 
 

 61 
 
 And now, gentlemen, I think we had better, metaphori 
 cally speaking, put our nightcaps on, and leave further 
 yarns till to-morrow. 
 
 This seemed to be the general opinion, and " Good night, 
 good night," went round the circle. I, too (at all events 
 for a time), will also wish the reader " Good night ! " 
 
 \ 
 
 FINIS. 
 
 
UAIRIE CAMP FIRE, 
 
 //?/;,?. 
 
 RE TEXT J3O.OK," 
 
 
 
 DGER, 
 
 LIO,"