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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1938-06-09, Page 6{ PAGE SIX. THE SEAFORTH NEWS THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 1938 • Bois Brules A !quick Tearless horse was now in- valuable; afor the swiftest riders dart- ed towards the large 'buffaloes and rode within a few yards before takln'g aim, Instantly, the ravine was ablaze with shots. Showers of arrows from the Indian hunters sung through the air overhead, Mn'eunhorsed, ponies thrown from their feet, buffaloes wounded — or dead—were scattered everywhere. One angry bull gored Furiously at his assailant, ripping his horse from shoulder to (flank, then, maddened 'by the creature's blood, and 'before a shot .front a second hunter 'brought him down, •can'ght 'the rider en its upturned 'horns and loss - ed him high. By keeping deftly to the fore, where the buffalo could not see, and swerving alternately from side to side as the enraged 'animals struck forward, trained horses avoided side thrusts, The saddle -girths of one hunter, heading a buffalo from the herd, gave way as he was leaning over to send a final ball into the brute's head. Down he went, should- ers foremost under its nose, while the horse, with a ,deft leap cleared the vicious drive of horns. Strange to say, the buffalo did not see where he fell and galloped onward, Carcasses were mowed down like felled trees; ,but still we plunged on and en, pursuing the racing herd; while the ground shook in an earthquake under the stampeding hoofs. I had forgotten time, place, danger—everything in the mad chase and was hard after a savage old 'warrior that outraced my horse. Gradually I rounded him clos- er to the embankment My :broncho was blowing, almost wind -spent, but still I du'g the spurs into •him, and was only a few lengths !behind the buffalo, when the wily 'beast turned. With head down, eyes on fire and nostrils 'blood -red, he bore straight upon me, fly 'broncho reared, then sprang aside. Leaning over to take sure aim, I fired, but a side jerk un- balanced me. I lost my stirrup and sprawled in the dust. When I got to my feet, the buffalo lay dead end my broncho was trotting back. Hunters were still tearing after the disappear- ing herd. Riderless horses, mad with the smell of blood and snorting at every flash of powder, kept ep with the wild race. Little 'Fellow, La Robe ,Noire, Beret Earth, and Ringing Thunder, had evidently been left in the rear; for look where I night I could not see one of my four Indians. Near me two half-breeds were right- ing their saddles. I also was tighten- ing the girths, which was net an easy matter with my excited brancho prancing round in a circle. Suddenly there was the whistle of something through the air overhead, like a cata- pult stone, :or recoiling whip -lash. The sante instant one •of the half- breeds gave an upward toss of :bath arms and, with a piercing shriek, .fell to the ground. The 'fellow caught at his throat and from his bared chest protruded an arrow shaft. I heard his terrified comrade shout, 'The Sioux! the Sioux!" Then he fled in a panic of fear, not knowing where he was going and sta'ggerin'g as he ran; and I saw 'him pitch forward face .downwards. I had 'barely realized what had happened and what it all meant, ,before an exultant shout .broke from the high grass above the em- bankment. At that my 'horse gave a plunge and, wrenching •the rein from my grasp, galloped 'off .leaving me to face the hostiles. Half a score 'of In- dians scrambled ,down the oliff and ran to secure the scalps of the dead Evidently I had not been seen; but if I ran I should certainly be discovered and a Sioux'•s :anrow can overtake the swiftest runner, I was looking hope- lessly about for some place of eon- cea!ltmen't, when like a:demon from the earth a ,horseman, scarlet in war - paint appeared not a hundred yards away. B'nandishing his 'battle-axe, he came towards one at furious speed. With weapons in hand I .crouched as his horseaptpnoaohed; and the fool mistook my action for fear, White teeth glistened and 'he s'hrieke'd with derisive laughter. S knew that sound. Back came memory of Le 'Grand nimble standing among the shadows of a forest campfire, laughing as I struok The Indian swung his club aloft. I dodged abreast of his horse to avoid the blow-. With a ,jerk lee .pulled the animal back 'on its haunches. Quick, when it rose, I sent a bullet to its heart, bt lurched sideways, reared straight up and fell backwards with Le Grand Diable fnder. The fall knocked ,battle-axe and club from his grasp; and when his horse rolled aver in a final spasm, two mem were in- stantly locked in a death clutch. The evil eyes of the Indian glared with a fixed look of uncowe'd hatred and the hands of the other tightened on the redman's throat. Diable was snatching at a knife in his belt, when the cries of my Indians rang out close at hand. Their coming seemed to renew his strength; ,for with the full weight of an antagonist hanging front his neck, the willowy form squirmed first on his knees, then to his feet, But my men dashed up, knocked his feet from ander him and pinioned hint to the ground, La Robe (Noire, with the blood -lust of his race, hada knife un- sheathed and would have finished Dieble's career for good and all;. but Little Fellow •struck the ,blade from his hand. The murderous Attempt cost La Rabe Noire dearly enough in the end, Hare -skin thongs of triple ply were wound about 'Diable's crossed arms from wrists to elbows. Burnt Earth gagged the knave with his own moc- casin, while Ringing Thunder and Little Fellow quickly roped hint neck and ankles to the fore and hind shanks of the dead buffalo. This time my wily foe should remain in my power till I had rescued Miriam. "Monaeurl Monsieur!" gasped Lit- tle •Fellow as he rose from putting a last knot to our prisoner's cords. "The Sioux!" and he pointed in alarm to the cliff. True, in my sudden conflict, 1 had forgotten about the marauding Sioux; but the fellows had disappeared from the field of the ,buffalo hunt and it was te the embankment that my Indians were anxiously looking. 'three thin smoke lines were rising from the prairie. I knew enough of Indian lore to recognize this tribal signal as a warning to rhe Sioux band of some misfortune. Was Miriam within range of those smoke signals? Now was my opportunity. I could offer Dialble in exchange for the Sioux captives. Meanwhile we had him secure. He would not be found 'till the hunt was over •and the cards came for the skins. Mounting the broncho, which Lit- tle Fellow had caught and brought back, I ordered the Indians to get their 'horses 'and follow; and 'I rode up to the level prairie, Against the southern horizon shone the yellow birch of a wigwam, Vague movements were apparent through the long grass, from which we conjectured the raid- ers were hastening back with news of Diable's capture. !We must reach the Sioux camp ,before these messengers eattsed another mysterious disappear- ing of this fugitive tribe. We whipped our horses to a .gallop. Again thin smoke lines arose from the prairie and simultaneously the wigwam began to vanish. I had al- most concluded the tepee was one of those delusive mirages which lead prairie riders on fools' errands, when I descried figures mounting ponies where the peaked camp had stood: At this we lashed our horses 'to faster pace. The Sioux galloped aff and more smoke lines were rising, "What do those mean, Little Fel- low?" I asked; for there was smoke in a dozen places ahead, "The prairie's on fire, MonsieurI The Sioux have •pu:t'b•urnt stick in dry grass! The •wind -,k. Iblow—it come hard—fast—fast this way!" and all four Indians reined up their horses as if they would turn. 'Coward 'Indians," I ,cried. "Go on! Who's put -off the trail shy the fire of a ,fool Sioux? Get 'through ` the fire be- fore it grows 'big, or it will •catch you all and burn you to a crisp," The gathering smoke, was °beetle 'ng the fugitives and my Indians still' hung back. Where the Indian refuses to be ,coerced., he •nsay be won by re- ward, or spurred by 'praise of •bravery.; "Ten horses to the 'heave who oatclies .a Sioux!" I s'h'outed. "Corrie on, Indians! Who ,follows? Is 'the In- dian 'less ,brave 'than the pale .facet' and we •ane dashed forward, spurring our hard -ridden horses :without mer- cy. Each Indian ,gave his horse !the bit. Beating them over the head, they craned flat •over the horses' necks to lessen resistance to the air. A (boister- ous wind was fanning the Ibu'rning, grass to a great tide Of fire 'that molted forward in forked 'tongues; but 'be- yond the !flames were figures of reced- ing riders; and we pressed on. Cind- ers rained on us dike liquid fire, scorching and••maddening our horses; but we never ,paused. The !billowy clouds •af smoke thatt soiled to meet us were blinding, 'en'd .the eery atnaos- p'here, livid and •quivering with heat, seemed to !become a fiery !fluid 'that enveloped and torten -0d us. In'volun- t'arily, as we drew nearer and nearer the angry (fire -tide, my hand was across my mouth to shit out the loot burning air; but a ratan must `breathe, and the next intake of breath 'blister- ed one's chest like live coals on raw flesh. Little 'wonder our tpoor'tbeasts uttered that pitiful scream 'against pain, which is the horse's one :protest of suffering. Presently, they tb•ecame wildly a tnman'a.geable; and when we dismounted to 'blindfold them and muffle their heads in our jackets, they crowded and •tremibled against us ie a frenzy of terror. Then we tied strips tarn from our •clothin'g across our own mouths ancl, remounting, beat the frantic creatures !forward, I have often marveled at the courage of those four IIndians, For me, there was incentive enough to dare every- thing to the death. For them, what motive but to 'vindicate their bravery? But even bravery in its perfection has the limitation of physical endurance; and we had now reached t'he limit of what we •could endure and live, The fire wave was crackling and licking up everything within a ;few (paces of us. Live brands fell thick as a rain of fire. The flames were' not •crawling in the insidious line of the prairie 'fire when there is no 'wind, but the very heat of the alit' seemed to generate a hurricane and the red 'wave came for- ward in leaps and !bounds, reaching out cloven fangs that hissed at us like an army of serpents. I • remember wondering in a half delirium whether parts of Dante's hell could be worse. With the instinctive cry to heaven for help, of human -.kind world over, I looked above; bat there were glowing clouds roiling and heaving and toss- ing and blackening the firmament. Then I knew we must choose one of three things, a long 'detour round the fire -wave, one dash through the flames—or death. I shouted to the men to save themselves; but Burnt Earth and Ringing Thunder had al- ready gone off to skirt the near end of the fire -line, Little Fellow' and La Robe Noire stuck staunchly by me. We all three,. paused , facing death; and the Indians' 'horses 'trembled close to my broncho till I 'felt the burn of hot stirrups against 'both ankles. Our .buckskin was smoking a dozen places, There was a lull of the. wind, and I said to myself, "The calm before the end; the next hurricane burst and those red demon claws will have us." But in the momentary lull, a place appeared ,through the trough •of =make billows, where the grass was green and the .flrelbarrier breached. With a shout and heads down, we dashed towards this and vaulted across the 'flaming 'Wall, our 'horses enorting and screaming with pain as we landed on the smoking turf of the other Side. I .gulped a great breath of the 'fresh air into my suffocating lungs, tore the buckskin covering from my 'broncho's head and we raced on in a swirl of smoke, always follow- ing the dust which revealed the tracks of rhe retreating Sioux, There was a whiff of singed hair, as if one of the horses had •been burnt, and Little Fellow gave a shout. Looking back I saw his horse stinking on the blackened patch; but La Robe Noire and S rode on. (The fugitives were as- cending, rising ground to the south. They were .beating their horses in a rage of cruelty; but we gained at ev- ery pace. I counted twenty riders. A woman seemed to he strapped to one horse. Was this •Mir'iam? We were on• the moist grass and I urged La Robe Noire to ride (faster and drove spurs in my own beast. •though 3 felt hint weakening under Inc. The Sioux had now reached the crest of ithe hill. Our horses were nigh done, and to jade the fagged .creatures up rising ground was useless, When we finally reached the height, the Sioux were far down the valley. It was utterly hopeless to try to over- take them.. ,A'hl Lt is easy to face death and to s•tru'ggle and to !fight arid' to teiemph! But the 'hardest of all things is to surrender, to yield to the 'nev'itable, to 'burn beak 'just when the goal loons thton'gh. obscurity! I still^thael Diable in nay power. We leaded about and crawled slowly tack by unburnt land towards the buffalo haunters. • Little !Fdl'low, we 'overtook limping; afoot. Burnt Earth and 'Riugin'g' Thunder awaited as near the ravine. The carts were already out :ga'theriin'g hides, •tallow, 'flash, :and" tongues. We made ,what poor speed we 'could among the !buffalo •carcasses ,to the spot where we had left tLe ;Grand. Diable It 'was .Little Fellow, who was hobbling ahead, and the Indian ,sod- denly turned 'with such a .cry •oll Ibatf 'fled rage, S knew it !boded misfortune. Running ,forward, d catild .'hardly be- lieve my eyes. Fools 'that we were to leave the captive enguerded1 The great 'buffado lay unmolested; but there was no Le Grand Diable. A third time . had he vanished as if in league with the powers •af the air. Closer examination explained his dis- appearance. A wet, tattered moccasin, with the appearance of having been chewed, lay on the 'tone He had 'evid- ently bitten through his gag, raised his arms to his mouth, eaten away the hare thongs, and so, without the help of the Sioux raiders, freed bis 'hands, untied himself .and escaped. latunfouuled and baffled, I returned to ''the encampment an'd took counsel with Father Holland. We arranged to set mut ;for the .Mandanes on the Mis- souri. Diable's tribe had certainly gone south to Sioux territory. The Sioux and the Mandanes •tvere tfrien:d- ly enough neighbors this year. Living with the 'Mandanes south Of the Sioux country, we might keep track 'of the enemy without exposing ourselves to Sioux vengeance. IFore'bodings of terrible suffering for 'Miriam 'haturted one, I could not close my eyes without seeing her subjected to Indian torture; and I had no heart to take part in the jubil- ation of the hinters over their great success. The savory smell of roasting meatwhiffed into my tent and I heard the shrill laughter of the squaws preparing the hunters' feast. With 'hard -wood .axles squeaking loudly under the atnusual 'burden, the last cart rumbled into the camp en- closure with :its load of meat and skins. The clamor of the people sub- sided; and I knew every 'one was busily gorging to repletion, too intent on the satisfaction of animal greed to indulge in the Saxon habit of talk- ing over a meal. !Well might they gorge; for this was the one great an- nual 'feasts There would follow a win- ter of stint and hardship an•d ,hunger; and every soul in the camp was lay- ing up store against famine. Even the dogs were happy, for they were either roving over the field of the hunt, or lying disabled ,front gluttony at their masters' 'tents. . Father Holland remained in the tepee with ane talking over our plans and plastering Indian ointment on my numerous •burns, By and by, the voices of the 'feasters began again and chanting the song of the 'buffalo hunt: • Now list to 'the song of the buffalo hunt, Which 1, Pierre, the rhymester, chant. of the brave! We are •Eois-Brules, , Freemen of the plains We choose our chief! We are no man's slave! Up, riders, up. ere the early mist Ascends to salute the rising sun! Up, rangers, .up, ere the buffalo herds Sniff morning air for the ltuhter's gnat! They lie in their lairs of dank spear - grass, Down in the •gorge, where the prairie dips. 'Ve've ,followed'!their cracks through the sucking ooze, Where our •bronchos sang to their steaming hips. We've followed their tracks from the rolling, plain Through slime -green sloughs to a sedgy ravine, Where the cat -tail spikes of the marsh -grown !flags Stand half as high as the 'billowy green. The spear -grass touched ou'r saddle- bows, The bladeepoints prinked to the tbroneho's neck; But we followed the •,tracks like hounds on scent Till our horses reared with a sudden •clneok, The scouts dart 'back with a shout, "They are found !" Great fur -maned heads are thrust through reeds, . A .forest of horns, a. crunching of stems,. Reined sheer on their haunches are terrified steeds! . Get you gone t' ,the •sgnsatvs at the bents, old men, The cartalines safely encircle the camp! Now, 'breves Of the plain, brace your saddle=girths1 Quick Load guns, for ,our horses cham!p1 A tossing of horns, • a pawing of hoofs, But the hunters •utter never'a wordy As the stealthy:tp'anther !creeps on his prey, So move we in 'silence ,against the ,herd: With arrows ready and triggers took- ` ed, We Touted them ,nearer the valley Ibank' They pause in ,defiance, then start with alarm At the ominous sound of a !gun-ibaa•- refs clank. A ware from OUT captain, .out !bursts a .wild shout, A. crash of shots .from •aur breaking ranks, And the herd stampedes with a 'thatn- d•erous 'boom While we drive our spurs into quiver- ing 'flanks. The arrows hiss like a shower 'of snakes, Tie, bullets ,puff in a smoky gust, Out .fly loose reins •from the ibroncho's !buts And hunters ride on in a 'whirl of°•fist, The 'bel'lowing ,bulls mush blind with fear Through river and marsh, while ,the trampled dead Soon bridge safe fond for, theplung- ing herd; Earth rocks like a sea 'neath the mighty tread. A rip •of the sharp -curved sickle - horns, A hunter falls to the blood-soaked ground! He is gored and tossed and trampled down, On das1t•es the furious beast with a bound, When over sky -line hulks the last great •form And the rumbling 'thunder of their Hoofs' !beat, ,beat, Dies like an echo in distant; hills, Back ride the hunters chanting their feat. Now old men and squaws, .come you out with the .carts! 'There's meat against 'hunger and fur against cold! 'Gather full store ,for the pemmican bags, Garner the booty of .warriors bold. So 'list ye the song •of the Bois - Of their glorious deeds in the days of old, And :this is the tale of the buffalo hunt Which !I, Pierre, the rhymester, have proudly told. CHAP11ER XIV A more desolate existence than the life of a fur -trading winterer in the far north can scarcely be imagined. Penned in some miserable lodge a thousand miles ,.from human ;compan- ionship, only the ,wild orgies of the savages varied the monotony of dull days and long nights. The winter. I spent with the Maindanes was my first in the north. I had ,not yet learn- ed .to take events as the rock takes wave -blows, and was still at that mawkish age when 'a man is easily filled with profiled pity for himself. A month after our arrival, Father Holland left the Mandane village. Eric Hamilton had not yet •eoane; so I felt much like the man whoma gloomy poet describes as earth's last inhabitant. I had accompanied the priest half -way to the elver forks. Here, he was to get passage in an Indian canoe to the tribes. of the up- per !Missouri. After an affectionate farewell, 1 Stood on a knoll of treeless land and 'watched the 'broad-brinened hat and black robe receding •from one. 'tGoodeby, boy! 'God bless you!" he had said in .broken voice. "Don't Sall to brooding when you're alone, or you'll lose your wits. Now mind your- self! Don't mope!" For any pant, I could not answer a word, 'blot keeping hold of his band walked on with him a ,pace. "Get away with you! Go home, youngster!" he ordered, •roughly eha'k- ing me off and .flourishing his staff. Then . he strode swiftly forward without once looking back, while I would have given all '3 'possessed for 'one last wave, As he plunged into the sombre 'forest, where the early au- tumn frost of that north land ,had al- ready tinged the maple woods With the hectic flush of caning death, so poignant 'wars this last wresting from human ifel'lows!hcp, 'I .coni!° scarcely re- sist the impulse to desert my station and .follow 'him. Poorer tbh'an the Paola: est of the :tribes to whom he minister- ed, alone and 'armed only with his faith, this man was ready to conquer the .world rfos his Master. "Would that ,I had !half the courage 'for my quest," I mu'sedy .and walked slowly back to tine solitary lodge. (To :Ire continued) PROFESSIONAL CARDS. Medical IDR. E. A. McMiA!STER-•Graduate of the •Faculty of Medicine, Univers- ty of .Toronto, and of the New York Post 'Graduate School and Hospital. Member of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of 'Ontario. Office on High street. Phone 217. Office fully equipped for x-ray diagnosis andfor ultra .'short wave eleotric treatment, ultra tra violet sun lamp •treatment and 'n•fra a+ed' electric treatment, Nurse in abtendance • DTR. IGIILBIERIT C. PARROTT — Graduate of Faculty of Medicine, Un- iversity of Westerat ;Ontario. •Member of College of 'Physicians and.Surgeens Ontario. 'Oflfi a 43 'Goderich street west. .Phone 37. Hours 24.30 pan., 7.30-9 'ppm. Other hours by appoint- ment. Successor to'Dr. Chas. Mackay. DR. B. HUGIH ROSS, Physician and Surgeon Late of London Hos- plta'l, London, 'England. Special at- tention to diseases of the eye, ear, nose and throat. Office and ,eesidence behind Dominion Bank. Office Phone No. 5; 'Residence Phone 104. DR. F. J. BUR'R'OWS, ,Seaforth. Office and residence, •Goderieh street, east of the United Church. 'Coroner for the County of Huron. Telephone No. 416. DR. F. J. R. FORSTIEIR—.Eye Bar, N.ose and Throat. 'Graduate in Medicine, University of Toronto .11897. Late Assistant New York Ophthal- mic and Aural Institute, Moore'field's Eye, and 'Golden Square throat 'hospi- tals, London. At Commercial Hotel, Seaforth, third 'Wednesday in each month from '.1.30 pm. to 5 p.m. DR. W. C. SPROAT Physician - Surgeon Phone 90-W. Office John .SR. Seafort1' Auctioneer. GEORGE ELLIOTT, Licensed Auctioneer for the County of Huron. Arrangements can be made for Sale Date at The Seaforth News. Charges rnoderate and satisfaction guaranteed. e. F. W. AHRENS, Licensed Auction- eer for Perth and Huron Counties. Sales Solicited. Terms on Application. Farm Stook, chattels and reel estate property. R. R. No. 4, tMitdhell. Phone 634 r 6. Apply at this office. WATSON & REID REAL ESTATE AND INSURANCE AGENCY (Successors to James Watson) MAIN ST., SEAFORTH, ONT. .All kinds of .Insurance risks effect- ed at lowest rates in First -Class Companies. THE McKILLOP Mutual Fire Insurance Cc HEAD OFFICE—SEAFORTH, Ont. OFFICERS President, Thomas Moylan, Sea - forth; Vice President, William Knox, Londesbooro; Secretary Treasurer, M. A. Reid, Seaforth. AGENTS F. MoKeroher, RR.11, Dublin; John E. Pepper, R.R.1, Brucefield; E. R G. Jarrnouth, i3rodhagen; James Watt, i Blyth; C. F, Hewitt, Kin'cardlne; Wm. Yeo, .HDIiRIEdlmesville. CTORS Alex. Broadfoot, Seaforth •No. 3; Janes Sholdice, Walton; Wm. Knox, Londes'boro; George Leonhardt, Bornholm No. 1; Frank 'McGregor, Clinton No. 5; James Connolly, God- erich; Alex 'MdEwing, Blyth Ne. 1; Thbmas Moylan, Seaforth No. 5; Wmm, R. Archibald, Seaforth No. 4. Parties desirous to effect insurance or transact other 'business, will be promptly attended to by applications to any of the above named officers addressed to their respective post- offices. • Wife—Did you post that letter .for nee, darling? Husband --!Very •nearl'y, sweetheart. I'll try again tomorrow." "Does your husband !confide his business •tnoulbles to you! " ''Yes, indeed—every time I buy anything to wear." "I hate playin.g cards against a bad loser, don't you 1" "Well, I'd rather play against a bad loser than any kind •of 'winner," Mistress/('Ifs your daughter ltappi- ly married, •Saplphira?" Swpphira—IlYassum, •sh:e's got a huslband d'ot's skeered to •death of her."