A PERILOUS ADVENTURE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4318, 30 May 1885, Page 6 (Supplement)

A PERILOUS ADVENTURE.

' Somebody ought to let the settlers at Armstrong's" know about the danger they're in ; but I don't see how we're going to do it.'

The speaker was a man dressed as a farmer. He was speaking to his neighbors, and they were all gathered in a largo barn, built of logs, in one of the newly settled portions of Minnesota- It was in the time of the Indian outbreak, ancl they had sought safety hero (men, women, and children), inspired by a feeling of terror only understood by those who have lived on the frontier, and know from actual experience tho danger of such a life in places where tho Indians aro unfriendly and murderous. Stories had come to them of horrible massacres at New Ulm and other settlements not far away, and they were expecting an attack at'any time. Every hour passed slowly in fear and suspense. The remark with which I havo begun this story was called ont by tho tidings which a scout had just brought in. He had learned that the Indians intended to attack a settlement some ten milos down the river. ' Armstrong's it was called, because the name of tho leading man thero was Armstrong. It was a lonely place, quite by itself, and as it had been but recently tho only communication it had with the outside world was by way of the river, and a rough trail along the bluffs. 'It's just liko this,' said the man. 'Tho Indians aro scattered along the river on either side of it for four or fivo miles below here, clear back to the swamps, thus cutting off all chance of escape for tho folks at Armstrong's if they knew of the danger, for thero are Indians on tho other side of them. The only chance for them to save tbamselves is in getting together as we've done, and holding out against the redskins until help comes, and that will bo soon, I'm sure. But they don't know anything about what's been done ; therefore they'll be taken by surprise, and they'll be butchered, every man, woman, and child of them, as the whites were at New Ulm. It's terrible,. but I don't, see how wo can help it. It's sure death to attempt to get from here to Armstrong's. The woods are full of Indians, and they'd discover-a fellow before he'd made two miles of tho distance.'

Robert Woods listened to what was being said with a sad heart. He was a poor boy, with but one relation in the world, as far as he knew. That relative was a sister living at. Armstrong's.

' Must 1 slay hero and lot her bo killed ?' he said to himself—' let her bo killed, without making an attempt to savo her ?' No ; I'll try to get to Armstrong's in some way, if I di'o for it,'

'Sco here,' ho said, going up to the man who seemed to be tho ono in charge of affairs, ' 1 have a sister at Armstrong's. I can't stay here and do nothing while she's in such danger. I'll undertake to get there and give them warning.'

'Why, boy, you'd be shot before you'd got out of hearing : almost,' was the roply. ' I know it seems cruel for us to stay here while they're exposed to Buch danger ; but we've got our families to protect, and we know that there isn't one chance in a thousand of gotlincr to (horn. It would bo like

«I'll take that chance, then,' said Robert- ' I must go. Don't try to keep me backI have a plan that may work. I'll try it) anyway.' ' What is it ?' they ask him. ' How are you going ?' ' By river,' answered Robert. ' They're camped all along the bank a few miles below here, ancl no boat or canoe could possibly get past them unseen,' they told mm - ... , ' But I am not going in a boat or canoe, he said. 'I'm going to float down in a tree-top.' Just at dusk that night ■ a tree-top drifted out slowly into the river from the little bend below the settlement. Hidden away among tho branches was the boy wbo had determined to risk his life for the sake of other lives. The current bore the tree-top along past the shore?, where, for all the young voyager knew, an Indian might be luvking, hoping for a victim. Sometimes it almost touched the bank as the river made a curve and tho current ran closo by the edge of the stream ; then it would drift out into the middle of the river again. Tho moon rose by-and-by, and made the scene almost as light as day. Robert was sorry about that, for it mado his voyage seem more perilous if it really was not so. Averyslark night would have suited him best. It seemed to him thnfc he had been adrift for three or four hours before he saw or heard any indications of life. Suddenly a fimire rose up on the bank, and stood there watching the river. It was an Indian. Ho was not 20ft away from Robert, and tho boy hardly dared breathe for fear of being heard. It seemed to him as if the Indian's sharp eyes must see through tho branches and discover him. But the Indian probably never thought of such a thing as a person being hidden in the tree-top, and soon Robert had left him behind. But there were others skulking up and down the river, ancl ho saw several of them before he had gone much further. But they, like the first one, did not, seem to think there was anything unusual or suspicious in the floating of a tree-top clown the river, and Robort passed them safely. Presently ho heard the sound of a paddle, and peering through the branches he saw a canoe coming towards him. Thero were three Indians in it. Tho canoe was being steered straight for the tree-top. Ho believed that his presence there had been discovered. It was barely possible that it had not, however; but if the Indians ran into the tree-top, as it looked as if they intended to, it certainly would bo if he remained crouching on the tree. He lowered himself noiselessly into the water until only his head remained above the surface. Tho Indians ran the front of the canoe upon the trunk of the floating top, and one of them got out and stood upon it, steadying himself by holding to the branches, while his comrades made some changes in the blankets and other articles in the bottom of the canoe. The Indian's feet were not a foot away from Robert's head. The extra weight caused the tree-top to sink lower in the water, and once or twice, while the Indian stood there, Robert came near strangling, for the water rose to his mouth. But he managed to lift himself a little higher, and keep above the threatened danger. It was with such intense relief as only they can imagine who have been in a similar position that he saw the Indian get back into the canoe.

After that Robert saw no more of the Indians, though he heard several whoops and their answers a little distance back from the banks. By-and-by, he knew from the trees and some of the bluffs along the streamthat he was nearing the settlement where his sistsr lived. Half an hour later he paddled his leafy boat ashore, and climbed the bluff bank. Before him, peaceful and unsuspicious of danger, lay the little settlement of Armstrong's. He hurried to tho houso where his sister lived, and roused the owners of it. To them he told his story in a few brief words. The place was in danger The settlers must bo got together, and that at once. The Indians might come at any time. Tho man started in ono direction, and Robert in another. It did not take long to visit all the houses and rouse their inmates. Armstrong's house was tho largest ono in the settlement, and the most substantially built, and here the settlers gathered, bringing guns, pitchforks, scythes, and whatever seemed likely to be of any possible use as a weapon. The house had a large cellar under it, and in it the women and children were placed. In less than half an hour from the time of Robert's arrival they were ready for the Indians. And by-and-by, the Indians pa'me. They had expected to find their victims asleep, but they found them very wide awake. There wero three or four guns of the repeating kind in tho little party, and as soon as the Indians wero coming across the clearing, firo was.opened on them. The shots were fired with such rapidity that the besiegers evidently thought the besieged to bo much stronger than they were. The surprise of the sudden and altogether unexpected attack threw them into confusion, and they .retreated after firing a few harmless shots.