Elkswatawa : $b or, The prophet of the west. A tale of the frontierFrench, James Strange
General
Elkswatawa : $b or, The prophet of the west. A tale of the frontier
French, James Strange
Tippecanoe, Battle of, Ind., 1811 -- Fiction
“All was now quiet, for both Ingens had sunk, and I was master of the
log, but I had yet another struggle to make, for I heard the Ingens on
shore push off their boat, and seed the waters splash as they darted
towards me. It was too late to load, and then I could kill but one;
that wouldn't do—no, the only hope was to hide; so I took out a
string, and placing my rifle in the water, lashed it to the log, I
then threw away my hat, and crawling as far as I could towards the
small eend, eased myself gently down into the water, leaving nothing
out but my head, and holding on with both hands by a small
limb—another minute, and the canoe grated as it run up upon the log.
The Ingens looked about and spoke to each other, but could see
nothing, they then called their companions by name, but there was no
answer. They were now very much distressed, and all got out upon the
log, and began to walk about and examine it. When they came to the end
where I was, I sunk altogether, and it being the small end of the log,
it began to sink, and the Ingens soon went back. I then threw my head
back, and put my mouth out that I might breathe, just as a crippled
duck sometimes does its bill. I made no noise, it was dark, they could
not see me, and all went well. I heard them say ‘they must have killed
him,’ and then that ‘they are all gone;’ they seemed very much
distressed, wondered much at the whole affair, and none could explain
it. After about fifteen minutes, they again stepped into their boat
and pushed off. I waited until I could hear nothing of them, then
crawled up upon the log, and as I did not wish to run any farther
risk, I sat there till day-break.
“The sun was just about to rise, when the log which I was on washed up
against the bank not far from where the Ohio empties into the
Mississippi. I caught hold of some bushes and pulling the log up along
side of the bank, unloosed my rifle, and got out. I had been in the
water so long that I was mighty weak, and I was shrivelled up, but as
I began to stir about I felt better, and setting off I went back up
the river to where I started upon the log. The first thing I seed upon
getting back, was old Jupe sitting on the bank waiting for me, at the
very spot where the log had slipped off. The thing wanted to lick me
all over, she was so glad to see me. I was then right tired, so I
started off home, and in about a week or two, Jupe and I arrived there
safe and sound, and that is the end of my story.”
“Well, Earth,” said one of the company, “you are all sorts of a
looking crittur.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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