Beadle's Frontier Series #25: Indian Jim—A Tale of the Minnesota Massacre — page 74: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

aay tS 3 INDIAN JIM. % cessively Pachinded ioe by discovering, a few ee after they started, that they were followed. . -They put their horses to their utmost speed, and either’ distanced their pursuers, or the latter drew off most probably in quest of more tempting plunder. The next day Christian Jim, that they had commenced their flight too late. The mas- sacre was sweeping like a whirlwind as: far: east as lowa, and the participants had already passed many miles beyond them; so that, properly speaking, they were not fleeing, but simply endeavoring to thread their way through this maze of dangers to a spot of safety. They were hourly in danger of attack and massacre; but under the good providence of God, the skill of Christian Jim saved them. He detected “signs” ‘constantly, and, by timely foresight and precaution, avoided discovery. On one occasion, he drove the horses into a stream until the - body of the wagon rested upon the surface of the water, and by this means escaped detection. The evidences of their enemies so multiplied around them, that they finally despaired of getting through in safety, even though guided by the matchless skill of the friendly Sioux. Being positive of a collision, it was of the last importance that they should muster all the defensible force possible. Into the deepest recesses of a dense grove of timber, they managed to penetrate for some distance, when the Sioux contrived to obliterate all traces of their entrance; and left them with the injunction not to move, under any circum- stances, until his return. He then made all haste in ques of Halleck and young Brainerd. On the summit of the hill to which we have relacred: ht descried them approaching, and lay down in the grass in thé hope that they would pass near him. He soon discovered that their course would lead them far to the left, and was on the point of descending to meet them,- when, to his surprise, he discerned directly in their rear, a body of ‘mounted Indians, who were, beyond:all doubt, among the principals of the massacre. He expected momentarily that they would dash after the whites. His own safety de- _. manded that he should conceal his identity, even from - them, until he could make himself known to his friends. _ Wn case of their capture, he might have passed himself off _ whose sagacity and woodcraft were wonderful, announced . Oe OE Oy oe ee EI OO, ‘ oor ee —_ (F@) GEomichooks