172 BAGGING A CHIEF'S HEAD. 



tennined at any risk to have the skull.* Ex- 

 treme caution was needed, or a like fate would 

 probably be mine ; a white chief's hairless head 

 might possibly adorn the same pole as that oi 

 the painted savage. I made several attempts, 

 but each time signally failed to accomplish my 

 purpose. 



The night preceding our departure, all hopes 

 of obtaining the coveted head were nearly aban- 

 doned. Fortune at last smiled upon me ; unob- 

 served, I upset the pole, and bagged the head ; 

 and pushing it into my game-bag, got safely into 

 the fort. Still in terror of being seen, I hid it in 

 the bastion, and eventually headed it into a pork 

 barrel, with stones and sand; then had it rolled 

 boldly out, and put on board the steamer. 



On our departure the following morning, I 

 was rejoiced to rind the head had not been 

 missed, but somewhat frightened, on learning 

 I was to be paddled to the steamer, in the 

 state-canoe of the chief to whom the trophy 

 belonged. In grand procession, we marched 

 from the fort to the canoe, marshalled by 

 the dingy dignitary, who, in happy ignorance 

 of the wrong I had done him, was ah 1 smiles 

 and grins ; the final hand-shaking being accom- 



* Vide Illustration. 



