PIONEER HUNTERS OF THE KANKAKEE 

 on which to escape with his girl to his own 

 tribe. Niagara was ready and when the village 

 was sunk into profound sleep she met him in a 

 sequestered place, bringing a supply of provi- 

 sions for the trip. In a moment they were in 

 their saddles and away. They were not less 

 than three long sleeps from his own people and 

 would be followed by the Indians as long as 

 there were any hopes of overtaking them. By 

 morning, however, there would be a wide space 

 between them and their pursuers and would 

 make their escape entirely practible if no mis- 

 haps should befall them on the way. The first 

 night or next day in the evening they reached a 

 camp of trappers and hunters and among them 

 were old Kill-buck and LaBonta, Frenchmen 

 who were trapping and buying furs, and from 

 whom I obtained this narrative while camped on 

 the Kankakee many years. The trappers were 

 very much surprised to see two young Indians, 

 a young man and a squaw, ride up and alight in 



the midst of them, apparently much fatigued and 

 



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