Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1819-03-30
INDIAN BENEVOLENCE,
And the Sagacity of his Dog.

Extracted from a work, entitled Letters from
an American Planter on Cultivation"
In the county Of Ulster, in the neigh
bourhood OF Pennsy lvania, lived man
whose name was lie Fevre; he was The
grandson of a Frenchman, who was obi
ged to fly his country at the revocation of
the edict Of Nantes. He might well have
been called the last of mankind, for he
possessed a plantation on the very verge
of the valley towards the Blue Mountains,
a place Of refuge for animals of the deer
kind.
This man, having family Of eleven
children, a thing by no means uncommon
| in that country,) was greatly alarmed one
morning at missing the youngest, who was
about four years OF sge--he disappeared
about ten o'clock. The distressed family
sought after him in the river, and in the
fields, but TO no purpose. Terrified to an
extreme degree. they united with their
neighbours in quest of him. They en-
tered the woods, which they beat over
with the most scrupulous attention. A
thousand times they called him by name,
and we're answered only by the echoes of
the wilds. They then assembled them
selves at the foot Of the Mountain of Cha
tagniets Tor chesnut trees) without being
able to bring the least intelligence Of the
child. After reposing themselves for some
minutes, they formed into different bands
and night coming on, the parents in des-
TN f0r ~
fright continually increased by the know
ledge they had of the mountain cats, an
animal SO rapacious, that the inhabitants
cannot always defend themselves against
their attack. They then painted to their
imagination the horrid idea of wolf, or
some other dreadful animal, devouring
their darling child. Derrick, my poor
little Derrick +! where art thou p frequent.
| Iy exclaimed the mother, in the most
poignant language--but all was Of no avail.
AS soon as daylight appeared, they re-
newed their search, but as unsuccessiully
as the preceding day. Fortunately an In
dian, laden with lurs, coming from an adj
iacent village, called at the house of Lie
Eevre, intending TO repose himself there,
as he usually did on his travelling through
that part Of the country. He was much
surprised to find no one at home but an old
Negroes, kept there by her infrmities.
g Where is my brother ?" said the Indian.
" Alas!" replied the Negro woman, he
has lost his little Derrick, and all the neigh
bourhood are employed 10 looking after
| him in the woods" 1t was then 8 O'clock
| in the afternoon " Sound the horn," said
the Indian, " try and call my brother
home-I will fluid his child" The horn
was sounded; and as soon as the father
returned, the Indian asked him for the
shoes and stockings that Derrick had worn
last. He then ordered his Dog, which he
brought with him, TO smell them, aud then,
taking the house for his centre, he de-
scribed circle of quarter of mile
semi. diameter, ordering his Dog to smell
the earth, wherever he led him. The cir
Gle was not completed, when the sagacious
animal began to bark. This sound brought
some feeble ray Of hope TO the disconsolate
parents. The Dog followed the scent
and barked again the party pursued him
with all their speed, but soon lost sight OF
him in the woods. Half an hour AFTER