Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1820-03-28

contempt Tor the Small one. ne latter,
however, caught his tomahawk again, and
approached more cautiously, waving
his arm up and down with mock blows,
to deceive Poe as to the stroke which
was intended to be real and fatal. Poe,
however, was so vigilant and active that
he averted the tomahawk from his head,
and received it upon his wrist, with a
considerable wonnd, deep enough to
cripple, but not entirely to destroy the
use of his hand. In this crisis of peril,
he made violent effort, and broke loose
from the large Indian. He snatched a
rifle and shot the small one through the
breast, as he ran up the third time with
his lifted tomahawk. The large Indian,
now on his feet, and grasping Poe by the
shoulder and the leg, hurled him in the
air, heels over head, upon the shore. Poe
instantly rose, and new and more des-
perate struggle ensued. The bank was
slippery, and they fell into the water,
where each stroye to drown the other.
Their efforts were long and doubt
full, each alternately under and half
strangled, till Poe fortunately graspcd,
with his wounded hand, the tuft OF hair
upon the scalp of the Indian, and forced
his head under the water.
This appeared to be decisive Of his
fate, for soon he manifested all the symp-
toms of drowned man bewildered in the
moment of death, Poe relaxed his hold,
and discovered too late the stratagem.
The Indian was instantly upon his feet
again, and engaged anew in the fierce
contest for life and victory. They were
naturally carried further into the stream,
and the current, becoming stronger, bore
them beyond their depth. They were
now compelled TO loosen their hold upon
each other, and to swim for mutual safety.
Both sought the shore to seize gun, but
the Indian was the best swimmer, and
gained it first. Poe then turned in.me-
diately back into the water to avoid a
greater danger, meaning 10 dive, if pos
sible, to escape the fire. Fortunately
for him, the Indian caught up the rifle
which had been discharged into the
breast of his smaller companion.
At this critical juncture Andrew, the
Brother, returned in haste, having left
the party that had been in pursuit of the
other Indians, and who had killed all but
one of them, at the expense of three of
their lives. He had heard that Adam
was in great peril, and alone in the fight
with two against him. One of our peo-
pie, following not far in the rear of
Andrew, mistook Adam in the water
with his bloody hand, for wounded In
dian, and fired bullet into his shoulder
Adam cried out to his brother to kill the
big Indian on the shore, but Adams
gun had been discharged and was not
again loaded. The contest was now be-
tween the savage and Andrew. Each
labored to load his rifle first The In
dian, after putting in his powder, and
hurrying lis motions to force down the
ball, drew out his ramrod with such vio-
lence as to throw 1t some yards into the
water. While he ran to pick it up,
Andrew gained an advantage, and shot
the Indian just as he was raising his gun
to his eye for deadly aim. Andrew
then jumped into the river to assist his
wounded brother to the shore; but
Adam, thinking more of carrying the
big Indian home as trophy, than of his
wounds, urged Andrew to go back and
prevent the struggling savage from roll
ling himself into the current, and escap-
ing. Andrew, however, was too solicit
Gus fox the fate of Adam, to allow him
to obey, and the Indian jealous of his
honor, as warrior, even in death, and
knowing we'll the intention of his white
conquerors, succeeded in retaining life
and action long enough to reach the cur
rent by which his dead body was carried
down beyond the chance of pursuit.
This native was the most distinguished
among Eve celebrated brothers belong
ing to the royal tribe of Wyandots.
Notwithstanding he was engaged in this
predatory expedition, he was acknow-
lodged by all to be peculiarly magnani-
NOUS for an Indian, and lad contributed,
more than any other Individual, to pre-
serve and extend the practice which was
known to prevail III his tribe, that of not
taking the lives of his prisoners, and OF
not suffering them to be treated ILL
This practice was an honorable distinc-
ton for the WysRdots, as he well under
stood by the white people who were
traders with the Indians, and by those OF
our early settlers and brethren who had
been made prisoners in war. 1t was a
COMMON remark among them, " if we
become the prisoners of the Wyandots
| ehnu be Gortnnaten The death cd