The Arkansas advocate., 1830-12-29

l liiey kileW4lf was cmpty. they were bet ter soldiers" A fierce and bloody con- tllct ensued. The Indians rushing up. on Tom, stabbed him in many places; but 1t happened fortunately, that the shafts oi their spears were thin polls, rigged hastily for this occasion, which bent whenever the point struck . rib, or encountered one of Higgins tough muscles. From this cause, and the con tinual exertlon of his hand and rifle in wardlng off their thrusts, the wounds thus made were rot deep. but lis whole 1 iront was covered with gashes. of which the scars Jet remain iii honorable proof oi his yaior. Atlast, one of them threw HIS tomaaawS; the edge sunk deep in iiiggias cheek, passed through his ear, winch Il severed, laid, pare his skull to the pack oi his head, and stretched him Oil the plain. The Indians rushed on; but Tom instantly recovered his self possession, and kept them of with his teet and hands, unhi he succeeded in gfasPlns eae oi taeir spears, which, as sile indian attcmptedte pas! | from h.4l, alded htm to rise; aad clupt;ne his rife, he rushed upon the 4arest of his foes. and dashed lis brains 86t; in doing
 F1lle}, lss' hfefis,es the stock to aicces. re-
 alaing only the barrel ia his band.
 1ile ether Indian, however warily he Lad fought before, now eaine manially 7ate battle. Ii is probable lat he felt sfis character as a warrior atstake. To have fled from maa desperately wound Cd, ahd almost disafmed, or to have sui iesed bis victim to escape, would have tafblshed his manhood. Utteaag a fer fIlle yell, he rushed on, attempting to stab ti'e exhausted ranger, while the lat ter, safdiag of the spear with one hand, brandished his rife barrel in the other. The Indian, unwounded, was now by lar the mostpoaer!t:l .f;ii.; but tl,e nor al courage of our hero prevailed. and tile savage unable to hear the fierce glance of his uatamed eye. began to retreat slowly towards the place where he had dropped his rife. Tom knew l thafiithe Indian recovered his gun. his own case was hopeless; and throwing d. way lis ritle-barrel, he drew his hunting knife, and rushed in upon ham. A des- pefate strife ensued, and several deep gashes were inflicted; but the Indian succeeded in casting Higgins from him, and ran to the spot where he had thrown down his gun, while Tom searched for the gun of the other Indian. Thus the two, bleeding and out of breath, were both searching for arms to renew the conflict.
 By this time, the smoke which lay be- tween tine combatants and the main body of the Indians, had passed away, ana d number of the latter having passed the l hazle-thlcket, were in full view. 1t seemed therefore, as if nothing could save our heroic ranger. But relief was at hand. The little garrison at the sta- l ton, SIX or seven innumber, had witness. ed the whole oi this remarkable combat. There was among them heroic woman. Mrs. tursiey, who, when she sawiilg- gifts co8tending singly with the toe, urg- ed the men to go to his rescue. The rangers at first considered the attempt hopeless, az the Indians out-numbered them ten to ore, But lrs. Pursley de- claring thatso fire fellow as Tom should not be lost for wanf of heip, sflatched rifle out of her husbands hand, and jumping on to q horse, sallied out. The men who would not be oatdone by a wo- man, followed, full gallop towards the l place Of combat. A scene ofintense in- terest ensued. The Indians at the thieket had just discovered Tom, and were rushing down towards him with savage yells-his friends were spurring their horses to reach him frst-iiiggins, exhausted with loss of blood, had fallen and fainted-wiliie his adversary, too intent on his prey to observe any thing else, was looking for a rife. The ran gers reached the battle ground first. Mrs. Pursley, who knew Toms spirit, thought he had thrown himself down in despair for the loss of his gun, and ten dered him the one she carried: but Tom was past shooting. His friends lifted him up, threw him across horse before one of the party, and turned 10 retreat just as the Indians came up. They made good their retreat, and the Indians re- tired.
 We repeat the adventure just as 1t was related to us, and have not the small est doubt that it is literally correct; or | T Nf