The Arkansas advocate., 1830-12-29

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 On looking round, he discovered Che speaker to be one of his companions
 named Burgess, who was lying wound ed on the ground, and he replied in ss:;.;;.s!J i.o, I'll Il not leave you; come along, and I'll take care of you
 can't come," replied Burgess, '.my legis smashed all to pieces.''
 Higgins sprung from his saddle, and picking tip his eomrade, whose ancle bone was broken, in his arms, lsa pro- eeeded to Tiff if him Oil his horse, telling him to i Aj, and that he would make his own way on foot. But the horse talk ing fright at this instant, darted of, leaving Higgins, with his wounded friend, on foot. Still the cool bravery of the former was sufficient for every emergency, and setting Burgess down gently, he told him, :. aow my good fellow, You must hop off on your three legs, while ] stay between you and the Indians, and keep them off instruct ing him at the same time to get into the grass and crawl as close to the ground as possible. Burgess followed his ad- vice, and escaped unnoticed. History docs not relate a more disinterested act of heroism. than this of Higgins, who. having in hls hands the certain means of escape from such imminent peril, yo- luntarily gave them up, by offering his horse to a wounded eomrade; and eIlo. when that generous intention was de- feated, and his own retreat was still practicable, remained, at the hazard of his life, to protect his crippled friead.
 The cloud of smoke, which had par tially opened before him, as he faced the enemy, still lay thick behind him, as he plunged through this, he lief; t, to- gether with the ridge, and the hazIe- thicket. betweenhim and the mainbodY of the Indians, and was retiring unob- served by them. Under these circum stances, it is probable that if he had re- treated !n a direct line towards the sta. tion, he might easily have effected his escape; but Burgess was slowly crawl ing away ia that direction, and the gal lant Higgins, who eoolh surveyed the whole ground, foresaw, that if he pur- sued tlae same track, and should be dis covered his friend would be endaager- ed. He therefore took the heroic resoz luton of divefging from the true course so fer, as that any of the enemy who should follow him, would not fall in with Burgess With this intention. he moved stealth:ly alsag through the smoke and bushes, intending when he emerged, to retreat at full speed. But as he left tl3e taicket, he heheld large Indian near him, and two others on the other side, Il the direction of the fort. Tom coolly surveyed his foes, and be- gan to chalk out his track; for although in the confidence ofhis own activity and courage, he felt undismayed at such odds, yet he found it necessary to.act he general. Having an enemy on each flank, he determined to separate them, and fight them singly. Making for a rayine, which was not far off, he bound cd away, but soon found that one of lis limbs failed him, having received hall lip the first fire, which, until now, he had scarcely noticed. The largest in- dian was following him closely. Iiig- gins several times turned to fire, but the indian would halt and dance about to prevent him from taking aim; and Tom knew that he could not afford to fire at random. The other two were now clos ing in on him, and he found that unless he could dispose of the first one, he must be oVerpowered. He therefore halted, resolved to receive fire; and the lndi- an, at few paces distant, raised his ri- ae:-Higgins watched his advefsary's eye, and just as he thought his finger pressed the trigger, suddenly turnedhis side to him. 1t is probable that the motionsaved his life, for tine ball enter ed his thigh, which would have pierced his body. Tom fell, but rose again, and ran, and the largest Indian, certain of his prey, loaded again, and then with the two others, pursued. They soon came near. Higgins had again fallen. and as he rose, they all three fired, and he reeelped aH their batls. He now fell and rose several times, and the indians throwing away their guns, advanced on hlm with spears and knives. They ire quentif charged upon him, but uponhis presenting his gun at ono or the other they fell back. At last the largest one thinking probably from Tom's reservinQ