The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1837-12-21


dust. Yet, after all, what ayailed it The
Indians would instantly set fire to the house
and they would all be burnt alive. The bro
theirs, therefore, resolved upon the family
quitting the premises, and making for the
woods. But this plan was nearly fatal to
the whole party for before they had crossed
the slight hollow in front Of the woods the
two brothers and three of the children fell to
rise no more.
The eldest son was singled out by tall
powerful Indian, who pursued him across the
field Of growing rye. They were each arm
ed with rife, but neither Of them stopped
to fire. Young Larner perceived that the In
dian gained rapidly upon him, for his knee
had been slightly injured by ball, bethought
himself Of a stratagem which ultimately saved
him. Some Of the party near the house were
yet occasionally firing at the fugitives that
made for the woods, SO young Larner, as if
he had received death wound, fell amongst
the tall grain. The Indian instantly squa,ted
in the grain also, being apparently suspicious
OF some trick in his intended victim; but in
short time he raised himself upon his knees,
in order to scrutinize where young Larner
lay, when the young fellow who had been
upon the Indian and shot him in the BRAIN
He did not wait TO load, but, in spite Of the
soreness of his knee, pushed for the woods,
which were but short distance. Once be-
hind sheltering tree, he reloaded his rifle,
and having done so, had the satisfaction To
find that none Of the surviving Indians pur-
sued him; there were many of them engaged
in scalping his father and uncle, and
younger brother, and two sisters others
were in pursuit of his mother and eldest sis
ter, who had succeeded in reaching the
woods
For two nights he continued to wander in
the forest, but during the day he remained
hidden in some hollow tree. At last, hunger
ed and weary, he reached a distant settlement
on the river Delaware, the inhabitants of
which Immediately formed themselves into
an armed party, and set off for the scene of
slaughter. On reaching the place they pre-
senily discovered the dead bodies of nine In
dians, the two brothers, and the remainder of
the family, except the eldest daughter and
Mrs. l.. The two last mentioned, it was evil
dent, had been carried off by the surviving
Indians, for their bodies were nowhere to be
found. This party remained three or four
blood; but The mother and daughter returned
not. From this period the place was desert
ed for some years; but the surviving young
Larner marrying, he and his wife took posses
sion of the lone and blood-stained-d welling
The tribe Of Indians had removed far away
to the vicinity Of the Seneca and Ciaga lakes;
SO that there was no longer any danger to be
apprehended from such rude and barbarous
neighbors. ears rolled on and brought with
them new generation OF that devoted fami-
ly; but more than twenty years passed away
without any tidings of the missing females
About this period some settlers from the part
of the country where the Larners originally
resided, located themselves in the vicinity Of
the before mentioned lakes, where they lived
in peace and goodwill with their neiehbors
the Indians and from whom they learned
the fate of the missing mother and daughter.
They stated that they were pursued and
soon captured in the woods and although
they would only submit to be dragged along
by force, in that manner they proceeded for
portion of two days. But this mode Of pro-
ceeding was found SO inconvenient to the par
ty, that when they reached the caves in the
Moose Mountain, council was held on their
prisoners, when they were adjudged to die.
They were then tomahawked according to
the customs of those barbarians and they had
no doubt but their skeletons might be found
there still. This information was some time
afterwards impaired to the son and brother Of
the deceased, who, embracing the first oppor-
tunity, accompanied by their friends, repaired
to Moose Mountain, sought out the caves that
were almost entirely unknown to white men,
and found two skeletons-in the very position
they had fallen beneath the tomahawks Of
their murderers.
They were then removed with much care
and labor to the residence Of the son, who
with true flial affection, inferred them in the
same grave with the Wondering bodies of their
departed kindred. At the time visited the
lone dwelling, the son who had escaped the
family massacre was still occupying it. He
was now old and gray headed but he still oc-
casionally took his rifle into the woods in pur-
suit Of game. He, too, had been the father
of a family Of sons and daughters, now all
grown up, and all except one, believe mar
ried and settled, one or two in his own dis
trict, but the others had been induced to wan
der away to the far west. He is still looked
upon with sort of generation and scarce a
lone traveller ever visits him TO whom he
does not relate the lamentable fate Of his ia
mily