The native American., 1838-06-16

Imayed at such odds, yet he found ii necessary 10
act the general, Having an enemy on each flank,
he determined to separate them. and fight them
islngly. Making for rayine, which was not far
loii, he bounded away, but soon found that one oil
his limbs failed him, having received ball in the
hrst hre, which, until now, he had scarcely no.
ticed The largest Indian was following him
closely Higgins several times turned to fire, but
the Indian would halt and dance about to prevent
him from taking am and Tom knew that he
could not afford to fire at random. The other
two were now close on him, and he found tlat
unless he could dispose of the first he must be
loverpowered. He therefore halted determined
to receive fire. and the Indian, at few PAGES dis
ltant raised his rife. Higgins watched his adj
lversary's eye, and just as he thought his finger
pressed the trigger, he suddenly threw his side to
him. It is probable that this motion saved his
life, for the ball entered his thigh, which would
have pierced his body. Tom fell, but rose again,
ram and the largest Indian, certain Of his prey,
loaded again, and then, with the two others, pur-
sued. They soon came near. Higgins had fall
len, and he rose, they an three fred and he re-
ceived all their balls Tie now fell and rose sew
eral times, and the Indians throwing away their
guns, advanced on him with spears and knives.
They frequently charged upon him, but upon his
presenting his gun at one or the other, they fell
back. AT last, the largest one, thinking probable
from Toms reserving his fire so long, that his
gun was empty, charged boldly up to him, and
Higgins, wtlla steady aim, shot him dead
With four bullets in his body, with an empty
gun, two Indians before him, and whole tribe
but a few rods of, almost any other man would
have despaired. But 'rom Higgins had no such
notion. The Indian whom he had last slain was
the most dangerous Of the three and he felt little
fear Of the others. He had been near enough to
see their eyes, and he knew human nature sufi-
cently to discover that he was their superior in
courage. He therefore faced them, and he began
to load his rifle. They raised whoop and rush
ed upon him. They kept their distance as long
as my rifle was loaded, said he, but now when
they knew it was empty they were better sol
diers. A fierce and bloody contest ensned. The
Indians rushed on Tom, stabbed him in many
places; but it happened, fortunately, that the
shafts Of their spears were thin poles, rugged has
tily for this occasion, which bent whenever the
point struck rib, or encountered the opposition
Of one Of Higgins tough muscles From this
cause, and the continual exertion Of his hand and
rifle in arling of their thrnsts, the wounds thus
made were not deep, but his whole front was COW
cred with gashes, of which the scars yet remain
in honorable proof of his valor. At last one of
them threw his tomahawk; the edge sunk deep
into Higgins cheek, and passed through his ear
which it severed, laid bear his skull to the back
Of his head, and stretched him on the plain The
Indians rushed on; but Tom Instantly recovered
his selfpossession and kept them off with his
feet and hands, until he succeeded in grasping one
Of their spears, which, as the Indians attempted
to pull il from him, aided him to rise; and club
bng his rifle, he rushed upon the nearest Of his
foes, and dashed his brains out; in doing which,
Ia broly th,g IL pia fhcI
barrel in his hand.
The other Indian, however warily he had
fought bef,re, now came manfnlly into battle. III
is probable that he felt his character, WARRIOR
at stake. To have fled from man desperately
wounded and almost disarned, or to have suffered
his victim to escape, would have tarnshed hisre
putation. Uterng terrific yell he rushed on,
attempting to stab the exhausted ranger, while the
latter warted off the blow with one hand, BRAN
dished his rifle barrel in the other. The Indian
unwounlcd, was now by far the most powerful
man. Bnt the moral courage of our hero prevail
ed and the savage, unable to bear the fierce
glance Of his untamed eve, began to retreat slowly
toward the place where he had dropped his rifle.
Tom knew il the Indian recovered his gun, his
own case was hopeless; and throwing away his
rifle, he drew his hunting knife, and rushed in
upon him. desperate strife ensued, and several
ucep SlSHcS tWtTc IHillCtCu, Dut IlluidH ouC-
ceeded in casting Higgins from him, and ran to
the spot where he had thrown 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 combat.
\ BY this time the smoke, which lay between
the combatants and the main body Of Indians,
had passed away and number of the latter
having passed hazel thicket were in full view.
II seemed, therefore, if nothing could save our
heroic ranger But relief was at hand The lit
lie garrison at the station, six or seven in num-
her, had witnessed the whole Of this remarkable
combat.
There was among them heroic woman, a
Mrs Pursley, who when she saw Higgins con-
tending singly with the foe, urged the men to go
to his rescue. The rangers at first considered the
case as hopeless, as the Indians outnumbered them
ten to one. But Mrs. Pursley declaring that SO
fine fellow as Tom should not be lost for want
of help, snatched rifle out of her husbands hand,
and Jumping on horse, sailed out. The
men, who would not be outdone by woman.
followed, full gallop, towards the place of combat
A scene Of intense interest ensued. The Indians
at the thicket had just discovered Tom, and were
rushing down towards him with savage yells. The
ol.oJ Al, La.. II, nd Ars