Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1840-11-21
YOUNG PAUGUS.


gers-untamable by any other enemy-or they
were sleeping "each in his narrow cell forever.
Where the red man once roamed after the moose,
prowled upon the scout, or lighted the council fire
now stood the infant village and the peaceful
neighborhood. The waterfall, at whose foaming
foot the Indian once darted his rude spear into the
salmon, or hooked the trout upon has cdrued bat
of bone, now turned the wheel OF the clumsy grist-
mill, whittier the jogging farmer brought his ''rye
and Indian" over moor and hill, through bush and
swamp in safety. The congregations, as they
gathered together sat meeting" no longer brought
their charged guns to their house of worship, or
feared that the prayers Of their minister would be
interrupted by the war hoop-of Lovewel's men
scarcely a survivor remained OF the few that lived
through the desperate fight at Pigwacket, Cham
berlain was yet alive. He was an old grey.head. |
ed man. He had long given over hunting, and
peace had changed his war spear into an nipple
ment of husbandry OF all his hunting and fight
ing gears nothing remained to him but the gun
that shot old Paugus at Lovewel's pond, and the
bullet pouch and yellow powder horn, covered
over with Indian devices, which were the spoil
of the savage in that terrible encounter. These
he had preserved with an old mans care. His
cottage, from which went the solitary smoke that
caught the eye Of Capt. Lovewell and his men,
now was the centre OF a considerable hamlet. A
wild stream run past it, and, little way below it,
tumbled down fall, on which stood one Of the
rude saw mills of that day. Old Chamberlain,
once the swift hunter and the strong and proud
: warrior, was now its humble owner, and more hum.
BILE tender He had survived his wife and his chi
} drcn. Few of his neighbors ventured to be IA
/, mlar with him, on account OF the stern pecull-
arty Of his character, and he passed his days in
! solitude, excepting such associations as men had
: with him in his humble vocations.
In the year 1887 towards the close of one OF
those fair days in autumn, which make up the In.
4 dian summer number of the villagers Of z
. --- had gathered into their one story tav-
ern to talk over the affairs of the little public, as
was their wont--when they were surprised and
startled by the enterance OF young Indian among
them. An Indian at that time had got to be rar-
+ ity in P ---. He was tall, over six feet,
n and finely formed after the fashion of the forest
: He had belt of wampum around his waist and
e from it hung his tomahawk A long gun was in
S his hand, and he stood in his moccasns with the
II grace and dignity of the son of chief. He placed
his gun behind the door, and silently took his seat
e by himself. A little before sunset, the farmers
It left the Inn and returned to their homes One
= old hunter remained with the landlord and the
e young savage. The hunter eyed the Indian with
O. keen attention-his suspicious were awakened at
a
~ residence of the nearest tribe, and in time Of
= peace. He was acquainted with the Indian char.
~ acter in old wars and his suspicious were height
= ened and confirmed when he heard the young
~ chief ask the landlord in lou and different tone
q, if zone Chamberlain da0eh in the uillage? The
IL anlord pointed out to him the mill where the old
ID man labored, and the village where he dwelt.-
es The Indian took his gun and went out
"Some of the blood OF old Paugus" said the
n hunter, "and I'll venture my life, come to avenge
le the death of that old chief upon Chamberlain
I'd I'll give the old man warning" He hastily step
lg ped out and followed winding foot path that led
Of down to the saw mill, where the old man was still
IS. at his tolls. He reached the mill and told Cham
Of berlain, that young Paugus from Canada had
ID come With his rifle and his tolaha,ck, to auengt
cheek turned lastly pale, and he sternly replied, tel
~ young Paugus have the gun that slew his father
~ and he had better return to the forest than moles
" me in my old age, and as he spoke he pointed t
u the long gun, as it hung upon pronss Of thu
We moose horn, driven in the mill plate, and nea
an it was suspended the bullet pouch and powde
e. horn Of Pigwacket. The hunter had given hi
ill warning and retired. The sun was setting at tn
ty south Of Moosehillock. Chamberlain took dow
in his gun-ried its fint-charged t--took the pouc
m and the horn, flung them upon his side, hung u
M near the saw gate, the old garments he had wor
so at work through the day, hoisted the gate of tn
of mill and set it rapidly agoing, looked keenl
m. around him in every direction, and retired to a
los eminence, few rods distant, crowned with
he cump of thick bushes and crouched down t
~ await the approach Of his mysterious enemy. H
20 was not however, mysterious 10 Chamberlain
'n The old man remembered every trait Of the Ii
ho dian character, and calculated with great accur
en cy as to the time and manner of young Paugu
wo advance. Just as it was growing dusky to dstil
wo gush human form, except towards the west, Il
are old man deserted him creeping cautiously from
so branch of bushes eight or ten rods above the mi
es, by the side of the torrent, with his cooked riff
Try before and his hand upon the lock- The your
ra. savage heard the noise of the saw gate and cou
,rs discern it in rapid motion, and shrunk back in Il
he thicket. He came out again little distant fro
ire where he went H., and with wary motions OF Il
zee ambush, accommodated the mill. Chamberla
the eyed him all the while as the catamount eyes I'll
rse fox. Young Paugus came out of the ambush Il
10, third time, and in new quarter, and was stealt
49, lily advancing, when something seemed to catc
'"e his eye in the form Of his fathers sayer-he sto
ped short. drought his rifle to his eye, and wi
der quick aim fired. The report rung sharp and 10
the upon the still air, if the gun itself muie
oil or afraid to speak above its breath. Young Pa