Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1842-04-01
POE,s LEAP.
4 nEMrSuscEscE OF BoRsEn LIFE.

upon the southern shore, killing an old man
whom they found alone in his cabin, and
spreading terror throughout the neighborhood.
Within few hours after their retreat. eight
men assembled from different parts OF the
small settlement, and pursued the enemy with
great expedition. Among the most active and
efficient Of the party, were two brothers Adam
and Andrew Poe. Adam was particularly
popular. In strength, action, and hardihood,
he had no eaual-being finely formed and m
ured to all the peris Of the woods. They had
not followed the trail far, before they became
satisfied that the depredators were conducted
nv Bio Foot, renowned chief of the Wyan-
dot tribe, who derived his name from the i'm
mense size of his feet. His height consdera-
bly exceeded six feet, and his strength was
REPRESENTED as Herculean. He had also five
brothers. but little inferior to himself in COM
nanv. thew were the terror Of the whole coun-
try. Adam Poe was overjoyed at the idea OF
measuring his strength with that Of so celebra-
ted chief, and urged the pursuit with keen
ness which quickly brought him into the vi
cni,y of the enemy. For the last few miles,
0be a %s I'D bs s SR the so"ss."
deep and obvious, but when within few hun
dred yards of the point at which the whites as
sing, it suddenly diverged from the stream,
and strc1ckad .alapq-a rockv ridge. forming an
Adam halted for moment. and directed his
brother and the other young men to follow the
trail with proper caution, while he himself still
adheres to the river path, which led through
clusters of willows directly to the point where
he supposed them to lie. Having examined
the printing Of his gun, he crept cautiously
through the bushes, until he had a view Of the
point of embarkation. Here lay two canoes,
empty and apparently deserted. Being salts
fed, however that the Indians were close at
hand, he relaxed nothing of his vieilence, and
quickly gained jut'ng cliff, which hung i'm
mediately over the canoes. Hearing low
murmur below, he peered cautiously over, and
beheld the object Of his search. The gigant-
ic Big Foot, lay below him in the shade Of
willow, and was talking in low deep tone to
another warrior, who seemed mere pigmy by
his side. Adam cautiously drew back and
cooked his gun. The mark was fa:r-the dis
lance did not exceed twenty feet, and his aim
was nnerrng. Raising his rifle slowly and
cautiously, he took a steady aim at Big Fcot's
breast, and drew the trigger. His gun flashed.
Both Indians sprung 10 their feet with deep
interjec,ion Of surprise, and for single second
they all three stared upon each other. This
inactivity, however, was soon over. Adam
was too much hampered by the bushes to re-
treat, and setting his life upon cast Of the
die, he sprung over the bush which had shelf
cred him, land summoning all his power eaped
boldly down the precipice and alighted upon
the breast of Big Foot with shock that bore
him to the earth. At the moment of contact,
Adam had also thrown his rig mt arm around the
neck of the smaller Indian, so that all three
came to the earth together. AT that moment
sharp firing was heard among the bushes a
bove announcing that the other parties were
engaged, but the trio below were too busy TO
attend to any thing but themselves. Big Foot
was for an instant stunned by the violence Of
the shock, and Adam was enabled to keep
| them both down. But the exerton necessary
| for that purpose was SO great. that he had no
leisure to use his knife. Big Foot quickly re-
covered, and without attempting to raise,
| wrapped his long arms around Adams body,
and pressed him 10 his breast with the crush
ing force of Boa Constructor Adam, as we
have already remarked, was powerful man,
and had seldom encountered his equal, but new
er had he felt an embrace like that of Bio Foot.
He instantly relaxed his hold Of the small In
dian, who sprung 10 his feet. Big Foot then
ordered him TO run for his tomahawk, which
lay within ten steps, and kill the white man
while he held him in his arms. Adam, seeing
his danger, Struggled manfully to extricate him
self from the folds of the giant, but in vain.-
The lesser Indian approached with his uplifted
tonahawk, but Adam watched him closely,
and as he was about to strike, gave him kick
so sudden aud vioeEt, as to knock the toma-
hawk from his hand, and send him staggering
back into the water. Big Foot uttered an ex-
clama,ion in tone of deep contempt at the
failure Of his companion, and raising his voice
to the highest pitch, numbered out several
words in the Indian tongue, which Adam could
not understand, but supposed to be direction
for a second attack. The lesser Indian now
again approached, carefully stunning Adams
heels, and making many motions with his
tomahawk. in order to deceive him as to the
point where the blow would fall. This lasted
for several seconds, until laundering excla-
nation from Big Foot, compelled his compan-
ion to strike. Such was Adams dexterity and
vigilance, however. that he managed to re-
ceive the tomahawk in glancing direction
upon his left wrist, wounding him deeply, but
not disabling him. He now made sudden
and desperate effort TO free himself from the
arms Of the g!ssnn:;, and succeeded. Instantly
snatching up rifle, (for the Indian could not
venture to shoot for fear Of hurting his COM
panion,) he shot the lesser Indian through
the body. But scarcely had he done SO,
when Big Foot arose and placing one hand
upon his collar, and the other upon his MP.
pitched him into the air, as he himself would
have pitched child. Adam fell upon his back
at the edge Of the water, but before his antag-
onist could spring upon him, he was again
upon his feet, and stung with rage at the idea
Of being handled SO easily, he attacked his
gigantic antagonist with a fury which for
time compensated for inferiority Of strength.
1t was now fair fist fight between them. tor
III b.,rr., ofl hn cfvuUU0e neither had telG.