Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1842-07-07
POErS LEAP.

through life-scudtling under bare polls
-G3
POE'S LEAP.
A Renaissance OF BORDER LIFE.
About the middle of July, 1882, seven
! Wyandots crossed the Ohio a few miles
above Wheeling and committed great de-
probation upon the southern shore, killed
an old man whom they found alone in his
cabin, and spread terror throughout the
neishborhood. Within few hours alter
their retreat. eight men assembled from
different parts of the small settlement.
and pursued the enemy with great ex-
petition. Among the most active and
efficient of the party, were two brothers
Adam and Andrew Poe. Adam was par
ticularly popular. In strength, action.
hardhood, he had no equal-being finely
formed and Injured to all the perils Ct the
i woods. They had not followed the trial
/ far, before they became satisfied that the
depredators were conducted by Big Foot,
renowned chief Of the Wyandot tribe,
who derived his name from the immense
size of his feet. His height oonsiderab-
| ly exceeded six feet, and his strength was
represented as Herculean. lie had also
| FIVE brothers, but little inferior to himself
in company, they were the terror of the
| whole country. Adam Poe was overloy-
ed at the idea of measuring his strength
with that of so celebrated a chief, and
urged the pursuit with keenness which
quickly brought him into the vicinity OF
the enemy. For the last few miles, the
trail had led them up the southern bank
of the Ohio, where the footprints in the
sand were deep and obvious. but when
! within a few hundred yards of the point
at which the whites as well as the Indians
were in the habit of crossing, it suddenly
diversed from the stream and stretched
along rocky ridge, forming an obtrouse
angle with its former directions. Here
Adam halted for moment and directed
his brother and the other young men to
follow the trail with proper caution, while
he himself still adhered to the river path,
which led through clusters of willows. d.
rectly to the point where he supposed
them to lie. Having examined the prim-
ing of his gun, he crept cautiously through
the bushes, until he had view of the
point of embarkation. Here lay two
canoes, empty and apparently deserted.
Being satisfied, however that the indians
were close at hand, he relaxed nothing of
his viligance and gained iutting cliff
which hung Immediately over the canoes.
Hearing low murmur below, he pcered
cautiously over the bank and .beheIl the
object of his search. The gigantic Big
Foot, lay below him in the shade of a
willow, and was talking in low deep
tone to another warrior, who seemed a
mere pigmy by his side. Adam cautious.
drew back and cooked his gun. The
mark was fair-the distance did not ex-
coed twenty feet. and his aim was uner-
! ring. Raising his rifle slowly and cauti-
ousIy, he took steady aim at Big Foot's
breast, and drew the trigger. His gun
fashed-Both Indians sprung to their
| feet with deep interjection Of surprise,
and for single secund they all three
stared upon each other. The inactivity
however, was soon over. Adam was too
much hampered by the bushes to retreat,
and setting his life upon the cast of die,
he sprung over the bash which had shelf
cred him; and summoning all his power
leaped boldly down the precipice, and
alighted upon the breast of Big Foot with
a shock that bore him to the earth. AT
/ the moment of contact, Adam had also
thrown his right arm around the smaller
Indian, so that all three came to the earth
together. At that moment sharp firing
was heard among the bushes above an
4 nounced that the other parties were en-
gagged, 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 exertlon necessary for the purpose
was so great that he had no leisure to use
his knife.
/ Big Foot quickly recovered and with.
out attempting to raise, wrapped his long
arms around Adams body, and pressed
him to his breast with the crushing force
ola Boa Contractor! Adam, as we have
already remarked, was powerful man
and had seldom encountered his equal,
but never had he left an embrace like
that of Big Foot. He instantly relaxed
his hold of the small Indian who sprung
to his feet. Big Foot then ordered him
to run for his tomahawk, which lay with.
in ten steps, and kill the white man.
while he held him in his arms. Adam
seeing his danger. struggled manfulIy to
extrlcate himself from the folds of the
giant, but in vain. Ilhe iesserIndian ap-
preached with his upliftedtomahawk, but
Adam watched him closely as he was "a
bout to strike, gave him kick 50 sudden
and violent as to knock the tomahawk
from his hand, and sent him staggering
back into the river. Big Foot uttered an
exclamation in tone of deep contempt
at the failure Of his companion, and rails
ing hisvoioe to the highest pitch, ,thund-
cred out several words in the Indian
tongue which Adam could Northumberland
but supposed to be a direction for a
| Second attach Tho IacSnr r. H..