Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1844-04-06
psriis OF the Early Settlers OF Pennsyiva-

ftrHs OF the hhfiy set'ters Oh fehhsyiNe-
NoRruuMnERLANp on THE SusouEH,YYA-
The comfort and prosperity of the towns on
his and other central rivers, in the middle
',tates, have been dearly bought by the sacri-
ices OF the pioneers, who went in advance of
civilization, and over whose graves the grass
is hardly vet matted with time. 1t is neces-
sary to look back constantly to the recent date
of the chronicle OF those border contests, to re-
alise that centuries have not elapsed since
these hourishng fields we're coutended for,
land to hand, by the white and red man.
II was only in ITS, that the increasing in.
roads on the settlements in this part of the
country compelled many fthe Inhabitants to
qbandon their farms, and congregatc at the rude
'0r,s scattered along the frontier, where they
cond resist, to more advantages, the dangers
which threatened them. An exciting tale is
recorded of a contest between an old man and
70 Indians, under the following circumstan.
cas
David Morgan the hero Of the story, was
upward of sixty years Of age. lie owned a
aud on the day Of the adventure, not feeling
very well, he had sent his son and daughter
- feed the cattle, at the deserted barn, and
had gone to bed, in the fort. AS he slept he
dreamed that he saw his children making to-
wards him, scalped The fancy was so vivid,
that he started from his sleep, and, finding they
had not returned, took his gun, and walked out
rapidly to find them. He reached the farm in
great agitation, but the children were not
there, and he sat down on log to recover
his composure. He had not sat long, before
two Indians came out of his house, and made
towards his son and daughter, who were at a
distance, preparing the ground for melons.
Fearing to alarm them too much, and thus
deprive them of the power of escaping, he kept
his seat and in his usual tone Of voice, up
prizing them of their danger, and told them to
run towards the fort. The savages raised a
terrific cry, and started in pursuit, but the old
man showing himself at the same instant they
took TO the shelter of the trees. Morgan then
attempted to follow his Children but in a min
him, be turned to fire. They instantly sprang
behind trees, and the old man did the same, ia
king aim at one ofthc Indians, whose refuge, a
small sapling, did not entirely cover his body.
As he was on the point of firing. the savage
felt his exposure, and dropped behind pros
trate log, close at his feet. The next instant
the reserved shot took effect, beneath the log.
and the Indian rolled over, stabbing himself
in the breast.
Having disposed of one Of his foes, Morgan
abandoned the shelter of his tree and took to
fight. The Indian pursued, and the race was
continued about sixty yards, when, looking o.
yer his shoulder, the old man saw the gun raj
sed, within few PAGES of him. He sprang a.
side, and the ball whizzed harm'essly by.-It
was now a more equal contest; and Morgan
struck at the Indian with his gun receiving
at the same instant blow from tomahawk,
which severed one ofthe fingers from his left
hand. They closed Immediately, and the indi.
an was thrown, but overturned the old man,
with powerful effort; and sitting on his
breast, uttered his yell of victory, and felt for
his knife. A woman's apron which he had sto-
len from the farm house, AMI tied round his
waist, embarrassed him ; and Morgan seized
one of his hands between his teeth, and, getting
hold, himself of the handle of the knife, drew
it so sharply through the Indians fingers as tc
wound him severely. In the struggle they re
gained their feet, and still retaining his hold or
the fingers in his mouth. Morgan gave him
stab which decided the contest. The savage
fell and, afraid that others Of the tribe mi OH
be lurking near, the exhausted old man mad,
the best ofhs way to the fort.
A party Immediately went out to the spo
where the struggle had taken place, but thu
fallen ladian was not to be seen. They track
ed him by his blood to fallen tree, where h'
was endeavoring To staunch his wounds will
the stolen apron. On their approaching him
he affected to smile, and endeayered to conciIi
ate them, crying out, in his broken English
"llow do, broder how do, broder l'-Ther,
was little mercy in store for him, however. J.
the shame of our white race, it is recorded tha
'.thov tomahawked aud scalped him; and al
ter~ards flayng both him and his companion
they converted their skins into saddle.seat
and punches"
An INDIAN MURDERER MURDERED IN HI
CELL-In the Winnebngo country, recently
some Indians drank the rum which til
whites furnished them, and killed two {
the whites and child three were convicte