The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1844-05-03

praclised in all the subilety, craft and
cunning, as well as knowing the ferocity
and blood thirsty perseverance OF the saw
age. They were therefore not likely 10
be circumven,ed by the cunning of their
foes and without desperate struggle.
would not fall victims to their scaIping
knife. On several occasions, small par
ties of warriors left the prairie, and ascen-
ded the Mount; on which occasions our
scouts would hide in the assures of the
rocks, or lying on the side Of some long
PROSTATE tree, covered themselves with
the scar and yellow leaf, and again leave
their hiding place when their uninvited
visiters had disappeared. For food they
depended on jerked venison, and cold
corn bread, with which their knapsacks
had been well stored. Fire they dare no,
kindle, and the report OF one of their rifles
would bring upon them The entire force Of
the Indians. For drink they depended
on some rain water, which still stood in
excavations Of the rocks, but in a few
days this store was exhausted, and NJ
Clelland and White must abandon their
enterprise or find new supply. TO ac-
complish this most hazardous affair, NJ
Clelland being the elder, resolved to make
the atlempt-wi'h his trus,y rifle in his
grasp, and the two canteens strung across
his sholders, he cautiously descended the
prairie, and skiriing the bills on the north
as much as possible within the hazel
thickels, he struck a course for the Hook
hooking river. lie reached It's margin,
and turning an abrupt point of hill, he
found beautiful fountain Of impid water,
now known as The Cold Spring, within
few fee, Of The river. He filed his can
teens and returned in safety TO his watch
full companion. 1t was now determined
to have a supply of fresh water every day.
and this duty was to be performed alter
nately. On one of these occasions after
White had filed his canleens, he sat a
few moments, watching the limpid ele-
men., as it came gurgling out of the earth
the light sound Of footsteps caught his
prac,iced ear, and on turning round, he
saw Two squaws within few feet of him;
these upon turning the jut of the hill had
thus suddenly come upon him. The el-
der squaw gave one of those far reaching
whoops, peculiar to the Indians. White al
once comptei.ended his perlous situa-
tion-for if the alarm should reach the
camp, he and his companion must newt
ably perish. Self preservation impelIel
him to innict noiselcss death on the
squaws, and in such manner as to leave
no trace behind. Ever rapid in thought,
and prompt in action, he sprang upon his
victims with The rapidly and power of a
panther, garsping the throat Of each, with
one bound sprang into the Ilockhocking,
and rapidly thrus, the head of the elder wo-
man under the water, and making strong
effort to submergc the younger, who,
however, powerfully resisted.
During the short struggle, the younger
| female addressed him in his own language,
though almost in inarllculatc sounds,
Releasing his hold, she informed him, that
ten years before, she had been made
a prisoner, on Grave Creek flats, and that
the Indians, in her presence, butchered
her mother and two sisters; and that an
only rcmang brother had been captured
with her, who succeeded on the second
night, in making his escape but wha,
had become of him, she knew not. Du-
ring this narrative, White. unohsrved by
the girl, had lie, go his grasp on The elder
squaw, whose body soon hoa,ed where
Il, would not, probably soon be found.
lie now directed the girl hastily to follow
him, and with his usual energy and speed,
pushed for the Mount. They had scarce.
ly gone two hundred yards from the
spring before the alarm cry was heard
some quarter of mile down the stream
twas supposed that some warriors return
ing from a hunt, struck the Hockhccking
just as the body of the drowned squaw
lloated past. White and the girl succeed
ed in reaching the mount, where MClel
land had been no indifferent, spectator to iht
} sudden commo,ion among the Indians, a.
the prairie parties Of warriors were scel
} to strike of in every direction, and befor,
White and the girl arrived, a party o
some twenty warriors had already game,
; the eastern ACTIVITY Of the mount, an,
! were cautiously ascending, carefully keep
ing under cover. Soon the two scout,
saw the swarthy force Of the foe, as the,
; glded from tree to tree, and rock to rock
4, until the whole base of the Noun, wa
I surrounded, and all hopes Of escape Gu
: Of.
!, In this peril nothing was left, othc
| .hon "a, coll ,bo;r I;ya, J.,.t,, IA =,