Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1844-05-17

with the rapidity and power of panther,
and grasping the throat Of each with one
bound he sprang into the Hockhocking, and
rapidly thrust the head of the elder woman
under the water, and making strong efforts to
submerge the younger, who, however, pow
erfully resisted.
male addressed him in his own language,
though almost in artcuate sound. Releas
ing 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 remaining brother
had been captured with her, who succeeded
on the second night, in making his escape
but what had become o! him she knew not.
During this narrative, White, unobserved by
the girl, had let go his grasp on the elder
squaw, whose body soon noated where it
would not, probably soon be found, He
now directed the girl hastily to follow him,
and with his usual energy and speed, pushed
for the Mount. They had scarcely gone two
hundred yards from the spring, before the
down the stream. 1t was supposed that
some warriors returning from hunt, struck
the Hockhocking just as the body of the
drowned squaw floated past. White and the
girl succeeded in reaching the Mount, where
M'Clelland had been no Indifferent specta-
tor to the sudden commolion among the In
dans, as the prairie parties of warriors were
seen to strike of in every direction, and be.
fore White and the girl arrived, party of
some twenty warriors had already gained
the eastern ACTIVITY of the Mount, and were
cautiously ascending, carefully keeping un-
der cover. Soon the two scouts saw the
swarlhy faces of the foe, as they gIided from
tree to tree and rock to rock, until the whole
base of the Mount was surrounded, and all
hopes of escape cut of.
In this peril nothing was left, other than
to sell their lives as dearly as they could ;
this they resolved to do, and advised the girl
to escape to the Indians, and tell them she
had been captive to the scouts. She said
no death, and that in presence Of my peo-
pie, is to me thousand times sweeter than
aptvity-furnish me with rifle, and will
show you that can fight as well as die.
This spot leave not here my bones shall
lie bleaching with yours and should either
Of you escape, you will carry the tidings of
my death TO my remaining relatives. Re-
monslrance proved fruitlcss, the two scouts
ma'ured their plans for vigorous defence
opposing craft to craft, expedient, and an
uncrring fire Of the deadly rifle. The at
tack commenced in front where, from the
narrow back bone of the Mount, the savages
had to advance in single file, hu, where they
could avail themselves of the rocks and trees.
In advancing, the warrior must, however, be
momentary exposed, and two bare inches
OF his swarthy form was target enough for the
unerring rifle Of the scouts.
After bravey maintaining the fight in front
and keeping the enemy in check, they dis.
covered new danger threatening them.
The wary foe now made every preparation
to attack them in flank, which could be
most successfully and fatally done by reach
Ing an insulated rock lying in one of the ra-
. vines on the southern hill side. This rock
once gained by the Indians, they could bring
the scouts under point blank shot of the rife
, without the possibility ofescape. Oar brave
, scouts saw the hopeessress Of their silua-
f ton, which nothing could avert but brave
, companion and an uncrring shot-thcm they
had not. But the brave never dispar.
!, With this certain fate resting upon them
they continued calm, and as calculating, and
| as unwearied as the strongest desire of VEN
geance on a treacherous foe could produce.
, Soon M'Clelland saw tall swarhy fig.
, urc preparing TO spring from cover so neal
, the fatal rock, that a single bound must rcacl
it, and that all hope must be destroyed. II,
+ felt that all depended on one advantageous
shot, although but one inch of the warrior.
t body was exposed, and that at distance o
, 100 yards he resolved to risk all-cooly he
raised his rifle to his eye, carefully shading
E the S ght with his hand, he drew bead 81
s sure, that he felt conscious it WOuld d0-ht
3 touched the hair trigger with his fnger-lh,
: BANNER came down, but instead of strkin.
fire, it crushed his flint into thousand frag
: ments! Although he felt that the savage
r must reach the fatal rock before he could ad
, just another flint, he proceeded to the tasl
r with the utmost composure, casting many
9 iurtivc glance towards the fearful point. Sud
, denly he saw the warrior stretching ever,
: muscle for the eap-and with the agility OF
deer he made the spring-nstead of reach
4 ing the rock he sprung ten feet in the air
4 and giving one terrific yell he fell upon tin
i earth, and his dark corpse rolled fifty fee
down the hill. lie had evidently received
: death shot from some unknown hand. 4
o hundred voices from below re-echocd th
i terrible shout, and it was evident that the,
e had lost iavorle warrior, as well as bein
e foiled for time in the most important move
ment.
d A very few moments proved that the ad
a vantage so mysteriously gained would be O
v short duration for already the scouts caugh
t momentary glmpses of a swarthy warrior
= cautiously advancing towards the cover S,
!. recently occupied by fellow companion
# Now, too, the attack in front was resume
e with increased fury, so as to require the in
cessanl fire of both scouts, to prevent the In
d dians from gaining the eminence-and in
!, short time M'Cleland saw the wary warrio
= behind the cover, preparing for leap t
@ gain the fearful rock-the leap was made an
d the warrior turning a summcrset, his corps