The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1848-05-20
Miscellaneous.
THE CAPTURED CHILDREN:
or, the Camanohe ForaY.

lind collected 10 Dathe IN pretty little ba-
sin, formed by an eddy ofthe river opposite
my house. i heard their merry yells. and
taking down my gun-a precaution grown
us habitua, before going out, as putting on
my CAPT walked istessly down to the riv-
or bank TO look Mt them.
There were five houses within halfa mile
above and below me. The women, with
their sun bonnets on, were tripping across
from one house to the otIer,to pay neighbor-
]y gossipng visits; the house dogs logged la
lilly along behind them: the goats were frs
king and butting each other outside the pick
citing; man, ploughng, was whisthng a
sleepy roundelay; groups of cattle in sight
were reclining on the grass, slowly grinding
away at the everlasting cud; and the thin
SWreaths OF opaque smoke from the chimneys
were clearly defined against the intensely
brilliant transparency of cloudless blue sky.
The whole scene was the very ideal of qui-
ct, delicious repose.
remember being particularly struck with
the happy and harmonious calm that had fall
EN- upon our sometimes stormy home, and
of thinking how perfectly the poets dream
might now be realized-how pleasant here,
"Until life's sunny day be quite gone down,
To stir and smile with JOYS"
when, suddenly, the sound ola gun caused
me to turn my head.
The first object that met my view was the
whistling ploughman scampering, as if for
dear life towards his home, yelling "Indians!
Indians" Farther on, around the most dis
tant house in sight, could distinguish forty
or fifty dark riders, who were galloping to
toSi fro with great rapidty, gathering togeth-
er our horses and mules. ] sent on the war
ming cry at the top of my lungs, to the wo-
men; and then such CONSERVATION, shrieks,
and splashing as there was among the little
Scamps III the water you can conceive if ev-
or you have seen hawk dive down among
covey of ducks.
Icalled to the boys to run to my house,
which was about four hundred PAGES off, for
saw some OF the Indians were coming tow
ards us at full speed: and the little fellows,
shaking the water from their hair, some stop
ping to pick up shirt, and others bare as
they came into the world, scrambled up the
bank and piled their tiny feet scrambling all
the way To the picketing. One or Two of them
were out some distance in tie stream, and
u were delayed by their fright in getting up the
N bank, so ihdt by The time they reached me
the Indians were too close 10 permit them to
escape'to the house unaided, and but for my
gun they would have lost their scalps.
The foremost Indian galIopcd up very
close, but, on raising my gun, Wheeled TO a.
void my shot; and with my face turned tow
ard the savage, to keep him at bay--the litle
fellows, almost frantic with fright, clingng
TO my legs-i commenced my backward re-
treat to the house. The Camanches will sell
dom rush upon an American--who has n gun
in his hand, and shows by his deliberation
that he is perfectly cool-unGl he hes fired;
a after that they will swoop upon him before
n lie can load again. 1t is, therefore, very ca
sy TO keep a,number of them at very re-
spectful distance by raising your gun, as tito
shoot whenever they come too close Four
ofthe savage rascals had by this time come
up and were clrcling around me, endeayor
ing, by their yells, clnrnors, and threatening
gestures, to draw my fire. ] was aware that
i'll fred might be sure Of instant death.and
so backed slowly and steadily on towards
the p!cketing. The little boys chung to me
so desperately with their naged limbs as Sc
rlousy TO impede my progress. The sava-
ges, with tufts of horse hair streaming from
their limbs, and circlets and pIumes ofgaud-
feathers Haunting from their heads,and the
names and tails of their horses, whooped,
yelled,and clattered their long lances against
their white shields of BULBS hide as they
N scudded to and fro around me with the swift
ness of sea birds; becoming more and more
eager, and closing their circle nearer as | APP
preached the picket
My gun, fortunately, was double barrel.
81 knew they would make final and Gesper-
ate attempt to prevent my escape. We were
,ilow within eighty rods ofthe picket sliles;the
main body of the Indians had nearly reach
Led us, and there was no time to lose.
Two Indians. who seemed to take
their position with the design ofmaptaining
it. were between us and the stiles. / walked
steadily towards them, and leveled my gun.
They swung themselves down Behind the
bodies of t!eir horses, leaving nothing expos
ed but the leg by which they cung TO the
saddle l told the boys to run toward them,
intending to fire MS they raised themselves in
the saddle to strike; but the cunning rascals
were watching me from under their horses
necks, and seeing that they must catch it if
they raised themselves TO shoot, wisely STAR
ted their horses on, shooting several arrows
without changing their position, and wound
ing the boys considerably
saw my young charges reach the steps.
Now, was my time to run for it, for fifty Cam
anches were within as many PAGES ofme,
laundering or at full speed. | started for
my precious life There was general howl
and rush towards me from every side-and
ielt the prick of several arrows. il was only
twenty PAGES now to the stiles. / wheeled
and fired at the nearest; a few desperate
bounds and my foot was on the low stle
n When lance whizzed past my ear and quiv-
cred in the post, while deafeDing, furious
roar burst from every throat
faced about again. The foremost Indian
was within ten feet, standing in his horses
stlrrups,in the very act of plunging his lance
N al me. Quick as thought fired in his face
"a and spraup or rather tuInbled. over the stile