Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1848-05-18


others bare as they came into the world
scrambled up the bank and piled their tiny
feet, scrambllng all the way to the picket
ing. One or two Of them were out some
distance in the stream, and were delayed
! by their fright in getting up the bank, SO
that by the time they REACHED me, the In
dams were too close to permit them to es-
cape to the house unalded, and but for my
gun they would have lost their scaps.
The foremost Indian galoped up very
close, but, on raising my gun, wheeled 10
avoid my shot; and with my face turned
toward the savage, to keep him at bay-lhe
little fellows, almost frantic with fright
clinging 10 my legs commenced my back
ward retreat to the house The Camanches
will seldom rush upon an American-,wh
has gun in his hand, and shows by his de-
alterations that he is perfectly cooI-unlil
he has fired; after that they will swoop up
on him before he can load again. 1t is
therefore, very easy TO keep a number OF
them at very respectful distance by rails
ing your gun, as if 10 shoot whenever they
come TOO close. Four Of the savage rascaIs
had by this time come up, and were circling
around me, endeavorng, by their yells, cIa-
mors, and threatening gestures, to draw my
fire. was aware that if | fred | might be
sure of instant death, and so backed slowly
and steadily on toward the picke,ing The
little boys chung to me so desperately with
their naked limbs as seriously to impede nv
progress. The savages, with tufts of horse
| hal 1 Il
and plumes OF gaudy feathers Haunting from
their heads, and the names and tails of their
horses, whooped, yelled, and caltered their
long iances against their white shields of
BULBS hide, as they scudded to and fro a.
round me with the switlness of sea birds ::
becoming more and more eager, and closing
their circle nearer as approached the pick
ct.
My gun, fortunately, was double barrel.
| knew they would make final and despe-
rate atlemP: TO prevent my escape. We
were now within eighty rods of the picket
stiles; the main body of the Indians had
nearly reached us, and there was no time to
loose.
Two Indians, who seemed to take their
position with the design of maintaining il,
steadily towards ri hieA l au stiles walked
They swung themselves down behind the
bodies of their horses, leaving nothing ex
posed but the leg by which they chung to
The saddle told the boys to run toward
them, intending to fire as they raised them
selves IN the saddle to strike; but the cum
ming rascals were watching me from under
their horses necks, and seeing that they
mus. catch it if they raised themselves to
shoot. wisely, started their horses on, shoot
ing several arrows without changing their
position, and wounding the boys consider
ably. .
saw my young charges reach the steps.
Now was my time TO run for il, for fifty
Camanches were within as many PAGES of
me, laundering on a. full speed. started
for my precious life. There was general
howl and rush toward me from every side
and ! felt The prick Of several arrows. II
was only twenty PAGES now to the stiles.
wheeled, and fred at the nearest; a few des-
perate bounds, and my foot was on the low
sliie. when lance whizzed past my ear and
quIvered in the post, while deafening, fu-
rious roar burst from every throat.
faced about again. The foremost Tndi-
an was within ten feet, standing in his
horses stlrrups, in the very act of plunging
his lance at me. Quick as thought fired
in his face, and sprang, or rather lumbled
over the stile into my yard. When pick
ed myself up, heard the hoarse gnashiug
of their disappointed rage, and the cIalter oil
retreating hoofs.
This was pretty close Craze; nothing
saved me but tie las. charge of my faithful
double barrel, and, as it was, several Of theil
COMPOUNDED little arrows were sticking abou
me for mementoes.
The whole scene, long as it takes to give
you an idea Of it, could not have occupied
over ten minutes. but in that pal,ry fraction
Of time how fiercely vivid had been the tran
silion from the very poetry of rural quiet tc
the stormy and terrible reality of savage war
But this was not the last of it bv goot
deal.
climbed to the top of the stiles again
after loading my gun, just in lime to see tn.
scalp torn from The head of one Of our met
who was returning from hunt, on foot, an.
was so hard pressed as to be compelled t,
fire his rifle. He had been Instantly born,
to the earth by dozen lances, in full view
of his own house. Their failure and los
in my case had greatly Infatuated them, al
, though poor Thompson had been stead,
and cool, like veteran fronlersman. as h.
was, yet they had rushed upon him in
body, determined to have scalp if it cost
warrior. 1t did, too, and one of their chiefs
at that; for the eye and nerve of the gallan
fellow did not fail him in that fearful mo
ment, when they closed SO madIy, dasl,in
around him, that their lances met, grating
in his body. chief, whose lance frs
touched him, tumbled sliffly forward ami
the trampling hools, and the hunter wa