The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1851-06-21

our companions" responded she timidly, yet
resolutely, gianeing At tho huge, threatening,
rocky cliffs and tho scenery which surround
Cd them,
Stephens assisted his wife and child, hoy
about ten years old to dismount, speaking
the while oneouragingly 10 her, fie was a
tall, sinswy, sterh-fAeed man, IN The prime Of
lhs-a genuine Puritan grave, solemn, rcll-
giOua IIis wife was In the bloom u woman
hood, bue-eysd, cheerful, and perfect coun.
terpart Of her husband.
Stephens tied his horses To a couple OF Ad-
jacent trees. lie proceeded to erect an avn
ing or tent, which he brought with him, un-
der which his family were to seek repoae for
thr night Meanwhile, his bon wandered 4
few rods distant on tho border Of the lake,
gathering flowers, and followed by Lion, their
brave old mAstiif.
A low growi Of the dog suddenly arrested
the attention OF the mother, She saw three
Indians emerge from the woods. The move
menta of one Of them indicated hostility. Like
n shadow he fitted behind a rock, and was A.
bout lovelling his rife at the boy. Ifuo 70
the instincts Of mother,th wife Of Stephens
forgot herselfi in this moment ordanger to her
Son,&sprang wildly forward TO save him. Her
husband, beholding the cause Of her alarm,
plunged forward, like lion reused from his
lair, and in voice which bodied forth the
hntenaity Of hia feelings shouted.
william will You kill my childr"
AT the instant he-spoke,oae of,he Indians,
female, sprang towards her murderous com
Panion, and, in twinkIing turned tho muz-
klo Of his rifle towards the starr. The ball was
lost In the air. This done. taking the tren-
bling child in her Nrn-, she ran towards the
mother, and presented him 10 her.
"Dnashter ef the pale face. said she,
proudly, "think not our tribe is unfiendly N
thee. Yonder MAnuta is an Orondock, and
is hostile to the English. lie persisted in
accompanying my cousin (herc n flnsh pass
ed over her featurcs) TO the Great~vigwam,
and We are on our way thithcr Your faith
crS have been very kind, and have taught us
many words and things and as yon lake
faithfully mirrors the sky and stars, 80 does
the daughter Of Wishnapoc ever return the
benefits she has received.
The agitAted mother pressed her boy to
her bosom, and forgot everything but him and
his dciivercr. The maiden was an only child
Of an Indian Of distinction in The tribe. She
was an exquisite specimen Of savage beauty.
Her form was slender, but round and full and
perfectly. Her movements, ,un-
regulated by fashion, were unrcstrained. har-
mouious ana graceful, far beyond tho reach
Of an. Rcr fare was marked with the indel-
ible characteristics OF her race, her cheek
eeaes beiNs slightly prominent; but her fca-
lures were beautiful, though cold and stern.
Her eyes were large, black and flashing {;
and her hair dark as the raven, was so arrang-
cd ~ 10 fioat rilal over her shoulders She
wusa brilliant personidcation Of Indian ma
ture-haughty, yet gracefhl--reveugefu yet
magnanimous. Her dress was simple. Her
moccasins admirably @ted her slender feet.
and her other dress closely fitted her person,
except kind of shawl which gracefully en-
veioped her body. She wore cap, resemb-
ling a Scotch bonnet, surmounted with fcath-
ers Of different colors, fantastically arranged,
which waved plarfllly in the hrenze.-
The rifle was scarcely discharged, when tho
mastiif sprang upon MAnuta, and prostrating
him, would have torn him TO pieces, had he
not been mercifully prevented. The discom-
flied Indian rose. -muiiering deep revenge
He was noted for his atrocities, having figured
as tho hero Of hundred murders, and of
thefts innumerable. His face was hideousIy
SCARED and wrinkled. Two small and rat
like eyes glittered beneath his dark, bushy
eyebrows. The vices Of the whites, with
whom he had mingled, were engrafcd upon,
and had rendered doub!y malignant, his In
dian oblpuities, and were he now living,
would be a formidable stumbling block in the
way Of disbciievers in total deprayity. Could
this man love 2 No matter-he sought the
hand Of the daughter of Wishnapeo.
OF course there was but little cordial intor-
course between him and the cousin Of the
maiden. The latter was a tall, strong-limbed
youth, brave, vary,and tacituru. In the CON
test with the niastiff, he left Aiauuta to strug-
gle alone he failed not to be by the side of
his beautiful cousin.
Stephens and his wife we're caImed by the
assurances of the young savages that they
would not be further disturbed; and, after
exchanging gifts, the maiden beckoned to Ma
nutA, who, preceded by her and her cousin,
quickly vanished in the wood.
The moon shone soffly on tho wild resting
place Of the, cmigrants, but aeeting and dis
turbed were their slumbers
-
Since the incident here described, nearly
two years had elapsed. Within that period
many families from tho east had emigratod
and settled an the northern and -eaatarn part.
Of IEsBex. SsEszai, -hnRnxrr. had returned
from fear of the oroHdeek, ,oF French Intiians
who made frequent ard hostile excursions.
The perils encountered by the early settlers
can scarcely be exaggerated They had q
Nild'country 10 snbdue, and its wilder ten
ants Tbyyr- -zrIu- uor,Atanklv ut,fef- the infl,,