The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1852-05-06

VtusCu uUOub UuucG COVCG VI tu0 tOxS VIII
he faced the pass in the creek.
The strange Indians appeared to NOV.
forward without the least hesitation or sus
pcion. The foremost Of them, on coming
TO the creek, dropped at once down TO cross
il. Al this moment the guide WAS observ
ed to draw his bow with quick and pow
erful effort; and, 30 rapidly as almost Il
elude the sight. 40 arrow was sped on it.
mission Of death. The stranger was seen
10 drop 10 the middle Of tho brook. and not
\ cry issued from bis mouth. Quick a.
lightning the Mohican again adjusted sr
arrow to his bow, 50 that as soon as the sec
ond Huron had dropped down TO cross the
stream, he too was observed 10 reel and
Gall without groan. Ia the same name,
was the third, and the fourth, and the fifth
Huron pierced as he lsaped into the fstal
ditch. Thew were 20 close to each otbe,
and the whole scene passed with such mi
raculous silence and rapidity, that neither
of them had observed the fate Of his com
rsdes until he mot his own. The sixth In
dian, however, being little more behind
The others, seemed to be some what surprised
that he did not see them emerging into
view on the opposite bank. For this rea
son he descended into the gully with lii
tie more hesitation. He was immediately
made aware Of the horrible fate which had
arrested their steps and slenced their
tongues. He endeavored TO recoil, but il
was already too late. A fatal mssive was
also on the wing for him. He was struck
ii.s i,,sss he rest but not with immediate death,
a nd he had time 10 ra;sa into the depths Of
the forest one Of those appalling wells Of
warning and Of rage which announce A.
mong the people of bis race the presence Of
mortal danger.
The soldiers looked upon this fearful
scene in astonished silence, entranced bs
the mnrderous msgic which took place be
fore them When the stiffness and the
spell were broken hy that warning cry,
they expected to see the woods swsrming
with hostile snvsges. None, however. mp.
penred; and when the echo had died away
they locked in vain for the seventh and
last Of the Hnrons. He had vanished, ms il
swallowed up 10 the esrh. No trace ofhim
waa Visible; no sound Of retreating footsteps
was audible. The Mohican, however, s'ill
kept his silent position behind the log, i'm
movable now as the log itself, hut with his
fierv eyes ben, in quick and searching
yisnces in almost every direction al once.
| He was obviously at fault, as well as the
rest. No one dared to move, or to speak
above his breath. There was something
,wf,l in that mysterious and sudden dis
appearance.
This silence continued for some ten min
nies, when the sharp crack Of the rifle wa'
heard. md the Mnhicsn sprang to his fee'
with the blood streaming down one side o
his face. His only exclamation was an EN-
ph,,ic Hugh! In an instan, the fatal bow
and arrow were again in requisition, sn6
with his face toward The Indian, he sent nm
other arrow on its mortaI mission. The
soldiers heard slight scrnmbling over.
head. and on looking up they saw the llu.
ron falling through the limbs Of neigh
boring tree. Into this he hnd had the ad
dress TO swing himself mp, unseen bv his
enemies, during the mamcntnry confusion
occasioned nv the warning CRY Of his com
panion. From that perch he had soon dis
covered the lurking pl,ce Of the Mohicnn
and, bent upon vengeance, had immediate
| " fred ut him, without considering. and
pc rhaps without caring. whether or not en-
emies were near. The imprndence coat
him his life; and withal, be had only sue,
ceeded in intlic'ing upon the Mohican q
slight wound in the temple.
The scene however, now rapidly chang
ed. Shortly after the report Of the rifle
the distant, heavy tramp OF body Of regn'
lar troops was heard approaching through
the woods. They, too, plunged into the ia.
tai pass, and me, with like, though mol
with an equally bloodv reception, by the
soldiers in ambush. This time il was th,
rife that did the business. The advancing
column. however, was composed Of veter
ans, who, for a few moments, seemed 4
push forward into the abyss where thei
comrades md guides were lying wounded
and dead; hut, as they were ignorant Of ih'
strength Of the concealed enemy, ant
could hardly even tell from what direction
he danger came, they finally beat retreat
and drew Of into the woods again.
This check was all that could have been
desired. That force was not engaged du
ring the battle Of Pla,tsbnrgh; and, after
learning the disastrous fate of the day, j
made precipitate retreat northward int
The Canadas.
4 II was noticed that as soon as the sever
Hurons were slain, Stock kbrdge Hank seem
: ed to take no farther interes, 10 the fray
Shortly after The firing commenced. he dis
appeared, and did not accompany the sol
diers back to the army. The next dav
however, he appeared again before the OF
fcer, accoutred as nj the time Of his nrriva
in the cnmp, but with the addition OF sevei
hloody scnlps attached 10 his belt, and will
the wsr.paint washed from his face. Hi
mission seemed to be accomplished.
!, He was thanked for bis services, and re
, ceived promises Of liberal reward. T
al that was said he remained silent lis
tener. and only pointed TO the gorv trophie
which he wore. seeming 10 signify thn
|, |,hey were sufficient compensation. i
truth, the Huron was his hereditary foe
and he had been fighting instinctively 70
; the tradition Of his fathers.
{, After this second visi, no was never
gain seen in the army. and inquiry for bin
r. =