The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1852-11-25


Ny dog heard it, and started up to reconnoitre,
and lost 10 time in reloading my rifle. l had
hardly got my printing out before my dog raised
a howl and broke through the brush towards
me with his tail down, as he was not used to
doing, unless there were wolves, painters (pan-
thers) or lnjins about
81 picked up my knife, and took up my line
Of march in skulking trot up the river. The
frequent gullies the lower bank made ii te-
dious travelling there, so [ scrabbled up to the
upper bank which was pretty well covered with
buckeye and sycamore and very little under
brush. One peep below discovered to me three
as big and strapping red rascals, gentlemen, as
you ever clapt your eyes ON Yes, there they
came, not above six hundred yards in my rear.
Shouting and yelling ike hounds, and coming
after me like all possessed
! ''Well, said an old woodsman sitting at the
/ table, you took tree, of course 90
tree just then, but l took to my heesli like sixty
and it was just rs my Old dog could do TO keep
up with me. run until the whops Of my red
skins grew fainter and fainter behind me, and
clean oct of wind, l ventured to look behind me,
and there came one single re bhclp, putting
and blowing, not three hundred yards in my
rear. He had got on to piece of bottom where
the trees were small and scarce-now, thinks l.
old fellow, III have you. So | trotted off at a
pace sufficient TO let my follower gain on me,
and when he had got just about near enough,
l wheeled and fired, and down brought him.
dead door nail, at hundred and twenty
yards p
Then you skelp'd (scalped) him immediate
ly :" said the backwoodsman.
every clear OF il, gentlemen for by the time
got ray rife loaded, here came the other two
red skins, shouting and whoopiug close on me,
and away broke again ike Il quarter horse
| was now about five miles from the settlement
aadif vgls- getting taRards sunset; Lr.su til
my wind began to be pretty short when took
a lock back, and there they came snorting Ike
mad butialoes: one about two or three hundred
yards ahead Of the other, so | acted possum a.
gain uatil the foremost Injun got pretty we'll up,
and wheeled and fired ut the very moment he
was drawing head on me he ecll head over
stomach into the dirt, and up came the last
one"
80 you laid for him, and" gasped several
NO, continued the member" Il didn't Law
for him | hadn't time to load, SO I layed leqs
to ground, and starred again. heard every
bound he made after me. L ran. and ran. till
the fire few out Of my eyes, and the old dogs
tongue hing out of his mouth :; quarter of :.
yar long
"Phe e.e-ew ~ whistled somebody.
Fact, by, gentiemea, well, what | was to
do; didn't know-rfe empty, no big trees a
bout, and numbering red Indian about three
hundred yards in my rear and what was
worse, just then it occurred to me that.I was
not great ways from big creek, now called
Mil Greek, aud lhere should be pinned at last.
just at this juncture struck my toe against
a root, and down 1 tua,bied, and my OLD dog
ever me. Before l could scrabble up
The Indian fired - gasrei the old wooiman
''IIe did, gentlemen, and felt the ball strike
me under the shoulder. but that didn't seem to
put any embargo upon my ocomOtion. for as
soon got up took off again, quite freshen-
ed by the fall l heard the red skin close be-
hind me coming booming on, and ev cry minute
expected to have his tomlhawk dashed into
MY head or shoulders.
Something kind of cool began to trickle
down my legs into my boots
Blood eh The shot the varmint gin You -
said the old woodman, III great state Of excite
ment.
81 thought So, said the Senator, but what
Go you think it was ?''
Not being blood, we were all puzzled to know
what the blazes it could be- When Riley obser-
we'd
~ suppose you had
"Melted the deer fat which ! has, stuck in the
breast of my hunting shirt, ard the grease was
running down my legs until my feet got so grca-
sy that my heavy boots few off, one hitting the
dog, nearly knockedhis brains out"
We all grinned, which the member noticing
Observed
81 hope, gentlemen, no man here will presume
to think I'm exaggerating ?'
''Oh, certainly not Go on, Mr--, . we
all chimed in.
''Well, the ground under my feet was soft,
and being relieved of my heavy boots, | put off
with double quick time, and seeing the creek
about half a mile of, | ventnred TO look over
my shoulder to see what kind of a chance there
was to hold up and load. The red skin was
com NJ jogging along, pretty well blowed our,
about five hunered yards in the rear By.
thinks here to load, any how. SO at it wenI
in went the powder, and putting on my patch,