Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1853-12-29

touched the trigger with his finger, tn
hammer came down, but in place O
striking fire, it broke his flint into man
pieces; and although he felt that b,
must reach the rock before he coulC
adjust another flint, he proceeded t,
the task with the utmost composure
Casting his eye toward the fearful point
suddenly he saw the warrior stretching
every muscle for the leap; and with the
agility of the panther, he made the
spring, but instead of reaching the
rock, he gave most hideous yell, and
his dark body fell, and rolled down the
steep into the valley below. He had
evidently received death wound from
some unknown hand. A hundred
voices from below re-echoed the terri
Bile shout. 1t was evident that they
had lost fayorite warrior, as well as
being disappointed, for a time, of the
most important movement. A very
few minutes proved that the advantage
gained would be of short duration; for
already the spies caught glimpse of a
tall, swarthy warrior cautiously ad-
vancing to the covert SO recently oc-
cupied by his fellow-companion. = Now,
too, the attack in front was renewed
with increased fury, so as to require
the incessant fire of both spies to pre-
vent the Indians from gaining the emil
nence, and in short time M'Cleland
saw warrior making preparations to
leap to the fatal rock. The leap was
made, and the Indian turning somer-
set, his corpse rolled down the hill to-
ward his former companion. Again an
unknown agent had interposed in their
behalf. This second sacrifice cast dis
may into the ranks of the assailants,
and just as the sun was disappearing
behind the western hills the foe with
drew to short distance, to devise some
new mode of attack. This respite
came most seasonably to our spies, who
had kept their ground, and bravely
maintained the unequal fight from near
ly the middle of the day.
Now, for the first time, was the girl
missing; and the spies thought that
through terror she had escaped to her
former captors, or that she had been
killed during the fight; but they were
not long left to conjecture. The girl
was seen emerging from behind rock
and coming. to them with a rifle in her
hand. During the fight she saw a war
rior fall, who had advanced some dis
.ance before the rest, and while some of
hem changed their position, she re-
solved at once, live or die, to possess
herself of his gun and ammunition;
and crouching down beneath the under
brush, she crawled to the place and sue
;eeded in her enterprise. Her keen
md watchful eye had early noticed the
atal rock, and hers was the mysterious
land by which the two warriors fell;
he last being the most intrepid and
blood thirsty of the Shawnee tribe, and
he leader of the company which killed |
Ter mother and sisters, and took her
md her brother prisoners.
Now, in the west, arose dark clouds, /
which soon overspread the whole heav-
ms. and the elements were rent with
be peals of thunder. Darkness, deep
nd gloomy, shrouded the whole heay-
ms; this darkness greatly embarrassed
he spies in their contemplated night
scape, supposing that they might lose
heir way, and accidently fall on their
nemy; but a short consultation de-
ided the plan; it was agreed that the
.irl should go foremost, from her init
nate knowledge of the localities, and
mother advantage might be gained, in
ase they should fall in with any of the
'arties or outposts. From her knowl-
dge of the language, she might de-
eve the sentinels, as the sequel proved,
or scarcely had they descended hun
red yards, when low whist from the
.irl warned them of their danger
The spies sunk silently to the ground, /
There, by previous engagement, they
Tere to remain till the signal was given
y the girl to move on. Her absence,
or the-space of quarter of an hour,
egan to excite the most serious appre-
tensions. Again she appeared, and
old them she had succeeded in remoy-
ng two, sentinels to short distance,
vho were directly in their route. The
Iescent was noiselessly resumed, and
he spies followed their intrepid leader
or half mile in the most profound
Hence, when the barking of dog at a
hort distance apprised them of new
langer. The almost simultaneous
lick of the spies' rifles was heard by
he girl, who stated that they were now
n the midst of the Indian camps, and
heir lives now depended on the most
'rofound silence, and implicitly follow
ng her footsteps. A moment after
Yards, the girl was accosted by squaw,
rom an opening in her wigwam; she
epled in the Indian language, and
Without stopping, still pressed forward
n a short time she stopped, and as
ured the spies that the village was now
leared, and that they had passed the
Ireatest danger. She knew that every
eading pass was guarded safely by the
and at once resolved to adopt
he bold adventure of passing through
be centre of the village, as the least
hazardous, and the sequel proved the
Of her Judgment. @ft
They now steered a course for the
ohio river, and after three days travel