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


great distance from the town.
The following sketch, from the au
photography of Rev. James B. Finley
will show that there are historical, ant
almost sacred associations connected
with it.
1t is thrilling narrative, distancins
fiction in the fearful peril of life anC
wonderful bravery which it recounts
and worthy to stand foremost in The
history, which yet remains to be proper
ly compiled, of that peerless race o.
men-the early pioneers.-EDs. Zdnes
vilZe Gazette.
As early as the year 1870, the block
house and stockade above the mouth o.
the Hooking river was a frontier pos
for the hardy pioneers of the north
western territory. There, nature was
in her undisturbed livery of dark and
thick forests, interspersed with green
and flowing prairies. Then the forest
had not heard the sound of the wood
mans axe, nor the plow of the hus-
bandman opened the earth. Then the
beautiful prairies waved their golden
bloom to the God of nature; and among
the most luxuriaat of these were those
which lay along the Hooking valley,
and especially that portion of it on
which the town of Lancaster now
stands. This place, for its beauty, its
richness of soil, and picturesque scene
ry, was selected as a location for an
Indian village. This afforded suitable
place for the gambols of the Indian
sportsmen, as well as a central spot for
concentrating the Indian warriors.
Here, the tribes of the north and
west met to counsel, and from this spot
led forth the war-path in different direc
tions. Upon one of those occasions,
when the war spirit moved nightly
among those sons of nature, and the
tomahawk leaped in its scabbard, and
the spirits of their friends, who had
died in the field of battle, visited the
warrior in his night visions and called
loudly for revenge, it was ascertained
at the garrison above the mouth of the
Hockhocking river, that the Indians
were gathering in great numbers for the
purpose of striking blow on some post
of the frontiers. To meet this crisis,
two of the most skilled and indefatiga-
bic spies were despatched to watch their
movements, and report. M'Cleland
and White, two spirits that never
quailed at danger, and as unconquera-
bic as the Lybian lion, in the month of
October, and on one of the balmy days
of Indian summer, took leave of their
fellows, and moved on through the thick
hazel bushes, with the noiseless tread of
panthers, armed with their unerring
and trusty rifles. They continued their
march, skirting the prairies, till they
reached that most remarkable promi-
nences now known by the name of
Mount Pleasant, the western termina-
ton of which is perpendicular cliff of
rocks of some hundreds of feet high,
and whose summit, from a western view,
towers to the clouds, and overlooks the
vast plains below. When this point
was gained, our hardy spies held a po-
sition from which they could see every
of the Indians below in the
valley. Every day added new acces-
sion of warriors to the company. They
witnessed their exercises of horse-ra-
cling, running foot-races, jumping,
throwing the tomahawk and dancing
the old sachems looking on with their
Indian Indifference, the squaws engaged |
in their usual drudgery, and the child
ren engaged in their playful gambols.
The arrival of new war party was
greeted with terrible shouts, which,
the mural face of Mt. Pleasant,
were driven back in the various indenta-
tions of the surrounding hills, pro-
ducing reverberations and echoes as if
ten thousand fends were gathered at
universal leyee.- Such yells would have
struck terror to the hearts of those un-
to Indian revelry. To our
spies this was butmartial music-strains
which walked their watchfulness, and
newly strung their veteran courage
From their early youth they had been
always on the frontier, and were well |
practiced in all the subtility, craft and
cunning Of Indian warfare, as well as
the ferocity and blood thirsty nature of
these savage warriors. They were, |
therefore, not likely to be ensnared by
their cunning, nor, without a desperate |
conflict, to fall victims to their scalping- |
knives or tomahawks. On several oc-
casions, small parties left the prairie,
and ascended the mount from the east
ern side. On these occasions, the spies
would hide in the deep assures ofIthe
rocks on the west, and again leave their
hiding places when their unlimited and
unwelcome visitors had disappeared.
For food they depended on jerked
venison and corn bread, with which
their knapsacks were well stored. They
dared not kindle fire, and the report
of one of their rifles would have
brought upon them the entire force of
the Indians. For drink they depended
on some rain-wster which still stood in
the hollows Of some of the rocks; but
in short time this store was exhausted,
and NJ Cleland and White must abandon
their enterprise or find new supply.
To accomplish this most hazardous en-
terprise, M'Cleland being the Oldest.
resolved 10 make the attempt; and with
his trustY rife in his hand, and their