The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1853-01-27

punch at the great backlog, which sent o cloue
of sparks up the huge chimney, yawning like
the mouth of cavern, and roaring as if in de-
fance of the storm without, the old man pro-
ceeded somewhat as follows:
| ''For several years after the interior of the
| state had began to settle up, and was becoming
quiet, this part of the country mained contin-
ualy liable to incursions by the wild, rowing
tribes of Ohio Companies of Indians, some
! times consisting of thirty or forty, sometimes
! Of only three or four, were constantly crossing
over in canoes at night, setting fire to barns
and fields of grain, stealing horses, and some
times carrying off women and children. True,
there was one petty station not far from where
we are, but the scant though valiant garri-
| son could do little for the defence of the from
tier, beyond protecting the families Immediately
within or al ound the walls, and by chasing re-
treating parties of the enemy to the river. 1t
was about the year IL, that the Indians ta-
| king advantage of this defenceleEs state of the
! border, increased their depredations to alarm
| ing extent. And it in the spring of that
year that there appeared at the station L have
mentioned, man, whose character and actions
Z
desponding frontier men.
Who he was, or whence he came, one
knew though his singular habits and appear
ance called forth many inquiries. Tall, sinewy,
| and raw boned, with sunbunrt countenance,
scanned across the forehead with deep scar,
deep sunken eyes, which in moments Of excite
ment e canned with strange, lurid fire, and
dressed in the wild, half Indian costume of the
times, he presented rather remarkable figure
In Spite however, of his looks, his dress and
his accoutrements, there was somethning in his
conversation and manners, which showed that
! he possessed an intelligence and a breeding
! above the rude, unlettered men among whom
| he moved.
! The most prominent feature of his character,
] the one thought Of his soul, seemed to be dead
ly, uncompromising hostility to the whole Indi-
In his ordinary intercourse with men
he shy, taciturn and retiring. But in mo-
ments of the chased aud the conflicts, he seem
ed changed, transformed, and filed with a mys-
terious fire, which rendered him an object of
wonder even to the bravest of the old hunters
who looked upon his reckless daring.
Thus uniting to superior intelligence, undaunt-
ed courage and free energy of purpose, he ac-
quired at once, and without appearing to seek
it, that ascendency over the minds of the sim
pie backwoodsmen, which such qualities must
ever gain in any community. Yet he seemed,
as much as possible, to avoid mingling with his
fellows He refused to live in a stockade fort,
but built Himself little hut upon the summit
of n hill about three miles distant, where he
! passed most Of his time with no society save
! that of his dog.
/ But whenever the alarm was given that the
foe had crossed the river, he was seen at the
station, commanding Organizing, and planning;
a self appointed dictator, to whom all yielded
implicit obedience. In the pursuit and the con-
f1ct he was ever foremost He sought to make
no prisoners death to the enemy was his watch
word and his only object. When the fight was
! over, he was heard claiming no booty, disputing
with no man about his share in the conflict but
silently and unnotced he stole back to his mount
ain but to resume his solitary life. Thus the
Yoodsmen came to regard him with awe and al
most with superstitious reverence, and the in
quiries concerning his past life, checked by
his stern and austere manner, gradually died
! away.
| There was but one living being, besides his
] dog, for whom he seemed to entertain any feel
! ing Of interest or affection. This a young
hunter living at the station, and who had once
! in an Indian battle, saved the old mans life at
the risk of his own. This boy he sometimes
| suffered to join in his hunting expeditions, and
! to share his frugal meals. But even to him he
never spoke of his past history, and the boy was
to discreet to allude to it.