The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1853-08-18

dian villages, and ascertain, if possible,
their purposes.
The company set out next day, and on
reaching the town on the opposite bank
of the Susquehanna, found war party
assembled in council, painted and array
ed with war clubs This, of course, left
no doubt Of their hostile designs, but in
the face of these signals, the Indians dis
claimed any unfriendly feelings towards
their white neighbors, and asserted their
pacific intentions, the design being, if
possible, to put them off their guard
The party of the whites reposed no con-
fdence in these protestations, but pre-
pared for their return, their route being
we'll known to the Indians. They had
to cross the river some distance below, at
the mouth of little creek, where Selin's
Grove is now built. Harris had with
drawn for short distance from the camp,
and was returning to it, when he met an
old Indian whom he recognized as an in
diyidual that had once been ind ebted to
him for his life. The savage, without
hating or turning his head, or even
glancing at Harris, for he was aware, on
account of his friendly feeling to that in
dividual, that he was narrowly watched,
passed him, and in hurried manner,
said, John Harris, don't you cross the
river.
After starting for home, Harris men
toned to his company this warning, as he
understood it to be, of meditated am
buscade on the other side, and suggested
the propriety Of going down on the west
side of the Susquehanna. The party,
generally, Judged it rather decoy, to in
duce them to rush into the danger, which
they supposed was actually on that side,
Harris then explained to his friends the
relation in which he stood to the Indian,
ayowing his conviction that he was sim
cere, and appealing to the party whether
they were rot convinced that they owed
their thorough preparation for battle, that
they had been permitted to leave the In
dian camp, instead offollOwing the friend
ly advice The party, however, were OBJ
stinate, and rather than separate from
them, Harris, against his better judg-
ment, accompanied them on their route.
Scacely had the first boat in which
they crossed, touched the opposite shore,
when a destructive fire opened on them
from the bushes which lined the bank
Harris was the only one of the party that
escaped to tell the tale, the res idue being
either shot down in the boats or over
taken at disadvantage. He swan the
river across three times to battle the pur-
suit made in his chase.
Harris generally rode horse which
was well known to the Indians. On an
other occasion, while the whites and In
dians were on unfriendly terms, he had
been with party of the settlers, hunting
on the west side of the river, who had i'm
prudently, by some circumstance, became
separated from their rifles. The indians
attacked the party, after detaching few
, warriors to intercept their retreat by
narrow defle. The bank of the Susque'
! hanna is very precipitous in that region
! and this afforded the only opening to the
! ford opposite the settlement. Harris
was as usual mounted, and making his
way down to the pass, when he found
himself confronted by an old chief, well
known to him as Ladjan John who stood
, in the pathway with his rife raised tc
shoot. He was compelled to risk the
, shot. Leaping instantly to the ground
> he ungirthed the saddle, held it by the
girths twisted over his arm, and vaulting
, on his horses back, stopped forwards
raised the saddle, and holding it in front
SO as to form a shield, he rushed at his
r enemy at the top of his speed. The In
: dian spraDg to one side, disconnected b.
the sudden movement, and fearful ot
: missing, reserved his fire. AS soon a
q Harris passed the foe, he swung the sad
die over his head, so as to form protec
ton for his rear, and pursued his way t
:. the river. The Indian fired, his bal
y taking effect on the saddle, the rider an'
= ho1se escaping unharmed.
: One of the party, whose horse ha'
/. been shot down Ga little Dutch Doctor,
! had reached the edge of the river, AM
when Harris overlook him there, begget
= with such earnestnesa, that he woul
e take him on behind him, that Harri
o could not resist bis entreaties, althoug
n fearful of encumbering his progress thrt
J. the water with the added weight. II
. was accordingly taken on behind, bu
# they had hardly got fifty yards into tn
4 stream, when a ball struck the docto
, killing him instantly. The indians wer
!. at the horses heels and the humanity 9
o Harris, in place Of endangering his escape
d had proved the means of saving his life.
s. A short time before the massacre 6
IS Paoli, Harris house had been made
y depository of powder, to protect it frol
2, falling into the enemy's hands IN cas-
} they should penetrate into the Lancaste
al settlements It was stored in the garrt
es of the building, one barrel having bee
E. unheaded and left openfor retail purpose
le His negro Hercules, already alluded t
d, had been sent up to get some grain froi
y the loft, and, having occasion to set q
l. candle down, stuck it into the opea po7
= q