The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1854-07-27
A THRILLING STORY.

A WESTERN SKETCH.

mouse ana Stockade above the mouth
the Hooking River, was a frontier post fc
the hardy pioneers Of the North. h.wester
Territory. Then nature was in her vi
disturbed livery of dark and thick forest
inierspersed with green and flowing prai
rieS. Then the forest had not heard III
sound Of The woodman's ak, nor the plo,
OF the husbanGman opened the bosom G
the earth. Then those beautiful prairie
waved their golden bloom to the God @
Nature and among the most Iuxurian
OF these were those which lay along th
Hooking Valley, and especially that por
ton OF it OH which the town of Lancaste
now stands. This place for its beauty, it
richness Of soil, and picturesque scener,
was selected as location for an IndaI
village. This afforded a suitable place
lor the gambol Of the Indian sport ,man
as well as central spot for conse Grating
the Indian warriors.
Here the tribes of North q, d w est me-
10 counsel, and from this spot led forth the
war path in different directions. Upon
one of these occasions, when the wal
spirit moved Taightily among the sons o.
Nature, and the tomahawk Ieaped in its
scabbard, and the spirits of their friends,
who had died in the field of battle visited
the warrior in his night vision, and call.
ed loudly for revenge, it was asceItaned
at the garrison above the mouth of Hook.
ing river that the Indians were gather
ing in great numbers for the purpose OF
striking blow on some post of the from.
tier. TO meet this crisis two OF the skill
ed and indefatigable spies were despatch.
ed TO watch their movements and report.
M'Cleland and White, two spirits that
never quaied at danger, and as uncon.
qnerabIe as the ybiah Lion, in the month
of October, and on enc Of the balmy days
Of Indian summer, took leave of their
fellows and moved on through the thick
plum and hazel bushes with the noseless
tread of pantherS. armed with their uner.
ring t;usty rifles. They continued their
march skirting the prares, till they reach.
ed that moStremarkable prominence now
known by the name of Mount Pleasant,
the western termination Of which is per-
pendicular cliff of rocks OF some hun.
dreds Of feet high, and whose summit,
from a western view, towers to the clouds
and overlook the vast plains below
When this point was gained, our hardy
spies held position from which they
could see every movement of the Indl-
ans below in the valley. ...r. ...
Every day added a new accession Of
warriors to the company. They wit
messed their exercises of horse-racing
running foot races, Jumping, throwing
the tomahawk and dancing, the old sach-
ems looking on with their Indian indiher.
ence, the squaws engaged in their usual
drudgery, and children engaged in their
playful gambols. The arrival of new
warriors was greeted with terrible shouts. O.!
which striking the mural face, of Mount
Pleasant, were driven back in the war.
riors identations of the surrounding hills,
producing reverberations and echoes as
# ten thousand fields were gathered at a
universal levee. Such yells would have
struck terror 10 the hearts of those unac
'ustomed to Indian revelry.
To our spies this was most martial
nusic--strains which walked their watch.
ulness, and nearly strung their veteran
courage. From their early youth they
nad always been on the frontier, and were
we'll pracliced in all the subtiIity, craft
md cunning of Indian warfare, as we'll
IS the terocity and bood.lhirsty nature of
hese savage warriors. They were, there.
ore--not likely TO be ensnared by their
cunning, nor without desperate conflict,
wall victims TO their scaIping-knifes or
mahawks. On several occasions, small
Arties left the prairies and ascended the
iount from the eastern side. On these
ccasons the spies would hldein the deep
lssures of the rocks on the west, and
gain leave their hiding places when their
and unwelcome visitors had
disappeared.
For food, they depended on ierked ven-
son and corn bread, with which their
we're we'll stored. They dare
ot kindle FIRE, and the report oi
me of their rifles would have brought
pon them the entire force Of the Indians.
'or drink they depended on some rain.
'aler which stood still in the holows Of
he rocks; but in short time this store
vas exhausted, and NJ Cleland and White {
must abandon their enterprise or find a
lew supply. To accomplish this most ,
azardous enterprise, MCleland being
he oldest, resolved to make the attempt; c
nd with his trusty rifle in his hand, and |
leir two canteens strung across his 9
houlders, he descended by circuitous l
quite to the prairie; skirting the hill on S
he north, and under cover of the hazel |
nickel, he reached the river and turning I
, a bold point OF the hill he found beau !
ful spring " thin a few feet of the river,
ow known by the name oi Cold Spring +
n the farm Of d. Talmadge Esq. lie i
lied his canteens, and returned in safety t
his watchiul companion. 1t was now S
etermined TO have fresh supply OF wa. |
r every day, and this was performed |
ternately. t !
On one Of these occasions, after White ,
I'D filled his canteens, he sal few mo- {
ents watching the limpid element as it I
'me gurgIing out OF the bosom Of the |
nth, when the light sound of footsteps {
lught his practiced ear, and upon turn. /
g round he saw two squaws in few I