Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1854-04-13


the vast plains below. When ,Eis point
was gained, our hardy spies had posi-
tion from which they could see every
movement of the Indians below in the
valley.
Every day added new accession ol
warriors to the company. They wit.
messed their exercises OF Lorse.iacing
running foot.races, jumping, throwing
The ,omahawk and dancing; the old sa.
chems looking on with their Indian in
difference, the squaws engaged in their
usual drudgery. and the children engaged
in their play ful gambols. The arrlva
of a new warrior was greeted with terri.
BILE shouts. which. striking The mural
face OF Mount Pleasant, were driven
back in the various indenta,ions of the
surrounding hills, producing reverbera
tons and echoes as il Ten thousand fiends
were gathered at a universal levee -
Such yells would have struck terror to
the hearts OF those unaccustomed 10 In.
dian revelry.
To our spies this was but mor,ial mu.
sic--strains which walked their watch
fitness, and newly strung their veteran
courage. From their early youth they
had always been on the frontier. and
were well practised in all the sub,eliy
craft and cunning of Indian warfare, as
well as the ierociiy and blood thirsty ma.
,ure of these savage warriors. They
were, therefore. no, likely to be ensnar-
ed by their cunning. nor, without des-
peraie conflict, to fall victims to their
scalping knives or tomahawks. On sew
eral occasions, small parties left the prai-
rie and ascended the noun, from the
eastern side. On these occasions the
spies would hide in the deep fissures OF
the rocks on the West. and again leave
their hiding places when their unnvited
and unwelcome visitors had disappear.
ed.
For food. they depended on jerked
venlson and corn bread, with which
their knapsacks were well stored. They
dars no. kindle fire, and the report OF
one of their rifles would have brought
npcn them the entire force of the Indi.
ans. For drink. they depended on some
rain water which still stood i'm the hol-
lows Of some OF the rocks; but, in shor,
time. this store was exhausted. and Nc
Cielland and White must abandon their
enterprise or find new supply. TO
accomplish this most hazardous enter.
prise, NJ 'Clelland, being the Oldest, re.
solved 10 make the attempt; and. with
his irusty rifle in his hand and their two
canieens strung across his shoulders, he
descended. by a circui,ous route, 10 The
prairie, sk;r.ing the hill on the north, and
under cover of The hazel lhicke,s, he
reached the river, and turning to a bold
point of the hill, he found beautiful
spring within few feet of the river,
now known by the name of Cold Spring,
ca the farm OF ID. Talmadge, Esq. He
filled his can,eens. and returned in safe.
ly to his watchful companion. II was
now determined to have fresh supply
of water every day, and this duty was
performed alternately.
On one of these occasions, after White
had filled his canteens, he sat few mo.
men,s watching the limpid element as il
came gurgling ou, Of the bosom of the
earth, when the light sound Of footsteps
caugh, his practiced ear, and upon turn.
ing around, saw two squaws few feel
from him. Upon turning upon the foo
of the hill. the eldest squaw gave one oil
those iar.reachIng whoops peculiar to In.
dians. White at once comprehendct
his periluus situation. Ii the alarm
should reach the camp or town, he and
his companion must inevitably perish
Selfpreser,aiion compelled him to in
llict nolseless death on the squaws. and
III such manner as, If possible, to leave
no trace behind. Ever rapid in though,
and prompt in action, he sprang upon
his victims with the rapidly and power
Of lion. and grasping ,te throat OF each
sprang into The river. He thrust the
head Of lhe eldest under water. White
making strong efforts 10 submerge the
younger, who, however, powerfully re
sisted hlm, and dufiug lhc short struggle
with this young athletic, to his astonish
nenI she addressed hlm III ais own Ian
guage. though almost inarticulately.
Releasing his hold, she informed him
that she had been prisoner for tel
years, and was taken from below Wheel
ing. and that the Indians had killed al
The family. and that her brother and her
self were taken prisoners; but he sue
ceeded on the second nigh, in making
his escape. During this narrative, hs
had drowned the elder squaw, aud hat
lei her float off with Inc current. where
4. would probably not be found out soon
lie now directed the girl TO follow him
and with his usual speed and energy
pushed for tue mount. They had hard
ly gone hall way, when they heard til,
alarm cry some quarter of mile dowr
the stream. !, was supposed that some
party OF Indians, returning from huut
ing, struck lhe river just as the body o
the squaw floated past. White and ih,
girl succeeded IN reaching the mount
where M'Clelland had been no indiiler
en-, spectator 10 the sudden commo,ioI
among the Indians.
The prairie parties of warriors were
seen Immediately to strike off in every
direction. and White and the girl hst