Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1854-03-15

returned IN safely 10 MS WdtCului CoIIpahio"'
1t was now determined to have fresh sup.
ply of water every day, and this duty was
performed alternately.
+ On one of these occasions after White,
had filled his canteens he sat few moments
watching the limpid element as it came CUR
glinp out of the bosom Of the earth, when
the light sound Of footsteps caught his Prac-
tised ear, and upon turning around he saw
two squsws few feet from him. Upon
turning round the foot Of the hill, the eldest
souaw gave orc of those far.reaching whoops
peculiar TO Indians. White at once compre.
hendcd his pc,ous situation. If the alarm
should reach the camp or town, he and his
companion must invitsbly perish. Self.pre-
servation compelled him to infict noiscless
death on the souaws, and i'll such manner
as. if possible, to leave no trace behind
Ever apid in thought, and prompt in action,
he sprang upon his victims with The rap'dlty
and power of lion, and grasping the throat
of each sprang into the river. lie thrust
the head Of the eldest under the water
While making strong efforts to submerge
the Younger, who, however, powerfully re.
sisted him, and during the short struggle with
this Young athletic woman, to bis sstonish'
ment she addressed him in his'own language,
though in almost inarticulate sounds.
Releasing his hold, she informed him that
she had been a prisoner for ten years, and
was taken from below Wheeling, and that
her brother and herself were taken prisoners,
but he succeeded on the second night in ma.
king his escape. During this narrative, White
had drowned the elder squaw, aud had let her
float off with the current, where it would
probably not be found out soon. He now
directed the girl 10 follow him, and with his
usual speed and energy pushed for the mount.
They had scarcely gone half way, when
they heard the alarm cry some quarter of a
mile down the stream. 1t was supposed
some party of Indians, returning from hun
ting, struck the river just as the body Of the
sqnaw tloatcd past. White and the girl sue.
ceedpd in reaching the mount, where MCle.
land had been no Indifferent spectator to the
sudden commotiou among the Indians.
The prairie parties OF warriors were eeen
immediately to strike off in every direction,
and White aud the girl had scarcel Y arrived
before party Of some twenty warriors had
reached the eastern sccliri,y Of the mount,
and were cautiously m,d carefully keeping
under cover. Soon the spies saw the s~ar-
thy foes as they glided (rom tree to tree aud
from rock to rock, till their position WAS
surrounded, except on tue west perpendicu-
lar side, aud all hope of escape was cut OF.
In this peril"us condition. nothing WAS left
but 10 sell their lives rs dearly as possible,
and this they resolved to do, aud advised the
girl to escape to the indians. and tell them
she had been taken prisoner She said, 4" No;
death to me, in the presence OF my own
people, is thousand times sWeeter than
captivity and slavery. Furnish me with q
gun, and will show you how ! can 6ght
as we'll as die. This place | leave NOT.
Here my bones shall lie, bleaching with
yours, and should either of you escape you
will carry the tidings Of my death to my few
relations"
Remonstrances proved frutless. The
two spies quickly matured their plan Of de-
fence. aud vigorously y commenced the attack
from the front, where, from the very small
back bone of the mount, the savages had to
advance in single file, and without any co.
vert. Beyond ths neck the warriors avail
ed themselves of rocks aud trees in udvsn.
cling, but in passing from one to the other
thev must be exposed for short time, and
moments exposure of their swaIthy forms
was enough for the uuerriug rifles Of the
spies. The Indians being entirely Ignorant
of how many were in ambuscade, were more
cautious how they advanced.
After bravcIy maintaining the fight ir
trout and keeping the enemy in cheek, they
discovered new danger threatening them
The arch foe now made evident preparations
to attack them on the flank, which could bs
more successfully done by reaching an iso
lated rock lying in one of the ravines on th'
southern bill side. This rock once gainet
by the Indians, they could bring the spie
under point blank shot of the rife withou
the possibility Of escape. Our brave spie
saw the utter hopelessness of their situation
which rotbing could avert but brave cou1
panion and AN unerriug shot These the.
had not, but the brave never despair. Will
this impending fate resting upon them, the.
continued calm and calculating, and as un
wearied as the strongest desire Of life ant
the resistance Of numerous foe could pro
duce.
Soon M'Clelaud saw tall and swsrth
figure preparing to spring from covert s.
near to the fatal rock that bound or tw
would reach it, and all hope Of life then wa
gone. He felt that all depended on one sin
gle advantageous shot; although but an inc
or two of the warriors body was exposed
and that at DISTANCE Of eighty or a hundre
yards, he resolved to risk all he cody rails
ed his rifle 10 his face, and shading the sigh
with his hand, drew bead SO sure that h
felt conscious it would do the work. H
touched the trigger with his finger, the ham
mer came down, but in place Of strikin
fire, it broke his flint into many pieces; an
although he felt that the Indian must reac
the rock before he could adjust another fin
he proceeded to the task with the utmos
composure.
Casting his eye toward the fearful poin
suddenly he saw the warrior stretchin
every muscle for the leap; and with the agil
ty Of panther he made the spring, but ir
stead of reaching the rock, he gave yei
and his dark body fell and rolled down th
steep iuto the valley below He had ev
dcnlly received death.wound from som
unknown hand. A hundred voices re- -eehoe
from helnw the terrible shout Il xas eY