New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-06-09

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Early in the Spring of 'ssss;M, Mex. Nc
Gonnell. of Lexington Ky wenststt Il the woods
on foot to hunt deer He coon killed large
buck, and returned home for a horse, La order
TO bring 1T. During his absence, a party of 5va
Indians, in one Of their skuiking expeditions,
accidentally stumbled on the body Of the deer,
and perceIying that it had been recently killed,
they naturally supposed that the huBter would
soon return to secure the flesh Three of them.
therefore, took their stations within close rife
shot Of the deer, while the other two followed
the trail Of the hunter, and waylaid the path
" which be was expected to return
McConnell thinking not IF danger, rode care.
lessly along the path which the scouts we're
watching, until he had come within view Of the
oeer, when ne was fired on by the whole party,
ana ms horse killed While laboripo to extri-
cate himself from the dying animal. he was
seIzed BY his enemies, overpowered and borne
on prisoner His captors, however, seemed a
merry, good -natured sort IF fellows and per-
mitted him to accompany them unbound and.
Vhat was rather more extraordinary al owed
him to retain his gun and hunting accoutre-
ments. He accompanied them with great an
parent cheerfulness through the day and dis
played his dexterity by shooting deer for the
use Of the company, until they began to regard
him with great partialify Having travelled
with him in this manner for several days thew
at length reached the bank Of the Ohio river.
heretofore, the Indians had taken the preeau-
1tIon to bind him at night, although not very
securely, but on that evening he demonstrated
with them on the subject, and complained go
strongly of the pain which the cord gave him,
taat they merely wrapped the buffalo tug about
MS wrists, and having tied it in any easy knot,
and then attached the extrernities Of the rome
10 their bodies. in order to prevent his moving
without awakening them. they very compasedly
went 10 sleep leaving the prisoner to follow
their example or not, as be pleased
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT toeffect his eseane that
night, if possible. as on the following morning
rhey would cross the river, which would render
1t more difficult He, therefore, lay quietly
until midnight, anxiously ruminatng On the
best means of effecting his escape Accidentally
casting his eyes in the direction Of his feet. they
fell upon the glitterng blade of . knife, which
had escaped, from its sheath, and was now lying
near the feet of one of the Indians
To reach it with his hands, without disturb,
ing the two Indians to whom he was fastened.
vas impossible, and it was very hazardous To
attempt to draw it up with his feet This, how
ever. he attempted With much difficulty he
g'asped the blade between his toes, and after
repeated and long continued Efforts succeeded at
length in bringing it within reach of his hands.
10 cut the cord was hut the work of a moment.
and gradually and silently exfricating himself
he walked to the fire and sat down He felt
that his work Was but half done; that if ha
should attempt to return home without Destroy
ing his enemies. he would be pur ued and prob
ably overtaken, when his fate would be certain.
Dn the other hand. il seemed almost impossible
for single individual to succeed in a conflict
with FIVE Indians. even though unarmed and
'tsieep. He could not hope to deal blow with
i knife SO 81 emily and fatally as to destroy
each Of his enemies without awakening the rest
Their slumbers were proyerbally light and rest
less, and if he failed with single one, be nans6
inevitably be overpowered by the Survivors.
The knife was, therefore, out of the question
After anxious reflection for few moments he
formed his plan
The guns of the Indians were stacked near
the fire. Their knives and tomahawks were
sheathed by their sides. The latter he did not
touch, for fear Of arousing their owners but
The former he carefully removed, with the ex-
ception of two, and hid them in the woods, while
he knew the indians were still sleeping, perfectly
ignorant of the fate preparing for them. and
taking one in each hand, and resting the muz.
zles on log within six feet of his victinis and
having taken deliberate aim at the head of one
and the heart of another. he pulled roth triggers
1 ut the same moment. Both shots were fatal
| At the reports Of the gnns, the Others sprang
| to their feet, glancing wildly about them Nc.
| Gonneli, who had run to the spot where the
| other rifles were hid. hastily seized one of them
| and fired at two of his enemies, who happened
70 be standing in line with each other The
uearest-frll dead, being shot through the centre
Of the body; the second fell also, believing
loudly; hut, soon recovering limped off as fast
AZ possible, The fifth, the only one that re-
manned unhurt, darted off like deer with a
yell that announced equal terror and astonish-
ment. Mcconnell, not wishing to fight any
more such battles, selected his own rifle from
the stock, and made the best of his way to Lex
ington, where he arrived in two days
A short time afterwards Mrs Dunlap, of Fay
ette, who had been several months prisoner
| among the Indians on Mad river, made her
escape, and returned to Lexington She re-
ported that the survivor returned TO his tribe
| with a lamentable tale. He stated that they
had taken foe young hunter near Lexington,
and brought him as far as the Ohio; that, while
eneamped on the bank of the river. party of
white men had fallen upon them in the night.
and killed his companions, together with the
poor defeneeess prisoner, who lay bound hand
and foot, unable eiiher To escape or resist