Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1854-11-09
Gge Storp TtlItr,
THE TWO SPIES.


nature was in her undsturbed livery of dark
and thick forests, interspersed with green
and Towering prairies. Then the forests had
not heard the sound of the woodman's axe
nor the plough Of the husbandman opened the
bosom of the oartb. Then the beautiful
prairies waved their golden bloom to the God
of Nature and the most luxurant of those
which lay along the Hooking valley, and es-
pecially that portion of it on which the town
of Lancaster now stands This place, for
beauty, its richness Of soil, and picturesque
scenery, was selected for location of an In
dian village. This afforded a suitable place
for the gambol of the Indian sportsman, as
well as central spot for concentrating the
Indian Warriors.
Here the tribes of the north and west met
TO counsel, and from this spot led forth the
war path in different directions. Upon one Of
these occasions, when the war spirit moved
nightly among the sons of nature, and the
tomahawk leaped in its scabbard, and the
spirits of their friends who had died in the
field of battle, visited the warrior in his night
visions, and called loudly for revenge, it was
ascertained at the garrison above the mouth
of the Hooking river, that the Indians were
gathering in great numbers for the purpose of
striking blow some post Of the frontiers
To meet this crisis two of the most skilled
interchangeable spies were despatched to watch
their movements.
MCleland and White, two spirits that new
er quailed at danger, and as uncomfortable as
the Lybian lion, in the month of October. and
on one of the balmy days of Indian summer.
took leave of their fellows and moved on
through the thick plum and hazel bushes with
the nolseless tread of panthers, armed with
their unerring and trusty rifles They COM
menced their march skirting the prairies till
they reached that most remarkable prom-
nence, now known by the name of Mount
Pleasant, the western termination of which is
perpendicular cliff of rocks of some hundreds
of feet high, and whose summit from west
ern view, towers to the clouds and overlooks
the vast plains below. When Gnls spoI was
gained, our hardy spies held a position from
which they could see every movement of the
Indians below in the valley
Every day added a new accession of war
rlors to the company. They had witnessed
their jumping, throwing the tomahawk, and
dancing the old sachems looking on with
Indian Indifference; the squaws engaged in
their usual drudgery, and the children en-
gagged in their playful gambols. The arrival
of new warrior greeted with terrific
shouts, which striking the muneral face of
Mount Pleasant, were driven back in the vari-
Gus indentatOns of the surrounding hills, pro-
ducing reverberations and echoes as if ten
thousand fends had gathered at universal
levee. Such yels would have struck terror to
those unaccustomed to Indian revelry.
To our spies this was but martial music
strains that walked their watchfulness and
newly strung their veteran courage. From
their early youth they had been on the from
tier, and were well practiced in all the subtle
ty, craft and cunning of Indian warfare, as
well as the ferocity and blood thirsty nature
of these savage warriors. They were, there
fore, not likely to be ensnared by their cum
ming, nor without desperate conflict, fall
victim to their scalping knives or tomahawks
On several occasions small parties left the
prairie, and assembled the mound from the east
ern side. On these occasions, the spies would
hide in the deep assures Of the rocks on the
west, and again leave their hiding place when
their uninvited and unwelcome visitors had
disappeared.
For food, they depended on jcrked venson
and corn bread, with which their knapsacks
were we'll stored. They dare not kindIe
fire, and the report of one of their rifles would
have brought upon them the entire force of the
Indians. For drink they depended on some
rain water which stood in the hollows Of some
of the rocks but, in short time, this store
was exhausted, and M'Cleland and White
must abandon their enterprise or find a new
supply. To accomplish this most hazardous
enterprise, MCleland, being the oldest, re-
solved to make the attempt, and with his trus-
1y rifle in his hand, and their two canteens
StfunB dcTOSS MS SnOul0erS, he descended
circuitous route to the prairie, skrting the
hill on the north, and under cover of the hazel
thickets, he reached the river and turning to
bold point of the hill he found beautiful
spring within a few feet of the river, now
known by the name of Cold Spring, on the
farm OF ID. Tallmadge, Esq. He filled his
canteens, and then returned in safety to his
watchful companion. 1t was now determined
to have fresh supply of water every dav. and
the duty was performed alternately.
On one of these occasions, after White had
filled his canteens, he sat a few momants
watching the limpid element as it came our
Cling out of the bosom Of the earth when the
light sound Of footsteps caught his ear, and
turning round he found two squaws within
two feet of him. Upon turning the jut of the
hill, the eldest squaw gave one of those far
reaching whoops peculiar to Indians. White
at once comprehended his perilous situation.
If the alarm should reach the camp or town,
he and his companion must inevitably perish.
Selfpreservation compelled him to infct a
noiseless death on the squaws, and in such a
manner, as, if possible, to leave no trace be-