The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1854-03-03

not likely to bc ensnared by their cum
ming, nor without desperate conf CT, 70
fall victims 70 their scalping knives or
lomahawks. On several occasions, smal!
parties left the prairie and uscended the
mount from the eastern side. On these
occasions the spies would hide in ihe
deep fssures Of the rocks on the west,
and again leave their hiding places when
their uninvi,ed and unwelcome visitors
had disappeared. bsanaieias "a. b
For food, they dependad on jerked VEN
ison and corn bread, with which their
knapsacks were we'll stored, They dare
not kindle fire, and the repor. Of one
Of their fihes would have brought upon
them the entire force Of the Indians
For drink, they depended on some rain
water which still stood in the hollows OF
some Of the rocks; but, in a short time,
this store was exhausted, and M'Cleland
and White must abandon their enterprise
or find new supply. TO accomplish
this mos, hazardous enterprise, M'Clcr
land, being the oldest, resolved 10 make
the attempt, and with his truslY rife in
his hand, and their two cabteens strung
uc,oss his shoulders, he descended, bya
crcuitous rou.e, TO the prairie, skiIling
the hill on the north, and under cover Of
the hazel thckeis, he reached the river,
and turning to bold point of the bill he
found beautiful spring within a few feet
oflhe river, now known by the name OF
Cold Spring, on the farm Of D.Talmadge,
Esq. lie filled his canteens, and return
ed in safety 10 his vatchful companion :.
II was now determined 10 have a fresh
supply Of water every day, and This duty
wos performed alternately. 90
b On one OF these occas ons, aher White
had filed his canleens, he sa, few mos
ments watching the limpid element as il
came gIrgling ont of the bosom Of the
earth, when the light sound of footsteps
caught his practiced ear, and upon turns
ing round he saw two squaws within a
few feet Of him. Upon turning the rjut.
Of the bill, lhe eldest sqnaw gave one of
those far-reac ling whoops peculiar to In
dians. White at once comprehended his
perllous situation. If the alarm should
reach the camp oriown, he and his com,
panion must inevitably perish. Sefpres>
ervalion compelled him TO ipfict a noise
less death on the squaws and in such q
manner az, il possible, To leave no trace
behind. Ever rapid in thought aud promp'
in action, he sp,ang upon his victims with
the rapidlly and power Of on,and gras'
ping the throat Of each, sprang into the
river. He tbrus, the head OF the eldest
under the water. While making strong
efforts 10 submerge the o'her, who, how
ever, powerfully resisted him, aud during
tie short struggle with this young aih>
IL tic, to his establishment she addressed
h m in his own language, though in all
most inarticulate sounds. ...
Releasing his hold, she informed him
that she had been prisoner for ten years,
and was taken from below Wheeling, ,and
lint the Indians had killed all the family
and .bat her brother and herself we're "a
ken prisoners, but he succeeded on the
second night in making his escape, Dn
ring this narrative White had drownec
the elder squaw, and lei her float off with
the current, where il would not probably
be found out soon. He now directed the
girl to follow him, and with his usua
speed and energy pushed for the mount
They had scarcely gone half way wher
:hey head The alarm cry some quarter oI
mile down the stream. II was suppo'
rel some p,rty Of Indians, returning from
hunting, struck the river jus, as the body
of the squaw flated past. White anc
the girl succeeded in reaching the mount
where M'Cleland had been no indiffer-
ent spectator 10 the sudden commotior
among the lndiars. Is raa ID
The plairio parties Of warriors were
cen Immediately 10 strike off in every
direction, and White and the girl bat
scarcely arrived, before party Of some
twenty warriors had reached the eastern
acclivily Of the mount, and we're eau
,iously and carefully keeping under Gov
! er. Soon the spies saw their swarthy
foes as they glided from tree 10 tree ane
rock to rock, till their position was sur
rounded, except on the west perpendlc'
ular side, and all hope Of escape was Gu
off. In this perlous condition nothing
was left but TO sell their lives as dearly
4 as possible, and this they resolvedto do,
and advised the girl to escape 10 fhe In
4 d ans and tell them she had been taker
I prisoner. She said, "No, death to me
4 in presence Of my own people, is thou
sand times swee,er than captivity ant
slavery. Furnish me with gun, and
viii show you can fgh. as we'll as die
This place l leave not. Here my bones
shall lie, bleaching with yours, s,and shoult
+ either Of you escape you will carry The
tidings Of my death to my few relations,
j RESPONSIVENESS proved fiuiiless. Th'
two spies quickly matured their plan o
defense, and vigorously commenced ih'
attack from The front, where from the We
~ small backbone Of the mount, the sav
ages had to advance in single file ant
withou,oany covert. Beyond this necl
4 the warriors ayailed themselves OF ,h'
rocks and trees in advancing. but in pas