Burlington tri-weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1852-1855, 1855-01-30
EARLY TIMES IN THE WEST.
AN INDIAN SKETCH.


The following sketch of early Indian times
in the West, and the life of the Indian Chief
RHoN-YAN-NEss, is coried from the Rev.
JAMES B. FISLEY's History of Western Meth
oiism:
About the middle of July, 1882, seven
Wyandotts crossed tho Ohio, few miles
above Wheeling, and committed depredations
apun the Southern shore, killing an old man
whom they found alone in his cabin, and
spreading terror throughout the neighbour
hood. Within few hours after the retreat
eight men assembled from different parts of
the small settlement, and pursued the enemy
with great exredition.
Among the most active and efficient Of the
party were two brothers, Adam and Andrew
Poe. Adam was particularly popular. In
strength, action and hardihood, he had no
equal, being finely formed and Injured to all
the perils Of the woods. They had not fol-
lowed the trail far before they became salts
fed that the depredators were conducted by
Big Foot, a renowned chief Of the Wyan lott
tribe, who derived the name from the inn
In ense size of his foot; and his strength was
represented as herculean.
He had also five brothers, and as thew gen
erallv went in company, tho were the ter
rOr OF the whole country. Adam Poe was
overoYed at the dea Of measuring his strength
with that of so celebrated chief, and urged
the pursuit with a keenness which quickly
brought him in the vic nifty OF the enemy
For the last few miles the trail had led them
up the Southern INK of the Ohio, where the
foot prints in the sand were deep and obvi
Gus but when within few yards OF tho
point at which the whites as we'll MS the In
dams were in the habit of crossing, it sud-
denly diverged from the stream and stretch
ell along rocky ridge, forming an obtuse
angle withits former direction. Here Adam
halted for moment, and directed his bro
Their and the other young men to follow the
trail with proper ciution, while he HIM self
stll. adhered to the river path, which led
through clusters Of willows, directly to the
point where he supposed the enemy to lie.
Having examined the printing of his gun,
he crept cautiously through the bushes, till
he had a view of the point Of tmbarkation.
Here Law two canoes. empty and apparently
deserted. Being satisfied, however that the
Indians were close at hand. he relaxed no
thing Of his vigilance, and quickly glned a
jutting cliff, which hung Immediately over
the cinocs. Herring a low murmur below,
he peered cautiously over, and beheld the
object of his search. The gioantic Big Foot
lay below him in the shade Of willow, and
was talking in a low, deep tone to another
warrior. who seemed mere pigmy by his
side.
Adam cautiously drew back, and cooked
his gan. The mark was far, the distance did
not exceed twenty feet, and the ann was un-
erring. Raising his rifle, slowly and cautious
l. /, 4
the trigger. His gun flashed. Both Indians
sprang TO their feet With a deep interj elton
Of surprise, AMI for single moment all
three stared upon each other. This inactiv-
ty was soon over. Adam was too much ham
perei BY the bushes to retreat, and e,ting
his life upon the cast of a die, no sprang ov +
the bushes that had sheltered him, and sum
moning all his powers, leaped boldly down
the pr, cipice, and alighted on the breast Of
Big Foot with shock tat bore him to the
earth.
At the moment of contact, Adam had also
thrown his right arm around the neck of the
smaller Indian, so that all three came to the
earth together. At that moment a sharp fir
ing was heard among the bushes above, an
nouncing that the Other party were engaged !;
but the trio below were too busy to attend to
anything but themselves. Big Foot was for
an instant stunned by the violence Of the
shock, and Adam vas enabled TO keep them
both down. Bat the ex rtion n cessary for
that purpose was SO great that he had no lei
sure to draw his knife.
Big Foot quickly recovered, and without
attemp ing to rise, wrapped his long ms
around Albums body, and pressed HIM to his
breast with the crushing Fore of boa. con
stric,or. Adam as we have already remark
ed. was powerful man. He Instantly relax
ed his hold of the small Indian, who sprang
to his feet. Big Foot ord red him to run
for his tomahawk, which liy " thin ten steps,
and kill the white man while he held lin in
his arms. Adam, seeing his danger, strug-
gled manfnllv 10 ex'ricate himself FROM the
folds of the giant, but in vain.
The lesser Indian approach d with uplifted
tom thawk, but Adam watch d him closely,
and as he was about to strike, gave him IA
kick so sudden and violent as to knock the
tOmahawk, from his hand and sent him stag
ring bacg into the water; Big Foot uttered
an exclamation in tone OF deep contempt at
the failure of bis companion, and raising his
voice to it's highest pitch, thunderld out sew
eral words in tn Indian tongue, which Adam
did not understand, but supposed to be a d.
rection for a second Il tack.
TIE lesser Indian now again approached,
carefully shunn ng Adams heels, ard making
ma motions with his tomahawf, in order
10 deceive him a to the point where The blow
would fall. This lasted for several seconds,
until a laundering exclamation from b g Foot
compelled his, companion TO strike. such
was Adams dexterity and vigilance, that he
managed to receive the tomahawk in >. CLAN
cling direction, upon his left wrist, wounding
him deeply, but not disabling him. He now
matte a sudd n and desperate effort to free
himself from the arms Of the giant and sue
ceeded.
Instantly snatching up rifle, for the In
dian did not venture to use one. for fear of