The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1855-07-12

| uihA anu ibuiH5 IctIlcItlOTaHceS OI u past
age. But occasionally story of thrilling
interest is snatched from the lingering re-
cords of the red man.
The story am about to relate, received
from an old Indian pilot of the Allegheny.
1t was many years ago, when that stern old
chief, Cornplanter, (whose remains now re-
pose in silence and loneliness on the banks
| of that bcauteous river he loved so well,)
was in his glory. Ills tribe roamed over
the dense and unbroken forests along its
| banks, fearless, unmolestcd and free.
His people were hostile to the whites,
and never lost any opportunity to lie in
ambush and seize the lonely voyager as he
descended the river, and consign him to the
stake and the torture. But the watchful,
shrewd and deadly foe of Ccrnplanter and
the whole "tawny race" was the indomita-
ble and fearless Captain Samuel Brady
This veteran pioneer and Indian hunter was
one of those noble specimens of the hardy
forestcrs who plunged fearlessly into the in
terminable forests that then overspread SO
large portion of the Western States.
Like DAME! Boon, Lewis Wetzel, Simon
Kenton and others, who made Indian hunt
ing pastimc, his deadly hate of the Indian,
and his burning passion for hunting them
down, amounted to a monomania. This
hatred was in consequence Of the wrongs
they had inflicted upon his family-his ia
ther, Captain John Brady, and his brother
having fallen victims to the tomahawk and
scalping knife.
The scene of the present story is at
place known to boatmcn and raftnen MS
"Brady's Bend" and where now the noise
and hustle of a new manufacturing town
called the "Great Western" resounds along
the shores that then echoed only to the
whoop Of the savage or the panther's
scream.
1t is a bend in the river of nine miles in
length, and is sometimes called the "Ninc
Mile Bend" and is scarcely half mile
across the neck. Here in this bend, Corn
planter, returned from some successful in
roads upon the whites, had secured several
prisoners, by tying them to as many trees,
while his swarthy and hideously-painted
followers were busy in making preparations
for the f,got and the torture. 4.
The stake was erected and the fagots
prepared with all the coolncss and refine
ment Of Indian barbarity. 1t was beau
tifnlevening; the sun was just sinking be-
hind the lofty hill upon the opposite shore.
Calmness had thrown its oily wand upon
the Alleghany's crystal tide, and it slept.
The full, round moon, just bursting through
the tree-tops behind them. sailed calmly
through tile distant blue, and cast its mel
low beams upon the sleeping river, and
danced upon its placid bosom. y
The melancholy note of the whip-poor-
will from tho adjoining thicket fell sweetly
upon the ear. The victims were unbound
and led forth to the place of torture. At
this moment, voice, high up among the
frowning rocks that loomcd out from the
thick hemlocks that crowned the hill oppo-
site, hailed Cornplanter in the Indian tongue,
informing him that " he was an Indian war
rior, just returned from the war-path with
goodly number of prisoners"
He desired that the ceremonies of the
torture mightsbe suspended until he could
ford the river and join them, when they
would celebrate the occasion with unusual
demonstrations Of savage rejoicings. To
this Cornplanter consented. The flames that
had been kindled were extinguished, and
the prisoners again bound to the treesA
In the meantime, Brady-for it was he
who had deceived the wild Indian-with
body of men moved silently up the river to
place known as "Truby's Ripple" and
there fording tho river, drew his men up
across the mock Of the bend, and moved
noiselessly down upon the savages. So
cautious was his approach, that the Indians
were completely cut off from retreat before
Ethey became alarmed.
I Brady's men hemmed them in from be-
shind, while the Allegheny rolled in front.
The first intimation to the savages of bis
approach was communicated by deadly
discharge from his unerring rifles. The In
fought. with desperation. but. were
overpoNaed; all were killed or taken pris-
oners, save the schief Cornplanter, who,
finding himself abpesz plunged into the
river, and swan for The os E,sbQre.
Being q good swimmer, he 50 snsa ases-
eral minutes under water, butsas he iosS lSs;
breath, lie was greeted with q shower of
bullets. In this way, alternately swimming
under water as long as he could Hold his
breath, and then rising to the surface, shs,
escaped .uphurt, and reaching the other
shore inysafety, secreted himself behind q