Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1855-06-28

he had gone as far as Slippery Rock Creek,
branch of Beaver river, in Western Pennsyl-
vania, without seeing any signs of his foe.-
Here. however, he struck upon fresh trail,
which led up the Creek, and he hastened in
pursuit of the savages, who were some distance
ing, when he was obliged to wait the return of
daylight before he could pursue it further.
At the earliest dawn he started afresh, and
without stopping to break his fast, he hurried
on, bent on coming up with the enemy before
they could reach their towns. His precipi-
fancy had nearly cost him his life, for although
the party in front did not dream of his prox-
unity, yet body of warriors, far outnumber-
ing his own small band, had discovered has
trail, and were following it with as much avid
ity and determination, as he was pursuing
their comrades.
Brady discovered those in front, just as they
were finishing their morning meal, and pre-
pairing to renew their journey. Placing his
men in such manner as to intercept them
should any attempt to escape, at a given sig
nal they delivered close and well-directed
volley, and started up to rash upon the enemy
with their tomahawks, when the band in the
rear fired upon them in turn, taking them
completely by surprise, killing two of their
number and throwing the remainder into con-
fusion. Finding himself thus between two
fires, and vastly outnumbered, there was moth
ing left but flight, and Brady, directing his
men to look out for themselves, started off at
his topmost speed in the direction of the creek.
The Indians had long and heavy account
TO settle with him, however, and deemed this
the opportunity to wipe it out with his blood.
For this purpose they desired to secure him
alive, and fifty red skins, regardless of the
others who had scattered in every direction,
dropped their rifles and followed him. The
Indians knew the ground-Brady did not, and
they felt secure of their victim when they saw
him run towards the creek, which was at this
point wide, deep and rapid stream. A yell
of triumph broke from them as he arrived at
the bank and comprehended his desperate sit
uation. There was apparently no escape, and
for moment the captain felt that his time had
come. Twas but for an instant however !;
he well knew the fate which awaited him,
should he fall into the hands of his enemies,
and this reflection nerved him to deed which,
perhaps, in his calmer moments, he would
have found himself incapable of performing.
Gathering all his force into one mighty effort
as he approached the brink of the stream, and
clinging with death grip to his trusty rifle,
be sprang across the chasm through which the
stream ran, and landed safely upon the other
side with his rifle in his hand. Quick as
thought, his piece was primed, and he COM
menced to reload. His feet had barely made
their imprint upon the soft, yielding soil of
the western bank, before his. place was filled
by the brawny form of warrior, who, having
been foremost in the pursuit, now stood in
wonder and amazement as he contemplated
the gap over which the captain had passed.
With frankness which seemed not to under
value the achievement of an enemy, the saw
age, in tolerable good English, exclaimed,
'Blady make good jump glady make very
good jump" His conflicting emotions of re-
gret at the escape of his intended victim, and
admiration of the deed by which that escape
had been accomplished, did not hinder the dis
covery that Brady was engaged in loading his
piece, and he did not feel assured but that his
compliment would be returned from the muz-
zle of the captains rifle. He incontinently
took to his heels as he discovered the latter
ramming home the bullet, which might the
next moment be searching out vital part in
his dusky form, and his erratic movements
showed that he entertained no mean idea Of
his enemy's skill at sharp-shooting. The out
line of the most intricate field fortifcaton,
would convey but slight idea of the serpen-
tine course he pursued until satisfied that he
was out of rifle shot. Sometimes leaping in
the air, at others squatting suddenly on his
launches, and availing himself Of every shell
ter, he evinced lively fear, which doubtless
had its origin in previous knowledge of the
fatal accuracy Of the captains aim. Brady
had other views, however, and was not dis
posed to waste time and powder upon sin
gle enemy, when surroudded by hundreds,
and when the next moment an empty barrel
might cost him his life; and while the savage
was still displaying his agility on the oppo-
site bank, he darted into the woods and made
his way to rendezvous previously fixed up
on, where he met the remainder of his party,
and they took their way for home, not more
than half defeated Ii was not'a great while
before they were again on the war path, in
search of further adventures.
Brady afterwards visited the spot, and out
of curiosity, he measured the stream at the
place where he jumped, and found tito meas
ure twenty-three feet from shore to shore, and
the water found to be twenty feet deep.
A similar incident is related of Brady in
the Historical Collections of Ohio,' as having
occurred on the banks of the Cuyahoga, in
which it is stated that, as he was crawling up
the opposite bank, the Indians fired upon him,
and wounded him in the hip, but he managed
to staunch the wound and escape, by hiding
himself in the hollow trunk of tree until the