Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1856-05-01

and Tom knew that he could not afford to fire at
random. The other two were now closing
upon him, and he found that unless hc could
dispose of the first one, he must be overpowered.
He therefore halted, resolved to receive lire !;
and the Indian at few PAGES distant, raised
his rife. Higgins watched his adversary's eye,
and just as he thought his finger press the trig-
ger, suddenly through his side to him. 1t is
probable this mSsion saved bis life, for the ball
entered his thigh which would have pierced his
body Tom fell, but rose again and ran, and
the largest Indian, certain of his prey, loaded
again, and then with the two Others pursued
They soon came near. Higgins had again fallen
and as he rose they all fired, and he received all
their balls. He now fell and rose several times,
and the Indians throwing away their guns, ad-
vanced upon him with spears and knives
They frequently charged upon him, but upon
presenting his gun to one or the other they fell
back. AT last, the largest one, thinking prob
ably, from Toms reserving bis fire so long that
his gun was empty, charged boldly upon him
and Higgins, with steady aim, shot him dead.
With four bullets in his body, with an empty
gun, two Indians before him, and whole tribe
but few rods of, almost any other man would
have despaired. But Tom Higgins had no such
notion. The Indian whom he had slain was
the most dangerous of the three, and he felt lit
tie fear of the Others He had been near enough
to see their eyes, and he knew human nature
sufficiently to discover that he was their superb
or in courage; he therefore faced them, and be-
gan to load his rifle. They raised whoop and
rushed on him.
"They kept their distance as long as my rifle
was loaded" said he, "but now, when they
knew it was empty, they were better soldiers
A fierce and bloody conflict ensued. The In
dams, rushing upon Tom, stabbed him in many
places; but it happened, fortunately, that the
shafts of their spears were thin poles, rugged
hastily for this occasion, which bent whenever
the point struck o rib, or encountered the op-
position of one of Higgins tough muscles. From.
this cause, and the continual exertion of his
hand and rifle in warding off their thrusts, the
wounds thus made were not deep, but his whole
front was covered with gashes, Of which the
scars yet remain, in honorable proof of his val
or At last one of them threw his tomahawk I;
the edge sunk deep in Higgins check, passed
through his ear, which it severed, laid bare the
skull to the back of his head, and stretched him
on the plain. The Indians rushed on; but Tom
instantly recovered his sef-possession, and kept
them off with his feet and hands, until he sue
cecded in grasping one of their spears, which,
as the Indian attempted to pull it from him,
aided him to rise and clubbing his rife, he
rushed upon tho nearest of his foes, and dashed
his brains out; in doing which, he broke the
stock to pieces, retaining only the barrel in biz
hand.
The other Indian, however warily he had
fought before, now came manfully into battle
1t is probable that he felt his character as Q
warrior at stake. To have fled from mar
desperately wounded and almost disarmed or tc
have suffered his victim to escape, would have
tarnished his manhood. Uttering terrible
yell, he rushed on, attempting to stab the ex
I-hausted ranger, while the latter warding off thu
spear with one hand, brandished his riae-barre
in the other. The Indian, unwounded, wa
now by far the most powerful man but th
moral courage of our hero prevailed, and tn
, savage, unable to bear the fierce glance of hi
tanned eye, began to retreat slowly to the plac
where he had dropped his rifle Tom knew tina
: if the Indian recovered possession of his gun hi
: own case was hopeless and throwing away hi
e rihebarrel, he drew his hunting knife, and rush
: ed in upon him A desperate strife ensued, an
' several deep gashes were inflicted but the Ir
't dian succeeded in casting Higgins from hin
and ran to the spot where he had thrown dow
g his gun, while Tom searched Tor the gun of til
" other Indian. Thus the two, bleeding and Oh
l. of breath, were both searching for arms to r
u new the conflict
l. By this time the smoke which lay betwe(
3, the combatants and the main body of the /
q dams had passed away, and number of h
y latter having passed the hazle-thicket were
o. full view. It seemed, therefore, as if nothi
n could save our heroic ranger but relief was
as hand. The little garrison at the station six
ls seven in number, had witnessed the whole
this remarkable combat. There was amo
y them an heroic woman, Mrs. Pursley, wi
Ill when she saw Higgins nobly contending sing
5h with the foe, urged the men to go to his resc
he The rangers at first considered the atten
dy hopeless, as the Indians out-numbered the
by ten to one. But Mrs Parsley, declaring ii
"a so fine fellow as Tom should not be lost
to- want of help snatcbing rifle out of her h
ed bands hand, and jumping on horse sail
ng out The men, who would not be outdone
ns, a woman, followed, full gallop, toward
wv place of combat. A scene of intense inter
lid ensued. The Indians at the thicket had
- discovered Tom, and were rushing down iowa
di- him with savage yells, his friends were spur
my their horses to reach him first. Higgins
nld hausted with the loss of blood, had fallen
on, tainted, while his adversary, too intent on
Ind prey to observe anything else, was looking ft
eat rife. Mrs, Pursley, who knew Toms spi
be- thought he had thrown himself down in
lers pair for the loss of his gun, and rendered
ort' the one she carried but Tom was past shoot
ak His friends lifted him up, threw him aero
'nce horse before one of the party, and turned to
dis treat just as the Indians came up. They m
'ary good their retreat and the Indians retired.
ZACH We repeat this adventure just as it was
ght lated to US, and have not the smallest do
was that it is literally correct or nearly SO as
und Higgins opportunities for observation VIC