American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1856-03-01

water IN my face and passing towards
Levi, who sprang back, exclaiming, -
"D--n tho Indians" grasping his
gun, which I was holding, with my own.
"Neither of us is hurt, believe, .
said he.
am not, answered I.
"Thank God, again, said he.
"Get down on your knees, jim, y
said he, which / did, in rather a rev.
erential attitude, mistaking his mean
ing, which discovering, he said, some
what excited, "D--n it, I don mean
for you to pray, but to crawl Sut of this
place. Get on your hands and knees"
"This rather mortified me, and my
ill temper preponderating, rouscd me
at once, and / thought / should not
care to meet half dozen Indians On
emerging from the laurel.
awe at length reached an open space
some distance down, and off to the right
from the pine. But fearing an attack
with the Greek Immediately on cur left,
Levi said to me-
"Jim, do you see that large oak out
there about fifty yards, by that dead
'snag?"
Yes, answered /, straining my vision
in expectation of sight of an Indian.
swell, you must run to it as fast as
you can, for there are no Indians be-
tween it and the creek. Keep sharp
look out on your right, and should you
see any Indians of consequence, break
to the Greek, and drop your gun in the
edge of the stream, 50 that you may get
1T when the water falls, retaining your
tomahawk and knife. Your gun would
be useless after swimming the Creek,
and once over, turn your face toward
the 3o'clock sun point, and a little over
a mile will bring you to the river, with
in mile and quarter of the fort, but
don't stop to pray till you get there"
"This induced a laugh, though T was
about half vexed at him; but soon
began to learn that his manner was
more to nerve me for the occasion than
otherwise, no being several years my
senior,--not, however, over fifteen
years of age himself.
"These instructions and observa-
tions passcdin a few moments, of course,
and / made for the designated oak as
speedily as possible, knowing that Levi
was to cover the rear of this necessary
advance with his dread rife. had ar
rived at the designated spot, and was
making incautious observations, expo
sing my person from my covert, which
Levi observed, but not getting my eve
could not remind me of my imprudence,
and becoming alarmed for me, was ON
the point of calling, but with the effort
he heard a crash near the scene of the
pine top, when he broke to me with his
utmost speed, which / did not perceive
In the intensity of my gazing till he
was so close that l turned, in my ex-
citement, with my gun levolled in ex-
pectation of an Indian assault. He
seized me by the shoulder, giving mo a
shake that would have knocked an Ohio
or Indiana ague shake clear in the
shade, (having experienced respectable
specimens of both Statcs.) With this
shake Jim said to me, "Blame your
ignorance, stand behind the tree and
don't expose your person by peeping
in such long, regular, and measured
dukes. Drawing his ramrod about six
inches he said, "After this have sense
enough to hang your hat thus"--suit-
ing the action to the word, as they say,
-" and let it receive tho ball" saw
in an instant had been imprudent, but
thought at the time / was doing it up
brayely.
"IAll this time he had kept his eye
on the pine, of which we had a good
view from this oak.
"Blamed if l don't dislike to lose
his gun, ammunition, &C." said jim,
levclling his piece, when 1 said, stop!
"Why?" said he.
"Lct him pass over the Creek, said
L, and shoot him on land.
"No," said he, che will pass straight
up tho hill, through the bushes, sup
posing we had crossed and made for
the fort, and not down the creek" and
being half assured that there were no
others near, he stepped to where he
had q null view of the pine log, from the
branches having been cut away by tho
Indian and himself, so as to render it
passable, and beckoncd to me, which 7
obeyed, when he said to me, "ShootI
him now, and let him CO." Iraiscd my
gun to the side Of the tree and drew
deadly aim on his broad back, when
she burnt priming. The Indian GER
tainly could not have heard the flash,
but somehow, at this instant, turned
right facing us, when Levi fred, ex-
claiming, "Blamed if my gun misses
II 4. q. -