Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-08-19

ny aee<. an1 presented it 10 her. She vas all
.c-iaey. and spoke of It's beauty, asked me lis
vnne. and pat the chain around her brawny
neck. saying hos happy the possession Il such
n watch would make her. Tbougbtless, and, as
| fanepd myself, in 50 retired a spot secure,
paid little attention to her talk or her move
ment- helped my dog TO good supper OF
ven-pn. md was,not long IN satisfying the de-
Iuqnd- ef my own appetite.
Ithe Indian rose from his seat. as II IN extreme
suffering. he passed an repnssed mo several
times aud once pinchrd me on the side 80 vio'
lently that the puin nearly brought forth an ex-
olamnipn of anger looked at him. His eye
met mine: but his look was so forbddng thatit
struck n chill into the more nervous part of my
system. lie again seated himself, drew his butch
er knife IRON his greasy scabbard, examined lis
edge as would that Of n razor suspected as dull
replaced il, and again taking his ,onahawk from
his back filled the pipe oft with tobacco aud sent
me expressive chances whenever our hostess
CHANGED to have her back turned towards us.
Never, until that moment. had my senses been
awakened to danger which | now suspected TO
be about me. | returned glance for glanc" with
my companions and became well assured that
shatover enemies might have, he was not OF
their number
asked the woman for my watch, wound it up
and under pretcnce nf wishing TO see how the
weather might probably be on the morrow, took
up my pun and walked out Of the cabin. ! slip
/ ped ball into each barrel, scraped the edges OF
my flint, renewed the printing. returned to the
hat. aud gave a favorable account of my obserya.
! ton. iouk up n few bear-skin-, mad' pallet,
| of them and calling my faithful dog to my side,
/ Law down with my gun close to my body, and III
n few minutes was, to nil appearances fast as
! leep.
A short time had elapsed, when some voices
were heard; and. from the of my eyes ]
ii, I.tt, H.,
bearing dead stag pole They disposed
of their burthen and asking for whisky, helped
themselves freely to it. Observing me aud the
wounded Indian, they asked who was, and why
that rascal tmeaning the Indian. who they knew
understood not word of English was in the
house.
The mother lfor so she proved to be- babe
them to speak less loudly, made mention OF my
watch, and took them 10 n corner, where CON
yersa'ion took place, the purport OF which 1t re
CURED but little shrewdness in me tn guess,
tapped my dog gently. He moved his tail aud
with indescrihnble pleasure ! saw his fine eyes
alternately fixed on and rnsed towards the
trio in the corner. | felt that he perceived the
danger Of my situation. The Indian exchanged
u glance with me.
The lads had eaten and drunken themselves in
10 such a condition that already 'oked upon
them ms hors de combat, and the frequent visits Of
the whisky bottle to the mouth Of their dam, |
hoped would soon reduce her to n like state
Judge Of my astonishment when | saw this in
oarnate iinnd take large carving knife, and 90
to tho grndstone to whot its edge.
saw her pour the water on the turning ma
chine, aud watched her working away at the dan
gerous instruments until the cold sweat covered
every part OF my body, in spite of nv determlEa
| ton to defend myself To the last. Her task lin
ished she walked To her Keeling sons, and snld,
There, thatll settle him. She then directed
them To kill the Indian while she dispatched me.
turned, made ready my gun silently, touch
| ed my faithful companion, and lay ready to start
up and shoot the first that should attempt my
life Tho moment was fast approaching and that
might have been my last, had not Providence
mhde preparations for my rescue. All was ready
The old bag advancing slowly probably was
contemplating The hest way of despatching me,
while her sons should be engaged with the lndi.
mn. was several times ON the eve of rising and
shooting her on the spot but she was not to be
punished thus. The door suddenly opened
and there entered two stout travellers, each with
II long rifle on his shoulder. ! bounced upon my
ieet making them most heartily welcome,
aud told them we'll it was for me that they should
hive arrived ut that moment.
The tale was told in moment. The drunken
sons were secured, and the woman. in spite of
her defence and vociferatons, shared the snne
fate. The wounded Indian fairly danced with
JOY, and gave us to understand that ~ he could
| not sleep forpain, he would wat ch over us. You
may suppose that we slept much less than we
talked. The two strangers told mo that they
themselves had once been in a somewhat similar
situation
The next morning our captives were unbound;
and after lntile'lng upon them proper chastse-
ment, and suitably rewarding the friendly Indian
W" set of toward the settlements. During up
wards al twenty hive years. when my wanderngs
extended to all parts OF our country, this was the
only time at which my LIE was in danger from my
fellow creatures. Indeed, little risk do travel.
crs run in the United States that one born there
never dreams of any danger to be encountered ON
the road. and can only account for this occur.
renee by snpPosing the inhabitants OF tho cabin
were not Americans.