Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-12-24


nally, on much urging, consented to run, Ia
king however good care to let the Indian out
run the horse. Sabatis seemed much pleased
with his victory, and laughed heartily at Bow
en- for owning SO sorry an animal For awhile
they travelled along after this in apparently
good humor, until Sabatis, as they were near
ing the river, turned around to Bowen and
said ssthe pale face must walk the woods with
u.s." that is to go with them as prisoner
Bowen replied, in seeming unconcern, that he
could not walk the wood, for Indian and Eng
lishman were now brothers. Whereupon Sa-
batiS proposed a second race, and that Bowen
should unload his horse and start little be-
fore him, ''because,' he said, s'the horse of
the pale face could not run SO fast as Sabatis.'
This Bowen refused to do, but consented to
start at the same time. They started, but the
horse had not got far ahead of the Indian be-
fore Bowen heard a gun snap, and looking a
round, saw the smoke and the gun pointed at
him. He turned, and buried his tomahawk in
the Indians head. He then went back to
meet Plausawa, who, seeing the fate of his
friend, took aim at Bowen and fired his gun
iA~SASN- hSu llO IoOhCh " spare
life, pleaded his innocence of Sabatis' intent,
and called to mind the many kind acts he had
done to Englishmen, the lives of many of
whom his intercession has saved, but all in
vain. Bowen knew very well that there would
never be safety for him so long as the friend
of Sabatis lived. One must die, and to secure
himself, it was necessary to put Plausawa to
dpafb and nc ha Iaff fur 70 n,.b b.,S
his tomahawk into his skull. The dead bod
les he hid under a small bridge, ever after
called Indian Bridge, where they were dscov-
cred the next spring.
''Thc colonies at this time were desrous of
being on good terms with the Indians, for
whenever war broke out between them. the
latter were always aided by the French in Ca
NADIA. The sudden disappearance of men of
such note as Sabatis and Plausawa occasioned
the borderers no little alarm for some time
their deaths.were undiscovered and when the
manner of it became known, serious appre-
tensions were felt of Indian retaliation. Bow
en- was arrested and placed in Exeter Jail, and
the Indians were assured that proper punish
ment should be inflicted on him, according to
hiN tSI MS VI tiC liSdlI- DuL lht people vi
the vicinage assembled hastily and in large
force broke into the Jail and released the pris-
oner. In those days, killing Indians was no
mur der and in this case, Bowen's friends
maintained that the act was committed in self
defence; SO, perhaps, it might be considered,
upon Bowen's account, without any rebutting
circumstances. The fact that the Indians had
Iarr puo Of frr ba;r
Bowen appropriated opima spoIia, threw
some suspicion upon his proceedings. How
ever, he returned quietly to his home, and as
the French war, called in Europe the Seven
Years. War, soon after broke out, no further
notice was taken of the act, and Bowen died
at good old age.
ssBut the most extraordinary circumstances
attending the transaction was its effect upon
Bowen's son-a youth at the time of some
dozen years. Either remorse at his fathers
deed, or apprehensions of Indian revenge,
kept his mind in continual agitation, and he
grew up reserved, wayward, incomprehepsi-
bic person. He Stunned intercourse with his
fellow men, guarded his house with redoubled
bolts, and slept with his gun beside him.
Soon after he had arrived at mans estate, his
anticipation of Indian revenge had become a
monomania. He heard their voices in the
sigh of the winds, the rustling of the leaf an
nounced their stealthy tread, and he saw their
dusky faces in the waving grain. He dared
not leave his house for fear of an ambush, or
look out of window lest a bullet of the lurk-
ing foe should hit him. Mortal fear sat at his
table, pursued him like phantom through the
day, and in the deep watches of the night
| startled him from his unwholesome sumbers.
This became, after a while, uncomfortable, and
he at last determined upon an act of seeming
| desperation. Consulting or informing none of
his friends, he left his home, .ourneyed into
| Canada, and surrendered himself to the tribe
of the murdered men, as an expiatory sacri-
| fee. The Indians, barbarous often in the
treatment OF their cap.ives, seldom maltreated
voluntary prisoner. They took Bowen into
| their tribe, and the mother of the slaughtered
| Plausawa adopted him as her sou. He be-
their expeditions, participated in their for
| tunes, and, indeed, became one of them. In
his old age, however, desire to revisit the
scenes of his childhood overlook him, and the
Indians interposing no obstacle to his wishes,
he left them, his Indian mother being dead,
returned to Contocock, and died in peace a.
mong his kinsfolk and neighbors, to whom his
adventurous life furnished never-failing
| theme of interesting conversation"
/
| THE Rockford (Ill.) Register estimates the
present seasons wheat crop in Winnebago CO..