The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1856-08-13

Gends Of the strange reucounlers OF the
White Man and the Indian, which are
yet preserved in the ancient records and
traditions OF Maine. The simple and un-
vanished narrative is only given:
1t was Il suItry evening towards the
last OF June, 1922, that Capt. Harmon
and the Eastern Rangers W ged their ca.
noes up the Kennebec river, in pursuit Of
their enemies. For hours they ,oilcd dill
igcntly at The oar. The Iaft trace OF civ
iIizalion was left behind, and the long
shadows of the skrting forest met and
blended in the mi'ldic OF the broad stream,
which wound darkly through them. AS
every sound from the adjacent shores
the rnstIing wing of some night.bird, or
the qick footsteps Of some wild beast
the dash of the oar was suspended, and
,hc rangers grasp trghtcned on his rife.
All knew the peril Of the enterprise; and
hat silence, which is natural OF jeopardy,
settled ike Il cloud upon the midnight aL-
vcGtn7crs.
"llush-sofly men !" said the watch.
tal Harmon, in n voice which scarcely
rose above II hoarso whisper, as the canoe
swept around a ragged promcntory, "lhere
is a light Il head"
All ewes were bent towards the shore.
y tall Indian fire cleaned up amidst the
great oaks, casting n red and strong light
mpon the dark waters. For single and
brca,hless moment the operation of the
oar was suspended, and every ear listened
.r,tth ,,.i, T,,l. ,,,,,l IL
known sounds, which seldom failed to in
d'cate the propinquity Of the savages.-
But all WAS now silent. With slow and
tain. movements Of the oar, the canoes
gradually approached the suspected spot.
| The landing was effected in silence. AT
ter moving cautiously for considerable
/ distance in the dark shadow, the party at
! length ven,ured within the broad circle Of
The light, which al first attracted their at
tcn,ion. Harmon WAS at their head, with
an eve and hand, quick as those Of the
savage enemy whom he sought.
The boly Of fallen tree lay across the
path. As the rangers were on the point
of leapinG over ii, the coarse whisper OF
Harmon again broke the silence:
God of heaven :" he exclaimed, poin,
nc to the tree. See here!-'tis the
work Of the cursed red skins"
A smo,hcred curse growlcd On the lips
-ot the rangers, as they bent grimIy for.
ward in the direction pointed ont 10y then
commander. Blood was spriuklcd on the
rank grass and human hand-the hand
Of a white man lay on the bloody log.
There was not word spoken, but eve
~ c"unlcnancc worked with terrible emo.
ton. Had the rangers followed their own
desperate inclination, they would have
hurried reckIessIy onward to the work o
vengeance; but the example Of their lead
or, who had rcgained his usual calmness
AID self command, prepared them for n
less speedy, but more certain triumph
Cautiousl y passing over the fearful obsta.
Gle in the pathway, and closely followed
by his companions he advanced steal,hily
| and cautiously upon the light, hiding hlm,
self aud his party as much as possible be
! hind the thick trees. In few moments
they obtained II full view of the object Of
their tarch. Stretched at their length
around huge fire, but at a convenient
distance from it, lay the painted and half
naked forms of twenty savagcs. II was
evident from their appearance, that they
had passed the day IN enc Of their horrid
Tevels, and that they were now suffering
under the effects of in,oxicaton. Occa,
sionally, grim warrior among them
started half upright, grasping his toma-
hawk, as if to combat some vision of his
disordcred brain, but, unable to shake of
the stnpor from his senses, unf1r ny fell
back into his former position.
The rangers crept nearer. As they
bent their keen eyes along their weIl-tried
rifles, each felt perfectly sure of his aim.
They waited for the signal of Harmon,
who WIS endcaso!ing ,o bring his long
musket to bear npon the head Of the mosi
distant OF the savages.
"Frew he at length exclaimed, as ne
sight of his piece iuterposed full and dis
tinct between his eye and the wild scalp.
lock Of the Indian. Fire, and rush
on ~
The sharp voice of thirty rifles thrilled
through the heart Of the forest. There
was grodn--a smothered cry--a wild
and convu.sire movement among the
sleeping Indians; and all again was 81.
lent.
The rangers sprang forward with their
dubbed muskcts and hunting knives but
they was gone. The Red Men had gone
to their last audit before the Great Sbiri,,
and no sound was heard among them
save the gurgling of the hot blood from
their li(eless bosoms.
They were left unburied on The place Of
their rerclFng-a Prey to the foul birds Of
'hc air, and the ravenous beasts of the
wilderness. Their scalps were borne
hcmeward in triuml h 10y the successful
rangers, whose children and grand-chil.
dren shuddered, long after, at tho thrill.
ing narration Of the mid-..igbt adven-
tpra