The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1856-07-17

hoid OF their conseGrated place of worship,
and IN view Of their wives and children. :
The following is'one among many legends
of the strange encounters Of the White Man
snd the Indian, which arc yet preserved i'm
the ancient records and traditions Of Maine.
The simple and unvarnislIed narrative is on
Fly given: s u. @
II was s,iltry evening towards the last
of June, 1922, ,ha: Capt. IIernon and the
Eastern Hangers I,rged tl,eir canoes up the
kcnnei'ec river, IN pursuit Of their enemies.
For hours they toilcd diligently at the oar.
The last trace of Civilization was left behind,
and the long shadows of the skirtiug forest
met and blended in the middle of The broad
stream, which wound darkly through them.
As every sound from the i,ijcent- shores
the rustling wing of some night-bird, or the
quick footsteps ofsone wild beast-ihe dash
OF the oar was suspended, anl the rangers
grasp frightened on his ,ihre All knew the
peril OF the enterprise aud that silence,
which is natural Of jeopardy, settled like a
cloud upon the midnight ALL euturers.
Hush softly men said the watchftil
Hermon, in a Voice which scarcely rose
above hoanse whisper. as the canoe swept
around rugged promontory, there is a
light ahead y
All eyes weIe bent towards the Shore
a tall Indian iire gleained up amidst the
great oaks, casting led and strong light
upon the dalk waters. For single and
breatlless moment the operation of The oar
was suspended, and every ear listened with
painful earnestness 10 caIcli the well known
sounds, whi,h seldom fli'ed to indicate the
propnqnity of The savages. But all was
now fsilcut. With slow and faint move.
ments ofil!c oar, the cano2s gradually ap.
proached The suspected spot. 4 The landing
was affected in siiepce. Alter moving eau.
tiously. for a con Iidcrable distance in the
da'k shadow, the patty at, length veutured
within the broad circle OF ,hc light. which
at first attracted their attention. Hermon
was a. their haa,l, with an eve and ~ hand,
quick as those Of ile savage enemy whom
he sought.
The i'ody Of u fallen tre.. lay across the
path as the rangers wcrc nn the point of
leapHig over il, the coarse whisper Of Her.
inon again broke the sileliS,
'GoI Of heaven = he exclaimed, pointing
to the. tree. See here !--.'.is the work Of
the cursed rcd slrins = sawv
A smolhcrel curse growlcl on the lips Of
the ratgers, as they bent fiImly forward i'm
the direction poinre, out bv illeir comman
der. Biou,! was snrinked on the rank grass
and n human hand the land of White
man lay on The bloody loy.
There WAS not word sp ken. but every
countcnahce worked with terrible emotion.
Had the rangers followed their own desper-
ale inclination, they would have hurried
recklessly onward to the work of vengeance:
but the example Of their leader, who had
regaiuel his usual cainnesS and self com.
mand, prepared ihem for less speedy, but
more certain triumph. Cautiously passing
oNer the fearful obstacle in The pathway, and
slosely followed by his companions he ad-
vanccd Siealll,ily and cautiously upon the
light, hitting himself and hi, party as much
~ possible behind the thick trees. In a few
moments they obiained full view of the
object Of their search. Stretched at their
length around huge fire, but a convenient
distance from it, lay the painted aud half
naked forms Of twenty savages. il was eyi.
dent from their appearance, that they had
passed the day in 6nc of their horrid revels,
and that they we're now suffering under the
effects Of intoxicalion. Occasionally, q
grim warrior among them started half up.
tight, grasping his tomahawk, as if TO com
bat some vision Of his disordered brain. but,
unable 10 shake off the stupor from his sen.
scs, uniformly fell back into his former po-
sition
The rangers crept nearer. As they bent
their keen eyes along their well.t-ied rifles,
each felt perfectly sure Of his aim. They
waited for the signai of ffiefrnofi, Siho sss
endeavoring To bring his long musket TO
bear npon the head Of the most distant OF
the savagcs.
Fire ! he at length exclaimed, as the sight
of bis piece interposed full and distinct be
tween his eye and the wild scalp.Iock of the
Indian. Fire, and rush on
Thc'sharp voice Of thirty rifles thrilled
through the heart of the forest. There was
a groan---a smothered cry---a wild and con-
vnlsive movement among the sleeping In.
dians; and all again was silent.
Tho rangers sprang forward with their
dubbed muskcts and hunting knives; but
their work was done. The Res Men had
gone to their last audit. before the Great
Spirit, and no sound was heard among them
save the gurgling of the hot blood from
their lifeless bosoms. ~ q sf3l Il q
They were left rnburied on the place Of
their fevelling-a prey 10 the foul birda oi
the air, aud the ravcnous beasts of the vii.
a .o.t.S.@ xynxn b,xo. h2>..x.