Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1857-05-30
Ah,.niure viii The Inainn..

Adventure with the Indians.
The Des Moines Uowal Citizen relates a. fol
low:
\ gentleman by tho name Of jas. NJ. Harper
living in the vicinity Of Wisootia. had a most
narrow escape from n band of hostile Indians. q
few weeks since. We received tie particular.
from hi own lips, and we have the utmost con
fdenee in the narration. Nh. Harper had been
up in the Northern part Of the Stat on business;
and while there. he disposed of hi team. intend
ing IL return home on foot. Whilst travelling
toward home. he was obliged to cross "A prnrie.
about thirty miles in extent. This prairie. is sit
uated in the Brush Fork of Coon river. For
many miles not a house was visible ON the desc
late prairie; but the solitary pedestrian, uBcon-
scious Of danger, continued on his journey.
After travelling about Ten miles on this prni-
rie be saw at IA distance a party Of men whotn he
supposrdt 10 be hunters; but he soon lost sight of
them, and pursued his journey without apprehcn
ding the danger that awaited him. After pro-
cecdln, about n half n mile farther aud as he ap
proacbed the brow e a hill e discovered the
same party which before had attracted his atten
ton. They proved t. be- band of Indians lying
in wait for him. They were ten in number. and
THEN chief was a Frcnchman ar hall breed.
Upon his approach They presented their guns
as If Ia fire. but immediately lowered them. aud
surrounded their intended victim Mr.. Harper
-nw that resistance was useless, and remained
passive while the Indians robbie d HIM f more than
$500 IN gold. They took all the money he had
in hi, possession except 80. which. from being
iugrnionsly secretcd on his person. they were
unable 10 find. He was taken about six miles
from the road. and preparations we've made to
torture and. perhaps murder him. 4 strong In
dian, OF llercnlehn proportions. was stationed
a. guard over him. He held IN hi- hands "A gilt
tering knife, ready to strike if the prisoner should
give any intimation Of escape ar resistance
The other Indians, having stacked their guns
about n hundred aud fifty yards from their vic
tim, reformed and formed Il line with the lnlcu
ton Of forcing MIR. Harper To run the gauntlet.
Each had his knife drawn aud from every iudica
ton, il was evident that the purpose was to con
coal their robbery by a brutal murder. MIR. Har
per was then informed by one of The party who
could imperfectly speak English, that he must
run for his life through this line; and # he reach
ed the place where the guns were stacked he
would receive no farther injury.
This was n most critical aud perilous moment
with Mr.. Harper. To run through this murder
GUS line, appeared 10 him as equivalent to GER
tain destruction. A race for iift, unnrmed and
deienceless. and surrounded with merciless saw
nge-. was no other than II race 10 dtath. He de-.
tcrmin"d L. effect bis escape, or die IN the at
tempt. He resolved to make "A bold effort for
dcliycranee, rather than suffer himself to be mu-
tilnted by the knives of tho Indians. At length
the word WINS given for him 10 statt. Nerving
himself with all the energy he could summon,
Mr.. Harper, with the rupiditv IT thought, turned
upon his guard and struck him n fearful blow
that sent him Keeling scn~"less to the earth.
Then. instead of running the gauntlet, the prIso.
ncr broke through the line over the body of his
PROSTATE enemy, aud fled, with the speed Of the
wind, across the prairie. Occasionally he turned his
head, to watch the movements of thu Indians; and
he was grhtiticd 10 know that they hid not start
ed IN pursuit. After proceeding a half a mile,
la nyntt 1t,la1 Iupl and l.l.1t tho
clustering around the body of their fallen com
panion. MIR. Harper stll continued his flight
with unabated vigor. until he arrived at "A settle
meni twenty miles frow the scere of danger.
The gentlcman, whose perilous adventure with
the Indians we have just been narrniing. j. about
Thirty two years of age. lie iaa lnnn OF athletic
mould, aud Of great muscular power; and withRl,
he possesses the true courage of "A pioneer, To
these qualities he owes his deliveratrce. Our
readers are assured that the circumstances
which we have attempted TO describe are truth
tuI in every particular.