Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1857-09-05
rnnuLLING ADvErru ne.

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We question whether in all the history ;.
hair-breadth escapes parallel to tile fol-
lowing can easily be found. The story wa.
laid BY an old and valued friend now residing
iuthe country near this city but whose earl,
days were spent near the scene Of the tragic
adventure here recorded.
We give the story ~ related to 10, in tn.
records Of the hero.
ut was about the year 1865 that settled
in Virginia, near tho falls Of the Canasha.-
The country at that time was an unbroke,
wilderness. But few settlements had been
made then BY the whites, and they were AZ
far apart a. to render vain all hopes of a.
distance in case of an attack Of hostile Indi-
ans-numbers of whom still infested the
neighborhood.
II lived here along with my wife for sew
esal mcuths unnolested, and by dint of I'M
firing perseverance,, being then young and
hardy, had succeeded in making quite large
clearing in the forest which had planted
with corn, and which promised an abundant
yield.
zone morning, after we had dispatched
our humble meal and l had just prepared to
venture forth upon my regular routine Of
labor, my attention was arrested by the tink
ling Of COW bell in the cornheld.
"There," said lny wife, "the COW is in the
1ornfield"
"But the ear of the backwoodsman be-
comes by education, very acute, especially
80 from the fact that his safety often depends
upon the nice cultivation of that sense.
was not SD easily deceived; listened-it
sound was repeated. THAT said l, in reply
to the remark of my wife, was not the TIN
kle Of q bell upon the neck Of COW. 1t is
a decoy Of some Indian who desires to draw
me into All ambush
H Believing it to be the case, took down
my old musket had no liae) and seeing
that it was properly loaded, stole cautiosly
around the field, towards the point from
which the sound seemed to proceed. As l
had suspected, there, in q cluster of bushes
crouched an Indian waiting for me to appear
in answer to his decoy bell, that he might
send the fatal bullet to my heart. l ap-
preached without discovering myself to him,
until within good shooting distance, then
raised my piece and fired. The bullet sped
true to the mark, and the Indian fell dead
mot knowing but that he might lie &C.
companied by others returned with all
speed to my cabin, and having firmly barri-
oaded the door, watched all day from the
port holes, in anticipation of an attack from
the companions of the Indian had killed.
T. add to the danger and seeming hopeless
ness of my situation discovered that had
but one charge of powder left, could make
but one shot, and then, if attacked by num-
hers shonld be entirely in their power.
Determined to do the best with what had,
I poured in my last charge of powder and
put into my musket fifteen sluss, and then
waited for the approach Of night, feeling
confident of an attack.
"Night came at length. A beautiful
moonlight night it was too, and this favored
me greatly, as would thereby be able to
observe the movements of the enemy rs they
approached my cabin. 1t was some two
hours after nightfall, and as yet had Meth
er heard nor seen sign of the Indians, when
suddenly was startled by the baying OF my
dog at the stable. knew that the Indians
were coming The stable stood little to
the west of the cabin, and between the two
was patch of cleared ground, upon which
the light of the full moon fell unobstructed.
Judging from the noise at the stable tat
they would advance from that direction,
posted myself at the port hole on that side Of
the cabin.
II had previously placed my wife upon
the cross-pole in the chimney, SO that in case
our enemies effected an entrance to the
caoin she might climb out through the low
chimney and effect her escape. For myself,
/ determined MOTTO be taken alive, and re-
solved to sell my life dearly.
With breathless anxiety watched at the
port hole. At length saw them emerge
from the shadow of the stable and advance
across the vacant ground toward the cabin.
Observation-Disclosures heaven six stall
wart Indians, armed to the teeth; and urged
ON by the hope of revenge. And alone to
oppose them, with but one charge of powder.
My case was desperate indeed. With quick
yet stealthy step in close single file they APP
preached; and we're already within few
yards of the house; when q slight change
in the movement Of tho forward Indian,
changed the position of the entire six so
that = portion of the left side Of each was
uncovered. They we're all in range-one aim
would cover all. Quick a. thought, aimed
and fred. As the smoke cleared away, l
could hardly credit what my senses showed
me Is the result of my shot. The fifteen
slugs with which had loaded my musket
had done their work well. Five of the six
Indians lay dead upon the ground and the
sixth had disappeared.
"Although no enemy was now in sight,
l did not venture forth until morning.
There lay the bodies of the five Indians, un-
disturbed together with the rifle OF the other
Securing the arms and ammunition of the
fallen Indians I followed up the trail of the
missing one, until it reached tho river, be-
yond which point, could discover no traces
whatever. From the amount of blood which
marked the trail, together with the unlnis-
taxable evidence that be had picked his way
with difficulty, was led to believe that he
had been MORALLY wounded and in ords. to
prevent his body from falling into the hands
Of his white foo, had CROPPED his way to the
river and thrown himself into the current
which had borne him away.
1.-THE Indians had killed my COW, and that
you may be assured was no trifing loss, yet
in my gratitude for my escape from the
merciless savages, would have been entire
ly willing to have made much greater sacri-
fees. was we'll provided (by means
arms and ammunition taken from the slain
Indians,) in case of second attack, but this,
fortunately, proved to be my last adventure
with the savages. Not one Of the band had
escaped to tell the tale, and incite his
brethren to avenge the death Of their COM
rades.
"Ah!" exclaimed tho old man, while the
tears gushed from his eyes at tie memory OF
that eventful night that was glorious
sh"t-the best ever made
L al. \ II.