Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1857-10-15
Mrs. jerks, knowing that the cries of tn

spot, dld not stop TO see winch would be the
victor, bat stepping into the middle Of the
brook, she ran down stream as fast as she
could go, until she came to spot where the
4 branch of gigantic tree stretched across the
stream at height which she could reach bv
sprnging with all her energy. She summoned
all her strength making desperate leap, sue
ceeded in cfntching the stout branch. After
an exhausting struggle she managed to draw
herself up to and climb upon the limb, with
out leaving any trace of her footsteps to guide
o pursuer. This accomplished, she soon reach
ed the trunk of the tree, ascending among its
obscure foliage, and selecting strong branch
for seat, sat down to wait the issue of events
FIRST thanking Providence for sending the
dog to be the panther's victim, which would else
have certainly sprung upon her, as she should
have passed directly under the tree in which
he was hidden a.
In a few minutes she heard the report of a
rife, then another, aud then third She
knew by this that the Indians had arrived
within sight of the dog and panther. and had
shot the latter. Now, if they should pass the
brook at the spot where she entered it, and
behold the track of her footsteps, her detec-
tion would be almost certain, for who could
successfully elude those sons of the forest, who
so well understood the stratagems of savage
warfare Parting the branches, and cutting
off the twigs with her scalping knife, until she
could peer out, she gazed in the direction of
the Indians, and soon saw them, twelve in num-
Der, cross the brook at the fatal spot. They
had scarcely reached the opposite bank before
she saw by their actions, they had discovered
her footprints Tney traced them back from
fbo n oh
and gazed about in all directions After a
short consultation, they divided into four par
ties of three each, two parties tracking down
stream on both sides, and the other two track
ing upstream.
And now the poor woman felt an assured
conviction that she should soon be recaptured
and tortured to death? What should she
do Should she engage in desperate strug-
gle, and thus court an instant death Or
should she quietly submit, and take her chance
for second escape, Before she could deter
mine what course to pursue, she heard the
savages under the tree in which she was hid
den. She peered down, and saw that they
were scrutinizing the limb by which she had
clambered from the brook Their keen eyes
soon detected the broken twigs and other
signs of heavy body having passed along
the limb and in few moments, Mrs. jerks
saw three Of them climbing the tree As soon
as they discovered her, they gave aproonged
yell, which was repeated by the savages be-
meath, and soon answered by the parties that
had gone up stream.
The foremost Indian Of those who had ascend
ed the tree sternly bid the poor woman to
come down, and, knowing it would be useless
to resist, she at once began to descend-the
savages, either from polite or prudential mo-
tiyes, giving her the precedence In few
minutes after they had all reached the ground
in safety, the upstream party including the
chief, arrived on the spot and great was their
surprise on beholding who it was that they
had captured. They eagerly demanded how
she had escaped, and she told them she had
taken the scalps OF her dead friends, and the
tomahawk and scaping- knife, while her captors
were asleep, (Which was a fact,) and had fed
-omitting to say that before fleeing she had
killed the whole party. The aborigines seem
ed puzzled at the fact that their four brethren
had not captured before this time, but still it
did not seem to their minds that she had killed
them The idea that a pale faced squaw >
should kill four Indian braves was probably
one which nothing but ocular material proof
would have made them entertain
They all returned in silence to the spot
where Mrs. jerks entered the brook. At this
place, the underground was slight, and the
forest stretched away like an endless grove,
through which one could see at some distance :;
while on the opposite side of the stream, (wherc
the dog and panther fought, and about ten
rods from it was a thick clump of bushes,
which intercepted the view in that direction
4 AZ H.,
over fire they had kindled, Mrs Jerks sat
gazing at the clump of bushes, and it occurred
to her that, perhaps if she could get into that,
she might hide from her captors so cffectually
that they could not find her. 1t was stupid
thought, but not altogether unnatural under
the circumstances. She made up her mind to
try and escape thus, even if she should be kill.
ed for it. Full of this idea, she gradually
stole towards the brook, and on reaching its
bank, briskIy waded across it, and ran for the
clump of bushes Her attempt was instantly
perceived and with wild yell, several of the
savages started in pursuit '@
The flying woman ran for liberty-for life
With her utmost strength and swiftness she
fed but her pursuers were swifter on foot
than she. She had reached within few feet
of the cump when the formost savage grasped
her by the shoulder Quick as lightning came
a fash from the bushes, followed by the sharp
crack Of rifles, and the Indian fell dead at her
feet Crack ! crack crack crack and the
the other four Indians dropped. Their vol
ley, and all the savages but one on the other
side of the brook, bit the turf, and the survivor
fed swiftly to the cover of the underbrush.-
Then with a CHEEKY huzzah, band Of Ran
gers" rushed from the bushes, and gath
cred around the brave woman, who now that
she was safe beyond all contingencies, sat down
upon the ground and wept bitterly
The rangers had been III pursuit of the saw
ages for several days, and thanks to the report
of their rifles when they shot the panther, and