Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1858-01-07

| him and the fire. Atanother time he came
very near an encampment, when an Indian
gave yell. He supposed he was discoy-
cred, but squatted down Immediately and
remained quiet in the bushes in short
time one of the Indians commenced chop
ping wood, when he knew they had not
seen him. and carefully passed around
them.
He struck the West Branch few rods
above where they had crossed it going out,
and found one of the canoes on the bank, j,
the river having fallen. Being SO weak,
he was unable to push it in, but getting
two round sticks under it for rollers, with
the aid of handspike, succeeded in launch
ing it. On getting in, he discovered the
other canoe sunk, when he worked and
bailed it out, and lashing the two together,
started with two paddles on his voyage
He rowed to the middle of the river, so
that if the Indians did pursue him and
shoot, they would notbe so likely to hit HIM
One of his paddles accidentally dropped
out and aoated off, which he regretted very
much, but, on getting into an eddy, it
came floating up to his canoe, and was re-
covered.
When his craft got opposite to where
Watsontown now stands, he was discovered,
and relieved by some friends lie was so
weak that he lay in the canoe, and waved
his hand to them on shore, which attracted
their attention. When taken out, he was
so weak that he could not relate his adven-
lures, for several days, having to be nour-
ished with sweet milk till he gained strength
sufficient to talk. After getting able to
walk, he went to his family, and removed
to Chester county, where they remained
till the close of the war
The Indians took Mary to their towns,
and set her to hOeing corn. An old negro,
who was also prisoner, told her to dig up
the beans that were planted with the corn,
and they would think her too dumb to
learn agriculture, and sell her to the Eng
lish. She took his advice, and was even
tually sold to an English Captain, with
whom she remained several years, when
she was liberated and returned home
Having been so much exposed during her
captivity, her constitution was 50 shattered
that she survived her return but short
time. On their way out, she was obliged
to wade through deep creeks, and, as the
weather was very cold, her clothes were
often frozen into solid mass of ice.
She informed Captain Thompson that
two of the Indians pursued him part of
two days, but returned without success
They regretted his escape very much, as
they intended to torture him. The wound
ed Indian left them soon after his escape,
and she never heard of him after, but sup
posed he died, as he was badly injured.
At that time he saw woman, cousin
to James Cornelius, who resided in Buffaloe
township, that had been taken prisoner by
the Indians during the French war. When
they had taken her a great distance from
home she managed to effect her escape, and
made her way through the woods alone
The first day she came up with mare and
colt, and getting on her rode all day.
When night came she turned her out to
pasture, laid herself down by log for the
night, and never expected to see her again.
When she awokc in the morning the mare
and colt stood by her side. She rode her
all that day, and turned her out to Craze
whilst she slept, but the next morning the
faithful animal was there, as before, to re-
ceive her rider She rode her each day
till she arrived at the fort By some, this
particular circumstance would be termed
an interposition of Divine Providence, to
preserve the life of the woman 1t is also
stated that when she came to the fort the
mare would allow no other person to APP
proach, and when she was turned out to
Craze that night, made her escape, and was
never heard of again.
About this time there lived near where
the town of New Berlin now stands, FAM
ily named Klinesmith A small party of
Indians coming upon their dwelling, whilst
the males of the family were busy in the
harvest field of a neighbor, plundered the
house and carried away two of hlnesmith $
daughters, one sixteen, the other fourteen
years old The party retreated to aspiring
north of New Berlin-now called the Still
House Spring-where they halted, and, not
satisfied with the trifing mischief they had
done, left their prisoners and booty in the
care of the Oldest man of the party, whilst
the main body proceeded to the harvest
field, in the hope of getting some scalps to
carry home as trophies of their success.
The old man lighted his pipe and sat
down at the foot of tree, keeping an eye
upon his prisoners. After some time the
rain began to fall, when Betsey, the eldest
girl, intimated to the sentinel that she
meant to cut down some branches from the
trees and cover small bag of -four which
the Indians had brought from her father
house The Indian, little suspecting her
real intention, assented, and permitted her
to take one of the axes or tomahawks. She
pretended to be very busily occupied with
her task, but contriyed to get behind the
old man, and buried the axe in his head
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