The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1858-05-20

on any pretensc whatever, suffer yourselves to be
decoyed to either shore"
IL hope we understand our duty better, Colo
mel, said one OF the men respectfully.
"Idoubt II not replied the commander OF the
Point ." believe you are all faithful aud true
men, or YOU would not have been selected by the
agent of Colonel Bertrand, for taking down more
precious freight than you ever carried before:
but still the wisest and best of men have lost
their lives by giving ear to the most earnest APP
peals of humanity. You understand what
mean? White men, apparently in the greatest
distress will hail your boat, represent them
seleves as having just escaped fom the Indians,
and beg of you, for the love OF God, in the most
piteous tones, to come to their relief; but turn
a doaf ear TO them--to each and all of them
even should you know the peades to be of your
own kin; for in such case your own brother
might deceive you--not wilfully and volutari-
ly, perhaps-but because of being goaded on by
the savages themselves concealed, Yes, such
things have been known as one friend being
ueed to lure another TO his distraction; and so
be cautious vigilant, brave and true, and may
the good God keep you all from harm
AS he finished speaking, Blanche proceeded to
take an aft, ctionate leave Of all, receiving many
tender message for her parents for those who
held them in love and veneration and the boat
swung out, and began to float down with the
current, now fairly entered upon the most dan
gerous portion of a long and periluus journey.
The ia ther of Blanche, Colonel Philip Betrand
was a native of Virginia, and n descendant of
one of the lIugucnot refugees. who fed from
their native land after the revocation of the
edict of Nanz in 665. He had been an officer
of some note during the revoluton-a warm
political and personal friend of the author OF
the Declaration of Indpendence-an gettle
man who had always stood high in the esteem
| oil his associates and contemporaries
Though at one time man of wealth, Colonel
| Bertrand had lost much, and suffered much,
| through British invasion; and when, shortly
after the close of the Nar, he had met with few
more serious reverses, he had been fain to accept
grant of land, near the Falls of the Ohio, now
Louisville. rendered him By Virginia, which
! then held jurisdiction over the entire territory
now constituting the State OF Kentucky.
The grant had decided the Colonel upon seek
ing his new possessions and building up "A new
home in the then Far West and as his wife had
insisted upon his accompanying him on his first
tour, he had assented to her desire, on condition
that Blanche should be left among her friends
till such timea place could be prepared which
might in some degree be considered fit abode
for one SO carefully and tender!y reared.
Blanche would gladly have gone with her
parents; but on this point her father had been
inexorab able--declaring that she would have to
TSIndlu dI Tue East tlli hO ououiu SSS piupSi "
send for her; and as he was man of positive
character, and rigid disciplinarian, the matter
had been settled without argument.
When Colonel Bertrand removed to the West
Eugene Fairfax, as we have seen, accompanied
! him; and coming of age shortly after, he hso
/ accepted the lb-rl offer of his noble beneiactor
to remain with him in the capacity of private
secretary and confidential agent. On taking
possession of his grant, the Colonel had almoS,
| immediately erected fort, and offered such in
ducements 10 settlers as to speedily collect arounj
aim quite IA little commnnity--of which, as a
matter of course, he became the head and chief
aud 10 supply the wants Of his own family ant
Others, aud increase his gains in legitlmdt L
way, he had opened store, and filled it witt
! goods from the Eastern marts, which good:
were transported by land over the mountains tC
the Kanawha, and thence by water to the Falls
OF the Ohio, whence their removal to Fort Ber
Il trand became an easy matter. TO purchase ant
ship these goods, and deliver package OF letter
To friends in the East, Eugene had been thrice
dispatched Ibis third commission also extending
to the escorting of the beautiful heress will
n her servents to her new home. This last com
mission had been so far executed at the tint
chosen for the opening OF our story, as to brin;
the different parties to the mouth of the grea
i kannwiIa, whcuc tho ""ada" hHs 900" than s. 'Ow
iy floating Oil upon the stu CLASSY bosom OF Z" tn
belle of rivers #..
The day which was an auspicious one, passe
| without any Thing occurring worthy of note, un
til near four o'clock, when as Blanche was stan
2 ding on the fore part OF the deck gazing at tn
lovely scene which surrounded her, she saw
seemingly flying body suddenly leave limb O
gigantic tree (whose mighty branches exten
3 ded lar over the river, and near which the boa
| was then swayed by the action OF the current)
and alight with crash upon the deck of tn
f boat, not more than eight feet from her. On
e glance sufficed TO show her what the obecl was
] and to freeze the blood in her veins. The glow
e ing eyes of huge panther met her gaze. Th
| suddenness of the shock which this disco, err
! gave her was overpowerng With deafnn
/ shrek she fell upon her knees and clasped he
hands before her breast. The panther crouche
for his deadly leap, but ere he sprang, the hun
e ting knife of Eugene Fairfax (who, with tn
1 steersman was the only person on deck beside
+ BlanChe,) was buried TO the hlt in his side, in
ncting severe but not fatal wound. The infu
f rated beast at once turned upon Eugene, and
I deadly struggle ensued. But twas a short one
G The polished blade of the knife played back an
d forth like lightning flashes, and at every plung
e it was buried to the hilt in the panthers body
= who soon fell to the deck, dragging the daunt
= less Eugene with him. On seeing her proteC
n tor fall, Blanche uttered another shrek an
!, rushed to his aid; but assistance from stouer arm
e was at hand. The boatmen gathered round an
If the savage monster was literally hacked t
n pieces with their knives and hatchets, and Eu
gene, covered with blood, was dragged from un
: der his carcass. Supposing him TO be dead G
a mortally wounded, Blanche threw her arm
around his neck and gave way to a passional
n burst of grief. But he was not dead--he wa
o not even hurt, with the exception of fe,
slight scratches. The blood with which he wa
covered was the panther's not his own. b.
/ Blanches embrace was his--a priceless treasul
e and index of her hearts emotions and affeC
: tions. II was to color his whole future life, q
5 will be seen in the progress of our story,
II Slowly and silently, save the occasional creel
dip, and plash of the steersmans oar, the boa
e of our voyagers was borne along upon the boso
l. of the current, on the third night of the voyage
The hour was waxing late, and Eugene the onI
II one astir except the watch was suddenly startle