Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1858-10-29
INDIAN BRIDGE.
RELArrD BY DANIEL WEBSTER

Many years ago there lived Il man in Gonte-
cock by the name of Bowcn--Peter Bowen
not man Of large substance. but still what We
would call in New Hampshire, ga fore-handed
man." Living on the froutiee, he necessarily
elnle much in contact with the Iudians-some-
! times in hostile contact Fearless, and abound
ing in resources, he had gained a name among
them, and there were few OF their braves who
would have cared to meet him single-handed.
1 Not naturally quarrelsome, he had avoided IN
necessary hostilites with the savages, and, in
deed, bad gained no little of their good will by
many acts of generosity, for with no people
more than With them, we're bravery and libe-
! rality held in high estimation
Sabatis and Plausawa were the two prinei-
| pal chiefs of the tribe, the smoke Of whose
| wigwams arose nearest the settlements OF the
English colonists. The first was of sullen
and vindictive disposition, and when excited by
drink, intractable and savage. Plausawa was
of milder temperament, aud felt better
disposed towards the English. He had inter-
changed kind offices with them, and warned
them more than once Of plots agansti their
safety.
At this time there truce between the
Indians and the colonists, and both parties had
!
dian should be killed by an Englshnan, the
coionists promised to treat il as q capital crime,
and The Indians, on their part, made CORES
ncnding stipulation. There was peace between
the crowns of France and England, aud their
respective colonies affected to keep it at least
ia name
Relying upon this present good understand
ing,Sabatjs aud Plausawa one day made hunt
ing excursion upon the shores of the Merrimac,
ia which they were very successful. They
were encountered, late in the afternoon, loaded
with the skins of the animals they had killed,
by two EuglishmeD, somewhere near Boscaw-
en-. Sabatis had procured drink from the set
tiers, always too eager to barter 1t for .furs,
and was in qnarrelsome humor. Plausaya,
therefore, cautioned these men against any at
tempt 10 trade with him, and advised them to
~ homa. 'sTherc are others Of the tribe
about p he said, sswho wonle support Sabse;s
IN any hostile demonstration" As they Wesd
departing, Sabatis cried out to them, 'swe want
no more Of you English here | have evil in
my heart, and if you do not leave cur terrific
rics, and abandon them forever, we will take
land and life from you. We will drive the
:a faces ;o &c &c r., ci1 Eetar !" OGc Of the
a.en replied, "there is no lighting uUT between
They had rot gone far on their homeward road
before they met Peter Bowen, and telling him
of The threats Of Sabalis, endeav0gcd TO per-
suade him to accompany them home. Bowen
laughed. ''Threatened men," be said, "live
long, would not prize life held at the mer-
cy Of these savages. | will meet them in
friendship or fight, as best suits them" The
Indians had got into their canoe before lie over
took them, and were going up the river. Bow
en- hailed them, and urged them to 60 to his
house, where they would have frolie and pass
the night. After some reluctance on the part
of Plausawa, they assented, and accompanied
Bowen to his house in Gontocock. Bowen had
had many deep earouse with the Iudians and
understood how to manage them.
He set before them drinking cups and bot
ties Of rum, and leaving his wife--a woman as
fearless aud courageous as himself--to enter
tain them, went out of she room on pretext of
going to the well for water. But while be was
absent he drew thc charges from their guns,
which they had unsuspectlngly left behind the
door in thu entry. The night wore on, and
their potations we're deep and oft repeated
! AT first the Indians were greatly pleased
laughed at Bowen's stories. and called him
, brother; but by degrees, as they drank more
deeply, they began to grow quarrelsome, abu-
sed the English and threatened their extermi-
nation. Bowen affected TO treat their threats
as Jokes, but had all the while a watehful eye
on their motions. At last the sun rose and
the Indians said it was time to 90 home. They
had not drank SO much but that they could
walk as well as eyer--the rum had only affect
, ed their brains. Bowen consented to take his
horse and carry their baggage to the place
where they had left their canoes. On the way
Sabatis proposed to run race against Bowen
mounted; bot the latter, judging from Sabatis'
, eye aud manner that some mischief was intend
ed, at first declined to run, but finally, on
much urging, consented to run, taking howev-
Ell, good care to let the Indian outrun the
horse Sabatis seemed much pleased with his
J victory, aud laughed heartily at Bowen for
, owning so sorry an animal. For awhile they
; travelled along after this in apparently good
Lumor, until Sabatis, as they were nearing the
river, turned around to Bowen and said, s'the
pale face must walk ths woods with us"-that
: is, 60 with them as prisoner. Bowen replied,
: in seeming unconcern, that be could not walk
: the woods, for Indians and Englishmen we're
} now brothers. Whereupon Sabatis proposed
; second race, and that Bowen should unload
} his horse and start little before him, tsbe-
cause," be said, s'the horse Of the pale face
, could not run so fast as Sabatiso This Bow
en- refused TO do, but consented to start at the
same time. They started, but the horse had
not gone far ahead of the Indian before Bowen
: heard gun snap, and looking around, saw the
J smoke and the gun pointed at him. He turn
ed, and buried his tcmahawk in the Indians
head. He then went back to meet Plausawa,
+ who, seeing the fate of his friend, took aim at
Bowen and fred; bis gun flashed. Then he