Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1858-07-30

ed to take matters in very phlegmatic
and resigned manner, but the sequel
showed that they were only bottlipg up
their wrath for q good opportunity.
Accordingly. when the Columbia was
atanchor off Humboldt Bay, the chief
Ihoughtthe chance TOO good to be lost.
anu about one o'clock. in the morning
commenced operations by blowing out all
the lights in the steerage. They nextat'I
tenn pied to steal the revolver Of the SER
geant. under whose charge they were;
but he woke up and caught them in the
act. Then commenced the struggle; the
old chief throttling the sergeant, who was
Tying in his berth. aud the young war;
rior striving to assist his father. AT this
juncture. John gave his ear piercing war
whoop. which seemed to have acted with
galvauc effect on the passengers, whoi in.
continently Quilted their berths and ran
as fast as their legs would carry them up
the hatchways and into the cabin, where
each one declared that the Indians had
taken thu ship. and we're slaughtering all
the passengers. They had all forgotten
to take their revolvers with them in their
hasty flight, and supposed that the war;
riors had possessed themselves of these
we"p ms.
In the meantime. the struggle between
The sergeant and the two Indian warriors
was fercely carried on. and during it,
the pistol they were contending for was
discharged. the ball passing just under
meath the sergeanL's throat and hisc utuing
whisker. The pistol. was broken to piec~
rs in the contest.
Captain Dali. with his first officer, Mr.
Nolan. the second mate and some of the
passengers, then formed themselves into
TWO bodies. four men in each. and alter
closing the matches, armed and provided
themselves with lights. ready at given
signal. 10 jump down both hatchwnys
and secure the two warriors. This plan
was executed, and as soon as they land :,
sd ON the steersge deck. shooting and
cutting commenced in lively style on
both sides. John, the old chief made at
Mr.. Milan. the first officer, with au iron
bar. and aiming blow at his head l..
struck him violently on the shoulder. Mr..
Nolan returned the compliment. cutting
at John with sabre. (he should have
used the point. } but the chief caught the
blade Of the weapon 10 his hand. Mr..
Nolan however succeeded in drawing IL
away. and gave him another cut over the
head. The second mate was also busy
with a revolver, aud fired at John three
times. one ball passing through his leg
By this time the other assailants had
gathered in aud the Two Tyees we're over
powered. alter a most desperate strug-
gle-not. however. until they had shot
one man in the breast aud wounded three
others, besides a woman. The latter
had a little girl. at whom the young
chief aimed blow; but sue threw up her
arm and received severe cut upon that
limb.
The little girl exhibited much presence
OF mind. tor she Instantly concealed her
self under mattress, and remained
quiet until the atfray was over. The ser
geant. whose bravery cannot be too much
lauded. escaped with but little damage.
besides serious choking. 1t was prob
ably owing to his desperate and determ-
lned resistance, that several lives were
not sacrificed by tina Infatuated savages.
After being subdued. the warriors were
conveyed to the quarter deck. weltering
in blood, and for some time pretended to
be dead. hoping that their bodies would
be thrown overheard. when they could
easily swim ashore and effect their. es>
cape. The ruSe. however. was detected.
John and his son were duly landed.
and yesterday sent to the Preside, as
prisoners of war.