White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1858-03-25
cabin, and having firmly barricadea The door, !

cabin, and having firmly barricaded the door, I
watched all day from the portfolios, in antici.
patton Of an attack from the companions Of the
Indian had killed. To add to the dangerand
seeming hopelessness Of my sitaation, I discov
cred that had but one charge Of powder len.
! could make but one shot, and then, If attack.
ed by numbers, 1should be- entirely in their
power. Determined to do the best With what
had, ] poured out the last charge Of powder and
put il into my musket, and then waited for the
approach OF night, feeling confident of an at.
tack. Night came at last. A beautiful moon
light night it was, too, and this favored me great
", as would thereby be able to observe the
movements of the enemy as they approached
my cabin. It was some two hours after night
fall, and as yet / had neither heard nor seen a
sign of the Indians, when suddenly was star
tied by the baying of my dog at the stable.
knew that the Indians were coming. The sta
bic stood a little to the west of the cabin, and
between the two was patch Of clear groun J.,
upon which the light of the full moon fell -unob-
structed. Judging from the noise at the stable,
that they would advance from that direction,
posted myself at the portfolio. on that side Of
the cabin. 1.- -E .ge .rt .rI
had previously placed my wife on the cross
pole in the chimney, so that, in case our enc
mics effected an entrance into the cabin, she
might climb out through the low chimney and
effect her escape. For myself entertained no
hope; but. determined not to be taken al'AI
resolved to sell my life dearly. ). -
With breathless anxiety / watched at the
port hole. At length saw them emerge from
the shadow of the stable, and advance across
the vacant ground toward my cabin. one-two
-three-great Heaven! six stalwart Indians,
all armed to the teeth, and urged on by the hope
of revenge, and I, alone, to oppose them, with
but one charge Of powder. My case was des-
perate, indeed. With quick, yet stealthy step,
in close single file, they approached, and were
already within a few yards of the house, when
a slight change in the movement Of the forward
Iniians changed the position of the entire six,
50 that portion of the left side Of each was
uncovered. They were in a range-One aim
would cover all Quick as thought aimed and
cred. As the smoke cleared away / could hard
ly believe what nav senses showed me as the re,
suit of my shot. The fifteen slugs with which
had loaded my musket, had done their work
well; FIVE of the six Indians lay dead upon the
ground, and the sixth had disappeared.
Although no enemy was now in sight, did
not venture forth until morning. There lay the
bodies Of the FIVE Indians undisturbcd, together
with the rife of the other. Securing the arms
and ammunition of the fallen Indians, follow
ed up the trail of the missing one until it reach
ed the river, beyond which point could find no
trace whatever; from the amount OfblOod which
marked the trail, together with the unmis.aka-
bic evidence that he had picked his way with
difficulty. was led to believe that he was NOR
tally wounded, and in order 10 prevent his body
from falling into the hands of his white foe, he
had CROPPED his way to the river and thrown
himself into the current, which had borne him
away. -- -.Hrsi rrra--# ..a
The Indians had killed my COW, and that, you
may be assured, was no triAing lOssi yet, in my.
\ gratitude for my escape from the merciless saw
ages, would have been utterly willing to have
made greater sacrifices. ! was well provided
by means of arms and ammunition taken from
the six Indians-in case OF second attack; but
this. fortunately, proved to be my last adventure
with the@vages. Not one of the band had es-
capped to tell the tale, and incite his brethren to
avenge the death of his other comrades.
aAbI, axclaimed the old man, while the
tears gushed from his eyes at the memory OF
that eventful night, " that was a glorious shot
the best ever made" ~ ID 1EN
The hero of this adventure lived to see the
rude wilderness where he had pitched his lonely
cabin transformed into smiling fields and peo-
pied by hardy and enterprising pale faces, among
whom his Iast'days were passed in peace and
plenty, undisturbed by the presence of his old
! time foes. 1-l tt ego sii"'