Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1858-12-18
A Hairs Breadth Escape.
BY A VIRGINIA SETTLER.


1t was about the year 1905 that settled in
Virginia, near the falls Of Kanawha. The
country at that time was an unbrokcn wilder
ness But few settlements had been made
then by the whites; they were so far apart as
to render vain all hopes Of assistance in cases
Of an attack from hostile Indians, numbers Of
whom still infested the neighbOrhOOd.
lived there alone with my lie several months
unInOlcsted, and by dint Of perseverance, be.
ing then young and hardy, had succeeded in
making large clearing in the forest, which |
had planted with corn, and which promised
an abundant yield.
One morning. after we had dispatched our
E;'i;'!s ;;'c;;, :4 hal ;;."... is.era.ed TO yen
turc forth upon my regular routine Of labor,
my attention was arrested by the tinkling Of
n cOw-bell in the orniird.
There" said my wife, the cow is in the
corn field"
But the car of the backwoodsman becomes,
by education, very acute especially so from
the fact that his safety often depends upon the
nice cultivation nf that sense. l wns not so
easily deceived. | listened; the sound was
repeated.
That" said 7, in reply to the remark of
my wife, twas not the tinkle of bell upon
the neck Of a cow. 1t is a decoy from some
Indian, who desires to draw Ine into ambush"
Believing this to be the case, / took down
my old muSkct, q had no rife,) and seeing
that it was properly loaded, stole cautiously
around the field towards the point from which
the sound seemed to proceed. As had sus-
pected, there, in cluster Of bushes, crouchcd
an Indian, waiting for me to appear in answer
to the decOy bell, that he might send the fatal
bullet, to my heart. approached without
Il Il,
ing distance, then raised my piece and fired.
The bullet sped true TO its mark, and the In
dian fell dead.
Not knowing but that he might be accom-.
panied by others, | returned with all speed to
the cabin; and having firmly bnrricadcd the
door, | watched all day from the portfolios in
anticipation of an attack from the compan-
ions of the Indian ] had killed. 10 add to
the danger, and seeing the hopccssncss Of
my situation, discovered that had but one
charge Of powder left. could make but one
shot; and then attacked ~ numbers, should
be completely in their power. Determined to
do the best with what had, poured out the
last charge of powder and put it into my
muskct, and then waited in almost brcathlcSs
anxiety for the approach of night, feeling
confident of an attack.
Night came at last. A beautiful moonlight
night it was, too and this favored me great
ly, as would thereby be able to observe the
movements of the enemy as they approached
my cabin. 1t was some two hours after
nightiall, and yet had neither heard or seen
n sign of the Indians, when suddenly was
startled by the baying Of my dog at the sta.
blc. know that the Indians were coming.
The stable stood little to the west Of the
cabin, and between the two was patch Of
cleared ground, upon which the light of the
full moon fell unobstructcd. Judging from
the noise at the stable that they would ad
vance from that direction, | posted myself at
the portfolios on that side of the cabin. | had
previously placed my wife OIL the cross pole
in the chimney, so that in case our enemies
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 alive, re.
solved to sell my life dearly.
With brcathless anxiety watched at the
porthplc. At length saw them emerge from
the shadow of tho stable and advance across
the vacant ground towards my cabin. One,
two, three, great Heaven six stalwart In.
dians, armed to the teeth, and urged on by
hope of revenge; and alone to oppose them,
with but one charge Of powder! Ny case was
desperate indeed. With quick but stcalthy
step, in close single file thCy approached, and
were already within a few yards of the house,
when slight change in the movement Of the
forward Indian altered the position of the ell
tire six, so that portion Of the left side Of
each was left uncovered. They were in range
ono aim would cover all. Quick as thought
aimed and fired. As the smoke cleared
away could hardly credit what my senses
showed ME as tho result Of my shot The
fifteen slugs with which | had loaded my
muskct had done their work well; five OF
the Indians hy dead on 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 undisturbed, to.
gcthcr with the rifle of the other. Securing
the arms and ammunition of the fallen Indians
| followed up the trail of the missing one, un-
til it reached the river, beyond which point
could discover no trace whatever.
From the amount of blood which marked
the trail, together with the unmistakable evil
dcnccs that he had picked his way with dilIi-
Guilty, was led to believe that he was mortal
ly wounded; and in order to prevent his fail
ing into the hands Of his white foe, he had
CROPPED his way to the river and thrown him.
self into the current, which had borne him
away.
The Indians had killed my COW; and that
you may be assured, was no trilllng loss; yet
in my gratitude for my escape from the merci.
less Savagcs, would have been entirely vii.
ling to have made greater sacrifices Il was
well provdcd-by means of arms and amuni-
zion taken from the Indians-in case Of q sec
ond attack but this, fortunately, proved to
be my last adventure with the savagcs. Not
one of the band had escaped to tell the tale
and incite his brethren to avcnge the death of
his other comrades.
NoTE.-The hero of this adventure lived
to sec tho rude wilderness where he had
pitched his lonely cabin transformed into sm-
ling fields and pcopled by hardy and enter
prising "puic faces, y among whom his last
days were passed in peace and plenty, undis-
turbed by the presence of old time foes.
4 city editor, who is bachelor, having said
in his last issue that he really wished he had
a son, so he could dress him up in the fashion,
was called upon the next day by his adorable,
to whom he had been paying his attention for
the last two years. and asked him If he really