Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1860-06-21
Selett Mistellanv,
Border Adventures.

Extraordinary strength and activity,
with the most daring courage and a thor
ough knowledge OF life in the woods. won
for Joshua Feehart high reputation
among the first settlers of Western Vir
ginia and Ohio. When the Ohio com
pany founded its settlement at Marietta,
in April, 177S, Fleehart was employed
as scout and hunter. In this service
he had no superior north of the Ohio
At periods of the greatest danger, when
the Indians were known to be much in
ccnsed against the whites, he would start
from the settlement with no companion
but his dog, and, ranging within about
twenty miles ofan Indian town, would
build his cabin and trap. and hunt during
nearly the whole season. On one occa-
sion this reckless contempt of danger al
most cost the hunter his life. Having be-
come tired of the sameness of garrison
life, and painting for that freedom among
the woods and hills to which he had al
ways been accustomed, late in the fall of
1895 he took his canoe, rifle, traps, and
blanket, with no one to accompany him,
leaing even his faithful dog in the garri
son with his family-for he was going in
to a dangerous neighborhood and he was
fearful lest his dog might betray him
With daring and intrepidity he pushed
his canoe up the Sciota River distance
of Fifteen or twenty miles, into the Indian
country, amidst their best hunting ground
for the bear and the beaver, where no
white man had dared to venture. These
two were the main object of pursuit, as
The hills of Brush Greek were said to
abound in bear. aud tie small streams
that fell into the Sciota were well suited
TO the haunts of the beaver. The spot
chosen for his winter residence was within
twenty-five or thirty miles of the Indian
town Of Chillicothe, but as they seldom
80 far to hunt in the winter, he had little
to fear from interruption. For ten or
twelve weeks he trapped aud hunted in
this solitary region unmolested. His
success had equaled his most sanguine ex-
pectations, and the winter passed away so
quietly and pleasantly, that he was hard
ly aware of its progress.
About the middle of February, he be-
gan to make up the peltry he had cap
tured into packages, and to load his ca
noe with the proceeds of his winters hunt
which for safety had been secreted in the
willows, few miles below his little bark
hut in which he had lived. The day be-
fore that which he had fixed for his de-
parture, as he was returning to his camp
just at evening, Fleehart's acute ear
caught the report Of a rife in the direc-
tion of the Indian towns, but at so remote
a distance that none but a backwo odsman
could have distinguished the sound. This
fastened his preparations for decamping
Nevertheless he slept quietly, but rose the
following morning before the dawn, cook
ed and ate his last meal in the little hui
to which he had become quite attached
The sun had just risen, and he was sitting
on the trunk of a fallen tree, examining
the priming and lock of his gun; casually
casting look up the river bank, he saw
an Indian slowly approaching with hi
eyes intently fixed on the ground, careful
ly inspecting the track of his moccasinl
left in the soft earth as he returned to hi
hut the evening before. He instantly
cooked his gun, stepped behind tree
and waited till the Indian came within
sure range of his shot. He then fired ant
the Indian fell. Rushing from the cove
on his PROSTATE foe, he was about to ap
ply the scalping knife; but seeing tn,
shining silver brooches and broad bands
on his arm, he fell to cutting them loose
and tucking them into the bosom o
his hunting-skirt. While busily occu
pied in securing the spoils, the sharl
crack of rife and the passage of bal
through the bullet pouch at his side, caus
ed him to look up, when he saw three In
dians within a hundred yards of him.
They being too numerous for him to en-
counter, he seized his rifle and took t.
flight. The other two as he ran fired a
him without effect. The chase was con
tinued for several miles by two Of the In
dians, who were the swiftest runners. III
often stopped and 'treed," hoping to ge
a shot and kill or disable one of them
and then overcome the other at his leisure
His pursuer also 'treed," and by flank
ing to the right and left. forced him t.
uncover or stand the chance of shot.
He finally concluded to leave the leve
grounds, on which the contest had thu
far been held, and take to the high hill
which lie back of the bottoms. Iii
strong muscular limbs here gave him tn
advantage, as he could ascend the stee
hill sides more rapidly than his pursuer'
The Indians seeing they could not ovel
take him. as last effort stopped an
fired; one of the balls cut away the handl
of his hunting knife, jerking it so violent
ly against his side that for moment h
thought he was wounded. He immed
stely returned the fire, and with yell {
vexation they gave up the chase. FLEE
hart made circuit among the hills, an
Just at dark came on to the river, nea
where the canoe lay hid Springing o
board. he paddled down stream, Bein