, 1861-10-24

II was about the year 1900 that l settled IN
Virginia, near the falls Of Kanawha. The coun'
try at that time was an uubrOken wilderness
But few settlements had been made then by the
whites; and they were SO far apart as to render
vain all hopes Of assistance In case Of an attack
from hostile Indians, numbers Of whom still in
tested the neighbOrhoOd. | lived there alone
with my wife several months unrnolested, and
by dnt Of perseverance, being then young and
hardy, had su. ceeded in making large clearing
in the forest, which had planted with corn, and
which promised an abundant yield.
One morning, after we had dispatched ouI
humble meal, and ! had just prepared to venture
forth upon my regular routine Of labor, my at
tention was arrested by the tinkling Of q COW.
bell in the corn.held.
"There," said my wife, "the COW is in the
| corn-feld."
But the ear Of the backwoods nan becomes, by
education very acute, especially so from the fact
that his safety often depends upon the nice cul-
tivatiOn Of that sense. ] was not so easily de
ceived. listened; the sound was repeated.
"That" said !, in reply to the remark Of my
wife, "was not the tnkle Of q bell upon the
neck Of a COW. II is dCcoy from some Indian
who desires to draw mc into ambush"
Believing this to be the case, took down my
| old musket, q had no rifle) and seeing that il
was properly loaded, | stole cautiously around
the field towards the point from which the sound
seemed to proceed. As had suspected, there
in cluster Of bushes, crolched an Indian, wait
ing Tor me to appear in answer to the decoy
bell, that he might send the fatal bullet to my
heart. approached without discovering my.
self to him, until within shooting distance, then
raised my piece and fired. The bulletsped true
to its mark, and the Indian fell dead.
Not knowing but that he might be aecompa.
MED by others, returned with all speed TO the
cabin: and having firmly barricaded the door,
watched all day from the porthOles in antieipa-
ton Of an attack from the companions Of the In
dian had killed. To add to the danger, and
seeing the hopelesSness cf my situation, dis.
covered that had but one charge Of powder
left. could make but one shot; aud then, 4
attacked by numbers. I should be completely in
their power. Determined TO do the best with
what had, poured out the last charge of pow.
der and put il INTO my musket, and then waited
in almost breathless anxiety for the approach oI
night, feeling confident Of an attack.
Night came at last A beautiful moonlight
night il was, too and this favored Rie greatly,
as ! would thereby be able to observe the move
ments Of the enemy as they approached my
cabin. II was Some two hours after nightiall
and as yet had neither heard nor seen a sign o
the Indians, when suddenly was startled BY
the baying Of my dog at the stable. ] knew
that the Indians were coming
The stable stood little 70 the west Of the
cabin, and between the two was patchof cear,d
ground, upon which the light Of the full moon
tel unobstructed. Judging from the noise st
the stable that tliey would sdyanee from that
direction, posted myself at the poFthOles on
that side Of the cabin. l had previously placed
| my wife on the cross pole in the chimney, 50
that in case our enemies effected an entrance into
the cabin, she might climb out through the Tow
chimney aud effect her escape. For myself !
entertained no hope; but determined not 10 be
taken alive, resolved to sell my life dearly.
| With bryathless anxiety I watched at. the
porthOle. At length saw them emerge fom
the shadow Of the stable and advance across the
vacant gr mnd towards my cabin. One, two,
three, great Heaven! six stalwart Indians, armed
to the teeth, and urged on by hope Of revenge I;
and alone t0 oppose them, with but one charge
Of powderl My case was desperate indeed.
With quick but steRlthy steP in close single flle
they 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 entire sir, so that a portion Of
the left side Of each was LEFT uncovered They
were IN range-ons aim would cover all Quick
as thought Aimed and fired. As the smoke
cleared away could hardly credit what my
senses showed me as the result Of my shot
The fifteen slugs with which ! had loaded my
musket had done their work well i've Of the
Indians lay 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 undisiuFbed, together
with the rife Of the other. Securing the arms
and ammunition Of the fallen Indians, followed
up the trail Of the missing one, until it reached
the liver, beyond which point | could discover
no trace whatever.
From the amount Of blood which marked the
trail, 'ogether with the unmistakable evidences
that he had picked his way with difficult was
led to believe that he was mortally wounded /;
and in order to prevent his falling into the hands
Of his white foe, he had gropedhIs way to the
river and thrown himself into the current, which
had borne him away.
The Indians had killed my COW; and that, you
may be assured was n tritiing loss; yet in my
gratitude for my escape from the merciless sava-
ges, | would have been entirely willing 70 have
made greater sacrifices. was well provided
by means Of arms and ammunition taken ,om
the lndians--in case Of a second attack: but
this, fortunately, proved 70 be my last adventure
with the slVages Not one Of the band had es-
capped to tell the tale and incite his brethren 10
avenge the death Of his other comrades.
[NOTE-The hero Of this adventure lived to
Sec the rude wilderness where he had pitched
his lonely cabin transformed to smiling fields
and peopled by hardy and enterprising "pale
facrs." among whom bis last days were passed
in peace and plenty, undsturbed by the presence
Of old time foes.