The Shasta courier., 1862-04-19

SH ASIA COUR ER.
Tale Of the Frontier.

witness
80 hannily illustrate the power possessed
~ s;ngIe individual, of determined Will
~ ,rbom are combined cooness, Judgment
~ IA fearlessness of danger over an unrecog-
.;.sd mob of savages, thirsting tor blood,
~ in their blind fury, reckless OF conse-
quences. c,o,o dov
that will be long remembered by the people
Of Detroit, for it was on that day that the
oid and imbecie Hull, in his capacity of
Gavernor of the Michigan Territory. shame
f,uv .nrrendered this important post then
earr;,oned by two thousand brave AMI eff
c,eo, troops, 10 the British and Indians.
No sooner had the articles of capitulation
heen signed, than thu enemy crossed the
Maiden and took possession OF the place,
foIlowed by a rabble of vile eampt followers
and all the savages that for some weeks had
been attached to the English camp. VI
course the citizens were thrown INTO the
utmost dismay at the sight OF the painted
Indians. swarw;ng their streets, and the
knowledge that they might at any hour when
maddened with whisky and encouraged by
their no less savage allies among the whites,
make an indiscrim mate plunder OF the town.
But the influence of the British general fo-
some days was sufficient to keep them from
acts of open violence, and. by degrees, the
towns people became accustomed to their
presence and strove by all means in their
mower TO ingratiate themselves into the gra-
ces of their captors.
When the news of the surrender reached
the tribes Of the Southwest, they gathered
from far and near, and poured down upon
the frontier, to share in the plunder OF
which in consideration of their being allies
of the British. deemed themselves justly en-
titled to it. Detroit was filled and surround
ed with savages, and the town became
scene of drunken orgies and terror, which
the English were altogether unable TO con-
troll. Scarcely an hour passed without
some act of violence upon the unprotected
citizens and night was rendered sleepless
by the fierce yslls and whoops Of these drunk
en- fends.
One day, during this fearful period,
small party of Indians, restless for the
want of fplunder and scalps, went to store
kept by Frenchman named De Quindre,
and two of them entered with the pretence
that they wished to purchase something,
while their comrades remained without
There were lying on the counter several
pieces of cloth. The Indians seeing. them,
each snatched roll and turned to leave the
place. De Quindre called uptn them to
stop, as they had not paid for the goods
But the savages were passing out of the door
to rejoin their laughing companions with the
cloth under their arms, when the French
man, leaping over the counter, jerked the
goods from them, and being powerful man,
pitehed the two Indians upon their noses In
to the street.
Instantly the war-whoop was raised by the
party, which was replied to from all parts of
the town, and the sayages. drawing their
-kniin1nadea rush upon the impruccnt shop
kee ep4f. But the latter, Immediately psx-
ceiving the storm he had incautiously pro-
voked, sprang back into his store, and lock.
ing the door, ran into an upper room, from
which by a window. he made his escape,
and ran to back alley out upon the COM
mon, and on to the fort, where he begged
the British commanding officers to protect
himself and property from destruction. But
the commandant could and would do noth-
ing, although he saw that the Indians would
probably massacre tbs entire population il
they once got going under such an excite
ment.
at is not my property alone that is in
danger f ON their violence" persisted the
Frenchman, 90 but the lives af .he popula-
tion are in han Is Ct the sayages. and unless
you exert your aatlsority to quiet them, our
streets will. flow with blood"
" I'm sorry for you, SIR" cody replied
the Briton, 6. bat the truth is my troops are
too few in number to control the warriors.
and can do nothing for you"
De Quindre, therefore, abruptly left the
fort, and run to tho quarters of Col. Mckee,
chen the British agent, who. be knew, was
not only popular among the savages, but
had aaways exerted over them unbounded
inhuence.
On his way he could see that the Indian.
were gathering in hundreds from every di
reetiOn armed with war clubs and toma
hawks prepared for a general massacre o
the inhabitants; while their fierce war-crie
were ringing with piercing tone on the air
A mob of at least thousand of the demon:
hal assembled in front of his house, ant
were demolishiog the doors and windows
while his goods were being thrown out {,
the crowd, waiting impatiently for the own
er to be dragged forth, and delivered to thei
murderous knives.
This sight gave fcetness to his feet, ana
rushing into the Colonel's quarters. he founC
that officer, to whom he briefly. and - dis
timely as his excitement would permit. re
lated what occurred, and begged him to in
terfere, if possible, and prevent the threat
ened massacre.
Mckee, we'll versed in the Indian charac
ter instantly perceived the imminent DANCE
that menaced the place, and requesting D.
Quindre to remain where he was, lest the In
dams. so greatly exasperated against HIM
might kill him, FASTENED to the scene of ex
citemant.
He was tall, straight, athletic, noble look
in-,with a voice like thunder, and from hi
long intercourse with the Indians of the from
tier, had an intimate knowledge of their Ian
euage. Pushing his way hastily through th'
savages, now excited at not finding th'
Frenchman, he mounted the top of a low
building. waved his sword, and shouted ii
loud tones:
"Hr! who are the copards in this
crowd2"
The sound of this we'll known voice ar
rested the attention of the yelling rabble
and after brief silence, one of the Indian
replied:
..There is no co,card here. We are al
braves !"
"N is he,' returned the Colonel
stamping with pretended rage. ! tell yol
warriors, there are corards, crdren coacard
among you!"
This insulting accusation was received witt
astonishment by the Indians ut first, ant
then they turning toward the bold man VIII
had dared to utter it. with eyes burning Will
e IL