Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1862-03-09
. .g'!,be Ohio 9tate,s',,trrat,rr, III ~,
aE ,oAPE OF Am INDIAN snx

OF ine Ohio, opposite the mouth of the Soiotr
Both men were busy, with their paddles. beadin
up etrealn, but only asit would seem with n
design OF overcoming the downward motion q
the current 90 as TO Keep their little vessel abou
stationary. Their eyes were fixed upon n
northern shore, which they scanned eagerly, u
ana down. and their features had an anxiou
and troubled expression. . l0J =
"There!b by heayensl there he connes!p erie
one OF the men called Tom, jerking up his bad
Ole and Strengthening up himself so suddenly
nearly 70 upset the canoe. "Bravo! Duncan
prayoI you'll live 70 be great man yet, Il
spite OF the red devils who'ye more chan cnc,
been 90 close upon your hair. Now then for IN,
shore, Natl Give away, lad.--eiye awaSin
As he spoke the little craft was headed b
the Ohio shore Of the river, and both men nIiet
the paddles with 30 much vIgor as 10 almoa
lift the canoe from the water. As Il neared m,
bank, young man, In the fresh vigor Of health,
manhood came bounding through the bushes
with rife in his hand, and stopped, heat ed aut
painting, upon the edge Of the stream, gIancinf
quickly, nervonsly and suspiciously in ever
direction, and then fixing his eyes eagerly upof
the approaching boat. Scarcely was lie brow h
the shore, when he leAped into It, and with BIZ
momentum sent trolling and dancing ba kw arc
for several feet. Z -77o 80 -
"Ah, thank God! thank God! he exclaime cd
with long breath Of relief, as he sunk down m
the bottom, almost exhausted, while his com
panions made vigorous use Of the paddles. IA
putting safe distance between them and the dan
geroua Shore. ' l'l--
Scarcely word was spoken till they had pass
ed beyond the middle OF the river. toward tb,
Kentucky side, and felt themselves compira
lively safe from savage marksmen, when the on,
called Tom, laying down bis paddle, dropped
down beside the newcomer, and seizing both
his hands, 'said, with deep aud earnest feel
ling: :. 81, - = +
"God bless you, Duncan! you don't know
how glad am to have you safe with US once
morep ts .. aIl'1 ''T q
''It's as good as new lease Of life!'' ssid Nat
taking of bis flexible hat and beginning to fan
his heated friend, who still seemed quite fain,
and exhausted Usi I517o :
"Hs! what's thisl" cried Tom, in alarm, be.
lore Duncan could reply. "Blood-blood, as
liYe--coming fresh from HE side! Are yor
you tell us at ffst7'' .l. 7,
"Quickl Quickw exclaimed Nat; ''hnA il
a knife open his dress and let us ~ a
it," . le d'h3A
The wound was not SO serious as had beer
feared. A well-aimed bullet had shattered hii
powder-horn, and sent some Of the splinters in
70 the flesh, bruising and lace,ating 1t, and caus
ing 1t 10 bleed freely; but there was no internal
injury done; and Tom soon announced, with q
bright gleam Of joy, that there was no danger L
be apprehended. '''
He now proceeded to carefully cleanse ant
dress the wound, while his companion quietly
padded the canoe near to the Kentucky shore
and then sent II gliding down the stream.
These three men, with one other, were wha
was known in western parlance as Indian spies
They were employed, during the season Of navi
CATION, 10 range up and down the Ohio river
from Limestone (noW Maysville) Kentucky, ;,
the Big Sandy, the western limit of Virginia
for the purpose Of detecting the presence Of an,
mRrauding aayages. and giving timely Warnini
to the ascending and descending packet boats
some of which had been previously Waylaid ant
captured, and their passengers and crews eithel
murdered or dragged into terrible captivity
In fact, they were now on their return from con
veying an upward boat, which had recently beer
fred upon and one man killed and two wounded
On this upward trip they had taken along their
present canoe, In order to float down with thG
tide; and had they kept to the water, probably
no accident would have happened; but q littlt
| below the Scioto was O well known derrick
/ WhiSh VIZ WV OhiAOu DuuChu Wlbutu W Nlbltl IL
pursuit Of game; and leaving his companions
in charge OF the boat, to await his return, he sci
OF alone. His return we have seen; and what
happened in the interval, We shall now learr
from his narration TO his companions, as they
all aoated down the river together.
"Well, saidthe wounded man, "after leaving
you, made the best Of my way over to the deer
lick, keeping @ sharp lookout for game, bn
scarcely thinking of Indiansonce. Having got ;,
the lick, constructed q capital blind and Ia,
down behind u, with my rife ready to take any
thing that might come In my way I'd laiC
there about an hour, reckon, and was begin
ming to think 1t wouldn't pay, when all at once
there was rustling Of some bushes near me
and ont stepped, right before me, not a sleel
buck, as hoped, but two grim savages, armet
and painted for the wRP-path You'd better be
lieve felt mighty uncomfortable Just then, TO
beside the fact that should certainly be dis
covered where lay, and that there was no pos
sibility Of my getting away unseen, coul,
only kill one with my single charge, which woull
leave the other free to revenge his friends dealt
on me, sa.r s+a tt Iu tra niis a
"Hovever, you know I'm not one to thinl
long upon future consequences with a live In
dian coming closer every moment, and so, taking
aim, to make sure of one. at least, fired, ant
shot him right through the heart, 90 dead tha
he scarcely quiyered after he fell. expected
this would frighten the other, and make hin
run for safety, . short distance at least, Whiol
would give me time to load and tree, and thu
put me on an equal footing with him. But b,
my surprise and the honor of the savage be |
known, he never lodged foot but merely glane
ing at his companion, as he fell dead besid,
him, be turned sharp, angry fash upon th,
spot where lay, and threw his rife forward 70
| return FIRE.
"W ell" says to myself, 'if you're not agoinI
to run, old fellow, am! and spripging to m
feet, Invent off with q bound, and he came afte
me with q yell. p18gs1 -df 90 W.
ga few steps took me into cover Of bushes
and the way went through them would hav
been caution toany thing before me. Even Il
that short space Igained upon my young pursuet
and when reached the more open wood, / yelle
back my joy, thinking should soon be able /
tree and get time 10 load before the howln
imp could get up to me. knew could outru
him, but that didn't want to dol only wante
to meet him on equal terms, and let Il be hi
acalp or mine.H ~ A ala .c914 tt
Il swell, hadn't gone far in the wood, befor
came esuddenly upon fallen tree--too suddenl
to avoid it--and in attempting TO leap over II,
got caught among the branches and was brougt
up to dead halt. Before could ex.rIcate my
self my pursuer had got near enough for "a goo
shot; and stopping and raising his piece, he too
q quick aim and fired. That was nigh to enc
ing the greatness Tom is always preachin
about, for felt tho Wind of the ball as It sun
pasi my head. nfMrfW gfa tNl Nfa ,ae
I"Now then, MIR Indian" shouted /, whippin
ont my knife, finn ready to try chances wit
you, since neither Of ne has gun loaded;' an
we're actually making toward each other for III