East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1863-01-06
A SETTLEIcs EXPLOIT.

As Samuel Dowditch, one of tho
early settlers on Green river, in Ken
tucky, was going across a patch of
swamp, one afternoon, about half mile
from his dwelling, to hook after some
cattle. he heard stick snap behind him,
AMI turning quickly round, he fouGd
himself confronted with huge savage,
iD oil the hileousness of his war.paint,
and with his rifle or mnsket leve'ed at
his heal, the nuzzle not more thau four
feet from him. Bow,li,ch himself had
rifle in his band. la, he knew the In
dian could shoot before he could raise it
and fire, so he did not make the attempt,
but droppel it to the gronnl and held
up his open palms, in token of surrender
On seeing this, the savage walked up
and sad: sr .grI ari1
"Give Iljin gun!" l b. osa
The settler picked UP his piece, aud
as he han!ed il to the other, said, in a
very coneiliatory tone: u5a aeF
II sec you're big chief, aud hope
We may bc friends" a o. rf
"Wbere live2" asked the savage, as
no produced stout thong OF deer skin,
and proceeded to bind the hands of his
captive, who, being a small nan, saw Ee
was no match for the other, even with.
out weapons on either si,l-, and so sub.
mitted quietly, though agoGzed at the
thought of his poor helpless wife and
children, in their lonely cabin over the
hill. sa1
81 live out yonder, greatways from
here, y replied the saptivc, DoJ,ling his
head in the proper direction.
"How many got?" gucricd the savage.
The settler hestated about telling cor.
rectly. lie first thought he would name
large enough to deter the Indian from
going thither, and thus, perhaps, save
his wife and children from fate like
his own; but after a inomcnt's rehec.
ton, it occurred to him that, should the
savage take him there, chance might
arise for him to regain his liberty, and
so he decided upon speaking the truth.
"Why no Long knife tell?" demanded
the Indian, with an inpatient frown.--
"No lie Make s4i
mo, chief III tell you the truth. =
There are only three persons in my cabin
my wife and two little children but
l know a big, brave chief like you won't
hurt 'ern." @
"Me go sec 'eml': returned tho say.
age, with a fleece CLEAN of triumph,
which the other did nut fail t. notice
Having tightly bound the hsn,ls of
his captive bchiud hS back, toe savage
fslt about his dress. fur anv other wcap.
on, took away bis anmanit on, and
putting both weapons over his own
shoulder, told the white man t. lcal the
way. This the latter lid, fuilsof hope,
fear and general anxiety, uoul he.canr
in sight of his humble log dwelling sit.
uatcd in p'easan.valicy, throughw hyh
flowed a prrity lit,lc stream, a branch
of Green river, whe a the In,lian orj.rcl
him TO stop, anl proceeded to make him
fast to a tree. l'y means 81 anolher deer.
skin throng secured 10 that atVual his
wrists.
"Ain't yGu gong 10 let me go down
to the house VITA y"l?" inqu 'cl the
captive, now legianing to lvel much
alarm for the safety "t h'- family
"Me GO a'onc." rotnrncd this savage
gruffiy. "Me big ehiel--want scalp. =
"Oh, for Gods sake, don't XIII my
poor, Innocent wife and chiliren!" plea'l-
ed Bowditch, fairly agoniz'.l at the cal
thought. "You'rc great chief, | know,
and you'll remember That they pe,er 81 1
you any harm.' fea. aef
along knife scalp much goal!n re
joined the Indian, suIlculy, as ho & 'ishc1
binding tho other 30 trec, aad strobe
away down tho hll, carrying the two
weapons with him. Bowditch watched
him, step 10y step, as hc glidel away
under cover of tho trees, keeping s"mc
rock, stump or clump of bushes between
him and the inmates of the dwelling, 81
they might not by any chance perceive
his approach anil take the alarm.
"At any rate eau holcr yet" nut.
tered the captive, "an1 maybe they'll
hear NO. And forthwith he set up q
series of yclls that went echoing and re.
cchoing far away through tho forest.
The settler saw his wife and children
come in haste to the door, and look NJ
the hill in alarm. AT this he shouted al
the top Of his lungs:
"Quick, Esther--.go back into the
house AMI bar il up tight! The Injuns
are arter you, and Pm prisoner! Quick
quick! or you're lost, aud the children
tool"
For moment or two the mother and
children stood as ifparalyzed with amaze
ment and terror, anI then to his grea,
relief, he saw his little boy point in the
direction of the skulking savage, and al
three hastily retreat and close the door
The Indian now utterei fierce yell
and stepping out into plain view, firc''
both pieces, one after the other, at the
dwelling, as if he had impulsively aiop
ted this means to vent his rage at being
discovered anil foilcd of bis murderou.
purpose. Then looking round at his
captive, he threw down the rifle belong
ing to the latter, and drawing a toma
hawk, started toward him on a run.-
Bowditch, who had watched every mo-
ton, aud knew that in his rage the saw,
ago would brain and scalp him, now
gathered all his strength, and made one