Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1864-08-20
SATURDAY MORNING, AUGUST 90, 1864.

to his troops to hurry up. After giving two
or three quick motions with his hand, hC
drew and cooked n six-shooter; then, put
/ ting spurs to his horse, charged full at his
/ enemies, giving, as he came at them, his
war-cry, which many of them had heard
! before.
] The rusc succeeded; for, between their
attention to the desperate man who charged
them so iiercely, and the expectation of see
/ ing mis- troop of buck skinned warriors come
pouring round the point, the Indians were
/ surprised that they forgot to uncoil their
lassos, though a few let 81 their arrows at
him as he passed througISthem, discharg-
ing his siX-shooter as quickly as he could,
and with that unerring skill which constant
practice gives Their surprise only lasted
for a few scconds but, short as it was, it
had been sufficient to enable Lewis to break
through his foes. Seeing that their tall an
tagonist kept his course for the distant for
est, and that no band of rangers rounded the
point, the savages saw that they had been
dupcd very cleverly, and that they might
now, perhaps, capture their hated foe. No
time was lost by the Indians as soon as
A., they perceived the truth, they stretched out
ut their horses best speed, yelling their war
cry, "How-pOw pOO-OOoo-ah !" But this,
which would have sadly tried the nerves of
any one unaccustomcd to it, had no effect
upon Legs, except to warn him that the sa-
wages had found out the trick, and were
now in eager pursuit. He had gained at
least four hundred yards by his rush, and
this he hoped to keep from the main body
OF his pursucrs. As To now and then one
distancing the rest, and coming pretty close
to him, this caused Legs no uncasiness; for
though he had empticd one siX-shootcr in
his charge, he had yet the other, and the
extra cylinders, making altogether eighteen
shots more in defence; and even the dis
charged cylinders might be rcloaded.-for
he and all the rangers practccd this at full
SpCcd-lt he was not pressed too closely
For about the first two miles he kept his
lead of about four hundred yards, after
which the Indians began to lessen the dis
tanCe between them for the rangers horse,
one OF the best for speed and endurance
upon the frontier had had a long journey,
whilst the Indians mustangs were cOmpara-
lively flesh. Over one prairie roll after anO-
thcr Legs urged his horse, and the iudis
tinct blue forest in the distance became
each minute better defined, and soon the
taller tree tops and giant branches were cut
out clearly against the glowing sky made
10y the sinking sun. Hope rose high in
Lcwis's heart as he saw himself drawing so
close to the forest, and rage possessed the
savagcs, for fear he should gain its shelter,
and with the aid of night escape their ven
gcance; 50 they goadcd on their horses with
their quirts (raw hide Whips, and, in some
instances, the points Of thcir knives, to over
take the fugitive.
About one mile remained to be crossed
before the welcome refuge would be reached
and the best mounted OF the savages strain
ed every nerve to overtake their prey. Ever
as one approached too near the pursued,
turning in his saddle either menuced with
his pistol the leading savage, or, ii within
reach, stopped him with ballet. In that
last mile he said he discharged his pistol
eleven times, so closely was he pressed; and
50 desperate had the sayagcs become to
capture him; that they forgot their Conan
che maxim, 1t is better To lose five foes
than one warrior
AT last after hard gallop for nine miles
Che rode the distance afterwards TO ascer-
tain It's length), he plunged into the forest,
and about the same time the sun went down
Having gained, as he supposed, safe dis
tancc, he dismountcd, loosencd the girth of
his saddle and allowed his horse to recover
its wind, and after that to Craze IL little
but he never left his hold upon the reins,
nor relieved his senses from their strain, lis
tcning to every sound in the forest to the
dull soughing of the wind through the
branches, and especially to the hooting Of
the owls, for these birds are easily initiated,
and their cry is often made use of as sig
nal 10y Indian scouts. As soon rs his pistols
were loaded, and his horse sufficiently rest
ed, Legs led him carefully 10 the edge OF the
forest, pausing often to listen for any sound
outside the forest, he mounted, and took
his course for Seguin, where lac arrived soon
after daylight the following morning. with
out any further adventure.