The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1864-03-10
Half an Hlch From Death.

A few years ago, Fred Harris and were
traveing in the Far West He was the
son Of a wealthy family in louisiana, and
from his b"yhood had been a hunter. and
was therefore perfectly familiar with the
backwoods life: It was in the evening: the
sun had but Just set. AMI we were looking
for a suitable camping place in which. to
PASS the night. We soon found little plot,
in which the tall prairie grass scanned to
have softened down into a soft green turf.
We lit our fire, for we had not the slightest
fear Of Indians, and after making our SUD-
per Of dried sehison. lit our, ,pipas. But
sann becoming sleepy, we laid down. with
1 log for a pillow. and our blankets around
us. AMI were soon in the arms of Morpheus.
But was soon awakened by the sharp ring
of halls dozen rifles Jumping to my feet,
I saw my fiiend lying on the ground. his
brain pierced through and through By the
merciless bullets. Tn moment my hands
and feet were tied, and 7 was violently
THROWN to the, ,groundby q couple Of brawny
savages. Soon All was again quiet, for. it
was bqt'littie after midnight. / then dis.
covered BY the talk Of the two sentiaels, that
6dr camp fire had been discovered by the
party of Indians, who were encamped with
il q hdd1red rods Of Us, and that they had
only waited for us to fall asleep, in order
thet they might carry out their design.
There were n enc party fall half dozen Of
well armed savagss. S6,n the sentineh be-
v~-iio md and their heads to drop Now
was my time. BY inuen iaputiins asffartf
ut last succeeded in ssverihg the cords that
bound my hands on the sharp edge Of .
rock near which'I was lying. It was Il s bu.
the work Of an instant to loose my feet, and
Iswas free. But atsmv first attempt to rise
the guard started up. I sank down again,
and ina few minutes all was again qnieet.
Then slowly and cautiously I, PECAN to
work myself dong toward d neighbcrinng
rock Some three or four, feet in height.
7 had just got Behind this when I heard
ancise in the camp I had just left. I i'm.
v 4 49,. ea aHFgH " E. =
mediatIy rolled down short but ste en- hill
into the waters Of a considerable creek.
Fortunatly the night was very dark, anil
was swiftly carried down stream by the
current. 1t was nearly quarter Of a mile
below when tried to get upon shore. 4
struck something with MY foot, which
proved to be an old Indian Canoe, which
was partly floating upon the water, bottom
end upwards II drew this in a little ifas-
ther ashore, andrquickly and silently got
under it. In al short time heard footsteps
along the banks They stopped near where
IL was, and; commenced' talking. They
seemed to think that pursuit was useless,
as they had secured the country near there,
and had found no traces. Soon coming
down to the canoe, one fthe number pulled
it up farther on the bank, and all sat down
upon it strange to say, without discovering
me. After resting a short time they got up
and. walked away In yabont an hour I
cautiously crawled forth and continued my
journey. The aext day H5fen7 in, with;sa
body of trappers, and two days after, ~
siYed at q settlement all safe and sound.
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