Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1866-06-15
/ THRILLING ADvENTURE.

tS.
they were so far apart as to render vain all
hopes of assistance in case of attack from
hostile Indians, numbers of whom still in
tested the neighborhood.
l lived there alone with my wife for
several months unmoIested, and by dint
OF perseverance, being young and hardy,
had succeeded in making quite clearing
in the forest, which l planted with corn,
and which promised an abundant yield.
One morning after we had dispatched
ourhumble meal, and l was just prepared to
venture forth Upon my accustomed routine
of labor, my attention was arrested by the
tinkling of cow-bell in the corn-feld.
'There," said my wife, ''the COW is in
the corn-feld." 7-
But the ear of the backwoodsnan be-
comes by education very acute, especially
SO, from the fact that his safety often de
pends upon the nice cultivation of that
sense. | was not so easily deceived. l
listened. The sound was repeated
''That, " said /, in reply to my wife's re-
mark, "was not the tinkle of bell upon
the neck of cow, but decoy from some
Indian, who wishes to draw me into am
BUSH"
Rel;ev;no tb;o 70 bo tho oa.o I.ooL
down my old musket, and seeing that it
was properly loaded, l stole cautiously
around the field towards the spot from
which the sound seemed to nroceed
AS | suspected. there in a cIumn Of
bushes, croucbed an Indian waiting for
me to appear in answer to-his deeoy bell,
that he might send a fatal bullet to my
heart. I approached, without discovering
myself to him until within shooting dis
tance, then raised my piece and fred
The bullet sped true to its mark and the
Indian fell dead.
Not knowing but that he might be ac-
companied by others, | returned with all
speed to the cabin, and having firmly bar
ricaded the door, | watched all day for
the companions of the Indian l had killed.
To add to the danger and seeming help
lessness of my situation, discovered that
| had but one shot left, and, if attacked
by numbers, | should be entirely in their
power. Determined to do the best with
the charge Of powder, | put it into the
musket and then waited for the approach
of night, feeling sure Of an attack.
Night came at last. A beautiful MOON
light night it was too, and this favored me
greatly, as | would thereby be able to OBJ
serve the movements of the enemy as they
approached the cabin.
II was some two bours after n;gbtfalI
and vet l had neither heard nor seen =
sign of the Indians, when suddenly l was
startled by the baying of NV doc at tbe
stable. The stable stood a little TO the
west of the cabin. and between the two
was a match of clear ground unon which
the light of the moon fell nnobstructed =
Judging from the noise at the stable that
thew would advance from that direction
| posted myself at the port-bole on that
side of the cabin.
be-. | had previously placed my wife ON the
cross-pole in the chimney, so that in case
our enemies effected an entrance into our
cabin, she might climb out through the
lower chimney and effect her escape
For myself l entertained no hope: but
not to be taken alive, and to
sell my life dearly. s.i.
With breathless anxiety waited at the
port-hole. At length | saw them emerge
from the shadow of the stable, and ad
vance across the open ground towards NV
cabin. One-two-three-oreat heaven!
six staIwart Indians, armed to the teeth.
and urged on by the hope of revenge,
and | alone to oppose them, with one
charge of powder. Nv case was desper
ate, indeed. With quick and steaitby
steps, in close single file, thew approached
and were already within a few wards of
the house, when slight change in the
of the forward Indian changed
the position of the six. SO that a norton Of
the left side of each was uncovered.
Tbov woro in r.noo ono DIN, would Gov.
ar al Ou;ot ,stbonobt ! amed snJ 6rod
As the smoke cleared away could hardly
credit what my senses showed me as the |
result of nv shot. The fifteen sIugs with |
which | had loaded the musket had done |
heir work well, five of the six Indians Law
lead upon the ground, and the sixth had
Iisappeared. e
Although no enemies were now in sipbt
did not venture forth until morning.
There Iay the bodies of the five Indians |
lndisturbed, together with the rife of the |
,ther. Securing the arms and ammuni-
ion of the fallen Indians. | followed I'M
he trail of the missing one until / reaeb- |
d the river, beyond which point | could
discover no trace whatever From the
,nount of blood which marked his trail
hat he had picked his way with difficulty,
was led to believe that he was mortally