Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1866-12-20
A Thrilling Sketch.

Tu 1898, or about twenty years after
Boone's first exploration of the country, aud
whilst Kentucky was yet knocking at the
door for admission into the Union, the red
men resolved to make yet another effort to
exterminate their foe. ......
A block house, which served the double
purpose of fort and dwelling, was the hab.
itation of Boone and his companions.
Fearing the descent of the savages, from
various premonitions of danger, understood
only by the experienced hunter, be sent two
trusty scouts, Damed Mcclellan and White,
to learn, if possible, the destination of the
savages
After proceeding some distance, they as
cended bluff, precipitately steep on the
one side, and fenced by jutting rocks on
another, whence they had broad and ex-
tended prospect-and on another side ran a
deep and rapid river, on which side they
found themselves in dangerous proximity to
their enemy.
Beneath them they beheld a large num-
Der of sqnaws and wigwams, the usual in
dication of an Indian village, and in the
open space they observed the warriors paint,
ed in their war pattern, evidently showing
their mission to be one of blood. They de-.
termiued to remain and watch the, move.
ments of their enemy, and for this purpose
concealed themselves from observation, till
forced from their hiding place BY, their wa
ter being exhausted, of which they had but
a scant supply.
Mcclellan went in search of water with
two canteens, and had not proceeded far
when be discovered beautiful fountain
gushing from rock near the base of the
bluff Having procured the much needed
element, he returned to his companion, and
they determined to get a supply daily, and
continued to do 30 for several days. One
day White went to the spring, and after fl-
ling his vessels and refreshing himself with
a copious draught, he laid down his rife
and sat on it, and, childlike, amused him
self by looking at the working of nature,
beautifully exempli6ed in the bubbling
fountain.
This man, educated in the midst of In
dian cunning, whose every sense was sharp
ened to the utmost acuteness, was thus a.
musing himself when he heard footsteps,
and sprang to his feet just in time to see
and be seen by two squsws, the elder Of
whom raised the war cry, which he we'll
knew if repeated and heard by the band,
would be certain death he spraug upon
them and seizing both by the throat plunged
into the stream with the intention of drown.
ing them. This be very soon accomplished
with the elder, but the other being young
and vigorous, struggled with her captor with
much effort, and when nearly exhausted he
was surprised to hear her utter EXPLANATIONS
in English. To rescue her from drowning
and bear her up the ascent to the summit of
the bluff was the work of a moment.
When sufficiently recovered, she inform
ed the hunters that herself and father set
tied on the present site Of Wheeling, and
were taken prisoners by the Indians, who
soon put her father to death and treated
her with the utmost barbarity.
In the meantime the Indians perceiVing
the body of the woman floating on the river,
and recognizing the print of the white mans
fingers on her neck, approached the bluff
shouting their war yell. The scouts recon-
meuded the girl to return to the Indians
and consult her own safety by telling them
how the affair happened. She replied, 81
prefer to die in the presence of the white
than to be slave to the Indian. Give me
rife ard see what can do"
But this they could not do-yet they were
determined to sell their lives as dearly a5
possible. As before described, on one side
they were shielded by rock, and with un-
erring accuracy they shot several Of the
bravest and most daring Of the foe. One