The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1866-10-13
miscellaneous



In the summer of the year 100, most
atrocious and shocking murder was une4-
pectedly committed BY party Of Indians
on fourteen white settlers within I'VE miles
Of Shamokin. The surviving whites, 10
their race. determined to take their re-
yenge bv numbering Delaware Indian.
who happened to be in those parts, and
was far from thinking himself in any dan
ger. He was a great friend to the whites
was loved and esteemed by them, and, in
testimony of their regard, had received
from them the name Of Duke Holland, by
which he was generally known. Holland,
satisfied that his nation was incapable OF
committing such foul murder in time OF
profound peace, told the enraged settlers
that he cared not for his own live, but for
the honor of his tribe he entreated they
would Immediately send party along with
him, and he would engage, ere the sun went
down, to bring them on the heels OF the
actual murderers. The proposal was agreed
to. and Duke Holland, accompanied by a
party of the settlers, set on the pursuit.
They soon found themselves in the most
rocky part OF the mountain, where not one
of those who accompanied him was able to
discover single track, nor would they be-
lieye that man had ever trodden on this
ground as they had dump over number
of rocks, and, in some instances, to crawl
over him.
Now they began to believe that the In
dian had led them across those rugged
mountains in order to give the enemy time
to escape, and threatened him with instant
death the moment they should be fully con.
vinced of the fraud. ass
The Indian, true to this promise, would
take pains to make them perceive that an
enemy had passed along the places through
which he was leading them; here he would
show them that the moss on the rock had
been trodden down by the weight of hu-
man foot there, that it had been torn and
dragged forward from its place further, he
would point out to them that pebbles or
small stones on the rock had been removed
from their beds by the foots hitting against
them that dry sticks, by being trodden
upon. were broken and even that, in a
particular place, an Indians blanket had
dragged over the rocks, and removed or
loosened the leaves lying there, SO that they
lay no more fat, as in other places {; all
which the Indian could perceive as they
walked along without even stopping
At last, arriving at the foot of the noun
tain on soft ground, where the tracks were
deem. be found out that the enemy were
eight in number; and from the freshness
of the foot prints, he concluded that they
must have encamped at no great distance.
This proved to be the exact truth for,
after gaining the eminence on the other
side of the valley, the Indians were seen
encamped, some having already laid down
to sleep while others were drawing off their
leggings for the same purpose, and scalp5
they had taken were hanging up to dry.
See p' said Duke Holland to his astonish-
ed companions, there is the enemy not
of my nation, but Mingoes, as truly told
you. They are in our power in less than
half an hour they will all be fast asleep. We
need not fire gun, but go up and toma-
hawk them. We are nearly two to one,
and need apprehend no danger. Come on,
and you will now have your full revenge"
But the whites, overcome with fear, did
not choose to follow the Indians advice,
and urged him take them back by the near
est and best way. He did so accordingly
and when they arrived at home, late at
night, they reported the number of 1roquois
to have been so great that they burst not
venture to attack them.
This Duke Holland once found watch
which had been sent from Pittsburgh by
man who got tipsy and lost it in the woods
about fifty miles from the place to which
he was carrying it. Duke Holland went in
search of it, and having discovered the
tracks of the man to whom it had been en-
trusted he pursued them until he found the
lost article, which he delivered to the own