The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1866-10-19
Indian Adventure In Ohio.

junction with the Ono, stood small
stockade, then ono of the frontier
posts Of the North west. It's inmates
had been annoyed by repeated attacks
of Indians; but, protected by their
works, and actuated 10y the hardy
courage of their class, they had uni
formly repulsed their assailants, and
frequently with considerable loss.
Sometime in the month of October,
intelligence reached the little garrison
that the savages were preparing an
expedition against the settlements in
great force. A council was immediate
" held. and scouts were sent out with
instructions to ascertain, If possible,
the number Of the enemy, and the
probable point of attack. Two Of
these, named McClelland and White,
assembled the river as far as the pic
turesque promontory now known as
Mount Pleasant, the summit of which
commanded an extensive view of the
surrounding country
Here tie two scouts took their sta
ton, and were not long in discovering
the objects of their search. The
smoke Of an encampment rising
through the trees betrayed the pres
cnco of their foes, at distance much
better adapted {, scrutiny than to
securing the saf OF the watchers.
Each day brougne fresh accessions to
the warriors; and every new arrival
was greeted with prolonged and eXult-
ant yells Such sounds were well cal
culated to appail those to whom they
were unfamiliar; but to our gallant
scouts they served, ike martial music,
to string the nerves and stir the spirits.
From early youth they had lived on
the frontier 1t was not likely, there
fore, that they would either be crcum-
vented by their foes, or, without a
desperate struggle, fail victims to the
scalping knife.
On several occasions small parties
left the eucampment and assembled the
hill, mt Whici, times the scouts would
hide ia cleft OF the rocks, or creep
among tho branches of some fallen
tree, till the danger was past For
food they depended on the supply in
their bnapsacks; for they dared not
kindle fire, and the report of one of
their rifles would have precipitatod
upon them the entire band Of sayages.
IL had recently rained, and a pool Of
water among the rocks served them
for then drink In few days, how
ever, this disappeared: and the alter
native was presented of finding new
supply or abandoning their undertak-
ing
McClelland volunteered to make the
attempt. Carrying his trusty rifle in
his hand, and with two canteens strung
across his shoulders, lac cautiously de-
sceuded to the verge of the prairie,
and keeping within the thlckets OF
hazel which skirted the hills, directed
has course to he river, ON the bank Of
which he had the good fortune to find
gushing spring, from whose waters
be filled his cantoens and returned IN
safety.
The success of this enterprise de-
termined the two friends TO have q
fresh supply of water daily, and the
task of procuring it was to be per
formed alternately The next day
when White had filled his canteens, he
sat a few moments watching the limpio
element as 1t gurgled from the earth
White thus employed, 4 sound of light
footsteps caught his ear; and, turning
he saw couple of squaws Indian
women) within few feet of him, the
elder of whom Immediately uttered
one of those fsr-leaching whoops pc
culiar to her race.
White at once comprehended the
peril of his situation. If the alarm
should reach the camp, both he anG
his companion must inevitably perish
Self-preservation prompted the intlict
ion of noiseless death upon the tw,
squaws "a proceeding to which, III al
probability. he felt but little repug
nance from any sernples of borde
gallantry. The purpose was no soon
en- formed than acted upon. Iii
spraLg on his victims with the strength
and activity of "A panther and Tight.
grasping their Threats, leaped witt
them Into the river Without diff
Guilty he succeeded in thurstlng tn
head of the elder beneath the water
where she speedily became insensible
but the Younger made stouter resist
anco, and during the struggle, 10 IN
great surprise, addressed HIM IN hi
own language, though in words scarce
ly articulate He quickly released IN
hold, when she informed him that, te
years before, she had been made
! prisoner by the Indians, who ha'
brutality murdered her mother and tw
sisters before her eyes.
During the narrative White let g
his grasp upon the squaw, whose bod
floated where it was not likely to b
discovered; and then hastily directin
the girl to follow him, with wonte
speed and energy he pushed for tn
hill. They had scarcely gone tw
Yards, when shouts of alarm wer
+, heard about a quarter of mile below
Some warriors, on their way to tn
5 camp had probably reached the rivel
as the body Of the drowned squa'
floated past White and the girl sue
ceeded in reaching The hill, where M'
Clelland had remand no indliieref
spectator ofxle commotion SO suddel
ly excited The Indians had imm'