Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1866-11-03
a Thrilling Sketch.


foe.
A blockhouse, which served the double pur.
pose of fort and dwelling, was tho habita-
tion of Boone and his companions
Fearing tho descent of the savages, from
various premonitions Of danger understood
only by the experienced hunter, he sent two
trusty scouts, named Mcclellan and White,
to learn if possible the destination of the say.
ages.
After proceeding some distance, they as-
cended bluff, precipitatc!y steep on the one
side, and fenced by jutting rocks on another,
whence they had broad and extended pros
poct-and on another side ran deep and rap
i'd river, on which side they found themselves
in dangerous proximity to their enemy.
Beneath them they bchcld large number
of squaws and wigwams, the usual indication
of an Indian village, and in the open space
thcy observed tho warriors painted in their
war pattern, evidently showing their mission
main and watch the movements of their cne-
my, and for this purpose concealed thcmsclv-
cs from observation, till forced from hiding
place by their water being exhausted, Of which
they had but n scant supply.
Mcclellan went in search of water with two
canteens, and had not proceeded far when he
discovered beautiful fountain gushing from
a rock near the base of the bluff. Having
procured the much.nccdcd element, he re.
turned to his companion, and they dcternin-
cd to get supply daily, and continued to 10
so for several days. One day White went to
the spring, and after filling his vessels and re-
freshing himself with copious draught, he
laid down his rifle and sat on it, and, child
like, amused himself by looking at the work
ngs of nature beautifully cxcmpliGcd in the
bubbling fountain.
This man, educated in the midst of Indian
cunning, whose every sense WAS sharpened to
the utmost acutcness, was thus amusing him
| self when he heard footsteps, and sprang to
his feet just in time to sec and be seen by
two squaws, 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
sprang upon them and scizing both by the
throat plunged into the stream with the in
tention of drowning them. This he very
soon accomplished with the elder, but the 9th
or being young and vigorous, struggled with
her captor with much effort ar1 .-lcn near
ly exhausted he was surprised to hear her ut
ter exclamations 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 informed
the hunters that herself and father settled on
the present site of Wheeling and were takcn
prisoners by the Indians, who soon put her
father to death aad treated her with the ut
most barbarty.
In the meantime, the Indians percciving
the body OF the woman floating on the river,
and recognizing the print Of tho white man S
fingers on her neck, approached the bluff
shouting their war yell. The scouts recon-
mended the girl to return to The Indians and
consult for her own safety by telling them how
the affair happonded. She replied, al pre-
| fer to die in the presence of the white than to
see what can do"
but this they could not do-yct they were
| determined to sell their lives as dearly as pos
sible. AS before described, on one side thew
were shielded by rock, and with uncrring ac-
curacy they shot several of the bravcst and
most daring Of the foe One point was acccs-
sible, from an impending cliff which over
hnna the bluff, and in that direction was the
rifle OF Mcclellan pointed, with finger on trig-
ger, waiting for sufficient part Of the Indian
whom he cspied making the attempt to sur
prise them from that quarter) to appear above
| the rock to form target to aim Mt. At last
the savage, with exultant yell and uprascd
tomahawk, was about to make the leap and
spring upon his foe, when the flint of NicLcl.
lan's rifle hung fire. He lowered the butt and
was about replacing it bya fresh flint from his
pocket, when he saw the Indian, whose shout
of victory was turned to one of pain, fell head.
long into the chasm beneath, but shot by
whose rifle he knew not. Several others shared
the same fate and in similar manner.
at the approach of night the Indians with
drew, and the scouts were congratulating
themselves on their success so far, and won
dering who their auxiliary was, when they be-
held the rescued girl, rifle in hand, approach
them. This at once accounted for the eff
mr. how