The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1866-10-13
Slisrella
skin OF the Indians in Tracking.


In the summer Of tho year 1888. most
atrOcious and shocking nanrder was nnex-
pectedly commIiisd ~ party OF Indians
on fourteen white settlers within I've miles
Of Shamokin. Tho Surviving whites, In
their rage, determined 10 take their re-
yenge BY numbering . Delaware Indian.
who happened 20 be In those parts, and
was far from thinking himself in any dan
ger. He was 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 Ia a time Of
profound peace, told the onraged 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 murherers. The proposal was agreed
70, and Duke Holland. accompanied by n
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 q single track. nor would they be-
lieve that man had ever trodden on this
ground. as they had to jump over number
OF rocks, aud. 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
10 escape, aud threatened him with instant
death the moment they should be fully con
vinced OF the fraud.
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 hui
man foot there. that It had been torn and
dragged forward from its place further, he
would point out 10 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, we're broken and even that, in n
particular place, an Indians blanket had
dragged over the rocks, and removed or
loosened the leaves lying there, so that they
lay no more fiat, rs in other places all
which the Indian could perceive us they
walked along. without even stopping.
At last. arriving at the foot Of the noun
tain on soft ground. where the tracks were
deep, he 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
10 sleep while others were drawing oil their
leggings for the same purpose. and scalps
they had taken were hanging up to dry.
See :" said Duke Holland TO his astonish-
cd companions, :" there is the enemy not
Of my nation, but MingOes, rs l 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,
aud urged him take them back by the near
est aud best way. He did so accordingly
aud when they arrived at home. late at
night. they reported the number Of Iroquois
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 n
man who got tipsy aud lost il in the woods
about fifty miles FROM the place to which
he was carrying il. Duke Holland went in
search Of il, 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