Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1867-03-21
Select gtorpl.,.
A ADVENTURE
.Ia IN OHIO.

In the year 1892, on the banks Of the
HockhockiDg, few miles above its juno
tion with the Ohio, stood small stock
ade. then one Of the frontier posts Of the
North.West. lIts inmates had been anr
noyed by repeated attacks of indians /;
I Ebuf, protected by works, aud aCtuated by
the hardy courage. Of their class, they had
uniformly repused their assailants, fre-
oueutly with considerable loss.
Some time 10 tie month of October,
Intelligence reached the little garrison
that the savages were preparing an ex"
petition against the settlements in great
force. A council was Immediately held,
and scouts we're sent out, with instruc-
tions to ascertain, if possible, the num-
ber Of the enemy and the probOble point
of attack. Two Of these, MeClolland
and White, assembled the river as far as
the picturesque promOntory now known
as Mount Pleasant, the summit of which
commanded an extensive view OF the sur
rounding country. .aEg ~
Here the two scouts took their station
and were not long in discovering the OBJ
liects of their search. The smoke Of On
encampment rising through the trees be-
trayed the presence Of their foes, at y
distance much more adopted to scrutiny
than to the safety Of the watches. Ey-
cry day brought fresh acCeasiOns to the
warriors, and every new arrival was greet
ed with prolonged and exultant yells.-
Such sounds were we'll calculated to ap-
pal those to whom they were unfamiliar,
but to our gallant scouts they served,
| like martial music, to string the nerves
and stir the spirits. From early lite,
they had lived on the frontier. It was
not likely, therefore, that they would be
circumvented by their foes, or without a
desperate struggle fall victims to the
scslping knife.
On several occasions, small parties lef.
the encampment and ascended the hill,
at which time the scouts would hide in q
cleft of rocks, or creep among the branch,
es Of some fallen tree, till the danger
vas past. For food they depended on
the supply in their knapsacks, for they
dare moi kindlea fire, and the report of
one of the rifles would have preOipiated
UPON them the entire band OF savages.--
1t had recently raiaed, and a pool of wa:
ter amoug the rocks served them forthelr
drink. In a few days, however, this dls1
appeared and the alternative was pre-
sented Of finding new supply or aban-
doning their undertaking.. .o sH5 E
McClelland vcntured to make the tri-
al. Carrying his trusty rifle in his hand,
and with two canteenS strung across mis-
shoulders. he carefully descended to the
verge Of the prairie, and keeping within
the thioket Of hazel which Skirted the.
hills, directed his course to the river, on
the bank Of which he had the good for-
tune to End gushing spring, from whose
waters he filed his cauteens, and re-
turned in safety. ,Ma8,
The success Of the enterprise determ-
ined the two friends to have fresh sup
ply Of water daily, and the task Of pro-
curing it was to be performed alternately.
The next day, when White had filed his
canteens. he sat for moment watching
the limpid element as it gurgled from
the earth. While thus employed, o.
sound Of light footsteps caughs his ear,
and turning, he saw couple Of sQuaws
within few feet of him, the elder of
whom Immediately gave one oflthose far
reaching whoops peculiar to her race. .
White at once comprshended the peril
of his situation. IF the alarm should
reach the camp, both him and his com'
panion must inevitably perish. Sell,
preservation prompted the inaiction Of
roiseless death upon the two squaws--a
proceeding to which, in all probability,
he felt but slinght repugnance from any
scruples of border gallantry. The pur.
pose was 40 sooner formed thar acted
upon. He sprang on his victims with
the agility Of a panther, and tightly grass
ped their throatU, leaped with them into
the river. Without difficulty he succeed :
ed in thursting the head Of the elder be-
meath the water, where sho speedily be-
came insensible, but the younger made o
stouter resistance, and during the strug-
gle. to his great surprise, addressed him
in bis own language, though in words
scarcely articulate. She informed him
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