Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-03-09
An Indian Adr.nt,.;rr.,e ne, IN ohio.

I'm the year 1892, on the banks of the
HOckhocking, a. few miles. above its junc-
ton with the Ohio, stood a small stockade,
then one of the frontier posts of the N 2rth-.
West.s Its inmates had been annoyed by
repeated attacks of Indians; but, protected
BY works, and aetuated by the hardy cour
age of their class, they had uniformly re-
pulsed their assailants, frequently with
considerable loss. ~ saiaS .i.Ud-3IS2HJ
Some time in the month of October, in
telligenee reached the little garrison that
the savages were preparing an expedition
againstthe settlements in great force. A
council was immediately held, and scouts
were sent out, with instructions to aScer-
tain, If possible, the number of the enemy
4sqd the probable point Of attack. Two of
these, McClelland and White, ascended the
river as far as the picturesque promontory
now known as Mount Pleasant, the summit
of which commanded an extensive view of
fhesSufrOunding cO7ntrys4sG 3iaa--fidAd
II Here the two scouts took their station
and werenot long in discovering the OBJ
5ectssnE theirs search The smoke of an
encampment rising through the trees be-
frayed the presence of their foes, at dis
dance much more adapted to scrutiny than
to the safety of the watches. Every day
Drought fresh aecessi6ns to the warriors,
and every new arrival was greeted with
prolonged and exultant yells. Such sounds
were well calculated to appal those to whom
scouts they, served, like martial music, to
string the nerves andIstir the Spirits From
early life, they had lived on the frontier.
It was not likely, therefore, that they
would be eircnmYented by their foes, or
withoptEa desperate struggle fall victims
baOn several occasions, ssman parties left
the encampment and ascended the hilE at
Which time the scouts would hide in a
cleft of the rocks, or creep among the
qbEanclIes of5some fallen tree. till the dam
ger was past. For food they depended on
the supplyin their knapsacks, for they dare
not kindle fire, and the report of one of
stlIes rifles would have gpreeipitated upon
them the entire band Of saVages. 1t had
recently rained, and pool of water among g
the rocks served them for their drink. In
- few days, however, this disappeared and
the alternative was presented of finding a
snewssupply or abandoning their undertak-
cling .DEE on - F5t - y .s5at, L78i
:. McClelland volunteered to make the
trial. Carrying his trusty rifle in his hand,
eand with two ieanteens strung across his
shoulders, he carefully descended to the
sthe thiekeet of haz which skirted the hills,
directed his course to the river, on the
bank of which he had the good fortune to
find gushing spring, from whose waters
he filled his canteens, and returned in
The success of the enterprise determined
the two friends to have a fresh supply of
water daily, and The task of procuring it
was to beperf0rmed alternately. The next
day, when White had filed his canteens, he
sat for moment watching the limpid ele-
ment as it gurgled from the earth. While
thus employedya sound of light footsteps
caught, his ear, and turnings he saw a
coupleof squaws within few feet of him,
the elder of whom immediately gave one of
those tar reaching whoops peculiar to her
race.
White at once comprehended the peril of
ssituation. If the alarm should reach
the camp, both him and his companion
must Inevitably perish. Self-preseryation
prompted the infliction of noiseless death
upon the two squaws-a proceeding to
which, in all probability. he felt but slight
repugnance from any scrupIes OF border
gallantry. The purpose was no sooner
formed than actedlup0n. He esprangon his
victims with the agility OF panther, and
slightly grasped their throats, leaped with
them into the river. Without difficulty he
suceeededin thrusting the head of the elder
beneath the water, where she speedily be-
came insensible, but the younger made a
stouter resistance, and during the struggle,
to his great surprise, addressed him in his
own language, though in words scarcely
,articulate. She informed him that ten
wears before she had been made.a prisoner
by the Indians, who had brutally murdered
eyes 8
grasp upon the squaw, whose body foated
where it was not likely to be discovered,
and then hastily directing the girl to fol-
low biins with wonted speed and energyhe
pushed for the hill. They had scarce gone
two wards when the lshouts of alarm were
heard some distance below. Some warri-
Ors on their way TO camp, had probably
reached the river, as the body of the drown
Eed sdtiaw foated past. White and the girl
succeeded in reaching the hill, where Nc
Clelland had remained no oindiferentspecta-
tor of the eOmmotion SO suddenly excited.
The indians had Immediately struck off in
every direction, and number of them, be-
fore the fugitives could reach the summit,
had commenced, ascending the acclivity,
picking their way with caution, and keep
Ing constantly under cover. From time to
time glimpses were canghtOf their swarthy
faces, as they glided from tree to tree and
rock to rock, till, at length, 1t became EVIL
dent that the base of the hill was surrouud-
ed, and every hope of escape was cut off.
2 Nothing was left TO the pioneers but 10
sell their lives as dearly as possible. This
they resolved fito do, advising the girl to
lose no time in making her way, back to the
indians, whom she would have no diff
Guilty In convincing that she had escaped
from captivity. sase 49, y :. s3 ~, -, -.
Ia No Ip she Immediately exclaimed,
-G death with. my own peopleis thousand
times preferable to longer captivity,
.LIot( ltAI