The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1867-03-20
An Indian Adventure In ohio.

In the year 1872. on the banks of the
ockhocking few miles above its juno
tinn with the Ohio, stood smal stockade,
then one Of the frontier posts Of tie North
west. It's inmates had been ann yed by
repeated attacks of Indisns; but, protected
by works, and actuated by the hs dy cour-
age of t.! cir class, they had uniformly re-
pulsed their assai!ants, frequently with con-
loss.
Some time in tho month of October in
teligencc reached the little garrison that the
savages were preparing sn expedition against
the settlement in great force. A council was
held, and scouts were sent out,
with instructions to ascertain, if possible,
the number of the enemy and the probable
Toint nf attack. Two of these. McCleland
and White, ascended the river as far as the
picturesque promontory now known as Mt.
Pleasant, the summit Of Which con maj ds
an extensive view Of the surrounding cuun-
try.
Here the two scouts took their station
and were not long in discovering the objects
Of their search. The smoke Of an encamp-
ment rising through the trees betrayed the
presence of their foes. at a distance much
more adapted to scrutiny than to the safety
of the watches. Every day brought fresh
acccssions to the warriors, and every new
arrival was greeted with prolonged ard cxul-
tant yells. Such sounds were well calcula-
ted TO appal those to whom they were unta
miliar but to oar gallant scouts they served,
like martial music, TO string the nerves and
stir the spirits. From early life, they had
lived on The frontier 1t was not likely,
therefore, that they would e cilcumventcd
by their foes, or without desperate strug
gle fall victims to the scalping knife.
On several occasions, small parties left
the encampLent and assembled the hill, at
which time the scouts would hide in a cleft
Of the rocks, or creep among the branches
of some fallen tree, ill the danger was past.
For fcod they depended on the supply in
their knapsacks, for they dare not kindle a
fire, and the report cf one Of the rifles
would have prtcipitat,d upon them the
entire band of savages. 1t had recently
rained and pool cf water among the
rocks served them for their drink. In
few days however, Il is disapEearcd; aud
the alternative was presented # finding a
new supply or abandoning their undertak
my.
McClelland volunteered to make the trial.
Carrying his trusty rife in his hand, and
with two canteens strung across his shout
dcrs, he carefully descended to the verge Of
the prairie, and keeping within the thicke'
of hazel which skrtcd the hills, directed
bis course to the river, on the bank OF which
he had the good fortune to find a gushing
spring, from whose waters he filled his can.
teens, and returned in safety.
The success of the enterprise determined
the two friends to Nave a fresh supply Of
water daily, and the task Of procuring il
was to be performed alternately. The next
day, when White had filed his canteens, he
sat for moment watching the linpid ele
ment as it eurgled from the earth. While
thus employed, a sound of light footsteps
caught his ear, and turning. he saw cou
pic of s0uaws within few feet Of him, the
elder of whom Immediately gave o,c O!
those far reaching whoops peculiar to her
race.
" hite at onro comprehended the peril of
his 81 uation. If the alarm should reach
the camp, 10th him and his companion
must inevitably perish. Self preservation
prompted the infiction of 0ois less death
upon the two squaws-a proceeding 10
which, in all probability, he felt but slight
repugr ance from any scrupics of border
gallantry. The purpose was no soonel
formed than acted upor. he sprang on
his victims with the agility of panther,
and tightly grasred their throats, lcaprd
with them into the river. Without diff
cu.ty he succeeded in thrusting the head of
the elder beneath the water, whore she
spec dily became insensibIe, but the younger
made stouter resistance, and during the
str, rge, to his grta at surprise. addressed
him in his own language, though in words
, calcely artituatc. She informed him that
ten years before, she had been r ade pris-
oner by the Indians, who had hlutaly mur-
her eyes.
During the narrative. White let go his
grasp upon the squaw, whose body foated
where it was not likely to be discovered and
then hastily directing the girl to follow him,
with woncd speed and energy he pushed
for the hill. They lad scarce gone TWO
yards when the shouts of alarm We're heard
some distance below. Some warriors on
their way to camp, had probably reached
the Iiv r. as the body of the drowned squaw
Anated paot White and the girl succeeded
in reaching the hill. whore McClelahd had
remained no Indifferent spectator of the
commo'inn so suddenly excited. The In
dians had Immediately struck off in every
direction, aud a number of them, before the
fugitives could reach the summit, had COM
II enced ascending the ACTIVITY, picking
their way with caution, aud keeping con-
stantly under cover. From time to time
glimpses were caught OF their swarthy faces,
as they glidca from tIee to tr ard rock to
rock till. at length, it became evident that
the base uf the Hill WAS surrounded, and
every hope Of escape was cut off.
Nothing was left to the pioneers but to
sell their lives as dearly as possible This
they resolved to do, advising the girl to lose
no time in making her way back to the In
dians, with whom she would have no diff,
Guilty in convincing that she had escaped
from captivity.
"No!' she Immediately exclaimed. death
with my own people is thousand times
preferable to a longer capti,ity
Further remonstrance was useless and |
the scouts addressed themselves to prepare
for vigorous resistance, The only pcrccp-
tible access to the hill was by narrow cause,
way, or backbone, along which the sava-
res were compelled to pass in single file,
though, for the most part, under shelter oi'
rocks and trees But in passing from GOV /
,r to cover, each warrior was obliged to |
incur moments exposure, and two inches
Of his dusky form was target sufficient for |
he unerring rifles of the scouts.
For several hours, the outnumhcring foe .
was held in check, but new and undiscov- ,
4red danger menaced the har ly wood-men.
Their crafty enemies were preparing TO as
sail them in fank--a movement which .
night be successfully accomplished by means
IF detached portion Of rock which lay
adjacent to one of the sides Of the pronon.
ory. The brave scouts fully rcaliz, their
desperate situation, but so far from being
lnnerved by its hopelessness, they felt their
courage emboldened by the idea that the
dea that the surety of death was not great.
,r II sn the certainty Of vengeance.
Soon McClelland saw dusky figure pre-
pairing to spling from cover 60 near the
I. Il Ill ALnt a r;ue.lo hAns,d r,nncf .nanh -