Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1869-07-17
CHAPTER II.

CHAPTER III.
Let us don the garb of invisible
hunters, and stroll up the Cumber-
land some five or six miles above
Harpeth, and form the acquaintance
of one who is to perform very prom
inent part in the incidents about to
take place. AS we stroll along we
are struck with the sublime beauty
of the scenery that the Cumberland
presents here Winding its tortuous
way between huge hills, the tops of
which seem to reach the skies and
are studded with majestic oak and
poplar. Underneath the shade of
these mighty trees, the wild pea and
whorttleberry grow in luxuriant pro-
fusion, forming an endless pasture for
deer, turkey and larger game. Here
the black bear lives and fattens in
lazy ease and the savage panther
makes night hideous with its un-
earthly screams. Nature seems to
have given man all he wants in his
primitive or semi-educated state. AS
we approach to where one of these
huge hills terminates into q perpen-
dicular bluff of some six or seven
hundred feet in height, we pause to
look up its steep and rocky face to
the summit. There the fishhawk
builds her nest where no hands can
reach, and even the head grows dir
W to look up to. AS we wind our
way cautiously under it, We see man
coming from cave in its rocky face
and slowly descend q small tree TO
the level ground. He is clad in the
buckskin hunting shirt and leggins
of the times, with the skin of cat
amount manufactured into n cap on
his head. He has in his hand the
inseparable rifle, and in his belt is
fastened a large knife and a Ratchet.
AS he approaches us, we have clear
look at his face and figure, six feet
two inches in his moccasins, form
that would almost rival Hercules,
features brown from exposure, long
waving black hair, large black eyes,
about twenty-five or six years old,
he stands before us a perfect type of
the hunter and a model man.
81 don't like the way them var
minis were doing over the river yes
terday. I believe they mean mis-
chief. I've good mind to tell that
fellow what lives down on the crick
about 'em, but he would think I was
meddlin. I'll look after my traps
and things, then I'll watch them
and if they commence q cuttin thai
Ipranks about here, why Jim Sidney
will help 'em won't he beauty~
These remarks were addressed hal
to himself and half TO his rifle, which
he affectionately patted while speak
ing. AS he winds down the rive
bank, we see that he is preparing t.
catch beaver and otter when the win
ter approaches. Once in awhile he
shakes his head and mutters some
thing about the redskins. He stop
his work, walks up the bank arc
pulls off his cap.
"That Telluco won't do. I'll e
and watch him, and if he is afte
devilment I'll watch him the better
> that's ALL" Shouldering his rifle, h,
walked down the river some hundred
yards, pulled canoe from some will
} lows where it was concealed, put |
i'm the river and hastily paddlet
across. Concealing it again, he strod
into the forest, taking a westerl.
direction.
Keeping up our character we will
follow. James Sidney had recent.
: come down from Nashville TO hIn
for beaver water among the man.
: creeks that empty into the rive
above and below the Harpeth, an,
for better security had taken up hi
home in cave at the upper end @
the bluff and about twenty feet from
: the ground, which he got to and from
by means of small tree, as has bee
described.
I; After travelling some ten miles W
come to hill that overloolSs vale
= beneath spread out like panorams
| In the center is an Indian village
$ and In II all seems hustle and confus
! ion of hurried departure. Lodg
poles are taken down, skins rolled u
t and dashed to ponies, while squaw
J, are running about, gathering u
' every thing for hasty removal.
y "Strange I don't sec no warriors
n All old men and squaws. They hay
: some twenty-five young men. Whei
u are they? III find out" AS Sidne
IS said this, he turned again to the fol
rest and made his way to the rive
!, where seeing several Indians cross
ing in their canoes, he hid himse
It in the dense cane, until they shoul
e pass, to hear what they had to So.
q As the Indians got out and fastene
y their canoes, Sidney could gath
N from their conversation an idea
J. what they had done. As they lie
y he came out and said,
d "Just as 1 expected. They hay
been to Harpeth's, killed the olde
h boy, taken the gal and the moth
Y prisoners, burnt up the place, and n
70 now going TO the mountains. b
=, Tplluco il poiny I'm the other ban