Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1870-01-29
WHOLE NO. 2,ogs.

among the Indians for the quantity
Of fish, beaver and otter that lived In
its waters. The hills Were covered
with the largest trees, and under the
limbs Of which the bear, panther and
deer held high carnival The stream
had gained from the Indians the
name Of the Lehita, or "Fishing
Water" This stream had not as vet
been settled by the whites. An oc-
casional trapper would spend short
season upon It, or the silence that
reignod over its bottoms would be
broken by the stealthy creep of tho
moccasined foot of the savage. But
now this creek had = permanent in
habitant. John Wilson came down
from Nashville u hunt, fish and trap
during the winter mouths; the clear.
laughisSwstcr osthe Lehita charmed
him, and after repeated trips up and
down II to where IL begins and to
where II empties Into the Cumber-
land, he determined to stop here. He
then began TO look for u place to o..
tablish his winter-quarters. This
creek is overhung with enormous
precipices, and Of course caves
abound. He selected one that was
inaccessible to its mouth except by
coming directly up from tho bottom,
and were II not that he was locking
for one he never would have found It.
1t was In the center IT the ground
that he wished to hunt, fish and trap
over. John Wilson, after selecting
this place, set industriously to work
mending his traps and fixing for win
ter. He was very fond of fishing,
and as the creek came fully up to its
name, he found ample room TO graft
fy his tastes. One morning, as he
was fishing something like mile
below his cave, he heard q stick
break behind him. Turning sud-
denly around, he was confronted by
three large, powerful Indians, who
sprang upon him, bore him to the
ground, and before he could collect
his thoughts he was lying upon his
back, bound hand and foot.
Then commenced dance of exult.
alton around Wilson as he lay on the
ground. Wilson asked the leader
why 1t was that they made him q
prisoner, for, said he, az thought the
whites and our red brothers were at
peace"
docs the panther and bear live at
peace when they both eat the same
deer? The pale faces rob us of our
deer, our beaver, our hunting grounds
and we. will have his scalp.nd They
then recommend their dances and a
they would 60 around Wilson, they
slapped his face, pulled his hair and
otherwise annoyed him. This lasted
some half hour, they then began ia
consult what they would do with
him. During the time they were
holding their pow-wow, Wilson heard
the mutterings of distant thunder,
the sky began to grow dark from the
Southwest, the wind moaned dis-
mally through the trees. Nearer,
and nearer came the thunder, black CT
and blacker grew the clouds. The
lightning blazcd In frightful zIgzag
lines-the wind howled through the
trees threatening to tear them from
their roots. The storm gathered vol
umc and strength as 1t came, loud
pcals OF thunder accompanied by
preternaturally bright flashes Of light
ming, shook the earth and rent the
very heavens. The wind had be-
come q perfect hurricane. All at
once there came blaze of lightning
with a peal Of thunder, that Knocked
mans puny efforts to create rivalry
with heavens ordinance. Giant oaks
that had stood the wear of timo for
ages, and gathered strength as they
were assaulted, were thrown to the
ground. Then as " nature oyertax-
ed at the wrath she was pouring out
upon the earth, broke forth In dol.
uge of tears, that she was not able u
destroy all creation at Que fell swoop
The rain came down In perfect tor
rents-the very fiood-gates Of aquious
wrath seemed to have been suddenly
lifted, and to have let all the water
lout that had accumulated for years
The Indians from tho moment tn nj
the storm had burst upon them, ceas'
cd their talk, covered their heads
with their blankets, and sat upon the
earth, where they remained motion.
less, save when the thunder roarcd
the lightning flashed, then tremulous
shoulders ran through their frames
When they had bound Wilson, they
lated him upon his back and when
they began 10 talk, Wilson raised
himself in a sitting posture, watched
the Indians that he might learn thelI
Intentions towards him. When the
storm came up, they had not decided
what they should do with him, and
when he saw them exhibit NO much
alarm at the thunder and lightning,
he was astonished as well as gratified
Tho rain continued to fall in almost
Llindiny sheets FIR two hoiirs IN than