The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1871-09-20

: Go for him. said Nick, she mus
go with US And now, boys, gi
ready just as quick assthe good Lor'
will let you ,a; f5.r> -,r.. -....s.
1t required some time to get ou
hors es in readiness for mounting, a
the parties who had undertaken t.
procure them had neglected to pro
vide proper equipments for them; ant
it was somewhere in the small hour
beyond low twelve when we started
for the scene of massacre and burning
with the stranger who had brough
the ti6ings to conduct US. The nigh
was dark, and the road, or rather
trail, was rough, so that we wert
obliged to move slowly, notwithstand
ing our impatience to get forward
This delay fretted Lennox fearfully,
but Nick preserved stern composure
doing all in his power to urge US for.
ward, but uttering no vain exclama.
tions ofimpatience. Day had broke
when we reached the scene of murder
and desolation, and commenced search
for the remains of the victims of saw
age cruelty.
The stranger q continue to call
him so because did not take pains
to. inquire his name, and have never
learned it until this day), was certain
that the Dodds were all at home at
the time of the attack; but he did not
know about the Belknaps. Search
among the ruins revealed the remains
Of all the former family, charred and
blackened almost beyond recognition;
but one of the Belknaps was missing,
and the longer search was made only
more fully established the fact, which
might be gratifying or otherwise as
the event should prove, rhat the NOR
tuary record OF the family was not yet
complete. .
Ollie aint here, Jim, that's certain,
said Big Nick, after another careful
scrutiny of the cinders; she's either
been away from home when the Injuns
come, or else they've took her cap
tive, and 1 expect that's what's the
matter. Let's mount and follow the
trail, boys. We kin travel heap
faster now that it is daylight, and if
we overtake them-God help them,
that's all l have got to say!'
To horse and away, over the sand
hills, through morass and quicksand,
brake and briers, we urged our horses
with all possible speed. The scene
we had just witnessed gave us an ap-
petite for blood, and We eight would
have dared to encounter, for at least
a singlesshock, the combined tribes IF
Chetco and Coquile. We said little,
but the sternly set expression of each
mans countenance revealed his ,ho'ts
more plainly than words could have
done. Lennox and Big Nick rode in
front, breast to breast, and it required
our utmost exertions to keep up with
them.
At length the trail turned inland
over rocky and gravely hills, and soon
became so indistinct that we had diff
fculty in keeping it. Not one of lis
lad ever. before been through these
hills, so that we had mo idea of the
topography of the country, which
might have enabled US to conjecture
what course the Indians would most
likely take. Fortune favored US,
however. We came suddenly upon
an Indian in an open space, and be.
fore he had an opportunity to escape,
we had covered him with our weap-
ons. Nick hailed him in the Chinook
dialect, ordering hin, to halt under the
pain of instant death. The Indian,
who proved TO be a young Chetco who
had been much about Excelsior City,
and spoke English like native of that
region, did as he was ordered, and
awaited our approach with some signs
of apprehension in his saddle-colored
visage.