The Hawaiian gazette., 1872-05-15
a T'hriIIing Advenlure.

4 n adventure
II was about the year 1906 that settled 10 vir
giuia near the falls of kanawha. The country al
that time was an unbroken wilderness. But few
settlements had been made by the whites, and they
were so far apart as to render vain all hopes OF
sstauce in of attack from hostile Indians, mum
beers Of whom still infested the neighborhOOd.
lived there alone with my wife for several months
unmolested, aud by dint OF perseverance, when
young and hardy, had succeeded in making quite q
clearing in the forest which planted with corn,
and which promised abundant yield.
/ One morning, after we had dispatched our hum.
! bic meal, aud had just prepared to venture forth
upon my accustomed routine OF labor, my attention
was arrested by the tiukliug of COW bell in the
corn field.
There" said my wife, '',he COW is in the corn
feld.n
But the ear of the backwoodsman becomes by
education very acute, especially from the fact that
his safety often depends upon the nice cultivation of
that sense.
was not easily deceived The sound was repeat
ed That said l, in reply to my wiie's remark,
was not the tinke OF a bell upon COW, but de-
coy from some Indian who wishes TO draw me iuto
an ambush.
Believing this TO be the case, took down my old
musket, aud seeing that it was properly loaded,
stole cautiously around the field towards the spot
from which the sound seemed 10 proceed
As suspected, there in a elump of bushes crouch
cd an Indian, waiting for to appear in answer to
his decoy bell, that he might send fatal bullet to
my heart. approached without discovering myself
to him until within shooting distance, then raised
my piece and fired The bullet sped true to its
mark, and the Indian fell dead.
Not knowing but that be was accompanied by
Others, returned with all speed to the cabin, and
having firmly barricaded the door, watched all day
for the companions of the Indian l had killed. To
add to the danger and seeming hepelesspess 81 ,ly
aud if attacked by numbers should be entirely in
their power. Determined to do the best with the
powder, put it into the musket and then waited
for the approach of night feeling sure of an attack
Night came at last. A beautiful moonlight night
it was, too, and favored me greatly as / would
thereby be able to observe the movements of the
enemy they approached the cabin.
1t was some two hours after night-fall, and yet
had neither heard nor seen a sign of the Indians,
when suddenly was startled by the baying of my
dog at the stable The stable stood little 10 the
west of the cabin, aud between the two was patch
of clear ground on which the light of the moon Tell
unobstruc'ed. Judging from the noise at the stable
that they would advance from that direction posted
myself at the portfolio on that side of the cabin.
! had previously placed my wife on the cross pole
in the chimney, that in case our enemies effected
an entrance into our cabin home, she might climb
out through the chimney and make her escape For
myself entertained no hope, but determined to sell
my life dearly.
With breathless anxiety waited at the portfolio
AT length saw them emerge from the shadow of
the stable and advance across the open ground to-
ward my cabin. Observation-Disclosures heavens!
SIX stalwart Indians, armed to the teeth, and urged
on by the hope ofreveuge, and 1 alone TO oppose
them with one charge of powder. My case was des-
perate, indeed. With quick and steathy steps, in
close single file they approached, and were already
within a few yards OF the house, when slight change
in the movement of the forward Indian changed the
six, SO that portion of the side of each was uu-
covered.
They were in range, and one aim would cover all.
Quick as thought aimed and fired. As the smoke
cleared away could hardly credit what my senses
showed me as the result OF my shot. The fiteen
slugs with which had loaded the muskeI had done
their work well: five of the six indians lay dead
upon the ground and the sixth had disappeared
Although no enemies wers now in sight, did not
venture forth until morning. There lay the bodies
Of five Indians, undisturbed, together with the rifle
of the other. Securing the OF the fallen lndi
ans followed up the trail OF the missing until
reached the river, beyond which poiut could
discover no trace whatever. From the amount of
blood which marked his trail, together with uumis-
taxable evidence that he had picked his way with
difficulty was led to believe that he was MORALLY
wounded, and 10 order to prevent his body from
falling into the hands of the foe be hsd CROPPED his
way TO the river aud thrown himself into the
which had borne it away.
The MAE1srKoM GONE Ur-The terrible mael-
strom off the coast of Norway has unaccountably
disappeared. late traveller says there is such
whirlpool, and that it is only where the tide current
and wind are ct loggerhesds in the harrow sirsits
between Mskenaessor and the Isolated rock of Mos
ken that any agitation is visible at all. He is there
fore of the opinion that some such phenomenon as
this seen from the shore and exaggerated by the hor
ror of the beholder gave rise TO all the marvellous
legends OF the maelstrom. 1t Is sad TO part with
an old friend, but really there is no help for it.
Science is memorable, and that magnificent old myth
of the sea- that has been swallowing up ships in the
school Biographies for generations, must come out
of that truthful textbook as Scylla and Chaybdis
and good many other myths have done before
The RESCUED ARCTIC wHALENEN.-The New
Bedford Shipping list Of the 18th says:
Mr. Bufinton has received from the Treasury
Department and transmitted TO this city the set
Element of the claims for reseuing the sailors OF The
lost Arctic whaling feet, far as the Department
is authorized. The amount allowed is SIS in gold
for the food and transportation of each man, max
ing total of 81, zoo. \ memorial setting forth