Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1873-07-19
HAND TO HAND.

The Modoc outrage having intensified
the national Indian sensation which had
been slowly fermenting to murderous
explosion for so many months before.
there is a painful revival Of popular in
terest in the red American Ishmael, and
whatsoever relates to his savage chjrac-
terlstlcs is germane to the news Of the
hour Though all Indians are not Mo
docs, the prescribed race, as a general
thing, in their hopeless and rapidly in
creasing numerical inferiority to their
hereditary white pursuers, are more Civ
en-, in these latter days of their despair
ing hatred to treacherous wiles and das-
tardly ambuscades, than to the nobler,
open warfare Of their historic past; yet
the warrior who delights to meet his
pale-faced peer in mighty hand to hand
grapples, is not yet extinct, and merits
renewed celebration if only to show that
his dying people have not always been
mere robbers and assassins, like the das
tardly murderers of Candy and Thomas.
In the times of the Cherokee toubles
in the South, Major John Seaborn, who
may yet be living in his home in North
Carolina, had an aboriginal adventure,
which citizen of Whitfield county,
Ga, now recalls in the New Georgia
Citizen for modern study:
While member of a surveying party,
encamped on the banks of the Etowah
River, in what is now the Seventh Dis
trict of Barlow county, the Major one
day started to visit a missionary station
situated near large spring about 4 mile
and half inland, armed only with the
hunting-knife in his belt, and not even
accompanied by the faithful dog usually
attending his steps.
The savages were very bold in their
emcroachments at that time, and the Car
/ Gilman had not followed the forest trail
very far before he involuntarily ambush
ed gigantic Cherokee who was eau
tiously leading captive a pony, upon
which sat, in pleading terror, an Eng
lish missionary's lovely daughter, whose
too daring morning ride had brought her
into the tolls of the outlaw. Seaborn
paused for a moment in his unsought
concealment in the underground, to wit
pony break free from the iron grasp of
the captor, and see the latter raise his
tomahawk i'll murderous menace, and
then, with a shrill yelp of championship
and defiance, sprang grandly to the very
side of the rearing animal. The beauti
full captive had Just fallen from the sad
die, and, as the surprised Indian invol-
unfairly retreated some steps away, the
rescuer swiftly caught her in his arms,
replaced her on the steed and bade her
ride for her life She needed no second
warning. but was off like the wind; and
then the white and red knights confront
ed each other with looks meaning battle
to the death.
The Indian was a herculean chieftain
known as Unakayaswah-the ''white
man kiler''-and the Major, although
standing six feet in altitude himself, and
proportionately muscular and brave, felt
impelled to such skirmishing tactics as
might draw him towards the camp on
the river, and mt the same time tempt
him to discharged his tomahawk. The
moment the Cherokee detected the de-
sign in the others measured backward
strides, he bounded forward, brandish-
ing his weapon, and when the strategist
finally wheeled and broke into a dead
run, sent the huge battle-aX hurling
through the air. Only by an adroit
swerve did Seaborn elude the terrible
missile, which, after grazing his hair,
struck deep into a tree beyond; but now
he was upon more even terms with his
enemy, upon whom he turned Instantly
at bay. SO quickly did he make the
movement that terrific blow OF his fist
met his pursuer before the latter could
stop his advancing impetus, and sent
him reeling backward several PAGES. Now
began the fight in earnest. Thrustiug
forward and aiming his head like a
battering ram, in the manner of the ath-
letes of his tribe, the savage came on
again with a raging whoop, his purpose
being to throw his head between his ad-
versary's legs, who thereupon would be
dashed in sonersault upon his own head
Major Seaborn was acquainted with this
trick, however, and so deity swung him
self aside that it was the headlocg savage
who came to earth, and that on all tours
Then he was down on the discounted
warrior like a wolf, wrenched his arms
from their supporting position with agile
strength, and in a second had him face
downward on the ground, like hawk
under an eagle. Momentarlly disengag-
ing one hand then to make a vain effort
to draw his hunting knife, which had
been caught by the handle in his waist
band, he gave the Cherokee opportunity
to catch the other in his teeth and bite it
to the bone. In his pain and wrath the
white man repaid his wound with a show,
er of tremendous blows, but the episode
had been diversion in favor OF Unaka
yaswab, who by supreme heave an6
twist managed TO wrest himself from be
meath lis load and regain his feet. Ter
rifle fisticuffs followed, but the scien-
tifc boxing proficiency of the Carolnian
caused such Jne-sided business that the
sorely punished red giant, after failing
to get IN a blow, rallied for clnch.
His object was to force the fighting in the
direction of the tree in which stuck his
tomahawk, an detecting this purpose, the
Major fought furously to thwart it.
Once when the savage hurled himseli
with all his might upon his foe the latter's
feet caught in a trailing vine and brought
; him down on his back in the fierce crap
pie. Both were up again as quickly in
opposing physical impulses in straining
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