The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-05-16
HAND TO HAND.

The ModOc outrage having intensi-
fed the national Indian sensation which
had been slowly fermenting to muir
derous explosion for so many months
before, there is a pairrfsl revival of
popular interest in the red American
Ishmael, and whatsoever relates to his
savage characteristics is germain to the
news of the hour. Though all Indians
are not Modocs, the prescribed race,
as a general thing, i'll their hopeless
and rapidly increasing numerical in
feriority to their hereditary white pur-
suers, are more given in these later
days of their despairing hatred to
treacherous wiles and dastardlv am
Jtlscades than to the nobler, open war
fare of their historic past; yet the war
riOr who delights to meet Lis pale-taced
peer in mighty hand-to-hand grapple is
not vet extinct, and merits renewed
celebration if only to show that his dy-
ing people have not always been mere
robbers and assassins like the dastardly
murderers of Ca1b7 and Thomas. In
! the times of the Cherokee troubles in
| Che South, Major John SeabOrn, who
may vet be living in his home in North
| Carolina, had an aboriginal adventure
which citizen of Whitefcld county,
| Ga. now recalls in the NslC Georgia
| Citizen for modern study. While n
member of a surveying party, encamp-
! ed on the banks of the EtOwah river,
| in what is now the Seventeenth district
of Barlow county, the Major started
one day to visit a missionary station
situated near 4 large spring about Il
| 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 saw
ages were very bold in their encroach-
ments at that time, and the Carolinan
had not followed the forest trail verv
far before he involuntarilv ambushcd
a gigantic Cherokee who was cautious
~ leading captive pony, upon which
| sat, in pleading terror, an Euglish mis-
| sionary's lovely daughter, whose too
! daring morning ride had brought her
| into the tolls Of the red outlaw. Sea-
| born paused for moment in his un-
| sought cOEccalmeHti in the underground
| to witness tie girls wild effort to make
the pony break free from the iron grasp
of the captor, and see the latter raise
his toDahawk in murderous menace,
and then with a shrill yell of champion
ship and defiance, sprang grandly to the
very side of the rearing animal. The
beautiful captive had just fallen from
the saddle, and, as the surprised In
dian invOluntarily retreatCd some steps
away, the rescuer swiftly caught her
in his arms, replaced her on her stecd,
and babe her ride for her life. She
needed no second warning, but was Oft
like the wind; and then the white and
red knights confronted each other with
looks meaning battle to the death.
The Indian was herculean chieftain,
known as Unakay ybswah-the ''white
man killer'-and the Major, although
standing over six feet in attitude him
self and prOportiOnately muscular and
brave, felt impelled to such skirmish-
inc tactics as might draw his foe to-
wards the camp on the river and at the
same time tempt him to discharge his
deadly tOwahawk. The moment the
Cherokee detected this design in the
others measured backward strides he
bounded forward, brandishing his wea-
pom, and, when the strategist finally
wheeled and broke into dead run,
sent the huge battle-axe hurting thro'
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 a terrific blow Of his
| fist met his pursuer before the latter
could check his advancing impetus,
and sent him reeling backward several
PAGES. Now began the fight in earnest:
Thrusting forward and aiming his head
like n battering ram, in the manner Of
the athletes of his tribe, the savage
came on again with ringing whoop,
his purpose being 70 throw his head
between the legs of his adversary, who
would thcrcupon be dashed in a somcr-