Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1875-11-26

was resolved TO try and catch it and wres
it from his hand. But the indians final
y" concluded not to kill him, reserving hin
for more formal execution. They the,
tied hollow gourd containing shot to hi
waist, telling him that this was his death
warrant. He could easily escaped himself
but his object was 20 Kill the Indians anC
thereby rescue the young woman also but
he failed in the attempt. They continued
on towards their place of destination. One
day they shot wild turkey. and taking its
entrails rolled them around stick, with.
out any cleaning, roasted in the fire, and
gave them to the prisoners to eat. Before
this they had only few grains Of corn Der
day, and this change of diet, says Mr..
Thompson, was quite a delicacy. When
they got to Towanda the Indians became
less careful, thinking he would not attempt
to run away again. In the evening they
made him gather wood for their night fires.
On one occasion r7hen gathering wood he
managed to go further away for each load.
till be got as far as he thought IL was pro-
dent to try, and watching an opportunity
when they were not observing him, darted
off into the woods as fast as he could run.
with twenty-five grains of corn in his pock-
ct for provision to travel journey of
many miles through the wilderness. He
said he could have made his escape on sew
eral occasions, but he could not think of
leaving Mary Young prisoner with them
She frequently urged him to escape, and
not to try to rescue her, as it would only
defeat both. She was resigned to her fate.
lie took different route at first from that
| toward home to deceive the Indians in DUR
suit. In running be stepped on a rotten
stick which broke and made a noise at the
same time he heard two trees rubbing to-
| gether with the wind which he took to be |
the Indians in pursuit. Being terribly |
frightened he ran into pond and hid him.
self in the brush with nothing out but his
head, where he lay till he was satisfied |
they were not coming that way He then |
proceeded on his Journey, keeping along
the mountains lest he might meet Indians
in the valleys. One night he run almost
into an Indians encampment before seeing
it. He went little higher up the hill
where he could plainly see the Indians pass
between him and the fire. At another
time be came very near an encampment.
when an Indian gave yell, and he sup
posed he was discovered, but he seuatted
down Immediately, and remained quiet in
the bushes in short time one of the In
dams commenced chopping wood, when
he knew they had not seen him, and care
fully passed around them. He struck the
West Branch few rods above where they
had crossed going out, and found one of
the canoes on the bank, the river having
fallen. Being so weak he was unable to
push it into the water, but getting two
round sticks under it for rollers with the
the aid of hand spike. he succeeded in
launching it. On getting in he discovered
that the other sank, when he went to work
and baiied it out, and lashing the two to-
e'N'''"" ~ 3tortod With two nafAles or, his vow
]
so that if the Indians should pursue him,
and shot, they would not be so likely to hit
him. One of his paddles accidentally
dropped out and floated Off, which he re-
gretted very much but on getting into an
eddy it floating up to his canoe. and was
recovered. When his craft got opposite to
where Watsontown now stands he was
CTsCOvUrod ana rc,icrcts-s, -aaasa-f friends.
He was so weak that be lay in the canoe,
and waved his hat TO them on shore, which
attracted their attention. When taken out
he was so weak that he could not relate
his adventures for several days. having TO
be nourished with sweet milk till he regain
ed strength sufficient to walk. After being
able TO walk he went to his family, and
subsequently removed to Chester county,
where they remained TIL the close of the
war.
The Indians took Mary Young to their
town and set her to hoeing corn. An old
man. ncgroe, who was also prisoner, told
her to dig up the beans that were planted
with the corn, and they would think her
too dumb to learn agriculture, and would
sell her to the English.She took his advice,
and was eventually sold to an English cap
tain, with whom she remained several
wears. when she was liberated, and return
ed home. Having been so much exposed
during her captivity, her constitution was
tl,oH al,,c tv,nA hnr rot l
but short time. On their way out she
was obliged to wade through deep creeks.
and as the weather was cold her clothes
were often frozen into solid mass OF ice.
She informed Capt. Thompson that two OF
the Indians pursued him part of two days.
They regretted his escape very much, as
they intended to have tortured him. The
wounded Indian left them soon after his
escape, and she never heard of him after
wards, but supposed he died, as he was
badly injured. Capt. Thompson inform
ed some friends that he went with his step
father, who drove team to Fort Cum ber-
land at the time of Gen. Braddock's disas-
trOus campaign. He was then lad of
only ten years Of age. Al that time he
saw a woman, Il cousin to James Corne-
lius, who resided in Buffalo township, that
had been taken prisoner by Indians during
the war. When they had taken her great
distance from home she managed to effect
her escape, and made her way through the
woods alone. The first day she came up
with a mare and colt, aud getting on the
former, she rode all day. When night
came, she turned her out to pasture, and
laid herself down by a log for the night, +
never expecting to see the mare again.
When she awoke in the morning the mare
and colt stood 10y her side. She rode her
all that day, and turned her out to Craze
,NI,ilot ohn slnnt hut next morning the