Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1875-12-24

The following narrative appeared in the
Bradford Porter in 1910, copied from Val
dies journal Of Bellies LettreS, in which
their readers are assured that the writer is
worthy of credence. and his story entirely
true. The narrative will be of special in
terest in this vicinity.
PART III.
In our scufile my tomahawk dropped
out My head was under the wounded
| shoulder, and almost suffOcated ME with
his blood. | made violent spring, and
broke from his hold we both rose at the
same time, and he ran it took me some
! time to clear the blood from my eyes my
tomahawk covered up, and could not find
| it in time to overtake him he was the
only one of the party that escaped. Pike
was powerless. | always have had de
ference for christian devotion. Pike was
trying to pray, and Pence swearing at
him, charging him with cowardice, and
saying it was no time to pray-he ought
to fight A.; we were masters of the ground,
and in possession of all their guns, blan-
kets, match coats, &c. l then turned my
attention to scapiug them. and recovering
The scalps of my father and brother, and
others, | strung them all on my belt for
safe keeping. We kept our ground till
morning, and built a raft, 1t being near
the bank of the rivsr where they had en-
camped, about fifteen miles below Tioga
Point we got all our plumber on it, and
sail for Wyoming, the nearest settlement.
Our raft gave way, when We made for
land, and we lost considerable property,
though we saved our guns and ammuni-
and took to land !; we reached Wyalusiug
late in the afternoon. Came to the mar
rows, discovered a smoke below, a raft ly-
ing at the shore, by which we were GER
tain that party of Indians had passed
US in the course of the day, and had halt
ed for the night. There was no alterna-
tive for us but TO rout them, or go over
the mountain the snow on the north
side of the hill was deep we knew from
the appearance of the raft that the par
ty must be small we had two rifles each
my only fear was i'll Pixies cOwardice. To
know the worst of it we agreed that |
should ascertain their number and
give the signal for the attack; |
crept down the side of the hill, 80
near the fires and packs, but saw
no Indians. l concluded they had
gone hunting for meat, and that
this was good opportunity for us to
make off with their raft to the op-
positc siGe of the river. | gave the
packs on the raft, which wus made of
small dry pine timber; with poles and pad
dies we drove her briskly across the river,
and had got nearly out of reach of shot,
when two OF them came in we soon got
under cover OF an island, aud went several
miles; We had waded deep creeks through
the day the night was cold we landed
on an island and found sink hole. IN
which we made our fire after warming
we were alarmed by cracking in the
crust; Pike supposed the Indians had got
on to the island, and was for calling for
quarters to keep him quiet we threatened |
him with his life; the stepping grew plain
er, and seemed coming directly to the fire;
| kept q watch and soon noble raccOou |
came under the light. l shot the raccOOn,
when Pike jumped up and called out,
Quarters, gentlemen quarters, gentle
men," l took my game by the leg and |
threw it down by the fire. Here. |
you cOwardiy rascal" cried, skin that |
and give US a roast for supper" The |
next day we reached Wyoming, and there |
was much joy to see us we rested one day |
and it being not safe to go to NOrthumber- |
land by land, we procured a canoe, and |
with Pence and my cousin, we decended |
river by night we came to Fort Jenkins |
before day, when l found Col. Kelly and |
about one hundred men encamped out of
the fort he came across from the fort he |
came across from the west branch by the |
heads of Chillisquaque TO Fishing |
Greek, the end of thes Knob Noun |
tain, SO called at that day, where |
my father and brother were killed /; |
he had buried my father and uncle !
my brother was burnt, a part of him
only was to be found. Col. Kelly in |
formed me that my mother and her chill
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