The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-08-17
Selett SbgE
THE Settlers ESCAPE.
A Tale OF the Dark and Bloody Ground.

There are many incidents connected
with the early settlement Of Kentucky
that have not as yet been touched upon
by the sketch writer or the novelist,
much as has been written of those days ;
and the following adventure, which we
now give to the reader, is one of those
that have for so long time lain buried,
and now for the first time brought be-
fore the gaze of the great pnblio.
Among those that regarded them
selves as being within the confines of
Boonsborough, though 80 far from the
station that bore the name Of its founder
as to be almost entirely unprotected by
it, was a settler by the name of Dick
Turner, He had built his cabin on the
very outskirts of the settlements, and,
with his wife and three children, had for
two years lived in peace and quietness,
unmolested by the savages that were at
all times, in greater or less numbers,
abroad on the war path.
Their nearest neighbor was hall mile
away down the river, out of sight and
hearing, and had it not been for the
smoke that every morning curled above
the tree-tops one would not have known,
standing in the doorway of Dick Turn
er's cabin, but that this was the only set
tlement for miles around, for on every |
side was the forest unbroken and solemn |
as in the days before Daniel Boone led
the first party of hardy adventurers over
the Cumberland mountains.
One afternoon, the last of August, as
Dick was at work in his clearing" (aud,
as it CHANGED, at point as far from the
cabin as it was possible for him to be
without being in the foresD, he was
startled by the sudden appearance of
half dozen Indians, hideous with war
paint, who surrounded him almost be-
fore he could spring and grasp his rife
that he always carried into the field with
him.
Startled by their sudden appearance,
he made a motion towards it; but a
heavy hand was laid upon his shoulder,
and its owner said in broken English,
"White man go with u.s." {
"No," said Dick, looking him full in the s
face; cant do that much work to do" 4
And he pointed at what he had been
doing, and then cast wstful glance at y
his rifle, which was now in the hands of h
one of the savages,
Come" said the savage, and who ap-
peared to be the leader, as well as the O.
only one who could speak a word of u
English; white man must CO." f,
Dick glanced towards the cabin and q
saw his wife standing in the doorway,
in great alarm at his stua- ~
ton. The savages saw her. and after a al
word or two between themselves three M
of them started in that direction. -,
Unperceived by his captors, Dick n,
made a sign that his wife, fortunately, Or
and she disappeared within, fr
closing the door in such manner that O.,
the savages failed to obtain admittance,
as Dick saw to his great JOY when, after sl
trying it for few moments, they hastily w
returned and joined the others. fb
Evidently small in point of numbers, fo
they cared not to waste the time that ~
would be necessary for siege, so they I'm
mad desisted from their efforts to make
,aptives of the woman and children. kr
Come" said the savage, laying his bu
land on his captve's shoulder; and ma
Dick, VINO had felt his heart rise that his 7
owed ones were left behind, went al for
most cheerfully into the forest, in which IN,
he shadows of night were already be- hi,
inning to gather, casting only one back mc
ward glance at his home, to wonder ho
rhen he would see it again. %,
Then he reSolutely put his face for ira
,ard for the fate the future had in store Z
)r him. The future might be long cap wa
witty, or it might be death yet as he gin
'alked between his captors and the anc
hadOws grew deeper around him hope dia
'as in his heart that he might escape, sea
erhaps before the sun should rise on est
he morrow. tha
The night was long and weary one tire,
. the settler Evidently they feared as
ursuit, and stopped not for rest or food c,
ntil the sun was an hour high the next his
ay. Then, as if feeling secure, they had I
long halt, built fire, and one of the anC
umber shooting a deer, they cooked and PIa
njoyed plentiful repast. his
Thus far the savages had used him TIVE
My taking the precautioI to bind his tho
ands behind his back in such manner his
nat he found it impossible to use them enc
l the least. They had been very con- f
derate of his comfort, and he determ- he
led, by appearing as cheerful as posi- the
lie, to drive away from their minds any had
loughts they might have of any un- sin,
illingness to accompany them, so that bre
is chances of escape might be better, sen
rough their suspicious were constantly S
n the alert. VIII
In this manner the day passed, and ass,
18th the first shades of evening they ere
lade preparations to encamp. A fire tax
as made-as they seemed to consider mul
so far from the settlements opp
nat they need fear no danger from the had
'hites-and couple of the party soon pur
rought in game enough to afford gen. F
rous supper IN