The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-03-23
TIE SCOUTS ADTENTURE.

are about to relate was located in the now
the time, however, when these events tran
spired, the white settlements were widely
scattered, and ove9 the greater portion of
that fertile region savage beasts, and not
less ferocious men, held almos: undisputed
dominion. But the fertility of the soil.
salubrity OF the climate, the number and
utility of its navigable streams, offered
many advantages to settlers, and the hardy
pioueers of less favored localities were not
slow in ava;ling themselves of them.
But in addition to the hardships and pri-
vations inseparabe from the most favored
conditions of pioneer life, the early settlers
On the rich Ohio bottoms were exposed to
the constant hostility of the savages. The
isolated cabins were assaulted and burned,
and the luckless inmates butchered or car
ried into a woeful captivity. Hundreds
thus perished, but the stream of emnigra-
tion rolled OH with steadily increasing vol
ume, and the wider the settlements spread,
the more vengeful and desperate became
the savages, who finally determined upon
q general war OF DETERMINATION.
In the valley Of Hockhocking, nearly
where the town Of Lancaster now stands,
was an Indian village, which was selected
as the base of operations against the set
tiers. Here the painted warriors began to
assemble in August, 1898, and for several
weeks tie work Of recruiting went on, until
the savage army was swelled to such great
proportions as to menace the very ex istence
of the settlements. The whites were not
slow in realizing their danger. They saw
that a fearful blow impending, but
were ignorant of the exact point where it
was TO fall. They therefore determined to
send out some trusty scouts to watch the
enemy and learn. if possible, where the
savage thun6erbolt was to descend.
Robert McCleland and Arthur White,
inexperienced hunters, thoI IoUghly skilled
in the subtleties of Indian warfare, fearless,
cautious and clear headed, volunteered To
pei form that hazardous duty, and in the
afternoon of balny day in October they
set out, amply armed and fully provisioned,
determined to reconnnitre the enemy's rem
devious and discover at what point the
first blows were to fall.
They traversed many miles of wood and
praile, and finally entered an extensive
thicket of wild plum and hazel brush,
through which they forced their way with
great caution, and finally reached the top
of an elevation now known as Mount
Pleasant This hill or mountain abruptly
terminated on the west in bold, almost
perpendicular cliff, some hundreds OF ieet
above the surrounding plain, aud was
covered by short, stunted growth oil
hazel. The scouts reached the top oil the
cliff unobserved, and from it they could
,ook down into the Indian encamrmche,
and observe every NOV, meht. Ihey Sd"
and counted each new group as they az
rived. were witnesses of their sports, OBJ
served their running matches, horse racing,
and even their tomanawk throwing out
all this gave them 10 clue TO the inio' ma
tion they so much desired.
Three or four days were spent IN TINS
manner, and in the meantime the supply
of water in their canteens became exhaust
ed. and they supplied themselves from the
little pools OF rain water WHICH 0oio0''o
in tie depressions of the rock on which
they we're encamped. AT length, wearyins
of the stagnant beverage, one OF them de-
ternined to make the hazardous Journey
down inro the valley in quest OF fresh
supply. Carefully creeping down the pushy
slope. Without shaking tree or disiodgins
n stone. he entered the valley without d's-
covery, wormed his way through the .ah
grass. and reached the river bank, mica
his canteens aud returned in perfect safety
After this one of them cane down nearly
every day. and apparently with compaIaT
tive safety.
O,a 5av NcCle,and went on the errand.
along less watchtul than usual
e,,ed his cantcens, and turned TO retraoe
his steps, when he suddenly found hiihse"