The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1886-08-18
TIONESTA, Pa, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST IS 1886.

Mates, says /, as we were being
towed ashor" tits plain enough thai
we have been made prisoners and dis.
armed. 1t doesn't appear, however that
they mean us any great harm, and it will
perhaps be our wisest plan not to provoke
them to violence
81 expected we would be landed on the
bank of the creek, but in place of that
two of the natives came into the yawl.
her painter was taken by one Of the
canoes, and we went up the creek at a
smart pace. The forest was so dense on
either side that it was twilight in there,
and we could hardly see each other s
faces. The creek was about thirty feet
wide and quite deep. We were about
nall mile from the river when we heard
the report of musket. The gun had
been fired on board the schooner for q
recall. The report somewhat excited the
natives, and at the command of their
chief they pulled ahead the faster Price
was man of hot temper and when he
mad recovered his wits and realized that
we we're being carried off, he advised
that we make Rfght for our liberty.
While it might u that the natives un-
derstood few words of English, it is
n2ore likely that Che tone of his voice and
bis excitement gave them the cue. One
otthe fellows in the yawl With us had
nSlsket, and he cooked it and held the
wsapon within a foot of my mates
breast. That was to warn him that any
move on his part would be his own
death, and he soon subsidized.
II think we must have gone up the
va f,,ll L. - Il. 4 4 e
their village. 1t was not on the bank of
the stream, but hall miac away, and
approached by IL. tos iPus paths
through the dense Forests That it was
plain to understand that they were a
warlike and strategic tribe, and that all
the redcoats in British Guiana could not
successfully attack the place. Each
path, as l afterward came to know, was
defended by sort of abattis, and
sentinel or Sa3Rt was always on duty.
Our advent in1 the village created but
little surprise, Nhd this mostly among
the women and children. This was
prettyssgood prQ& that the sight of a
white@dan was NJ novelty to the men.
We were held r guard on piece of
vacant ground W hin the village for
few inmates, whAe one of the natives
went off to see Ne chief; and during
this interval l said ~ the men:
' 1t is true, mats that we have been
made prisoners, hMAwe must hope for
the best. 1t is n&s likely, from the
looks of everythii hat we are being
held for ransom. 1Ease we are separa-
ted here and one OH has the luck to
get away, let him take. the creek for his
compass to 90 sasl sthe river
''Price growled back in an angry tone,
saying that but for me we could have
beaten them off, but Keys was silent. l
think he was considerably overcome by
our situation. After bit the native re-
turned, and we were separated and
marched of in different directions. I
was conducted to small hut which ap-
peared to have been empty for some
time, and was left alone in the darkness.
There was no door to shut on me, nor
was any one left as guard; but 1 had
kept my eyes open as Wa entered the
village, and knew that it would
be impossible for me to find
my way out. l found bed
of leaves and branches, flung myself upon
it, and after a few minutes given to
Il !
and it was sun-up before l opened my
eyes. A native had already entered the |
hut with my breakfast, which consisted
of stew in which. the meat might have
been monkey fopaR could tell or cared.
He also brouglfs calabash of water,
some ground nutskof pleasant taste, and
a species of fruit embling the Amer
lean mandrake. ras eating breakfast
when | heard a grSG shouting and saw
men running, but 4 4as half an hour be- |
fore learned the ca - of the excitement.
A native then con6 ted me to the house |
Of the chief, whes found Keys, great
Iy agitated. On e ground beside him
was q heap of eli ing which l recog-
nized as the garr A.Yorm Ly Price,
and as l entered the hut, Keys called to
me.
"Oh, Mr. bompson, IA Price has
been done for. He was inSeaRt next to
NE, and little time ago he made break
10 get away. / think he must have
some of the natives, aud that
he gave them a sharp fight, for they
finished him off. ] saw his dead body
IS they brought me here
''The chief was not a bad looking fel- /
OW. nc III u u uIOll .dHu cunning lOOh
about his eyes, and he watched and
listened attentively while we were speak
ng. Near him stood native, who
proved to be an interpreter. He had
evidently been in the employ of the Eng
ish, for he could speak fairly well. At
/ sign from the chief he asked of us
"'You writep
"Keys shook his head, while I said
res. He then placed before me paper,
nix and pens, and alter a confab with
he chief he said
"You write Captain. One of you
lead. He buy others. Want muskets,
powder, hatchets, beads and cloth. He
1uy you in two days. No buy you,
you no get away. Write quick. Canoe
AXE him down to Captain
II caueht the idea at once. We were
% be held for ransom. Sailor men use