The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1888-02-29

In the course OF an hour he drove FIVE or
six, and then he bored two in the door
with big auger.
We carried in ali the provisions in the
house followed by the clothing and the
bedding. While we worked we kept
our eyes open for sight of Indians. but
1t was 1 / o'clock before we saw them
coming. They were not more than a
mile away when we retired to our fort
and barricaded the door. All the live
stock had been turned loose aud driven
away, while the fowls were flying about
on the prairie. There was very little
left in the house, and the worst they
could do was to burn it, When we shut
ourselves up missed two of the kegs of
powder, but to my query as to what had
become of them Miller made no replv.
except by II laugh He had been work
ing by himself all the forenoon, digging
holes and running trenches, but | had
Deen too busy to notice just what he was
up to.
There were thirty-two mounted
lnGlans in the band which came up and
among them they bad five fresh scalps.
Every one had plumber of some sort from
the settlers cabins, and two or three ap.
peared much the worse for liquor. They
had probably seen us enter the milk
house, for they rode right up to the
cabin without fear. We could see them
very plainly, and among the gang we
picked out several who had often been
supplied with food and ammunition.
There were yells of rage from those who
dismounted and entered the house to
find 1t stripped, but presently council
was held in the one big room. After
Jew minutes an Indian appeared around
the corner OF the house with white rag
tied to stick, and when he had waived
1t few times he called out that he
wanted talk" Miller shouted to him
to come on, and he advanced to within
fifty feet of the fort before he stopped
and called out:
"All come out. Indians no hurt
Dutchman."
rs there war9" shouted Miller.
mo war-no war; Young men get
drunk and ride around, but no war.
Indians all like Dutchman."
"If you like us, then 90 away and
leave us alono" shouted Miller.
"Will you come outi'
"No. So"
Then we burn house and kill all
cattle.n
The Indians were too anxious to get at
their bloody work to waste much time in
parleylng. The messenger was no sooner
under shelter than the gang began to
howl and whoop, and while some opened
flre on us from the windows, Others made
preparations for bonfire. In about ten
minutes the house was on fire, and the
Indians crowded together on the far
side. 1t was a log house, and the roof
fell IN before the sides were hardly ablaze.
The slight wind blew the smoke and
sparks directly over us, so that we could
not see five feet. The Indians continued
to yell and dance for time, but sudden
ly there was terrific explosion and
dozen screams of terror. Twas looking
into the smoke cloud, which how and
then lifted for an instant, and saw the
burning logs of the house scattered to
the four winds by the explosion. Miller
knew the reds would set the building on
fire, and he had placed one of the kegs
of powder where it would do the most
good. We counted five warriors killed
or disabled by the explosion, and Miller
killed two Others before the crowd got
out of range. The house was the best
shelter from which TO worry us, and they
had lost 10y destroying it.
The strength of our fort could be seen
at a glance. The Indians were wise
enough not to attempt rush. and the
whole party were also impatient to push
on to other scenes. Six or eight more
arrived soon after the explosion, and
presently we saw them making ready to
move of. A general volley was fired at
us, the war whoop was sounded, and
the brief siege was raised. 1t was half
an hour before we ventured out, and not
an Indian was in sight We could, how
ever, see tall columns of black smoke
whichever way we looked, and il was
plain that the whole section was in the
hands of the Indians. We could not at
first make out why they had left us, but
Miller soon concluded that they knew
what they were about. We had no
means of escape left to us. The savages
were on every side, and if we attempted
to leave the neighboI hood we should fail
into the hands of some of them. 1t was
quite safe to leave us there while they
pushed on to butcher the defenceless
ones.
An hour after dinner we were Joined
by three young men who had been hid
ing, dOdging and travelling since the
evening before, and who had come dis.
tance of twenty miles. They were
bachelor homesteaders, and all had rifles,
revolvers and plenty of ammunition. 1t
was welcome addition to our party, for
we now felt that we would have to stand
a siege. Mrs Miller brought out the
pots and kettles, and cooked dinner on a
fire in the open air, and after it was eaten
she began to prepare food for the siege
Pork was boiled, flour stirred into cakes,
coffee made and put into Jugs, and before
night she had enough food 10 last dozen
men week. Meanwhile the rest of us
had not been idle. Some large posts were
sunk in the earth before the door lcav-
space enough for nly one person to come
at Us at time that way Four more
loophOles were made in the walls. aud
then the plankine Of the roof was loon
holed by means of the auger in at least
twenty places. l now saw what Miller
had been up to the day before. He had
put in no less than three powder mines
in the vicinity, running slow match to
each one. The only cover the Indians
could have in the neighborhood was in
the rear of the fort where we had mined
tha h., I,ft l.