The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1889-03-08

| That mas became historical Tor its APP
palling influence, the Indian. as the
last remaining arrow discharged by his
nimble fingers grazed the head of Will
liams. fell forward upon the ground a
corpse.
This terminated the fight, but while
Williams was really the victor, he ex-
pected at any moment to die from his
wounds. He looked back toward the
river and saw the Indians swaying back
and forth, and keeping up an Internal
whooping and yelling and throwing
into the air pieces of the flesh of his
murdered comrades.
As Williams turned to enter the
woods. Hedden, who had also escaped,
called to him, and joining him they
both hurried off through the timber to-
| gether. Hedden had been a witness of
the latter part of the conflict in which
Williams was engaged, but, powerless
to render him any assistance, had
breathlessly watched he progress of the
fight. until with rejoicing he saw it ter
inmate in Williams favor.
Williams presented a most pitiable
sight; his hands, arms, head, and near
ly every portion of his body were cut,
jagged, bruised and pounded almost to
a jelly. while the only clothing he had
was shirt. The only course now open
- the two men was to proceed north
ward along the coast to the Umpqua
settlements, distance of about forty
miles. They were without food. fire or
blankets; their route lay through a
country full of hostile Indians, and
their only weapons consisted of the gun
(without ammunition) that Williams
had brought out of the fight. and q
knife belonging to Hedden.
They travelled all that night as fast
as Williams was able to go, and about
noon the next day lay down to sleep.
Hedden, being unhurt, was soon asleep,
with the rifle (of no practical use) by
his side; but Williams, who was in too
much agony to sleep, was suddenly
startled by heavy shadow being cast
in front of him. caused by an Indian
rising from tie ground on the opposite
side of Hedden, and having in his
hands the gun. Hedden was on his
feet in an instant and rushed at the
| savage with his butcher knife. The
Indian fled, Hedden in close pursuit
and but few feet behind, striking at
him with the knife; when coming to a
| bluff the Indian jumped down a perpen-
dicular precipice about twenty feet,
carrying the gun with him. Believing
themselves pursued the two men struck
deeper into the timber and continued
travelling as long as Williams could
walk.
Day after day they struggled on,
Williams continually getting worse.
and able to crawl but few miles a
day. The only food that could be OBJ
tanned was bugs and snails, and upon
this unsavory diet they were compelled
to subsist in order to sustain life. All
of Williams wounds except the one
where the arrow had penetrated the
abdomen were now running Sores and
his body was swollen TO an enormous
size, till he was unable to rise from the
ground without assistance. The self
sacrificing devotion of Hedden to his
unfortunate companion was most
touching. and Williams repeatedly
urged him to go on to the fort alone
and leave him to die in the wilderness
But Hedden firmly refused, saying he
etc
and see him decently buried when he
died.
After almost two weeks of wandering
they at length reached the mouth of
Coos Bay. where they found friendly
Indian, who put them across on the
ocean beach. By following this about
twenty miles they would reach the
Umpqua. Williams now gave out so
completely that he could not move, and
suffered untold agony, crying. begging,
and praying for death to release him
from his suffering. He again urged
Hedden to go on and leave him to die in
the sandhills; but with the resolution of
a martyr Hedden refused, saying he
must move ON while life lasted, and not
give up now when help was so near.
So, tearing up his shirt. Hedden made
sort of sling, which he placed around
Williams. and thus carried him along
until they reached the Umpqua, where
Williams was placed in friendly hands
and his wounds dressed for the first
time.
Shortly after their arrival at the
Umpqua a vessel came in from San
Francisco having on board as passen-
ger DIR. E. r. Fiske, a graduate of
Harvard College, and kind and be-
nevolent man. Under his charge Will
liams was soon able to move around,
but the arrow still remained in his
body and caused him much trouble
Finally, on February %. 1859. the end
of the wooden joint of the arrow made
its appearance near where it had en-
tered, and with the aid of a pair of
bullet-molds Williams succeeded in |
drawing it out. 1t was hard vine
maple stick about three inches long, |
both ends of which had been hardened |
by the fire, and was as solid as ever.
He now began rapidly to get well, and
in ten days threw aside the rags and |
bandages for the first time since Sep
TENDER q, 1851. and stepped forth a
well man.-Overland Monthly.
Simple Remedy for Catarrh.