The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-08-13
LITTLE T,.N,
Gallant Rescue Of an Alaskan Indian BOY
From tlie Stnk,. .|".efs. VA

From The Stnk,. 70
The following interesting narration !.
taken from q San Francisco exchange o.
July 81. The hero Of the adventure,
Captain A. NJ. Brown, is we'll known &c
many Wheeling people:
The steamer Umatilla arrived In nor,
this morning from Victoria and pupe,
sound ports, with a large number o.
passengers and well loaded down with
freight. At Port Townsend shs con-
nected with the Alaskan steamer and
took on board a number OF tourists
The passengers were a most genial lot,
there being q large s%prinkling of the
gentler sex who were wont to delight
the hearts Of Skipper Holmes and
furser Curtin.
Among the passengers were Can't. A,
N. Brown and his protege, Little Tom
a seven.year.old savage, who was gal.
lantly rescued from q horrible death by
the Captain. Captain Brown left here
months ago on the schooner Olga TO,
Marzovia. He travelled through Alaska
for o considerable distance inland look.
ing after mines and other interests he
has in that portion OF the country. It
came 10 the knowledge OF Captain Brown
that there was m Indian boy about to
be sacrificed 10 the foolish supersti,ions
Of n tribe OF Indians some distance from
where he was located, and the Captain
determined TO cave the little fellow from
the stake.
Little Tom is the son OF n prince Of a
tribe OF Indians to the north OF Ouna-
laska. He ID q very bright child, and
his intelligence came near costing him
his life. The tribe was attacked with
ia grippe" and nearly forty Of the In
dians were moved down by the relent-
less scythe Of the reaper. The arts and
knowledge OF the medicine man availed
not, and death continued 10 stalk un-
checked through the ranks of the tribe.
Finally the old doctor himself was taken
with the disease, and the CONSERVATION
OF the tribe was complete. Following
out the superstitions Of the race, a coun-
Gil was called and it was decided that
there was q witch in the camp. Little
Tom Was picked out as the cause of all
the trouble, and it WIS decided that be
must be sacrificed to appease the wrath
of the gods. The little fellows father
assented, and the boy was bound to
a stake and told that il tho medicine
died he would be burned at the
stake.
For seven days and nights the lad re.
manned bound to the stake with death
him in the face. The old doctor
grew worse and it was decided on the
seventh day that the boy must die. The
funeral pyre was built and all arrange
ments made for the awful death, which
was to take place on the following morn.
ing at sunrise. That night, however.
Captain Brown arrived on the scene.
He saw the child tied to the stake, and
when the camp was wrapped in slum.
Der he slipped in and cut the thongs
that bound the captive. The boys
limbs were 80 cramped that the captain
was obliged to carry him. Before he got
out OF the camp he was observed by a
sentinel and the alarm was sounded,
and the tribe was up in arms in a flash.
At the edge OF the wood Captain
Brown had stationed six men armed
with good Winchesters. He gave the
signal, and they were at his side in q
moment. A pow.wow was held, the
Indians demanding the return of their
prisoner. Brown declared that he would
not give him up, whereat the chief said
that he would kill all hands. The brave
skipper's blood was up, and he assured
the chief that il there vas any killing to
be done the Winehcsters would do the
biggest part, aud threatened il moles.ed
to wipe out the entire tribs. The res
cuers then retreatel with the boy in
their midst, and the Indians deen,iug
prudence the better part OF valor, suffer
ed them 10 depart.
The boy was a great favorite on the
trip down, his queer experiences and
quaint exprcssiona afforded no end OF
amusement to the passengers. His ex.
p%erience With o plate OF ice cream con.
vulsed his C%ompanions. He took O
large spoonful and the tears came into
his eypa, while his face assumed a
%domoniacal expression. Everybody
shouted with laughter and the young
savage gave q var whoop that startled
Steward Saunton in his den, Freight
CLERK Salzer treated the little fellow II
an electric shock, which ,ickled him
hugely until lie got an extra shock, wher
he dropped the holders with another
wild yell. Captain Brown. proposes tc
put the boy into A mission and educate
him. The little savage hes founda kline
und considerate master.