Alpena argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1893-1909, 1893-06-14
ESCAPE FROM INDIANS,

On the 9th of March, 1850,
Thomas Bennett and his son An
drew, lad about fourteen years of
age, were engaged in ploughing OH
the flats in eastern Pennsylvania.
They had brought their guns with
them for the purpose of shooting
some wild fowl on the river; and,
after hunting for IA while, conceal
ed them and commenced work.
During this proceeding they had
been watched by four Indians, who
crept up to where their pieces were
concealed and broke them. They
then sprang upon the man and boy,
and instantly hurried them away
into the woods.
1t 50 happened that, Oh this same
morning, Lebbons Hammond had
left Wilksbarre in search of a horse
that had strayed away. He found
him a few miles up the river, on
the western side; and improyising
a bride, was proceeding leisurely
homeward when he discovered moe
casin tracks. He was excessively
alarmed, and was at a loss what to
do under the circumstances; but
while celebrating, two Indians
sprang from the bushes, and while
one seized his animal the other
pulled him off.
After "a brief consultation be-
tween the two savages, they led
Hammond into the wood and PIN
toned him to tree. I'm this situa-
ton he was left about an hour,
when they returned with the four
who held Bennett and his son as
prisoners.
An Indian mounted Hammond's
horse, and when they reached a
marsh, he drove him into it and
there left him.
They now made all haste, camp
ing the first night near the foot of
Cummings Pond, in what is now
Northumberland.
1t should be remarked that both
Bennett and Hammond were noted
patriots, the latter having made an
almost miraculous escape, some
time before, from that tigress
Queen Ester, or Katherine Mon
tour. The Indians could not have
been aware of this, or they would
not have allowed them to remain
unbound on the first night of their
encampment.
Bennett proposed to his compan-
ion in the night, that they should
attempt to escape, but the latter
advised against it. 1t was hardly
possible they could succeed, and
failure was certain death. Bennett
remarked that death was before
them if they remained much long
er in the hands of their captors, but
Hammond had more hope, and the
project for the present was aban-
doned.
The next day Bowman Creek
was reached. Although they had
been engaged i'll ploughing, when
they came into the woods, they
found the snow very deep. This
made the travelling very laborous,
especially to Bennett, who was quite
an aged man.
Cold and chilly in the woods,
with the SNOW fragile and crusted;
wet, thawing, muddy in the open
spaces, it could not have been
more disagreeable. Mercy, how
ever, is a trait that rarely distin-
guishes the North American Indian,
and our friends were urged on, with
hardly moments rest.
Toward the close of the day the
party came upon company of saw
ages, numbering forty, who were
accompanied by a Tory. An old
Indian, who recognized Bennett,
called out: "Ah, old Bennett, Id
rather see your scalp"
Quite lengthy delay now took
place, during which one of the
savages, blackened his face, and
directing the attention of Bennett,
said: "Ho! Bennett"
This meant nothing more or less
than that the prisoner was to he
burnt to death at the stake, and all
three of the captives fully under
stood it's significance.
Finally the two parties separated,
one from the larger joining the
smaller, so that the latter number
ed seven. Now that they had be-
come aware of the character of
their prisoners, they guarded them
with more care. At night they
were papposed-that is fastened
down by poles laid across them,
with an Indian lying upon either
end. From this it will be seen
that there was little prospect of
escape, as the slightest movement
was sure to disturb the savages,
whose slumber is proverbially light
as that of the wild animal.
Under such circumstances the
three whites were ready to give up
in despair and die. Moody and 81
lent they stretched themselves up
on the ground and lay through the
long still hours of the night, look
ing up at the stars overhead, and
communing. with the only Beng