Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1893-01-27

bring up 500 men If need be. 1t will
be much more sensible in you to surren-
der at once. No use trying to hold out
against such odds"
"Aud what 4 we surrender5' asked
Thomas.
"Weu, they'll gobble your outfit and
let you 90. III pledge you my word
that no harm shall come to either OF
you"
He spoke like an honest man, and yet
as he talked we recollected half dozen
instances where he had induced surren
der in like manner and then solicited the
honor of binding the prisoners to the
stakes. After a brief consultation he
was informed that we proposed to fight
it out. We expected that be would
buster and threaten, but he did not.
On the contrary, he said he was sorry
for our determination, as he could not
influence the redskins in case any were
killed or wounded. He finally with
drew, saying he would give Us half an
| hour to make up cur minds. When he
had gone we debated the question afresh,
and for moment we were inclined to
trust him. Then we remembered the
story of his inducing nine prospectors
and hunters whom the Indians had
corralled near Beaver. q. T., to surren
der, and then stood by and applauded
their torture and death, and resolved to
make fight for it. The base liar and
hypocrite made use Of the half hour to
push seven or eight Indians into the
ravine from each end, so they might be
ready to charge US. He did not come
| back for our answer, but call to US from
the bank above. Suspecting his game,
we were as ready as we could be when
there was yell and a rush. We had
one shot apiece with our rifles, and then
our revolvers came into play.
There never was an Indian born who
had the sand to stand up to a fight IN
less he had the odds in his favor. We
beat them back by firing three or four
shots apiece. Thomas killed one and
badly wounded another. l wounded
one so badly that he dropped his rifle in
getting away. Under cover of the
smoke we got three rifles, and Thomas
overlook his wounded warrior and fin
ished him and stripped the pair of their
ammunition. We further strengthened
the breastworks on each side and then
felt prepared for any move they might
make. 1t was about twenty minutes be-
fore we heard from Corporal Day again.
Then he called out to praise US for the
fight we had made and to renew his
otter. Our refusal brought him out in
his true colors. He declared that he
had brought death to over forty white
people; that he had only been trying to
dupe us: that he was sure of our cap
ture, and that our torture should last "a
whole day before death came to relieve
us. For half an hour after he ceased
talking everything was quiet. What
they were planning to do was to put
their main force into the south end of
the tunnel for a rush. At the same time
they would put two or three warriors
into the north end, who should advance
by rolling rocks ahead Of them. In this
way they would be covered aud hold the
attention of one Of us at the same time.
Our mule had been wounded in the
first rush, and presently became half
crazed with pain and fear. We decided
to cut his throat, but as we seized him
and Thomas got out his knife the beast
broke away, screaming out like wild
animal, and jumped the south breast
work, and went laundering down the
ravine. Corporal Day and eight or ten
redskins had gathered for the next move.
The mule dashed among them, knocked
the corporal down, and trod on him,
and he was so injured that he died a
week later. We heard a great shouting
from the redskins, but of course had no
idea of what had happened. The acct
dent to the corporal caused change of
The Indians walled up
each end Of the ravine so that we could
not make rush and then planned to
smoke US out. They spent whole day
collecting brush and leaves and limbs
and tumbling them into the raviue. AS
soon as we realized their object we be-
gan work at our drift and deepened it
to thirty feet. Then we carried stones
to the entrance to form a wall and when
the stuff in the ravlne was set on fire VIC
retired to our cave. But for the work
accomplished before we were attacked
we should have been suffocated and
then roasted. They heaved an immense
quantity OF stuff into the ravine. and
when the torch was applied there was a
suction from north to south which con-
verted the entire ravine into furnace.
They could not tumble anything directly
in front of us, but even after we had re-
treated to the back end OF the drift the
heat nearly overcame US. They lighted
the fire about s o'clock in tnc morning