The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1900-06-07

sudden attack by the Indians were
Scott. his wife, who was "'"'"''" nj
-. sac oman children, a woman
servant, and two negro boys.
Scott was killed and one Of his
children was tomahawked in bed by
tie savagcs. Mrs. Scott snatched
up the other one only to have it tom
ahawked in her arms. The brains
of the child splashed on the mother ;
face it is said. Somehow, the WON
an-servant and the negroes managed
to escape and made their way to
Fort Blackamore Mrs. Scott was
taken prisoner and the long march
began.
She related alterward how the
scalp of her husband was slung across
the shoulder af an Indian and how
they compelled her to walk behind
holding to the long curly hair.
At first she could think Of nothing,
being crazed with grief and horror,
but slowly she rcgained possession OF
her faculties and resolved to escape.
The Indians, not fearing pursuit,
do not appear to have Travelled rapid
" with their captive, and gradually
they relaxed the strict watch kept
over her at first They even allowed
her to fish sometimes all day unmo-
Tested; and each time she ventured
farther away and stayed longer, but
as she always came back, they ceas-
ed to be suspicious regarding her
movements
One day she went out alone as
usual, she went on in the direction
from which she knew they had come
as rapidly as possible, knowing that
when her escape was discovered she
would be pursued.
Instant search by tho Indians fol-
te WIN. Mr: Scots ,.ta disappearance
he ests. And it is ordered ut her wom-
be this order be forthwith puts, and af
Sc week, for four successive v i thrill
~ n@srfh t '' inp Posi- IT,; a new'paI cached
oIJ irI'u7S Gun un-5oq suA. ' - ~
'oo 20 lsrI =" slI!q uour.iow i azf-
1q 'o!r u u uro5o, o!IrLops before her
marriage. This wa" "'3 the month of
August and she had been taken cap.
tive very early N the spring.
Mrs. Scott wrote an account Of her
adventures among the Indians which
is curiously interesting.
During her flight, she says she
came to point where the trail
branched out'in entirely different di-
rections. While she was in sore doubt
which trail to follow, she noticed a
little bird flying around among the
low branches Of the trees ovcrhang-
ing one Of the trails, as if trying to
attract her attention.
Being intensely superstitiouS, the
thought struck her that the bird was
a good omen, and she followed it
down the trail. She claims it flew
before her for some distance and
seeing that the trail was in truth
the right one, it is small wonder that
TO the minds of many the little feath-
cred guide was sent to fulfill that
mission.
After the Revolution, Mrs. Scott
married again and sold Fort Scott
and the land to Robert Duff, all an
cestor of the present owner.
The last Indian that infested the
fair region had been shot by one of
the white settlers. 1t was the half
breed, Capt. BENZ. His skull was
placed in tree, and it is said that
one of the white settlers, who had a
lively recollection of some of the re-
doubtable chiefs misdeeds, was ac-
customed to reviling bitterly the grin
ming skull as if it were still on the
shoulders of Capt. Benz, and the
brain inside of it meditating fresh
mischief to the whites.
y pipe belonging to the famous
half-breed was found long afterward
near the place where he had fall
len, lodged between two rocks. The
pipe was repeatedly notched with a |
sharp knife. The notches represented
white women who had been captured |
by Capt. Benz. in his frequent raids.
The pipe was bought by a collector
of Indian relics.
Closely connected with the early |
history of this part of Virginia is an
incident which occurred on the banks
Of the great river known as the Clinch.
u small party of men were once
crossing the river on raft OF logs
held together by wild grape-vines.
One of the men could not swim and as
he raft was pushed off he remarked
anxiously. "Say, boys, | can't swim.
If ! fall off, You must be sure and
,linch me" The others laughed and
promised, and after that the place of
became known as Clinch Me
which was afterwards shortened to
Jlinch and applied to the whole
stream.