The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1907-10-16

At the death of Rhon-yan-ness, he was the
Oldest chief in the Wyandott nation. He was
came a convert TO the religion of Christ among the
Wyandotts. He was a great hunter, and first
among the braves of his tribe, and was as much
honored as d chief as any chief of any nation.
We will relate an incident which occurred in
his life, that will serve to show, in some degree,
his zeal and courage as an Indian, and will also
illustrate several points in his character better,
perhaps, than the most elaborate detail. Previous
to the relation of this incident it will be necessary
to refer the reader to a scrap Of border warfare.
About the middle of July, 1882. seven Wyandotts
crossed the Ohio, a few miles above Wheeling,
and committed great depredations upon the south
ern shore. killing an old man whom they found
alone in his cabin, and spreading terror through
out the neighborhood. Within a few hours after
their retreat, eight men assembled from different
parts of the small settlement, and pursued the
enemy with great expedition. Among the most
active and efficient of the party, were two brothers
Adam and Andrew Poe. Adam was particularly
popular. In strength, action, and hardihood, he
had no equal, being finely formed, and Injured to
all the perils of the woods.
They had not followed the trail far before they
became satisfied that the depredatcrs were CON
Quoted by Big Foot, a renowned chief of the
Wyandott tribe, who derived his name from the
immense size of his feet, and his strength was
represented as Hercu,ean. He had also five
brothers, but little inferior to himself in size
and courage; and as they generally went in COM
pany they were the terror of the whole country.
Adam Poe was overjoyed at the idea of measuring
MS strength WITH lHtu OIL SO celeDrateu a chief,
and urged the pursuit with a keenness which quick
ly brought him into the vicinity of the enemy.
For the last few miles the trail had led them up
the southern bank OF the Ohio. where the foot
prints in the sand We're deep and obvious; but
when within a few yards of the point at which
the whites as we'll as the Indians We're in the
habit OF crossing, suddenly diverged from the
stream, and stretched along a rocky ridge, form
ing an obtuse angle with its former direction. Here
Adam halted for a moment, and directed his
brother and the other young men to follow the
trail with proper caution, while he himself still
adhered to the river path, which led through clus-
ters of willows directly to the point where he
supposed the enemy to lie. Having examined the
printing of his gun, he crept cautiously through
the bushes till he had a view of the point OF en-
barkation. Here lay two canoes, empty and APP
parently deserted. Being satisfied. however. that
the Indians were close at hand, he relaxed moth
ing OF his vigilance. and quickly sained a jutting
Cliff, which hung Immediately over the canoes.
Hearing a low murmur below he peered cautious
ly over, and beheld the object of his search. The
gigantic Big Foot lay below him in the shade
of a willow. and was talking in a low deep tone
to another warrior, who seemed a mere pigmy
by his side. Adam cautiously drew back, and
cooked his gun. The mark was fair; the distance
did not exceed twenty feet. and his aim was UNI
erring. Raising his rifle slowly and cautiously,
he took a steady aim at Big Foots breast, and
drew the trigger. His gun flashed. Both Indians
sprang to their feet with a deep intersection of
surprise, and for a single second all three started
upon each other.
This inactivity. however. was soon over.-Adam
was too much hampered by the bushes to re-
treat. and setting his life upon the cast of "A die,
he Sprang over the bush which had sheltered him,
and summoning all his powers, leaped boldly
down the precipice, and alighted upon the breast
of Big Foot with a shock which bore him to the
earth. At the moment of contact. Adam had
also thrown his right arm around the neck of the
smaller Indian, so that all three came to the
earth together. AT that moment a sharp firing
was heard among the bushes above, announcing
that the other parties were engaged; but the trio
below were too busy to attend to anything but