Year: 1872




shot was fired upon them, the bal
lodging in the head of the deer
which hung next to Adam Poe.


To drop their burden and rush to
the ambush was but the work of a
moment, Adam taking the right and
his brother the left hand side.


The thicket proving much larger
than either thought they became
more widely separated than they in
tended, and Adam was on the point
of returning to where they had left
the deer, when, at the distance of a
hundred yards or so, he discovered
the gigantic form of the Shawnee
chief, who was just in the act of fir
ing upon him.


Adam had time to reach cover be-
fore the shot was made, and then be-
gan a series of tactics, such as is
rarely witnessed in those wilds, for
two Of the most noted warriors of
the day were trying to gain an ad-
vantage over the other.


Foot by foot they drew nearer
each other, leaping from tree to tree,
from stump to stump, from rock to
rock as the case may be.


Imperceptible to each other, per-
haps, they gradually worked round,
until both stood on the verge of a
high bluf-bank overlookingthe river,
facing each other, but some twenty
PAGES apart. .,r


Here, from behind trees, the wild
foeman strove to obtain a shot; and
at last Adam, thinking he saw his
chance, fired at the exposed hip Of
the chief.


He missed his aim, and like an en-
ragged lion, the gigantic Indian rush
ed from his cover, and bore down up.
on the no wise daunted white
man.


Half way they met, the Indian
welding his tomahaWk, having cast
aside his rife, while Adam laid his
hopes and prospects upon the kee1
edge OF his hunting knife.


With a shock, they met midway
and then began a struggle such as i:
rarely witnessed between human
kind.


Poe was not quite so tall as The
Shawnee, but he was fully as strong
and more active; and so the flgh
was on an equal footing.


For many minutes they struggled
back and forth upon the grassy lev
ell, now closing in the attempt Il
throw each other, and failing in this
again resorted to blows, dealt will
tomahawk and knife. By this tim,
both were wounded in several places
the chief probably the most severel,
of the two.


At length, making a savage strok,
with his weapon, the grasp of tn,
red skin slipped, and the light a,
went whirling far into the river


In an instant the Indian grappled
and struggle, fercer than any tina
had yet taken place, ensued; eacl
put forth every effort, until, au
Iproaching too near the verge of tn
Iprecipice, they missed their footini
and went tumbling into the strean
locked in deadly embraced!
1 The advantage now lay. witt
Adam. He was practical swim
mer, and soon discovered that hi
Iopponent could not swim at all.
The Indian strove to regain tn
shore, but was thwarted at ever
point by Poe, who would jerk hin
back into deep water, and then bot
would go under together.


Finally falling further out thai
before, the combatants were csugh
up by the current, and quickly
borne some distance from the land


The fight was now all in the whit
mans favor, and would have sool
ended but for an unlooked-for ant
unfortunate circumstance. Adam
brother suddenly appeared upon the
scene, and taking in his brother
peril, as he thought, at a glance
ventured upon the dangerous ex
pertinent of finishing the chief by
shot.


The ball sped, but not truly, for il
struck Adam in the shoulder, almost
paralyzing his left arm. His situa
tion became desperate now indeed
He could force the Indian beneath
the current, but he could not keep
him there, and seeing that his own
strength was rapidly departing, he
determined to outWind the enemy


With this object he suddenly
threw his arm around the savage's
neck, and they disappeared beneath
the surface.


Adams brother, standing upon the
bank, unconscious of the harm he
had done, witnessed the scene in
dismay.


Long he waited for the appearance
of one or the other, until at length,
becoming alarmed, he leaped into
the stream, and swan to the spot.


He reached it not a moment too
soon.


Adam had 'out-winded the In
dian, but, in doing so, had nearly
drowned himself.


He came feebly to the surface,
and would have sank again, but for
his brothers aid.


They both reached the shore in
safety, but Adam Poe never fully
recovered from the terrible exertion
of that fight.