Skip to main content

Full text of "A true story of the extraordinary feats, adventures and sufferings of Matthew Calkins, Chenango Co., N.Y., in the war of the revolution--never before published. Also, the deeply interesting story of the captivity of General Patchin, of Schoharie Co., N. Y., when a lad: by Brant and his Indians. In the same war: written from the lips of the respective heroes above-named. The spirit of evil and the spirit of good: a Saginaw tale; from Schoolcraft's researches. And the story of Conrad Mayer, the hunter .."

See other formats


.0 


.^^ 


J' 


aO. 


sO 


.^ 


J^ 


^p-^^ 


^^0^ 


^-^^x. 


rO^ 


^^   «^   ^'-^ 


^^ 


0 


'  "^     -x^     *J 


*^?^'-  \/ /jfe'v   "'■'-. ^^  :'S% 


/\ 


^. 


'  A 

TRUE    STORY 

OF    THE 

fTRAORDINARY  FEATS,  ADVENTURES  AND  SUFFERINGS   Ci 

OF 


ENANGO  q04   N.   Y.,  IN  "IIE    WAR  OF  TfJE  REVOLUTION— NEV£R}4^ 
BEFORE  PUBLISHED.  "i) 

ALSO,    THE  .     .      \£^ 

DEEPLY  INTERESTING  STORY  OF  THE 

G-APTIVITY  OF  GENERAL  PATCHIN,    g 

•  SCHOI^ARID  CO..  N.  Y.,  WHEN  A  LAD  :  BY  BRAN-I^aND  HiS' 
I  INDIANS. 

a'KE  SAME  WAR:  WRITTEN  FROM  THE  LIPS  OF  THE  RESPECTiVE  u^ 

HEROES  ABOVE-NAMED. 

). 

^'THE  SPIRIT  OF  E¥IIi  A^S>  THE  SFIKIT  OF  G005> : 


li 


A  SAGINAW  TALE  ;  FROM  SCHOOLCRAFT'S  RESEARCHES. 
j»  AND    THE    STORY  OF  . 

COr^'KA®    MASTER,   TWB    MSJNTE'fsi 


Who  will  spurn  a  story  of  that  savage  war, 
Wiiich  pour'd  out  blood  from  many  a  horrid  scar, 
And  won  for  millions,  a  hiding  place — a  home — 
A  refuge  for  the  race — ages  yet  to  come  1 

BY    PllIEST, 

AUTHOR   OF   SHJ^ERAh   W0KK3,   PAMPHLr.TS,    &C. 


Capyriofht  secured  according  to  law. 


LANSINGBURGH: 

PKINTED   BY   W.    IIARKNESS 


1§40. 


i<^ 


price  18  'S--i  ceuls. 


n  .'  -^  X 


C 


ALLUSIONS  TO  THE  MAIN  POINTS  OF  THE  FOLLOWING  ACCOUNTS. 


Calkin's  enlistment  in  the  war  of  the  Revolution — when — and  where. 

First  rendezvous  at  the  city  of  Albany,  under  Colonel  VVilJett. 

Marched  on  an  expedition  to  Johnstown— Stone  Robie,  and  Fort  Plain;  all  on  the  Mohawk, 
of  bloody  memory. 

Secret  expedition  in  the  night,  but  the  destination  unknown  to  the  men. 

The  rescue  of  Fort  Plant,  an  inland  place,  near  the  Mohawk,  from  a  large  force  of  Indians 
who  menaced  its  capture. 

Death  of  two  young  men  by  the  Indians,  who  had  gone  from  the  Fort,  before  day  light,  to  a 
distant  pasture  for  some  liorses. 

Appearance  of  many  Indians  on  the  skirts  of  the  forest,  surrounding  Fort  Plant  at  sun-rise. 

The  effect  of  chain  shot  when  thrown  among  them  from  the  gims  of  the  Fort. 

Perilous  rescue  of  the  cattle  of  the  neighborhood,  from  an  old  pasture,  situate  some  distance 
from  Fort  Plant,  in  the  wood?,  by  Calkins  and  a  fellow  soldier. 

Seeming  terror  of  the  cattle,while  in  the  pasture,  on  account  of  scenting  the  Indians,  as  was 
believed,  and  their  race  to  the  fort  when  let  out. 

Pursued  by  the  Indians  before  reaching  the  Fort,  but  met  with  chain  shot,  thrown  over  the 
heads  of  the  drove  and  the  men  behind  them. 

Willctt's  pursuit  of  these  Indians,  with  fifteen  hundred  men — overtook  them  while  cooking- 
their  breakfast — their  flight,  c'j-c. 

The  Stockbridge  and  Oneida  Indians  sent  in  chase,  under  an^ Indian  Colonel,  called  Leivey, 
with  an  hundred  wiiite  men,  Calkins  being  one  of  tlie  number. 

Caution  of  this  Indian  Colonel,  and  his  refusal  to  continue  the  chase,  on  account  of  the  signs 
of  an  ambush. 

Property  retaken  which  was  abandoned  by  the  enemy  from  the  heat  of  the  chase,  through  the 
wilderness,  near  Clark's  Ville,  Otsego  Co.,  N.  Y. 

Famous  attempt  of  Colonel  VViHeTt  to  capture  Fort  Oswego,  in  the  heart  of  winter. 

Great  fatigue  in  making  and  breaking  a  road  through  deep  snow  to  Oneida  lake. 

Failure  of  the  enterprise  on  account  of  the  v/ant  of  provision — treachery  of  an  Indian  guide — 
loss  of  the  right  way,  &c. 

Sufferings  of  the  troops  for  vrant  of  food — devouring  .of  dogs,  &c.  on  their  way  back. 

The  sufferings  of  four  men  in  particular  from  hunger  and  fatigue,  one  of  whom  was  Matthew 
Calkins. 

Great  numbers  of  the  troops  frozen  in  the  e.xpedition,  and  crippled  for  life. 

Fortunate  escape. of  Calkins  and  three  men,  from  being  captured,  having  travelled  a  whole 
day  betv>-een  two  detachments  of  the  enemy,  without  being  discovered. 

A  scouting  party  of  Indians  and  v.hite  men.  Calkins  beingone  of  theoi— Powwow  of  the  [ndians, 
leir  improvidence  in  relation  to  food--catch  fish  with  their  hands— quantity  which  they  dc- 
oured  at  once. 

Story  of  Carr,  the  tor3%  and  the  Carr-Mount  farm,  Otsego  Co.,  N.  Y. 

Daath  of  a  scout  by  treachey,  by  the  means  of  this  Carr — the  wonderful  escape  of  one  of 
their  number  by  running  when  pursued  by  Indians. 

Expedition  against  C7irr,  discovery  of  property  tied  in  parcels  in  the  tops  of  the  trees,  in  the 
woods  round  his  premises. 

The  interesting  story  of  the  captivity  of  Gen.  Patchin  of  Schoharie  Co.,  N.  Y.,  with  tiic 
capture  of  thirteen  others  at  the  same  time  by  Brant  and  his  Indians. 

'J'he  Spirit  of  Evil  and  Spirit  of  Good  :  an  Indian  Tale. 

Conrad  Mayer  and  Susan  Grey,  a  hunting  story  of  the  west. 


We  hope  the  public  will  excuse  the  reprinting  of  Gen.  Patchin's  narrative,  when  we  state, 
tliat  many  who  purchased  of  the  first  edition,  desire  to  see  a  second,  as  they  had  losl  or  worn 
out  the  first ;  aud  besides,  there  v\ere  of  the  first  edition  but  a  few  prjnted. 


A  TRUE  HISTORY  OF  THE  FEATS,  ADVENTURES  AND  SUFFER- 

INGS  OF  MATTHEW  CALKINS  IN  THE  TIME 

OF  THE  REVOLUTION. 

'Tvvould  make  one  weep  to  see  the  troubled  face 

Of  tlie  worn  out  soldier  on  an  Indian  trail,  * 

Tracking  the  stealthy  foot  from  place  to  place, 

To  hear  the  sudden  scream  and  the  infant's  wail. 

Such  sights  were  often  seen,  along  Olsego's  hills  ; — 

Such  sounds,  Chenango's  forests  oflC7i  knew. 

Along  the  vales  of  Delaware— its  brooks  and  rills — 

And  Old  Schoharie's  woods  of  bloody  hue. 

That  memorable  event,  the  Revolution  in  America,  had  progressed  with  all  its 
mighty  deeds,  nearly  live  years, — painting  on  the  canvass  of  nations,  the  story  of 
her  wrongs  imposed  by  tyranny, — when  Matthew  Calkins,  the  man  above  allud- 
ed to,  became,  though  young,  a  Volunteer  m  that  war,  with  thousands  of  others 
of  similar  ages  and  principles.  At  this  time,  he  lived  at  the  residence  of  his 
father,  in  Columbia  Co.,  N.  Y.,  in  a  place  called  Austerlilz  ;  and  knowing  that 
Colonel  VVilleit  of  intrepid  memory,  was  at  Albany,  enlisting  recruits  for  the 
Continental  service,  Calkins  became  determined  to  make  one  of  the  number, 
though  blood  and  perils  should  mark  his  steps.  He  now  repaired  to  that  ren- 
dezvous, being  but  eighteen  years  old.  On  coming  to  that  city,  he  entered  a- 
mong  the  nine-months  men;  but  in  a  short  time  saw  fit  to  enlist  for  two  years, 
in  what  was  called  the  three  years"*  Regiment : — cue  year  of  t':e  existence  of 
i\mt peculiar  Regiment — having  at  the  time  of  Calkin's  enlistment,  passed  by. 
The  first  service,  except  the  drilling,  training  and  exercise  incidental  to  the  ed- 
ucation of  a  soldier  under  arms — wa&  a  march  to  Johnstown,  Stone  Robie  and 
Fort  Plain — places  on  the  Mohawk,  where  had  been  committed,  in  the  earlie 
times  of  the  Revolution,  many  a  deed  of  horror,  under  the  eye  and  auspices  of 
the  bloody  .Johnstons,  Brant  and  Coajutors.  The  detachment  Calkins  belong- 
ed to,  v/as  commanded  by  Major  Benscoughton,  and  consisted  of  three  hundred 
men. 

Nov/,  while  lying  at  Fort  Plain,  Calkins  and  the  company  of  which  he  was  a 
member,  who  were  about  thirty  in  number,  and  commanded  by  one  Captain 
Tierce,  were  called  upon  secretly,  by  Lieutenant  Thornton,  long  before  day- 
light, or  the  time  of  the  revelee,  to  turn  out  instantly,  as  they  were  to  go  on  an 
expedition  ;  but  where,  he  knew  not.  Jn  a  tv.inkiing,  all  were  ready,  when  it 
was  perceived,  that  they  were  destined  on  a  most  dangerous  route,  as  they  were 
directed  to  penetrate  through  a  four-mile  v/oods,  to  a  place  where  there  was  a 
block-house  called  Fort  Plant.  This  place  of  security  had  been  built  by  the 
people,  for  the  mutual  safety  of  the  neighborhoods  situated  round  about,  which 
they  had  callod  Fort  Plant,  as  it  was  to  protect  the  planters  or  farmers  of  that 
part  of  the  country. 

At  Fort  Plant,  it  had  been  ascertained  duiingthe  night,  that  on  the  morrow, 
the  place  would  be  besieged,  by  a  force  of  seven  or  eight  hundred  Indians  and 
tories,  vvhose  operations  were  to  be  directed  by  British  oiliccrs.  It  was  a  iViend- 
ly  Indian,  who  had,  at  the  peril  of  his  life,  discovered  this  party  and  their  de- 
signs, and  made  haste  to  communicate  the  same  to  Fort  Plant.  On  this  account 
there  was  found  a  man,  who  carried  the  news  to  Fort  Plain,  and  requested  ini- 


5 

mediate  succor,  as  that  they  were  in  constant  expectation  of  an  onset.  In  Fort 
Plant  there  were  but  thirty  men,  and  unless  they  could  be  reinforced,  it  was  ex* 
tremely  probable  the  place  would  be  taken,  which  was  filled  with  the  families, 
women  and  children  of  the  settlement  round  about,  and  would  become  the  prey 
of  the  ladians'  bloody  knife,  unless  successfully  resisted.  The  troop  now  call- 
ed out  for  its  assistance,  the  hifantry,  who  arrived  safely  at  the  place, 
just  as  the  day  was  dawning.  It  appeared  on  their  arrival  that  the  enemy  had 
been  encamped  within  a  short  distance  of  the  Fort  during  the  niglU,  but  did 
not  seem  inclined  to  commence  the  onset  till  they  should  have  day-light  to  do  it 
by.  They,  no  doubt  knew  well  its  weakness,  and  therefore,  had  no  fear  as  to 
the  result,  and  besides  this,  no  doubt,  wished  to  capture  it  as  warily,  and  as  ea- 
sily as  possible,  in  order  to  save  the  lives  of  their  own  men.  Now  the  silent 
arrival  of  the  Infantry  from  Fort  Plain,  had  some  how  made  a  tremendous  im- 
pression upon  the  minds  of  the  enemy  in  the  woods,  as  they  had  evidently  seen 
the  troops  by  means  of  their  spies  lurking  in  the  dark  about  the  Fort,  when 
they  made  their  entry,  just  as  day-light  was  streaking  the  east.  On  seeing  this 
body  of  m.en  entering  from  the  way  of  Fort  Plain  the  spies  fled  into  the  svoods, 
with,  in  all  probability,  an  exaggerated  account  of  their  numbers,  as  it  was  not 
light  enough  to  compute  them.  In  what  direction  from  Fort  Plant  tlie  camp  of 
the  Indians  was  situated,  there  was  no  one  knew  ;  not  even  the  friendly 
Indian,  who  gave  the  alarm,  as  he  had  only  seen  them  within  a  few  miles  of  Fort 
Plant  the  day  previous,  and  some  time  before  it  was  time  to  camp  down  for  the 
;]ight,  and  therefore  could  not  tell  that  particular. 

Now,  some  time  before  day-light,  there  had  been  sent  out  from  tb.e  Fort,  two 
young  men,  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  in  a  pair  of  horses,  that  had  been  put 
in  a  back-wood  pasture,  to  feed,  as  it  was  then  in  September.  By  this  time, 
day-light  had  proi:;ressed,  so  that  it  was  quite  easy  to  see  a  considerable  dis- 
tance from  the  Fort,  which  stood  in  an  open  space,  the  trees  having  been  cut 
down  in  all  directions,  to  the  amount  of  many  acres.  On  account  of  the  new 
acquisition  of  Infantry,  to  the  Fort,  the  force  of  which  now  amounted  to  a 
company  of  sixty  men,  all  well  armed,  and  as  it  was  now  light  enough,  they  sallied 
forth  to  look  about,  and  make-such  discoveries  as  they  could.  At  this  very  junc- 
ture, the  sallying  out  of  the  troops,  the  two  young  men,  who  had  been  sent  for 
the  horses,  were  seen  just  emerging  from  the  woods,  riding  upon  a  full  jump, 
having  found  the  horses,  and  were  almost  safely  arrived  within  the  fort.  These 
two  young  men  were  the  sons  of  ditj'erent  families,  then  in  the  Fort",' who,  with 
many  others,  had  fled  thither  for  safety.  But  at  the  moment,  when  tliey  sup- 
posed all  was  well,  and  that  they  should  reach  that  depot  of  safety, the  Fort,  there 
was  heard  behirid  them,  from  the  direction  of  the  woods,  the  shots  of  two  guns, 
when  both  the  young  men  were  seen  to  fall  from  their  horses.  In  a  moment  af- 
ter, there  were  also  seen  the  forms  of  two  Indians,  running  with  great  speed  to- 
ward the  fallen  young  men  ;  who,  on  coming  up  to  them,  sunk  each  IVis 
hatchet  deep  into  their  Iieads  ;  then  took  off  their  scalps,  and  fled  to  the  wilder- 
ness ; — all  of  which  was  done  so  far  from  the  Fort  and  tlic  troops,  and  in  so  short 
a  lime,  that  no  rescue  could  be  sent,  or  shot  reach  them. 

In  a  moment  or  two  after,  there  were  seen  on  the  verge  of  the  wiluerrvess,  a 
great  many  Indians  ;  at  whom  the  cannon  of  (he  Fort  were  letofl'; — loaded  with 
chain  shot;  when  they  disappeared,  as  they  did  not  seem  to  like  the  sound,  nor 
the  whizzing  of  cold  iron  among  the  trees  about  (heir  heads.  Even  prior  to 
(his  demonstration  on  the  verge  of  the  woods,  and  before  the  arrival  of  the  In- 
fantry, there  had  been  seen  b)  the  sentinels,  in  several  uir'ections  the  dark  forms 
of  human  beings,  peering  about,  at  whom  the  guns  had  been  discharged,  when 
they  had  fled  ;  but  it  was  not  known  that  any  had  been  killed. 

The  direction  the  Indians  disappeared  in,    was  that  of  the  west.     Now,  in  a 


6 

southerly  course,  from  the  Fort,  there  was  at  a  distance  of  a  mile  or  more,  ^ 
place  cleared,  of  considerable  extent ;  and  was  used  as  a  bush  pasture.  Into 
this  old  field,  the  people,  who  had  fled  to  the  Fort,  had  driven  all  their  cattle,  a^ 
well  as  horses,  amounting  in  number  to  more  that  sixty. 

It  was,  therefore,  a  desirable  thing  to  get  these  cattle  within  the  Fort,  as  itf 
was  now  certain  that  the  Indians  would  fall  upon,  and  destroy  them,  so  sure  a^ 
they  should  make  the  discovery.  A  great  many  of  them  were  cows,  and  the! 
children  especially  kneeded  the  milk,  as  well  as  the  rest.  Now,  in  ordei* 
to  this,  the  whole  sixty  infantry,  in  the  full  blaze  of  martial  glory,  the  sun  jusli 
then  rising,  shone  brightly  upon  the  burnished  barrels  and  bayonets  of  theii' 
guns,  while  the  thunder  of  the  bass  drums,  the  rattle  of  the  tenor,  and  the 
shrill  fife,  with  a  terrible  clangor  shook  the  wilderness  with  their  harmony, 
deceiving  by  this  display,  the  ambushed  enemy,  who,  no  doubt,  believed  the 
Fort  to  be  full  offerees,  and  the  infantry  then  in  display,  but  a  mere  detach- 
ment sent  out  to  reconnoiter.  The  course  the  troops  took,  was  along  the  path 
through  the  clearing  leading  off  toward  the  old  pasture,  where  the  cattle  were 
secreted.  Now,  as  soon  as  they  came  to  the  verge  of  the  woods,  the  path  con- 
tinuing on — which  lead  to  the  field  through  a  dense  forest  of  a  full  mile  in  ex-., 
tent,  the  troops  came  to  a  halt.  This  was  done  in  order  to  consult  as  to  the  bes'E 
method  of  recovering  the  cattle,  as  it  could  not  be  long  before  the  enemy  wojld 
know  of  them  ;  then  it  would  be  too  late  for  the  rescue.  Here  they  came  to 
the  conclusion,  that  it  was  not  best  for  the  whole  company  to  go,  but  rather  thai 
two  or  three  should  be  selected,  only  who  could  do  the  service  as  well,  and  fai' 
better,  than  to  expose  the  whole  force  to  an  attack  in  the  woods,  and  besides,  wer(j 
tlie  Indians  then  near,  watching  their  motions,  they  would  not  be  as  likely  to 
discover  the  operation  of  the  sending  of  these  men  after  the  cattle  as  the}" 
would  be  more  likely  to  watch  the  main  body. 

Here  they  selected  from  among  the  troops,  two  men,  who  were  deemed  the 
swiftest  on  foot  of  any  in  the  army,  one  of  whom  was  the  hero  of  this  account, 
Matthew  Calkins.  Now,  when  the  two  stood  out  from  the  ranks,  destined  for  this 
dangerous  undertaking,  Calkins  was  objected  to  on  account  of  his  youth,  by  the 
conunandant.  But  the  sergeant  of  his  company,  who  knew  his  courage  as  well  as 
speed  in  the  race,  replied,  that  Calkins  could  run  to  the  pasture  and  back  again, 
sooner  than  any  other  man  on  the  ground,  when  the  comm.andant  replied,  "/Acn 
let  him  go.''''  The  two  adventurers  now  took  their  guns,  setting  oti'on  a  full  run, 
having  the  secret  sympathies,  as  well  as  the  prayers  of  the  whole  company,  anc', 
were  soon  through  the  woods,  to  the  dreaded  pasture  containing  the  cattle.  Iif 
a  moment  they  had  let  the  barrs  down,  when  the  animals  of  themselves  rushed  ir, 
a  mass  to  get  out.  for  they  appeared  to  be  aware  of  danger,  having  no  doubl 
smelt  the  Indians,  as  they  were  looking  towards  the  woods,  blowing  and  snort- 
ing in  terror.  As  soon  as  they  were  out  of  the  field,  they  lied  as  if  chased  by  a 
hundred  wolves,  directly  along  the  path  toward  the  Fort,  as  if  they  knew  thera 
was  safety,  the  two  men  following  after  close  behind.  It  was  not  long  ere  the}* 
came  out  of  the  woods,  when  the  men  from  among  whom  the  two  had  been  sef 
lected,  parted  to  the  right  and  left,  the  drove  passing  through  the  midst;  wher^ 
they  closed  again  and  followed  after.  This  being  atlected.  and  as  they  were  ii^ 
progress  toward  the  Fort,  being  highly  gratified  in  saving  the  cattle  ;  there  wa: 
heard  the  fearful  roar  of  several  cannon  shots,  the  balls  of  which  passed  ovcit 
the  drove,  into  tlie  woods  beyond.  This  was  imexpected,  as  well  as  the  cause 
unknown,  till  on  looking  back  they  saw  in  the  very  path  which  they  had  followed 
behind  the  cattle,  a  great  many  Indians,  as  well  as  that  the  skirtof  the  forest  vi-as 
full  of  them,  in  the  same  direction,  but  weie  not  near  enough  to  reach  the  Arae-j 
ricans  with  their  rifles.  Here  it  was  evident,  that,  had  they  not  rescued  the  catt 
tie,  as  they  did,  they  would  have  been  lost,  as  the  two  men  had  barely  freed  thq 


7 
drove  from  their  pasture,  before  the  Indians  were  on  their  track.  Bat  as  the 
balls  and  chain-shot  of  the  Fort,  fell  rather  plentifully  in  the  woods  where  the 
Indians  were  dodging  about,  they  soon  disappeared.  *  Now,  all  this  was  done  ■ 
before  breakfast,  which  gave  the  troops  as  well  as  the  families  in  the  Fort  a  good 
appetite  and  great  joy,  there  having  been  none  killed,  except  the  two  young 
men,  over  whose  remains,  there  was  the  weeping  of  parents  and  friends,  who 
had  ventured  to  the  spot,  and  brought  their  bodies  in.  The  tiiirtv  men  now  re- 
turned to  Fort  Plain,  which  was  but  four  miles  distant,  by  which  time  Willett 
had  raised  a  force  of  fifteen  hundred  men,  and  that  very  night  pursued  the  ene- 
my, who,  it  was  discovered  had  gone  the  way  of  Boman's  Creek,  which  has  its  rise 
somewhere  near  Cherry  Valley.  About  day-light,  it  was  ascertained,  they  were 
near  the  enemy,  and  that  ihey  were  engaged  in  cooking  their  brealcfast,  at  the 
place  where  they  had  encamped  during  the  night.  But  before  they  had  got 
iirough  with  the  desirable  othce  of  getting  their  breakfast,  by  some  means  or 
^her,  they  had  made  the  discovery,  that  they  were  pursued  by  a  pow- 
erful force.  In  a  moment  each  man  seized  his  arms  and  fled,  leaving  their 
cookery  as  it  was.  Directly,  Willett's  forces  arrived  at  the  spot,  where  he  found 
their  tires  in  order,  and  great  quantities  of  pork,  with  the  hair  on,  roasting  around 
them.  But  he  made  no  halt,  passing  directly  on  in  pursuit,  the  soldiers  snatch- 
ing the  meat  from  the  wooden  spits,  as  they  went,  which  they  crammed  into  their 
packs,  against  some  hour  of  need,  or  till  time  could  be  afforded  to  tinish  its 
fjooking,  and  to  use  it.  Soon  after  thif,  Willett  came  to  a  halt,  and  selecting  a 
lundred  men  of  the  whites,  among  whom  was  Calkins,  and  a  hundred  Indians  of 
he  Stockbridge  and  Oneida  tribes,  sent  them  on  in  pursuit  of  the  fleeing  enemy, 
while  himself  and  the  residue  of  the  troops  returned.  This  was  a  most  singular 
transaction,  as  the  two  hundred  who  were  now  selected  to  pursue  the  enemv, 
were  vastiiy  inferior  in  numbers,  while  the  whole  torce  of  Willett  was  double 
that  of  the  i'oe;  and  had  he  pursued  them,  as  he  was,  would  no  doubt  have  soon 
overtaken  and  destroyed  them;  this  u'as  a  strange  transaction  for  a  brave  general 
as  Willett  was  reputed  to  be. 

The  hundred  Indians  selected,  were  commanded  by  an, aboriginal  Colonel, 
named  Lewey,  who  was  an  Oneida  chief;  these,  v.ith  the  hundred  white  men,  set 
olfin  chase  of  the  enemy.  On  the  route  there  were  a  considerable  number  of 
horses  retaken,  laden  with  plunder,  as  well  as  a  number  of  cattle,  the  fugitive 
foe  having  left  them  all  along  in  the  woods  as  they  lied.  Among  these,  "there 
was  one  horse  found,  having  a  side  ot'  leather  tied  round  his  body,  on  which 
there  was  a  hog  which  they  had  shot  and  split  length  wise,with  its  legs  tied  toi'ether 
over  the  horse's  back,  in  this  way  forming  a  balance,  to  keep  it  from  falling  off. 
The  two  hundred  continued  the  cliase,  till  some  time  in  the  afternoon  of  that 
day,  and  had  got  over  the  high  ground  east  of  Cherry  Valley,  where  they  began 
to  descend  into  a  well  known  gloomy  range  of  hesnlock  wilderness,  lying  along 
in  the  directioit  of  Ciarksville,  when  Lewey,  the  Oneida  chief,  and  commander 
of  the  Indians  retused  to  go  any  further,  as  that  from  appearances  which  he  well 
understood,  the  enemy  were  preparing  an  amlnisli,  into  which  he  had  no  notion 
of  beiiig  entangled.  Here,  as  the  Indians  would  go  no  further,  the  whites,  as  was 
right  came  to  a  stand,  when  the  whole  party  returned  to  Fort  Plain.  Thus  the 
enemy  weie  allowed  to  escape ;  a  most  singular  aiiair  indeed,  which  we  know 
not  how  10  excuse. 

Now,  in  the  winter  following  this  affair,  in  the  month  of  February,  there  tell  a 
snow  full  four  feet  deep  ;  this  w^as  in  1783,  the  last  year  of  the  war,  v/hen  orders 
were  issued  .'or  the  troops  at  Fort  Plain,  to  repair  to  Fort  Herkimer  up  the  Mo- 
hawk, under  (he  command  of  the  same  Colonel  Willett ;  Calkins  being  one  in  the 
company  commanded  by  Captain  Ihnrnton,  and  were  but  thirty  men  in  number. 
From  Fort  Hei-kimer,  the  coaipiiny  of  Thornton  was  sent  forward  with  axes  and 


8 

snow  shoes  to  open  a  road,  bj  stamping  a  track,  and  by  cutting  away  trees  which 
might  be  fallen  across  the  path,  such  as  it  was  at  a  time  when  there  was  not  a 
house  at  the  place  now  called  Utica,  and  is  likewise  a  noted  city.  The  road  to 
be  thus  opened,  was  to  reach  tVom  Fort  Herkimer  to  the  head  of  Oneida  lake, 
which  took  them  four  days  to  perform,  a  Job  of  the  most  fatiguing  and  laborious 
nature  ;  being  obliged  to  camp  down  in  the  deep  snow  every  night,  and  to  rest 
on  hemlock  boughs  around  a  tire,  which,  however,  vyas  as  large  as  they  had  a 
mind  to  build,  as  dry  dead  trees  and  brush  were  abundant.  The  way  they 
broke  the  road  was  by  two  walking  side  by  side,  taking  the  lead  for  a  certain 
distance,  the  residue  following  in  their  track,  in  like  manner,  there  being  fifteen 
couple,  who  in  this  way  made  a  very  good  road.  The  object  of  opening  this  route 
was  for  the  transporting  of  a  body  of  troops  in  sleighs  to  the  head  of  Oneida 
lake,  and  from  thence  to  its  foot  on  the  ice,  with  the  view  of  going  from  this 
place  down  to  tiic  out-let,  which  is  caiied  Oswego  river,  to  capture  the  Fort  at  its 
confluence  with  Ontario,  named  Fort  Oswego,  then  occupied  by  the  British,  a 
most  dangerous  undertaking.  There  were  in  this  ex{>edition,  nearly  a  thousand 
men,  for  the  transportation  of  whom,  Willett  haa  pressed  a  hundred  and  twenty 
sleiglis  from  among  the  farmers  on  the  Mohawk.  From  the  foot  of  the  lake, 
where  they  left  the  sleighs,  and  their  owners,  they  went  down  the  river  chiefly 
on  the  ice.  They  had  travelled  nearly  two  days  toward  the  place  of  destination 
when  they  came  to  a  place,  where,  it  then  appeared,  that  Willett  had  caused  the 
construction  of  a  great  number  of  ladders  for  the  purpose  of  scaling  the  wails  of 
Fort  Oswe2;o.  Here  it  became  necessary  to  carry  these  ladders  by  hand,  the  re- 
sidue of  the  way,  requiring  sixteen  men  to  a  ladder,  a  job  of  the  most  fatiguing 
description  ;  aniong  whom  was  the  lad,  Calkins,  who  it  appears,  was  ever  found 
in  places  most  clithci'lt  to  he  overcon\e,  as  well  as  dangerous;  for  let  it  be  ob- 
served the  men  who  carried  tiiefe  ladders,  were  also  to  ascend  them,  when  they 
should  be  set  up  against  the  walls  of  the  Fort,  wheie  death  was  almost  sure  to 
be  met  with.  At  this  place,  Willett  ordered  that  every  dog  found  among  the 
troops  should  be  killed,  as  they  might,  by  barking,  or  some  such  occurrence,  be- 
tray them  ;  for  it  v/as  his  intention  on  the  night  of  the  following  day  to  storm  and 
captuie  Fort  Oswego;  on  wjiich  account  the  dogs,  a  dozen  in  number  or  so, 
were  immediately  shot  and  laid  up  in  a  heap  there  on  the  snow,  which  was 
rath.er  grievous  lo  the  owners.  From  this  place  to  the  Fort,  it  was  supposed  to 
be  about  twelve  miles,  which  they  intended  to  approach  under  cover  of  (he  next 
night,  in  a  slow,  secret  and  leisurely  manner,  reserving  the  strength  and  activity 
of  tl;e  men,  as  much  as  possible,  for  the  coming  fray.  Here,  they  took  up  the 
ladders,  and  proceeded  till  night  came  on,  which  was  now  near  by.  During  the 
next  day  they  hastened  forward  as  rapidly  as  was  convenient,  intending  to  get 
near  enough  to  can)p  down,  a  little  while,  and  then  by  the  hour  of  midnight  to 
reach  and  capture  the  Fort.  On  the  tb.ird  day  from  the  loot  of  the  lake,  tow^ard 
night,  Willett,  as  he  did  not  knov/  tlie  most  direct  way,  nor  any  of  his  men,  set 
an  Indian,  who  was  an.ong  them,  to  be  his  guide. 

Now  they  set  out  with  good  hearts,  knowing  themselves  to  be  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  contemplated  battle,  and  that  before  morning,  all  would  be  over, 
as  they  would  be  either  the  victors,  or  sleep  in  death  around  its  walls.  The 
snow  was  deep,  hut  they  wallowed  on — the  Indian  hading  the  way.  Afier  a 
few  hours'  travel  with  great  labor,  they  found  that  the  hour  of  midnight  had  pas- 
sed, and  yet  the  Fort  was  not  in  sight ;  still  hour  after  hour  passed  away,  and  yet 
the  the  Fort  was  invisible.  Soon,  there  was  seen  in  the  east,  the  light  flush  of 
day,  and  yet  there  was  no  Fort  Oswego  in  view.  Here  now  was  trouble  enough, 
as  it  was  impossible  for  them  to  remain  so  near  the  enemy  a  whole  day,  without 
imminent  dai^^cv,  and  besides  it  was  found  that  there  were  no  provisions  \n  the 
army ; — they   had    consumed  the  last  morsel ;  believing,  it  is  presumed,  they 


9 

should  breakfast  in  the  captured  Fort.  As  to  the  Indian  guide,  he  was  either  ig- 
norant of  the  way,  or  was  treacherous ;  however  that  was,  the  men  were  in- 
stantly for  putting  him  to  death,  to  which  end  he  was  placed  under  guard,  and 
sent  ahead,  as  the  whole  force  immediately  took  their  backtrack  as  fast  as  possible, 
knowing  they  should  have  nothing  to  eat  till  they  could  reachFoit  Herkimer  again. 
And  to  add  to  their  very  great  trouble,  it  was  extremely  cold,  and  growing  cold- 
er continually  :  on  which  account  the  men  who  had  the  Indian  in  keeping,  let 
him  go,  as  they  had  trouble  enough  of  their  own,  who  was  never  after  seen  or 
heard  of,  as  it  is  likely  he  then  went  to  the  British,  or  among  his  fellows  to  the 
west.  The  time  consumed  in  going  from  Fort  Herkimer  to  the  spot  where  the 
Indian  gave  up  finding  old  Oswego,  was  six  days,  for  which  length  of  time 
they  had  drawn  provisions,  and  for  no  more,  making  it  evident  that  Willett  had 
calculated  to  feed  his  troops  in  the  premises  of  the  enemy;  a  very  poor  calcu- 
lation indeed,  as  it  would  have  been  much  safer  to  carry  more  than  enough, 
even  had  they  taken  the  place,  than  too  little,  as  it  might  be  a  failure.  There  was, 
therefore,  in  prospect,  a  fearful  expectation  of  starving  to  death,  even  before 
they  could  reach  the  place  where  the  sleighs  were  left,  and  certainly  before 
they  could  get  back  to  Fort  Herkimer,  as  it  would  take  them  at  least  five  days, 
if  not  six,  which  it  actually  did.  At  the  spot  where  they  gave  up  taking  Fort 
Oswego,  there  they  left  the  ladders,  as  a  monument  of  the  failure  of  the  enter- 
prise, and  fled  back  as  fast  as  they  could.  Now,  by  the  time  they  had  returned 
as  far  as  to  where  the  dogs  were  killed,  which  was  nearly  two  days,  so  great 
was  their  hunger  and  desire  of  food,  that  in  a  tv/inkling  they  were  cut 
to  pieces  and  devoured  nearly  raw,  as  they  could  not  wait  to  build  tires  and  then 
till  it  was  cooked  ;  so  that  they  snatched  the  flesh  half  burnt  as  it  was,  from  each 
other,  devouring  it  like  so  many  Hyenas  ;  and  yet  there  were  several  who  went 
without,  as  it  was  impossible  for  them  lo  get  any  ;  among  whom.  Calking  was 
one.  One  man  was  seen,  who  had  procured  no  better  piece  than  a  part  of  a 
hind  leg,  to  be  tugging  and  gnawing  away  at  the  bone,  for  half  a  day  or  so,  as 
they  were  travelling  along,  deriving  therefrom  much  support  as  well  as  happi- 
ness, as  'he  said  to  his  fellov/s,  vvho  v. ere  eyeing  and  coveting  the  possession  of 
his  treasure,  the  dog's  hind  leg. 

On  the  way  down  the  river  Oswego,  Calkins  being  one  of  the  number,  who 
assisted  in  carrying  the  ladders,  fell  and  hurt  his  leg,  whicli  lamed  him  consider- 
ably, so  that  in  returning,  he  requested  not  to  be  compelled  to  keep  the  rank 
and  file  order  of  march  ;  but  to  be  allowed  to  get  along  by  himself  as  well  as  he 
could,  which  privilege  was  granted  to  him,  and  three  others  in  a  similar  condi- 
tion. V/e  wish  the  reader  to  notice  that  in  the  river  Oswego,  there  is,  in  a  cer- 
tain place  of  its  course,  a  great  bend,  being  all  of  twenty-four  miles  round,  while 
across  the  country,  it  is  not  more  than  twelve;  which  distance,  the  army,  in 
coming  down  the  river  on  the  ice,  took  the  advantage  of,  by  leaving  the  river 
and  travelling  across  the  country,  till  they  came  to  the  river  again.  Now,  Calk- 
ins and  his  fellows,  being  separated  from  the  main  body,  managed  to  get  ahead, 
picking  their  way  frequently  to  considerable  advantage,  so  that  they  soon  were 
out  of  sight  of  tlie  irieh  behind  them. 

They  were  following  in  this  way  on  up  the  river  on  the  ice,  but  as  they  were 
busy  in  making  all  the  speed  they  could,  and  being  faint  from  hunger,  they  mis- 
sed and  went  6^  the  place,  where  the  army,  in  coming  down  the  river,  came  on  to 
the  ice  again,  after  having  ciossed  the  land  as  above  noticed,  for  the  sake  of  its 
being  nearer,  and  instead  of  going  otFthe  ice  at  this  place,  as  they  should  have 
done,  they  continued  on  up  the  river,  and  greatly  out  of  their  way.  But  on  they 
went  not  knowing  the  mistake,  till  night  overtook  them  ;  when  they  came  to  a 
place  of  thick  woods,  on  the  shore,  and  it  being  too  dark  to  travel,  they  came 
lo  a  halt,  being  weary  as  well  as  hungry,  for  it  was  then   three  days  since  Calk- 


^0 
in«,  especially,  had  taken  a  morsel  of  food,  as  it  was  his  lot  not  to  be  able  to  get 
a  particle  of  dog  meat.  Here  they  went  up  the  bank  into  the  woods  and  hav- 
ing gone  a  little  way,  they  struck  a  light  with  some  Pv7ik  as  it  is  called, 
which  they  had  with  them,  and  built  a  fire  of  such  dry  wood  as  came  to  hand, 
there  being  abundance  in  the  place  ;  wrapped  themselVes  in  their  blanket  and 
fell  asleep  there  on  the  snow.  In  the  morning  they  Ibund  themselves  nearly  on 
the  ground,  having  sunk  several  feet,  by  the  thawing  of  the  snow,  occasioned 
from  the  heat  of  (he  fire  and  their  own  bodies,  so  that  they  were  in  quite  a  deep 
hole,  being  nearly  four  feet,  as  that  was  the  depth  of  the  snow. 

As  soon  as  it  was  light,  they  arose  from  their  beds  and  went  down  the  bank, 
m  order  to  pursue  their  course,  when  they  became  almost  sure  they  had  missed 
their  way,  and  the  place  where  they  should  have  left  the  ice  ;  but  as  they  now 
found  a  great  many  tracks  going  on  up  the  river,  they  became  re-assured,  suppos- 
ing the  army,  to  which  they  belonged,  had  gone  by  i^i  the  night.  Believing  this, 
they  took  courage  and  pushed  on  after  them.  They,  however  had  not 
travelled  more  than  an  hour,  when,  as  they  came  to  a  jet  of  land  putting  out  in- 
to tlie  river,  in  the  form  of  a  point  ;  across  which  they  happened  to  look  in  a 
direction  up  the  river,  saw  to  their  astonishment,  not  more  than  twenty  rods 
above  them,  there  on  the  ice  as  many  as  thirty  men,  part  white  and  part  In- 
dians, dressed  in  the  British  and  Canadian  costumes,  occupied  in  taking  their 
breakflist. 

This  was  an  awful  discovery,  and  frightened  them  so,  that  they  forgot  their 
hunger,  and  tied  back,  up  the  bank  and  into  the  woods.  Here  they  now  saw, 
that  Ihey  had  indeed  missed  their  way, and  were  near  being  taken  by  the  Indians, 
ihey  now  knew  where  they  were,  and  immediately  addressed  themselves  to 
leave  the  river  and  travel  inland  (ill  they  should  fuidthe  road  made  by  their  own 
party  when  they  went  down,  and  in  crossing  the  great  bend.  They  had  gone  in 
this  direction  but  a  little  way  however,  when  they  found  from  weakness 
and  the  great  depth  of  the  snow,  that  it  was  impossible  for  them  to  proceed. 
There  was  left  them  now  no  hope  between  dying  where  they  were,  and  giving 
themselves  up  to  the  enemy  on  the  ice.  They  remembered  that  they  had  seeS 
the  party  on  the  river  in  the  boundless  enjoyment  of  food  ;  which  overcoming 
«// other  considerations,  brought  them  to  the  determination  of  surrendering. 
Having  concluded  thus,  they  were  even  eager,  as  the  hope  of  immediate  relief 
from  the  wolf  that  gnawed  at  their  stomachs  quickened  them  to  be  with  the  ene- 
my. So  efliectOally  will  the  pain  of  hunger,  humble  the  proudest  heart.  But 
as  horrible  as  was  the  source  of  this  hope,  even  in  this  they  were  doomed  to  dis- 
appointment ;  for  in  getting  on  to  the  ice  again  and  going  round  the  point  of  land 
we  have  mentioned,  behold  the  enemy  u'erc  gone,  and  quite  out  of  sight. 

But  not  ai)andoning  their  purpose,  they  followed  on,  in  their  track,  not  know- 
ing what  the  event  might  be.  On  coniing  to  the  spot  where  the  party  had  tak- 
en their  meal,  one  ot  the  m.en  found  the  rine  of  a  piece  of  cheese,  which  he 
eat,  saying  he  had  no  doubt  but  that  it  was  a  part  of  a  real  Cheshire,  it 
tasted  so  good  and  rich.  On  pursuring  this  cource  till  nearly  night,  the  suffer- 
ers found,  thattlieir  enemy  had  left  the  river,  putting  on  their  snow-shoes,  and 
had  made  off  across  the  country  to  reach  the  road  the  troops  of  Willett  had 
travelled,  on  their  ictreat  from  their  attempt  to  capture  Fort  Oswego,  and  from 
thence  they  went  home  again,  no  doubt  as  ihey  saw  them  no  more. 

Now,  soon  after  being  relieved  from  the  presence,  or  neighborhood  of  the  par- 
ty, they  came  to  the  place  v.here  ihey  had  verged  off  from  the  river,  in  going 
down  a  few  days  before,  in  order  to  cross  the  bend  by  a  nearer  route.  It  was  near 
8un  setat  this  juncture  and  the  distance  from  where  they  then  were,  was  all  of 
twelve  miles,  to  the  foot  of  Oneida  lake,  where  the  sleighs  were  left,  when 
V'Viilett  came  down — and  which  sleighs  were  to  carry  them  back  again.     Here, 


11 

two  of  the  men  gave  out  •,  namely,  Robison  and  Buckley,  saying,  it  was  impossi- 
ble for  them  to  proceed,  and  that  they  must  lie  down  and  rest  where  they  tten 
were. 

The  two  bavins;  made  this  resolution,  they  all  went  into  the  woods,  a  littte 
way  from  the  bank  of  the  river,  and  gathering  some  hemlock  boughs,  made  them 
a  bed,  on  which  they  actually  lay  down,  there  on  the  snow.  But  Calkins  remon- 
strated, and  endeavored  to  exhort  them  to  hold  out;  but  no,  they  must  rest,  they 
could  go  no  farther.  Here  the  two  others,  namely,  Calkins  and  Wilkinson,  took 
them  by  the  hand,  bidding  them  an  everlasting  farewell,  saying  "  as  for  us  we 
s'nall  try  as  long  as  there  is  breath  in  our  bodies,  to  reach  the  place  where 
the  sleighs  were  left,"  which,  if  they  failed  to  do  before  they  were  gone,  then  that 
would  be  tb.eir  end.  It  was  now  growing  dark,  when  Calkins  and  his  fellow  left 
them,  believing  firmly  that  the  two  who  had  lain  down  to  rest,  as  they  said,  would 
never  rise  from  that  bed.  It  was  not  the  meaning  of  those  men  to  die  there, 
but  only  to  rest  awhile,  not  seeming  to  knov/  that  the  risk  of  a  little  sleep  at 
stick  a  time  as  that,  might  place  them  beyond  the  time  of  arriving  at  the  place 
where  the  sleighs  were,  in  which  case,  all  would  be  over  with  them  forever,  in- 
deed. But  they  had  taken  their  resolve,  and  their  companions  expected  to  see 
them  no  more  as  they  left  them  to  pursue  their  way.  In  a  few  moments,  how- 
ever, there  was  heard  behind  them  (he  hallooing  of  somebody,  and  looking  round, 
they  saw  the  two  poor  fellows  coming  on  again,  seeming  unwilling  to  be  left 
there  alone,  when  they  halted  till  they  came  up.  Here  the  whole  four  renewed 
their  courage,  being  determined  to  reach  the  place  in  time  to  be  carried  with 
the  rest  in  the  sleighs  to  Fort  Herkimer,  even  if  they  were  carried  dead,  and 
not  to  be  left  in  the  woods,  to  be  devoured  by  the  wolves.  That  was  a  dreadful 
night  to  the  sullerers,  as  the  faintness  of  death  was  upon  them,  their  eyes  were 
unsteady,  the  trees  nor  the  snow  kept  their  places,  but  seemed  moving  like  the 
unsteady  waiers,  while  ever  and  anon,  the  thoughts  of  food  fell  upon  tlieir  me- 
mory like  salvation  lo.st,  which  still  lingered  about  the  visions  of  the  n^ind  to 
mock  the  unsatisfied  appetite,  and  desire  of  happiness.  In  this  starved  condi- 
tion they  were  doubly  exposed  to  be  frozen,  so  that  their  progress  along  the  way 
was  more  like  the  sick  and  stooping  forms  of  emaciated  mad  men  just  escaped 
from  their  chains,  v/retciied,  horror-stricken  and  in  pain,  objects  of  pity,  even 
to  the  well-fed  eye  of  persecution  itself.  In  this  condition,  they  had  worn  the 
night  away,  till  nearly  the  lonesome  hour  of  two  o'clock  in  the  morning,  vtdien 
they  could  hear  the  Joyf.il  noise  of  the  neighing  of  horses  and  the  sound  of 
voices  in  getting  ready  to  start;  a  few  minutes  longer,  and  the  sleighs  would 
been  gone,  the  men's  destiny  would  have  been  sealed  forever. 

On  coming  to  this  place,  Calkin's  first  inquiry  of  his  captain,  who  be  hap- 
pened to  meet  immediately,  was,  whether  he  had  any  tiling  toeat,  for  they  were 
nearly  famished,  who  said  »o;  but,  there  is  possibly  some  whiskey  hi  my 
canteen:  go  and  diink.  The  canteen  v/as  examined,  when  there  was  found 
suQicient  for  the  four  men,  who  drank  heartily,  and  were  amazingly  strengthen- 
ed, verifying  a  remark  0*  scripture,  which  is,  ^^give  strong  drink  to  him  that  is- 
read^' to  perish.''''  This  w;.s  all  they  were  to  expect  till  they  should  arrive  at 
Fort  Herkimer,  which  was  full  sixty  miles;  and  proved  true,  except  that  Cal- 
kins took  from  the  mtiss  of  one  of  the  horses  a  handful  of  raw  oats  and  peas^ 
at  the  head  of  til,:  I.'.ke  where  they  halted  to  bait,  the  owners  carrying  their 
provender  with  thcin,  these  he  ate  greedily,  being  delicious  to  the  taste,  as  hun- 
ger makes  ai!  tiungs  welccm  3.  The  reader  here,  may  suppose  that  a  horse  might 
have  been  killed  for  food,  is  that  there  were  on  the  spot  a  hundren  and  twenty 
pair.*,  making  two  hundred  and  forty  of  those  animals.  Now,  had  this  been 
done,  eight  men  rnu?L  '.ave  died,  for  a  horse,  as  a  span,  would  have  been  dis- 
solved, and  the  men  left  behi.-.c'.  the  sleighs  beiiig  already  laden  beyond  Ihs 


12 

strength  of  the  horses.  All  being  ready,  away  they  went,  the  starved  army  feel- 
ing individually  happy,  that  they  could  ride,  when  they  had  not  strength  to  walk; 
and,  besides,  they  knew,  that  by  the  going  down  of  tlie  sun  of  that  same  day, 
they  should  be  fed  and  comforted,  by  the  (ires  and  in  the  rooms  of  Fort  Herki- 
mer. This  proved  true,  the  sleighs  arriving  there  but  a  little  after  dark,  where 
immediate  nnd  proper  refreshments  were  administered  to  the  dying  multitude  ; 
having  been  without  food  {ov  five  entire  days  and  nights,  except  ihe  meat  of  the 
slaughtered  dogs;  and  even  of  this,  many  of  them  did  not  taste,  loi  l!ic  want  of 
a  chance  to  do  so. 

On  getting  out  of  the  sleighs  and  coming  where  it  was  warm,  it  was  found 
from  examination,  that  full  two-thirds  of  the  one  thousand  men  or  therea- 
bouts, were  badly  frozen,  and  chiefly  in  their  feet,  so  that  many  of  them  were 
crippled  for  life  ;  and  yet  Calkins  remained  unhurt  by  the  frost,  though  he  was 
so  young,  owing,  no  doubt,  to  the  strength  of  his  constitution,  and  to  the  care  he 
took  to  keep  himself  in  motion  as  much  as  he  could,  especially  while  in  the 
sliegh,  on  the  last  day  of  their  sufferings,  when  it  is  likely  the  chief  of  the  mis- 
chief of  that  description  was  done. 

Now,  notwithstanding  the  entire  failure  of  this  expedition,  the  treachery  of 
the  Indian,  &c.,  it  was  afterwards  ascertained,  by  means  of  a  desei'ter,  one  Mor- 
timer, that  at  the  very  time  the  perfidious  guide  was  wandering  about  with  them 
in  the  snow  and  darkness  of  the  night,  that  the  British  were  in  full  strength  in 
Fort  Oswego,  a  thing  Willett  had  no  apprehensions  of  Some  how,  by  the 
means  of  spies,  the  tories,  or  the  Indian  runners,  or  in  some  way,  the  British 
were  apprized  of  Willett's  intentions,  on  which  account  they  had  in  the  Fort 
four  hundred  Indians  with  several  hundred  regular  soldiers,  besides  the  cannon 
of  the  place  ;  so  that  if  Willett  had  persevered  in  his  attempt,  he  must  have 
been  cut  to  pieces;  and,  besides,  it  was  found  that  the  very  ladders  they  had 
made  to  scale  the  walls  with,  were  too  short  by  all  of  six  feet,  which  would  have 
ensured  the  death  of  every  one  who  might  have  manned  those  ladders  ; 
Calkins  with  the  rest.  From  this  same  deserter  Calkins  afterwards  learned 
that  himself  and  three  companions  on  the  ice,  travelled  all  that  day  between 
two  bands  of  the  enemy,  without  being  seen  by  either, this  Mortimer  being  one 
of  the  front  guard,  and  remembered  eating  a  breakfast  on  the  ice  of  the  river 
Oswego  at  the  very  time. 

Thus  ended  the  famous  enterprise  of  the  capture  of  Oswego,  in  misfortune  and 
the  crippling  of  nearly  all  the  army,  which  was  certainly  but  poorly  planned,  as 
it  was  done  in  ignorance  oftlieeriemie's  slrcngt!),  as  well  as  at  a  time  of  the  year 
when  amazing  suffering  from  the  cold,  the  depth  of  the  snow,  coui^  but  be  ex- 
pected, besides  the  whole  distance  was  a  wild  wilderness,  with  but  small  excep- 
tion, and  those  exceptions  of  no  use  to  the  army,  as  in  the  places  on  that  route, 
where  settlements  had  been  commenced,  they  had  deserted  them  long  before, 
on  account  of  the  Indians. 

But  this  adventure  of  Calkins,  in  the  time  of  that  war,  was  by  no  means  the 
only  one,  although  it  was  the  one  in  which  he  suiliu'ed  the  most,  and  came  near- 
est loosing  his  life,  not  only  from  exposedness  to  the  enemy  being  so  near  them 
nt  Fort  Oswego — and  on  the  ice,  but  from  the  most  horrid  of  all  deaths,  that  of 
strvation.  In  the  course  of  the  authors  conversation  with  this  venerable  relick 
of  the  '■'■old  zoar,'"'  as  it  is  now  sometimes  called,  it  appeared  that  on  a  certain  time, 
a  scouting  party  was  sent  out  from  Fort  Plain  on  the  Mohawk,  in  the  direction 
of  the  Unadilla  country,  which  is  south  from  Fort  Plain — and  the  whole  range 
of  the  Mohawk.  It  was  in  this  direction  that  most  of  the  tragical  events  of  that 
war,  on  the  borders  ol^  the  western  parts  of  New-York  took  place,  and  was 
therefore  at  that  time,  the  region  of  danger — its  wilderness — its  caverns  and 
dark  forests,  being  the   scene  of  many  an   untold  atrocity,  perpetrated   by 


IS 

tlve  savages  and  tories.  Of  this  scouting  party,  Calkins  was  one,  whicli 
consisted  of  nine  vvhite  men,  and  ciiijht  Indian^.  It  xa^  kaovvn,  that  alon<4 
the  range  of  country,  running  through  the  towu'^  of  iJslion,  Butternut,  &c. 
in  Otsego  county,  N.  Y.,  were  Hving  several  suspected  faniihtis  of  considen-able 
importance  on  account  of  their  wealth  and  connections,  as  well  as  their  educa- 
tion and  abilities ;  it  was  necessary,  therefore,  that  their  movements  should  be 
watched. 

The  party  took  with  them  food  enough  to  sustain  them  two  weeks,  trusting  ix) 
what  the}'  might  shoot  of  the  wild  game  of  the  woods,  which  at  the  time  was 
alive  with  deer,  bears,  patriges,  and  other  creatures  of  the  forest,  so  that  they 
needed  only  bread,  and  salt,  getting  the  rest  in  the  woods,  such  as 
leeks  and  herbs,  as  it  was  in  the  Spring  of  the  year,  carrying  with  them, 
however,  each  a  pretty  heavy  piece  of  salted  pork,  to  season  such  dainties  with. 
They  had  travelled  several  days  in  the  direction  of  their  intended  route;  when  the 
provisions  (hey  had  with  them  began  to  grow  rather  scarce,  especially  with  the 
Indians,  v/ho,  for  some  reason  or  other,  found  it  convient,  on  camping  down  of  a 
certain  night  to  have  a  Pozvzooro,  on  which  occasion,  they  not  only  devoured  all 
they  had  in  their  knapsacks  of  the  provision  kind,  but  to  entirely  empty  their  can- 
teens of  the  Jamaica  spirits,  there  was  in  them,  as  a  certain  portion  was  allowed 
to  each  at  the  outset. 

The  spot  where  this  encampment  of  the  party  took  place,  was  not  far  from  one 
of  the  lilile  streams,  which  runs  out  of  the  numerous  small  lalces  lying  west  of  lake 
Otsego,  the  extreme  headwaters  oftlie  north  branch  of  the  Susquehaniiah  river. 
At  the  place  there  were  the  remains  of  a  logcabhin,  which  had  been  erected  by 
some  earlier  settler,  or  some  hunter  in  those  dreary  hills;  but  was  then  con- 
siderably dilapidated.  It  was  in  tl'.is  old  hutthat  the  Indians  had  taken  up  their 
nights  lodging,  while  the  whites  chose  theirs  under  some  boughs  they  had  cut 
from  the  trees,  out  of  which  they  formed  a  kind  of  brush  enclosure,  to  screen 
them  a  little  from  the  air.  It  was  a  noisy  niglit  with  ihe  Indians,  and  not  a  little 
dangerous,  for,  if  there  had  been  within  hearing  a  party  of  the  enemj,  there 
laight  have  been  lives  lost,  on  the  wrong  side  of  the  question,  as  the  out-cry, 
and  whoopings  they  made  resounded  far  and  near;  and  beside,  they  somehow 
set  the  old  house  in  which  they  were  camping  on  fire,  arid  away  it  went  in  smoke 
and  flames,  making  it  a  line  smooth  spot  to  sow  tobacco  seed  on  by  the  time 
morning  had  come.  On  account  of  this  carouse  of  (lie  Indians,  the  whites  had 
to  part  their  own  allowance  of  food  with  the  improvident  fools,  by  which  means 
the  whole  parly,  Indians  and.  all.  were  soon  reduced  to  a  state  of  absolute  hun- 
ger and  sutfering,  as  they  had  not,  for  some  time,  killed  any  thing  in  the  woods 
of  the  game  kind,  either  from  a  fear  of  tiring  their  guns,  or  because  they  had  seen 
nothing  to  shoot  at.  Be  this  as  it  may,  they  were  soon  reduced  to  hunger  and 
sulFering.  This  happened  on  their  way  toward  home, on  the  Mohawk, the  place 
from  whf^nce  they  set  out.  But  as  they  were  making  the  best  of  their  way  in 
that  direction,  the  Indians  sad  and  sulky,  they  came  to  one  of  the  streams 
we  have  above  spoken  of,  which,  as  about  to  ci-oss  by  wading,  they  saw 
was  alive  with(i'>hes  of  a  considerable  size,  being  large  enough  to  weigh  a  pound 
or  two.  Immediately  they  set  about  trying  to  catch  them  with  their  hands,  as 
they  had  no  other  means,.the  Indians  being  wonderful  expert  at  this  operation — 
and  threw  them  out  almost  as  fast  as  they  would,  the  water  being  quite  shallow 
where  they  found  them  in  such  plenty.  The  fish  proved  to  be  the  Pike,  a  fish, 
of  all  olhers  the  very  best,  whether  caught  in  the  ocean,  or  the  fresh  waters  of 
the  globe.  1'hey  had  scon  enough  for  the  whole  party,  when  they  set  about 
cooking  them,  a  lire  being  kindled  in  a  hurry.  There  was  no  dilhcuily  in  their 
making  an  excellent  ruea!,  so  far  as  the  fish  was  concerned,  as  they  had  a  large 
brass  camp  kittic  with  liiem,  and'  salt  enou^ih  to  season  them  with.     The  nine 


14 

white  men  dressed  for  Ihernsclve?,  a  kettle  full  of  the  beautiful  Pike,  and  \uti 
short  period  had  (hem  ready,  of  which  they  partook,  and  were  satisfied.  In  the 
mean  time  (he  Indians  had  dressed  a  great  many  more  lishes  than  the  white  men 
had  done,  though  their  num.bers  were  less,  which  as  soon  as  the  kettle  was  at 
liberty,  they  began  to  cook,  filling  it  to  the  brim.  When  they  were 
cooked,  they  fell  to  like  so  many  cannibals,  devouring  kettle  full  after  kettle  full, 
till  they  actually  eat  nine  kettles  full,  a  little  over  a  kettJe  ,to  each  Indian, 
which  so  crammed  the  almost  carniverous  creatures,  that  they  were  wholly  unable 
to  walk,  for  a  day  or  so — when  it  was  with  difficulty  that  they  got  them  along  at 
last.  Of  these  fishes  they  dressed  a  quantity,  salted  them  a  little,  and  dried  them 
the  smoke,  partially,  which  sustained  them  the  residue  of  the  journey  to  the  Mo- 
hawk. 

The  reader  may  possibly  enquire  how  so  many  fish  of  that  particular  kind,, 
which  it  is  wcW  known,  are  remarkably  difficult  to  catch,  and  resort  to  the  deepest 
waters  of  the  rivers  came  there.  This  enquiry  is  easily  satisfied",  when  we  come  to 
know,  that  it  was  the  tinre  of  the  year,  when  the  various  fishes  of  the  waters  seek 
a  place  of  safety,  where  to  deposite  their  spawn,  eggs  or  roes,  for  the  bringing 
forward  of  other  generations  of  their  respective  kinds.  Such  as  great  .Salmon  trout, 
the  Bass,  the  Shad,  the  Pickeral,  the  Pike,  as  well  as  the  Herrin  and  many 
others.  But  in  this  particular  case,  the  Pike  were  seeking  the  resort  of 
the  small  but  deep  lakes,  that  lie  among  the  hills  of  that  country,  where 
to  deposite  their  roes,  and  occasioned  them  to  run  up  these  small  streams, 
urged  on  by  the  irresistable,  as  well  as  mysterious  instinct  of  their  natures, 
which  is  but  the  voice  of  their  Creator,  in  his  government  of  their  tribes. 

During  this  very  trip  of  the  scouting  party,  Matthew  Calkins,  traversed  the 
ridge  of  highlands  which  runs  along  the  Unadilla  river  on  the  east  side,  and 
overlooked  the  very  fiats  of  beautiful  alluvial  land  covered  with  one  continued 
forest  of  the  majestic  rock-maple:  ^'hich,  though  he  was  then  but  a  wandering 
lad  and  poor,  he  afterwards  bought  to  the  amount  of  several  hundred  acres 
Vt'hich,  at  the  present  hour,  he  is  the  owner  of,  and  the  cultivator  of  the  same^ 

It  is  but  a  little  way  above  the  lands  of  Mr.  Calkins,  Esq.,  the  subject  of  the 
foregoing,  where  is  situated  a  place,  that  is  called  to  this  day  the  "  Ca/v  Mount 
Farm,''''  the  owner  of  which  was  a  most  ferocious  and  bloody  tory.  This  Carr,  was 
an  Englishman,  who  had  been  sent  to  this  country  by  one  Edmonson,  to  settle  on 
and  t;>ke  the  agency  of  a  tract  of  wild  land,  which  had  been  granted  to  him  by 
the  King  of  England  along  the  Unadilla. 

He  had,  by  the  means  of  the  Indians,  knowing  that  tiie  king  patronised 
him,  gained  an  uncontrolable  influence  over  the  natives  of  the  Unadilla  region, 
and  was  confederate  with  Brant,  sending  them  on  excursions  of  murder  and 
plunder  as  to  him  seemed  good.  At  this  man's  liouse,  which  was  then  in  the 
midst  of  a  howling  wilderness,  the  Indians,  as  well  as  tories,  and  the  English 
emissaries,  used  to  resort,  where  news  of  the  operations  of  tlie  Coininillcc  men  of 
'i  ryon  county  was  to  be  had,  and  w!)ere  plans  of  marauding,  were  concocted, 
and  where  much  of  the  plunder  of  the  murdered  inhabitants  was  deposited. 

Now,  on  a  certain  time,  there  was  sent  out  a  small  scouting  party  consistirrg 
only  of  four  men,  from  (he  Moliawk,  from  one  of  the  Forts  in  the  same  direction, 
and  on  a  similar  errand,  that  Calkins  and  his  fellows  were  sent,  namely,  to  see 
what  they  could  liisd  of  tbc  enemy  and  their  doings  in  (hat  quarter.  They  had 
journeyed  on  several  days  and  nights,  and  had  passed  down  the  valley  of  the  vvild 
Unadilla,  in  a  silent  but  observing  manner,  when  they  came  unexpectedly  upon  a 
cultivated  farm,  though  of  but  small  extent,  with  a  log  house  of  a  very  good  des- 
cription, in  the  midst  of  the  clearing.  To  this  house  they  made  their  way  not 
knowing  the  character  of  the  owner,  being  hungry,  and  much  fatigued.  They 
knocked  at  the  door  for  admitfancej  v.hen  they  were   met,  as  the  door  was, 


15 

cfpened  by  a  rough  repulsive  looking  middle  aged  man  of  a  large  and  muscular 
frame,  who  demanded  in  a  half  angry  tone  of  voice,  to  know  what  their  business 
was.  To  this  enquiry  they  replied  that  they  were  tired  and  hungry,  and  wished 
something  to  eat.  He  said,  walk  in  gentlemen  and  take  seats,  and  he  would  see 
if  he  had  any  thing  for  them. 

They  accordingly  went  in  as  invited,  but  saw  no  one  there  beside  the  man 
who  had  met  them  at  tlie  door  and  a  woman,  who  was  not  his  wife,  but  was  liv- 
ing there  with  him  m  the  woods.  Now,  as  the  men  did  not  like  the  demeanor 
of  their  host,  who  appeared  to  be  somewhat  churlish,  and  besides,  he  asked  no 
questions  indicative  of  friendship,  either  respecting  themselves  or  the  Revolution, 
they  became  uneasy  and  suspicious.  On  this  account,  they  had  gone  out  and 
were  walking  in  the  door-yard,  while  the  man  of  the  house  appeared  to  be  busy- 
ing himself  in  getting  somelhing  for  them  to  eat.  In  the  meantime,  they  had 
seen  that  the  woman  had  disappeared  in  a  certain  direction  of  the  woods,  which 
they  thought  was  quite  strange,  as  it  was  winter,  and  the  Unadilia  froze:,  over. 
Her  errand  to  the  woods  therefore,  they  could  not  well  make  out,  there  being  no 
apparent  cause. 

But  on  this  subject,  their  suspense  was  soon  cleared  up,  as  in  a  minute  or  two, 
they  saw  no  less  than  six  Indians  on  a  full  run  coming  toward  the  house,  with  guns 
in  their  hands.  They  had  no  doubts  as  to  the  woman's  business,  that  they  were  in 
the  hands  of  a  cruel  and  treacherous  tory,  and  their  lives  were  in  danger.  In  an 
instant  they  fled,  instead  of  commencing  an  attack  upon  the  Indiasis  and  the  man 
of  the  house,  although  less  in  number  it  would  have  been  the  safest  way.  How- 
ever, it  may  have  been,  that  the  four  men  imagined,  that  a  large  force  of  Indians 
was  near,  and  that  directly  they  might  be  surrounded,  and  that  their  on!y  safety 
was  in  flight.  But  as  they  fled  in  dilFerent  directions,  each  man  for  himHcif,  the 
shots  of  the  Indians  overtook  two  of  them,  who  fell  dead,  and  wounded  a  third. 
This  man  though  mortally  v/oundcd,  manage^  to  get  across  the  river  on  the  ice  in  a 
dark  woody  place,  v.'here  he  died,  and  was  stripped  and  scalped  by  the  liidians, 
as  was  the  olhcrs.  The  fourth  man  made  his  escape  unhurt,  by  difit  of  flight, 
being  exceedingly  swift  of  foot,  and  fairly  outran  the  Indians,  plunging  into 
the  depths  of  the  dark  wilderness,  faster  than  they  could  follow,  althougli 
there  was  snow  on  the  ground,  by  which  they  could  track  him. 

This  man  arrived  safe  at  Johnstown,  tlie  place  of  rendezvous  at  that  time, 
where  he  related  the  fate  of  his  companions,  instantly  there  v/as  sent  out  a 
stdiicicr.t  force  to  compete  mith  liic  Indians,  and  to  bring  in  the  tory  alive,  if 
possible,  but  if  not,  to  kill  him.  The  party  were  guided  by  the  man  who  had  made 
his  escape.  But  on  their  arrival  at  the  place,  there  was  no  Carr,  or  other  i»u- 
man  being.  He  with  the  woman  and  Indians  had  made  their  escape;  knowing 
full  well  that  the  man  who  had  evaded  the  shots  of  the  Indians,  would 
cause  a  force  to  be  brought  against  him  :  he  therefore  fled  to  Canada,  and  was 
never  heard  of  afterward,  'ihey  found  the  thiee  men  where  they  had  died, — 
stripped  naked — scalps  taken  oiij  and  otherwise  mutilated;  whom  they  buried 
thei'e  on  the  "  Car r  Mount  larrn^V  as  it  is  called  to  this  day.  They  now  exam- 
ined the  forest  in  ail  directions  about  the  premises  of  the  tory,  when  in  the  ve- 
ry course  the  woman  W£s  seen  to  go.  there  was  found,  not  half  a  mile  from  Carr''s 
house  the  remains  of  an  Indian  wigwam,  where  the  Indians  lay,  who  were  sent 
for  by  means  of  the  woman  living  with  Carr.  In  then-  search  about  the 
woods  they  found  many  things,  which  Carr  had  hid,  by  tying  them  in  small  par- 
cels in  the  tops  of  the  thick  hemlock  trees,  such  as  kettles,  chauT,  pails  and  articles 
of  wood  and  iron  ;  from  which  it  appeared  he  expected  to  return  again,  when 
his  king  should  have  conquered  the  country,  and  hung  all  the  rebbels.  The  par- 
ty havmg  buried  with  the  honors  of  war,  the  three  murdered  men,  and  burnt  to 
ashes,  the  horrid  den  of  the  infernal  tory,  as  well  as  the  hut  of  the  savages  ad- 


16 

jacent,  (hey  returned,  having  done  \vhat  ihey  could  to  revenge  the  death  of  their   t 
comrades  and  to  punish  the  murderer  Carr. 

This  ''Carr  Mount  Fann''^  is  but  a  brief  space  north  of  the  exceedingly  beau- 
tiful town  of  North  Newberlin  in  Chenango  Co  ,  N.  Y.,  on  the  east  bank  of  the 
Indian  Unadiiia,  and  but  a  little  further  from  the  rich  possessions  of  the  Cal- 
kins family,  whose  narrative  we  have  given  in  the  foregoing,  from  his  own  lips  as 
we  do  ail  accounts  of  the  kind,  adding' thereby  trait  after  trait,  of  the  unpublish- 
ed history  of  those  '■'•ti7nes  zohich  tried  /yieii's  sonby 

Gather  the  fragments  that  nothing  be  lost, 
And  teJl  the  next  ages  what  liberty  cost. 

^«^l^.^|^l'^^ull^ly.  ■■liiiikii«t).»i^piuu-«jiiuui.'i»aii.i»i!!.«t,.i.i>pm^jij)AJi.«jwiMi;«j«Mllsw»lll^'M 


CONK  AD  MAYER.  AND  SUSAN  GREY,  A  HUNTING  STORY  OF  TFIE 

WEST,  RELATED  BY  AN  EARLIEP.   SETLER  OF  THE  OHIO, 

KIXGSLEY  HALE,  BY  NAME,  TO  HIS  GRAND  CHILDREN. 


In  1775,  the  Zane  family  built  a  fort  amidst  the  plain  on  which  that  city  now 
stands,  for  a  city  it  is,  in  all  the  moral  and  social,  and  in  every  commercial  attri- 
bute of  a  city.  Wheeling  Fort  was  the  outpost  of  civilization.  The  plainer 
bottom,  narrow  and  darkened  by  trees  and  underwood,  was  overshadowed  by  thar 
hill,  steep  and  impending  also  with  a  forest  of  poplar,  oak,  and  other  massy 
trunks,  against  whose  colunmsthe  axe  had  never  made  its  attacks.  That  creek 
now  ppnnned  by  yonder  bridge,  wound  its  shaded  stream  behind  that  sharp  and 
rocky  ridge,  gliding  silently  into  the  bosom  of  its  mighty  recipient,  the  Ohio. — 
The  great  Oiiio  itself,  the  present  channel  of  active  life  and  commerce,  was  it- 
self tiien  an  emblem  of  savage  majesty.  Tlie  stream  was  then,  and  perhaps  in 
all  former  forgoiteii  ages,  as  it  is  now,  tranquil  ;  but  it  was  then  solitary,  and  the 
view  along  its  shores  and  current  inspired  feelings  of  sadness.  Yonder  western 
hills,  beyond  vVheeling  Island,  then  rose  buld,  and  blackened  with  an  intermina- 
ble forest.  They  were  the  eastern  abutments  of  a  boundless  regioii,  then  with 
fearful  import  called  "The  Western  Country ;"  or  v.-ith  still  more  awful  import, 
"The  Indian  Country."  It  was  a  country  indeed,  at  the  very  aspect  of  which, 
the  bravest  heast  felt  a  shudder;  for,  from  its  endless  recesses,  the  ruthless  and 
stealthy  savage  issued  on  his  errand  of  death.  It  was  a  frontier,  along  which 
the  Indian  and  white,  the  red  and  the  pale  warriors  met,  and  oi\en  met  in  single 
aiid  unwitncs.sed  combat. 

'  in  the  days  of  your  grandfilhers,  we  now  sit  on  a  spot  they  dared  not  visit 
wr.hout  Iheir  terrible  weapon,  the  rille  ;  nor  did  their  rifie  always  save  them 
Irom  a  foe  who  seemed  to  issue  from  the  earth.  But  if  the  motion  of  the  white 
hunter-warrmr  was  slow,  his  march  was  steady  and  he  sustained  his  post  or  fell ; 
the  white  wave  never  flowfd  backwards  towards  its  native  ocean. 

"  You  have  all  heard  of  the  Mayer  and  Wetzel  families,  for  who  on  this  side 
of  the  nioimtains  hits  not,  heard  of  Conrad  Mayer  and  Lewis  Wetzel  1  But  you 
may  not  all  luive  heard  how  old  Fred  Mayer  found  his  way  to  the  banks  of 'the 
Slonongaheln.  Fred  was  a  stubborn  German,  who,  not  liking  the  religion  of  his 
county,  made  otte  for  himself,  v/ith  a  Miry  short  creed,  and  fonnd  it  necessary  to 
H-,ome  to  America  to  put  his  faith  in  practice.  Fred  brouglvi  with  him  some  good 
share  of  Dutch  scholarship,  and  a  little  gold,  and  what  was  far  better  than  eith- 
er, he  brouglu  with  him  a  sweetly  innocent  and  devoted  wife.  A  few  poor  iami- 
lies  came  with  Fred  Mayer.     They  were  peasants,  stern,  robust,  and  muscular. 


17 

Amid  them,  well  clo  I  remember  the  tear-eyed  Maria  Mayer ;  she  was  born  to 
grace  a  court; — she  became  a  flower  of  our  wilderness.  The  little  colony 
found  a  resting  place  on  the  banlcs  of  the  Monongahela,  and  Fred  and  his  Maria 
arrived  just  in  time,  for  on  the  very  next  night  afterwards  was  born  their  only 
son — their  only  child,  Conrad. 

"The  morn  which  tirst  dawned  on  Conrad,  was  a  fine  October  Sabbath. 
Their  church  was  the  Monongahela  woods,  in  which  the  new  born  boy  received 
his  baptismal  name,  and  from  which,  thankful  orisons  rose  to  heaven  for  their 
safe  arrival.  Hardships  had  met  tiiem  on  their  v/ay,  but  sickness  and  death  they 
had  escaped,  and  now  a  son  was  born  to  share  tlieir  future  hopes. 

"We  need  not  follow  the  infancy  and  youth  of  Conrad.  In  despite  of  his  fa- 
ther's attempt  to  teach  him  high  German  learning,  this  first  born  son  of  Fair- 
stone  rose  to  manhood,  the  active  and  untiring  hunter,  and  the  intrepid  warrior. 
Thus  he  rose,  or  was  rising,  when  the  Revolutionary  war  burst  in  distant  and 
lengthened  blasts,  resounding  from  hamlet  to  hamlet,  and  from  town  to  town, 
until  its  echoes  were  heard  in  the  dales  of  the  far  distant  west.  There  was  lit- 
tle need  of  repeated  shouts  of  war  to  rouse  young  (Jonrad.  From  his  father, 
he  inherited  a  frame  light  and  airy,  but  most  powerfully  strong  and  active.  His 
soft  blue  eye  bespoke  the  German,  though  his  appearance  and  motions  were 
French.  His  natural  temper  was  wild  atid  irrascible,  but  his  heart  was  tender. 
If  he  excited  a  tear  from  the  eye  of  his  mother,  or  of  his  foster  sister,  Susan 
Grey,  his  kindness  soon  wiped  that  tear  and  its  remembrance  away. 

"That  heart  must  have  been  steel  indeed  which  could  have  withstood  the  tears 
of  cither  Maria  Pdayer,  or  her  beautifiil  orphan  foster  child,  Susan  Grey.  Very 
different  hearts  from  steel  animated  the  bosoms  of  Fred  Mayer,  and  his  son 
Conrad,  and  they  were  a  family  of  love. 

"Susan  Grey  was  the  child  of  love  and  sorrow.  HeT  father,  Thomas  Grey, 
the  son  of  an  opulent  family  near ,  married  a  lovely  but  poor  girl,  and  in- 
dignant at  the  taunts  of  his  family,  sought  the  wilds  of  the  west.  The  parents  were 
unequal  to  meet  the  hardships  of  their  new  situation  :  they  fell  early  victims, 
and  the  yet  hardly  lisping  Susan,  became  the  child  of  Fred  and  Maria  and  the 
sister  of  Conrad.  The  orphan  shared  the  all  of  her  protectors,  and  was  vexed 
and  loved  by  the  untoward  but  generous  Conrad,  who  maintained  at  every 
shooting  match  that  he  had  the  prettiest  sister  in  all  America,  and  heaven-pro- 
tected must  needs  have  been  the  man  who  would  have  dared  a  contradiction  : 
and  another  claim  he  had  at  the  shooting  match,  of  being  the  best  shot  over  all 
Ten  Mile  and  Wheeling  woods ;  excepting,  as  some  dared  to  whisper,  Lewis 
Wetzel. 

"Would  I  not  give  all  my  hunt  this  fall  if  I  could  ever  meet  this  Lewis  Wet- 
zel"— grumbled  Conrad,  at  a  Redstone  shooting  match,  as  he  overhear(i  some' 
one  in  a  smothered  voice  say,  "I  wish  Lewis  Wetzel  was  here."  Conrad  bore 
away  every  prize,  and  sv/oro  he  wo'.dd  "never  shoot  against  another  man  until 
he  met  and  beat  the  famed  Wetzel." 

The  forest,  hills,  dales,  and  rocks,  with  the  shooting  matches,  were,  the  fields 
of  fame  of  Conrad,  from  his  boyhood,  and  before  he  had  reached  fifteen,  ho 
i)egan  to  complain  that  bears  and  deers  were  becoming  scarce;  and  at  about  six- 
teen his  father  removed  to  a  valley  on  the  head  of  Wheeling  near  Ryerson's 
>tat!on.  Accompanied  by  his  faithful  dog,  several  nights  would  sometimes  in- 
tervene whilst  tliis  daring  young  prowler  would  sleep  in  the  untenanted  woods:. 
His  mother  and  Susan  had  always  much  chiding  in  reserve,  vv'hich  they  always 
K)rgot  between  the  return  of  his  dog  and  himself,  for  Brawler  always  arrived 
first  to  announce  his  master. 

"On  preparing  for  one  o^  those   expeditior.!';  Co;;rad  seemed  to  linger  more 


18 

than  usual.  He  was  uncommonly  long  in  preparing  his  rifle  and  other  accoutre- 
menta.  He  laughed,  tcazed  Susan,  and  vexed  his  mother;  but,  as  he  often  told 
me,  an  anxiety  hung  over  him,  he  dreaded  to  leave  home.  The  whole  family 
shared  the  feeling  and  knew  not  why.  The  habitations  were  few,  and  far  se- 
parated from  each  other;  but  as  Indian  war  had  not  for  many  years  reached 
those  dells,  no  apparent  danger  seemed  to  impend,  and  yet  the  steady,  tirm,  and 
every  thing  but  superstitious  mind  of  Fred  Mayer  shrunk  with  dread.  Fred 
Mayer  had  been  many  years  a  soldier,  and  felt  ashamed  of  his  own  fears,  laugh- 
ed at  himself  and  Conrad,  and  Conrad  himself  forced  a  playful  catch,  kissed 
his  mother  and  Susan  and  darted  olf  for  the  woods. 

The  lingering  form  was  not  yet  lost,  for  Conrad  once  or  twice  paused  and 
looked  back  upon  the  paternal  cottage,  when  his  mother  saw  the  ramrod  of  his 
rifle  lying  on  their  breakfast  table.     She  seized  the  rod  with  an  exclamation 

she  had  time  for  no  more — the  rod  and  the  light  footed  Susan  were  gone  on 

the  footsteps  of  Comad. 

The  young  hunter  had  disappeared  from  the  cottage,  and  being  at  variance 
w^ith  his  own  thoughts,  now  hurried  in  the  opposite  extreme,  and  extended  his 
pace  to  almost  a  run.  His  speed  Vi'as  soon  checked  as  he  heard  his  name  anx- 
iously pronounced,  and  turning,  saw  the  airy  form  of  Susan. 

"You  are  a  fine  hunter,"  exclaimed  the  panting  girl,  holding  up  the  rod.  Con- 
rad lowered  his  rifle  hastily,  saw  his  remissness,  and  forcing  a  gaiety  he  felt  not, 
and  patting  the  flushed  check  of  the  messenger,  replied,  "Poh  !  Susan,  may  be 
I  left  the  ramrod  behind  to  see  if  my  sister  would  think  it  worth  while  to  fol- 
low me  with  it." 

"Conrad,"  rather  solemnly  replied  Susan,  "do  not  call  your  poor  little  sister  a 
fool — but — but  come  home  with  me;  do  not  go  hunting  to-day." 
"Ha  !  ha !  Sukey,  go  hom.e  because  I  forgot  my  ramrod,  ha  !  ha !" 
"Conrad,  I  never  saw  you  linger  and  turn  back  before,  and  the  starting  tear 
stood  in  her  timid  eye. 

This  appeal  was  always  elTeclual  in  finding  the  heart  ot  the  otherwise  way- 
ward hunter,  and  setting  his  rifle  against  a  tree,  he  seized  the  almost  fainting  girl 
in  his  arms,  exclaiming  in  the  most  pathetic  tone — 

"Susan,  if  vou  were  indeed  my  sister,  I  ought  to  return  ;  but  my  heart  tells 
me  you  are  a'thousand  sisters  in  one,  and  ought  1  not  to  fly  to  the  farthest  woods, 
for  1  am  only  to  thee  a  brother." 

It  was  the  moment  they  had  found  that  there  was  a  feeling  between  them  in- 
finitely more  awakening,  more  anxious  for  ench  other,  than  that  of  brother  and 
sister  ;  but  their  looks  spoke  what  their  words  dare  not. 

Susan  gently  extricating  herself,  exclaiming— "My,  only  brother,  if  I  stand 
here  listening  to  such — 1 — believe  I  must  be" — and  away  she  tripped,  with  sen- 
sations in  which  delight  of  heart  greatly  prevailed,  and  thus  tnpped  to  the  sum- 
mit of  a  small  eminence,  when  tisrning  round,  she  saw  Conrad  standing  where 
she  left  him,  intently  gazing  after  her.     They  waved  a  farewell  and  parted. 

All  that  day  did  Conrad,  with  steady  steps  and  anxious  feelings  wind  his  way 
towards  the  Ohio.  As  the  departing  rays  of  day  were  leaving  the  earth  in  gloom, 
he  reached  the  place  where  in  two  days  his  father  had  appointed  to  meet  him 
with  horses.  .  .  ^ 

It  was  late  in  autumn;  the  morning  was  clear  and  bracing,  and  the  limbs  oi 
iJonrad  invigorated  by  rest  on  new  fallen  k  aves,  sallied  forth,  his  ride  well  pois- 
ed on  his  shoulder,  and  Brawler,  well  trained,  m.arching  behind  his  feet,  with 
the  watchful  eye  and  weary  tread  of  a  tyger.  Thus  prepared,  Conrad  was 
treading  slowly  along  the  mountain-like  hills,  when  spring  a  deer  at  a  distance, 
fee  advanced  with  hunter  caution,  until  within  reach.  The  piece  was  pointed 
s.s»d  the  unerring  ball  sped  through  the  heart  of  the  animal.     But  at  the  ver/ 


19 

moment  when  Conrad  discharged  his  rifle,  another  prowler  of  the  woods  pe  • 
formed  the  same  office,  and  the  innocent  back  fell  by  a  double  shot.    Bothhui 
ter  dogs  preceded  their  masters,  and  commenced  a  furious  battle  over  the  pre' 
which  was  rapidly  followed  by  a  more  serious  contest  between  the  two  men. 

The  passions  of  Conrad,  always  excessively  violent  when  roused,  was  raise 
to  madness  on  seeing  the  stranger  strike  Brawler.  "You  cowardly  villain,  strikt, 
my  dog,  take  that,'' — but  active  and  athletic  as  he  was,  Conrad  soon  found  him- 
self engaged  with  an  antagonist,  who  maintained  the  utmost  coolness,  and  also  r. 
powerful  man,  demanding  every  exertion.  For  perhaps  a  minute  the  contest 
was  doubtful,  and  entirely  blinded  by  excessive  rage,  Conrad  made  repeated  at- 
tempts to  draw  his  knife.  This,  with  the  perhaps  superior  strength,  and  the 
perfect  presence  of  mind  he  preserved,  decided  the  contest  in  favor  of  the 
stranger,  who  at  length,  by  a  skilful  muscular  exertion,  laid  the  frothing  Conrad 
prostrate,  wrenched  his  knife  frotn  its  scabbard  and  threw  it  to  some  distance, 
and  then  securing  his  arms,  sat  triumphant  on  his  body.  Pausing  a  moment  for 
breath,  and  with  most  provoking  coolness  viewing  his  still  writhing  enemy,  very 
calmly  observed — 

'•Young  man,  whoever  you  are,  your  jerks  can  do  yourself  as  little  use  as  me 
harm,  nor  do  1  intend  to  do  you  harm." 

"Do  me  harm!"  vociferated  the  prostrate  hunter,  in  accents  of  as  much 
wrathful  defiance  as  his  exhausted  frame  would  admit.  "Let  me  up  and  on  my 
feet,  give  me  a  chance;  and  we'll  see  who  is  to  be  harmed." 

''As  matters  have  thus  far  went,"  replied  the  collected  and  even  smiling 
stranger,  "I  am  accountable  for  my  own  acts;  but  as  I  have  found  you  in  a  scrape 
and  have  never  inju.fed  :  why,  l'!i  try  to  get  you  off  safe." 

"Insulting  scoundrel,  let  up" — 

"Wait,  my  good  boy,  until  your'fever  cools." 

"Villain,"  roare4  the  now  absolutely  infuriated  Conrad.  "You  dare  not  take 
your  rifle  and  give  me  a  fair  shot." 

"The  poor  young  man  is  raving;  bleeding  will  cool  his  fever,"  deliberately 
drawing  his  own  knife. 

The  flashing  blade  no  sooner  met  the  eye  of  Conrad,  who  expected  to  meet 
its  edge,  than  his  rage  was  calmed  in  a  moment.  His  eyes  changed  from  an  ex- 
pression of  rage  to  that  of  stern  and  even  contemptuous  defiance.  Not  a  tibre 
of  his  frame  trembled  ;  on  the  contrary,  he  steadily  eyeing  the  victorious  stran- 
ger, observed,  "Murderer  you  may  make  yourself;  but  let  me  advise  in  my  turn. 
]  fear  you  not,  but  if  you  have  a  father  and  mother,  can  you  return  to  them  and 
leave  the  body  of  an  only  son  in  the  woods." 

"I  have  [)areats  and  friends,  au-o,"  replied  the  stranger;  "I  never  intended  to 
injure  a  hair  of  your  head,  and  as  I  see  you  are  coming  to  your  senses,  you  may 
rise,  if  your  promise  is  given  to  act  correctly.  You  are  no  coward,  and  1  am 
no  murderer  :  1  cannot  accept  your  challenge." 

"It  would  be  cowardice  to  betray  such  manly  confidence,"  observed  Conrad, 
as  himself  and  competitor  rose  to  their  feet.  The  two  CjUadrupeds  were,  in  the 
mean  time,  lying  [)anting  from  their  own  share  of  the  fi'ay. 

Having  eyed  each  other  a  moment,  after  both  had  resumed  their  arms,  the 
stranger  very  good  naturedly  observed — 

"My  good  friend,  we  have  made  a  very  lucky  escape,  and  have  much  reason 
to  remember  each  other;  and  as  !  haveas  much  reason  as  yourself  to  be  asham- 
ed of  so  rash  an  act,  we  may  excljange  forgiveness." 

Conrad  felt  as  many  others  have  felt  who  has  been  doubly  vanquished,  and 
with  all  his  really  strong  feeling?  of  generosity,  a  lurking  mortification  gave  a 
sulky  moroseness  to  his  manner,  as  he  rather  ungraciously  replied,  "I  suppose  I 
am  to  be  thankful  for  not  having  my  throat  cut." 


20 

"Have  a  care  your  fever  does  not  return  and  affect  your  brain  again,  young 
man  ;"  very  slowly  and  provokingly  replied  the  stranger. 

This  was  too  much  for  the  chafed  spirit  of  Conrad,  who  commenced  reload- 
ing his  rifle  with  violent  gestures  and  feelings  of  anger.  His  opponent  also,  but 
with  tiie  utmost  coolness  commenced  a  similar  operation,  and  long  before  the 
enraged  Conrad  had  his  weapon  prepared,  the  stranger  with  a  half  suppressed 
smile,  was  very  composedly  eyeing  the  rash  young  hunter,  whilst  standing  grasp- 
ing in  his  left  hand  his  well  loaded  and  primed  rifle,  and  patting  the  head  of  his 
wounded  dog  with  his  right.  When  Conrad  had  put  his  weapon  in  order,  the 
stranger  then  observed  : 

'•You  say,  friend,  that  you  are  an  only  son  :  I  am  a  little  inclined  to  hink 
your  father  and  mother  would  soon  be  childless  if  your  life  depended  on  which 
of  us  could  load  our  rifles  tirst.  Be  calm  and  hear  me,"  continued  the  stran- 
ger, "before  you  attempt  again  to  grapple  with  a  stranger  who  has  given  no 
good  cause  :  permit  me  to  give  you  a  lesson.  Do  you  see  a  white  spot  on  that 
hickory  tree  yonder?" 

"1  am  not  blind,"  sulkily  replied  Conrad. 

"Except  with  useless  passion,"  replied  the  stranger,  as  he  raised  his  piece  to 
his  face,  and  in  a  moment  the  white  spot  was  gone,  and  the  intrepid  and  manly 
hunter  stood  with  his  empty  rifle  smiling  in  the  face  of  his  now  abashed  com- 
panion, who  remained  an  instant  absorbed  in  silent  wonder,  at  length  ejaculated 
with  great  warmth — 

"Well !  well !   this  is  too  much,  I  am  conquered." 

"But  alive  yet,"  replied  the  stranger,  as  he  walked  swiftly  towards  the  tree 
into  which  his  bullet  was  lodged,  which  having  reached,  he  held  up  his  left  hand, 
shouting,  "you  see  she  is  empty." 

"I  do,"  replied  Conrad. 

"Now  then  come  here,"  continued  the  stranger,  "and  fill  up  this  bullet  hole, 
and  then  stand  on  one  side."  Conrad  silently  obeyed  the  order,  when  the  stran- 
ger drawing  his  tomahawk,  made  a  blaze,  in  the  centre  of  which  he  made  a 
small  black  spot  with  powder,  and  then  laughingly  observed — "young  man  you 
will  now  see  what,  may  be,  you  never  saw  before;"  placing  his  back  to  the  mark- 
ed sapling  and  grasping  his  rifle,  with  the  muzzle  forward  in  his  left  hand,bound- 
ed  from  the  tree  with  the  speed  of  an  elk. 

The  wonder-stricken  Conrad  stood  immoveable,  until  he  was  roused  to  ex- 
claim with  extreme  astonishment,  "who  can  he  be?"  on  seeingthe  stranger  sud- 
denly stop,  wheel  and  tire.  The  report  of  the  rifle  and  disappearance  of  the 
mark,  began  to  excite  feelings  of  almost  superstitious  dread  in  the  bosom  of 
Conrad  ;  feelings  which  weie  wound  to  their  height  as  (he  terrible  stranger  re- 
turned, running  with  uncommon  speed,  and  coming  up,  handed  Conrad  a  com- 
pletely loaded  rifle. 

Eyeing  the  rifle  and  the  owner  alternately,  Conrad  at  length  found  breath  to 
exclaim.  " 

''^li^  you  had  not  the  look  of  a  fine  young  man,  I  should  suppose" — 

"1  was  something  worse ;"  replied  the  stranger,  "but  it  is  time  we  knew  each  , 
other." 

"My  name,"  with  some  hesitation,  replied  Conrad,  is  Mayer.  I  am  the — I 
am  sorry  to  s.-.y,  undutiful  son  Conrad,  of  Frederick  and  Maria  Mayer." 

"And  I  am  not  not  worth  the  name,  perhaps,"  said  the  stranger,  "but  1  am 
Lewis  Wetzel." 

The  arms  of  Conrad  were  instantly  round  his  preserver  ;  for  it  was  the  wind 
beaten  and  sun  embrowned  hunter-warrior,  Lewis  Wetzel,  with  whom  he  had 
been  contending. 

Their  mutual  embarrassment  having  a  little  subsided,  Lewis  observed — 


SI 

"Conrad,  as  you  have  found  I  am  a  man  just  like  yourself,  suppose  we  have 
our  breakfast;  we  have  earned  it.  Let  us  skin  this  chap,  and  carry  his  car* 
case  to  my  camp.     We  have  been  playing  the  fool  long  enough  to  be  hungry." 

On  the  bank  of  a  clear  stream,  the  trees  for  a  roof,  the  two  hunters  feasted  ; 
gave  each  to  the  other  a  short  account  of  their  lives,  laughed  and  spent  the  day, 
for  that  day  they  did  not  resume  the  chase  ;  and  when  evening  closed  upon 
them,  (hey  slept  on  their  leafy  couch  as  if  nothing  of  consequence  had  passed 
between  them  ;  and  while  they  sleep  and  hunt,  let  us  wander  up  Wheeling- and 
visit  the  cottage  of  Fred  Mayer. 

The  two  days  after  the  departure  of  Conrad,  were  cool, .and  until  towards 
the  evening  of  the  second,  clear.  For  the  next  morning  Fred  had  prepared 
every  thing  necessary  to  set  out  to  meet  his  son.  Towards  sunset,  the  wind  set 
in  from  the  northeast;  the  whole  heaven  became  overcast,  and  night  set  in  raw 
and  cold,  and  that  most  dismal  of  all  domestic  sounds,  tlie  howl  of  the  house 
dog  mingled  with  the  night  blast.  The  family  had,  in  some  measure, conquered 
the  sense  of  lonesomencss,  which  is  so  painful  when  a  few  human  beings  gaze 
upon  each  other  for  the  (irst  time,  and  feel  that  they  are  a  defenceless  few  alone 
in  a  wilderness.  Over  the  hilly  and  variegated  peninsula,  between  theMonon- 
gahela  and  Ohio  rivers,  at  the  early  day  of  our  tale,  the  tields  were  small;  they 
were  few,  and  they  were  ftr  distant  from  each  other.  The  cabins  v/ere  rude 
and  often  constructed  as  blockhouses,  for  defence.  The  almost  imperceptible 
paths  wound  through  interminable  forests,  where  almost  every  sound  which 
broke  the  silence,  was  of  the  appalling  kind.  It  was  these  lone  habitations 
w^hich  became  so  often  the  scenes  of  savage  murder.  This  is  not  the  product 
of  imagination;  it  is  the  bitter  remembrance  of  real  life  and  death,  the  remem- 
brance of  the  worst  features  of  human  strife.  Fifty  years  have  passed  and  snow- 
ed upon  this  head,  yet  it  seems  only  yesterday,  the  dark  and  dreadf^il  night,when 
Fred  Mayer  and  his  wife  and  child,  far  removed  from  every  ather  eye,  but  that 
Eye  which  never  sleeps.  The  night  passed  slowly  away,  sleep  they  could  not; 
each  tried  to  convince  the  other,  and  say  to  their  own  hearts,  "it  is  the  absence 
of  Conrad.  But  their  champion  had  often  been  absent  before,  their  heaviness 
of  heart  had  now  something  of  distressing  beyond  all  former  anxiety  for  their 
Conrad."  Towards  midnight  the  wind  entirely  ceased,  rain  began  to  patter  on 
the  roof,  and  the  darkness,  "heavy  before,  became  still  more  dense.  The  howl 
of  the  watch  dog  became  more  loud,  and  anxious  in  its  tones.  Thus  passed  the 
night  until  the  faint  grey  light  of  morning  began  to  dawn. 

"God  be  praised,"  sighed  Frederick,  "jt  is  brenk  of  day." 

At  that  moment  the  faithful  sentinel  at  the  door,  by  a  lierce  and  rapid  bark- 
ing, announced  the  approach  of  some  living  olrject.  The  warning  voice  was  as 
rapidly  followed  by  a  scream,  a  few  groans,  and  all  again  was  silent. 

Frederick  Mayer,  like  all  truly  brave  men,  lost  the  sense  of  undeiined  fear  at 
the  aspect  of  real  danger,  sprung  from  the  bed  vvith  intent  to  seize  his  rifle,  in 
the  use  of  which  he  was  no  bungler  ;  was  it  accident,  he  did  grasp  the  rifle,  !)at 
his  foot  struck  a  log  of  wood  and  he  fell  to  his  knees  as  the  thin  clapboard  door 
was  dashed  from  its  hinges,  and  three  rifles  discharged  into  tlie  cabin  in  rapid 
succession.  The  most  heart-rending  screams  roused  Frederick  to  iVenzy.  The 
great  muscular  force  of  his  youth  seemed  to  be  redoubled.  The  Indians  were 
deceived  by  his  fail,  and  naturally  concluded  their  victim  safe.  They  were 
soon  undeceived  as  uttering  the  names  of  his  wife  and  child  in  a  voice  of  abso- 
lute fury,  he  rose  to  his  feet.and  tiring  into  thcgrouj),  allLMnpted  to  turn  the  but  of 
his  rifle.  The  shot  took  effect  on  one  enemy,  but  the  stock  of  the  piece  flew 
to  shivers  against  a  joist  as  the  owner  was  grappled  with  aivd  thrown  on  the  floor. 
His  presence  of  mind  never  for  an  instant  forsook  him,  and  feeling  that  though 
one  against  such  fearful  odds  of  numbers,  that  his  enemies  were  exposed  to  the 


22 
clanger  of  wounding  each  other,  which  in  effect  took  place.     Firmly  grasping 
his  formidable  weapon,  the  naked  rifle  barrel,  and  turning  himself  by  main 
strength  on  his  face,  once  more  regained   his  feet,  and  by  a  sweep  of  the  iron 
bar  carried  away  (he  entire  upper  part  of  the  skull  of  another  Indian. 

The  cabin  was  now  become  indeed  a  scene  of  indescribable  horror.  The 
whole  events  I  have  mentioned  did  not  occupy  more,  if  as  much,  as  half  a  mi- 
nute. The  screaching  Susan  was  dragged  by  the  hair  at  the  very  moment  that 
her  protector  fell  in  the  tirst  instance.  The  maddening  sight  was  the  last  that 
Fred  Mayer  got  of  any  part  of  family  until  the  tragedy  closed.  The  groans  of  his 
wounded  wife  he  heard  amid  the  combat,but  he  saw  her  not:  the  bed  on  whiv,hshe 
lay  had  been  broken  dawn,  and  her  pure  blood  mingled  with  that  of  her  savage 
enemy.  T!ie  very  best  safeguard  of  a  single  man  against  many  was  thrown 
round  Fred  ;  that  is,  he  lost  all  sense  of  self-preservation,  and  bent  the  whole 
force  of  his  body  and  resources  of  his  mind  on  the  destruction  of  the  destroy- 
ers of  his  family — and  how  the  contest  would  have  terminated  we  can  never 
know,  as  the  shouts  of  other  voices  now  mingled  in  the  maddening  fray. 

You  may  remember,  my  young  friends,  we  left  Conrad  and  his  new  made 
friend,  Lewis,  sleeping  on  a  rivulet  of  Ohio.  Let  us  return  to  them  and  watch 
their  motions.  Next  moriiing  after  the  scuffle  and  happy  reconciliation,  the  sun 
shone  clear  upon  the  heads  of  the  two  children  of  the  woods.  Conrad  attempted 
to  make  amends  for  the  sallies  of  the  day  before — it  was  an  effort  understood  by 
the  keen-eyed  Lewis. 

"My  dreams  hang  hravi/  on  me  this  morning,  Conrad,"  said  his  companion," 
and  with  all  your  laughing,  your  brow  is  heavy.  liave  you  ever  sought  the  trail 
of  the  Indian  ?" 

"  I  have  not,"  replied  Conrad. 

"  Then  walk  backwards,  and  carefully  put  yourself  into  that  tree  top,"  point- 
ing to  a  very  large  oak  which  had  fallen  with  its  leaves  on  the  previous  summer 
— "  and  remain  there  with  vour  rifle  prepared  until  I  return. 

Conrad  eyed  the  speaker,  but  found  an  air  of  command  which  he  felt  he  ought 
to  obey,  and  he  did  obey.  Lewis  then  left  their  camp  with  a  tread  that  gave  no 
noise  from  the  early  fallen  leaf  His  course  was  northwardly  and  towar-ds  Shep- 
herd's Fort.  Flour  followed  hour  until  after  mid-day,  as  the  impatient  Conrad 
watched  the  return  of  his  companion  in  the  direction  of  his  departure.  He  was 
intently  looking  at  a  waving  bush  on  a  distant  hill,  doubtful  whether  it  was  a  man 
or  not,  Vi'hcn  he  felt  his  shoulder  struck,  and  "Ingens  are  not  deer"  came  from  . 
Wetzel,  who  had  thus  given  a  lesson  of  vigilance. 

"  Prepare,  Conrad,  seven  or  eight  of  those  black  rascals  are  gone  ir.  the  direc- 
tion of  your  father's  house." 

"  Good  God  !"  excfaimed  Conrad,  "poor  Susan,  why  did  I  not  go  home  with 
you  ?     My  sister,  my  father  and  mother." 

"Standing  there  making  speeches  will  do  no  good  to  either  your  sister,  your 
father  or  molhe!-."  Then  pausing  a  moment  and  with  his  compressed  mouth  and 
{■xpression  of  features  which  no  man,  liowevertlrm  might  be  his  nerves,  ever  be- 
held without  feelirig  a  somethitigsaying,  "Let  that  man  never  be  my  enemy" — 
muttered  with,  appalling  em})hasis,  "If  the  whole  of  these  cut-throats  ever  again 

cross  the  Ohio, — why,  they'll  conclude  that  the  D 1  and  Lewis  Wetzel  have 

had  a  quarrel  lately  ;  but  I'll  try  to  show  them  that  myself  and  old  friend  are  not 
separated  }et. 

Little  more  v.-as  said  :  a  few  slices  of  half  roasted  vension  was  cut  from  the 
residue  of  the  deer  slain  the  day  before,  and  the  two  hunters  were  with  careful 
but  rather  rapid  steps  measuring  their  way  to  the  northeastward,  with  a  view,  as 
Le?fis  whispered,  "  to  fall  in  the  rear  of  the  IngcnsV  With  all  their  untiring 
speed  it  was  evening  when,  reaching  the  head  of  a  hollow  overspread  with  the 


rank  growth  of  the  past  summer,  that  Lewis  stopt  suddenly,  and  pointing  with 
his  ram-rod  to  marks  Conrad  could  scarcely  perceive,  observed  in  an  under 
tone,  "Here,  here  !  are  their  trail !"  They  had  been  scveial  hours  far  within 
the  range  where  every  stream  and  ridge  was  known  to  Conrad,  whose  inward 
agony  of  mind  increased  at  every  moment,  as  in  following  the  steps  of  his  wary 
leader,  and  saw  him  advancing  in  the  direct  course  towards  the  honie  of  his  pai'- 
ents  and  sister.  He  was  almost  provoked  at  the  cool  and  undisturbed  behaviour 
of  Lewis,  but  the  dreadful  appearances  made  him  e9&jjipletely  submissive  to  the 
orders  which  were  given  with  a  confidence  which  inspired  hope  in  the  very  face 
of  despair. 

I  have  already  told  you,  my  children,  that  the  evening  was  heavy,  and  the 
night  unusually  dark.  That  darkness  closed  upon  the — 1  might  say,  angels  of 
deliverance,  some  miles  short  of  Mayer's  cabin.  It  was  on  the  closing  of  light 
that  any  expression  of  impatience  was  shown  by  Lewis. 

"Must  these  villains  escape?"  The  expression  was  lofty,  and  calculated  to 
alarm  Conrad;  but  the  long  tried  warrior  repaired  his  mistake  with  admirable 
quickness  by  adding,  ''till  to-morrow  morning,"  whispering  at  the  same  time, 
that  "  It  is  not  the  custom  of  the  Ingens  to  attack  only  at  break  of  day." 

Still  they  advanced  slow,  silent,  and  listening  at  every  few  steps.  For  some 
hours  the  wind  enabled  Lewis  to  keep  his  course,  but  when  that  guide  failed,  and 
the  black  and  covered  sky  hid  every  star,  the  bark  of  the  trees  were  felt. 

"  In  any  common  case,"  again  whispered  Lewis,  "maybe  I  could  tind  my  way, 
we  must  be  near  your  father's  and  we  may  pass  it,  we  must  stop." 

A  sigh  and  shudder  was  all  the  answer  Conrad  could  make,  and  they  crouched 
down  beside  two  trees.  1  need  not  say  hours  were  weeks,  as  both  their  faces 
WevQ.  turned  to  wjiat  they  thought  the  east.  It  was  an  opening  amongst  the  trees, 
which  at  last  began  to  widen,  the  trunks  and  large  branches  began  to  appear. 
Lewis  was  just  ready  to  say,  "  Break  of  day,"  but  was  prevented  by  Conrad 
springing  to  his  feet  exclaiming,  "By  heavens  !"  His  loud  expression  was  prompt- 
ly and  eifectually  arrested  by  the  powerful  hand  of  Wetzel,  who  almost  jerked 
him  off  his  feet. 

Conrad,  brought  to  himself,  in  a  hurried  but  suppressed  tone  informed  Lewis, 
that  they  were  between  two  and  three  miles  from  his  father's  house,  that  the 
opening  they  saw  was  an  abandoned  settlement.  They  were  on  theirway  before 
Conrad  had  finished.  Avoiding  the  open  old  field,  they  were  soon  on  a  cattle 
path,  and  in  a  {evj  minutes,  on  rising  a  hill,  the  long  drawn  howl  of  the  house  dog 
was  on  the  point  of  being  answered  by  the  two  brute  sharers  of  their  march,  but 
a  touch  of  the  ramrod  reduced  to  complete  silence  the  well-trained  mastitis. 
Their  speed  was  every  moment  increased  as  the  cry  of  the  watchdog  became 
more  and  more  distinct. 

Suddenly  Lev/is  stopt,  and,  listening  a  second  or  two  to  the  change  of  note  of 
the  dog,  then  most  earnestly  observed  to  Conrad — 

"Now,  my  brave  young  man,  follow  my  directions.  Your  house  is  surround- 
ed by  these  savages;  advance  cautiously  and  do  not  tire  unless  sure  of  your 
mark.  When  you  do  fire,  instantly  retreat  and  reload  ;  but  of  all  things  do  not 
for  any  cause  rush  towards  the  house  unless  you  see  me." 

The  orders  were  here  cut  short ;  the  death-scream  of  the  dog,  the  equally  ter- 
rible silence  which  followed,  and  then  the  rapid  firing,  and  the  screams  of  the 
females,  put  all  farther  delay  out  of  question,  and  yet  the  never-disturbed  peace 
of  mind  of  Wetzel,  as  Conrad  afterwards  told  me,  had  more  the  appearance  of 
a  man  advancing  on  a  wounded  bear  than  on  he  knew  not  how  many  armed  men. 
It  was  at  the  moment  when  a  blow  from  a  tomahawk  sunk  the  brave  old  Mayer, 
that  the  voice  of  Lewis  Wetzel  was  no  longer  heard  in  whispers,  but  echoed  to 
the  surrounding  forest.     "Conrad,  your  family  is  murdered.  Revenge!  revenge!" 


24 

and  shouted  his  own  name  with  a  force  almost  beyond  human.  If  an  earth- 
quake had  burst  beneath  their  feet,  the  efTect  would  not  have  been  more  terrific 
on  the  minds  of  the  Ingens,  as  he  called  them.  They  who  yet  survived  rushed 
from  the  cabin,  at  the  tiireshold  of  which  two  fell  to  their  sleep  of  death,  and  the 
astonished  Lewis  saw  only  one  (lying  savage.  "  You  shall  follow,"  as  he  gritted 
his  teeth  in  rage,  and  darted  after  bi.s,  to  him,  certain  prey.  For  once  even  the 
consumate  skill  of  yVetztd  w^s  within  a  hair  breadth  of  failing.  The  Indian's 
piece  had  not  been'disch^rg^d,  and'knowing  that  both  white  men  had  discharg- 
ed their  rifles,  and  finding' tmnself  pursued  by  only  a  single  man,  who  was  every 
step  gaining  upon  him,  the  savage  sprang  to  a  tree.  Lewis  saw  his  error,andas 
the  piece  was  raised  he  fell  prostrate,  at  the  instant  the  ball  passed  through  his 
hunting  shirt  above  his  shoulder.  The  Indian  was  now  in  his  power,  but  with- 
out discharging  his  piece  he  grasped  it  in  his  left  hand,  and  in  a  few  hundred 
yards  the  Indian  was  a  corpse  under  his  hatchet. 

The  sun  had  not  yet  risen  when  Lewis  returned  with  wary  steps  towards  the 
cabin.  To  the  name  of  "Conrad,"  called  in  a  voice  louder  and  louder,  no  an- 
swer was  given,  and  he  finally  reached  the  dreadful  spot  stained  with  the  blood 
of  six  human  beings.  With  his  back  to  the  fireplace  stood  Conrad,  his  eyes  fixed 
in  horror  on  the  slill  breathinf^^nd  weltering  forms  of  his  parents.  To  the  friend- 
ly and  now  toucldng  voice  of  Lewis  no  answer  was  given,  and  even  Lewis  him- 
self, accustomed  as  he  was  to  the  dread  horrors  of  savage  war,  could  not  avoid 
exclaiming,  "Is  all  this  real." 

"  Yes,  real,"  replied  Conrad,  with  a  bursting  sigh,  "  and  my  fault."  A  vast 
passionate  Hood  of  tears  followed,  but  that  flood  v/as  salutary.  Conrad  was  re- 
stored to  himself,  if  a  man  inflamed  to  almost  the  madness  of  rage  could  be  sai'l 
to  be  lestored.  "To  the  woods  I  fly  with  you,  Lewis,  the  Indians'  blood  sh  .d 
pay  for  this — but  oh!   Lewis — can  I  ask" — 

"Fop  the  body  of  yotsr  sister,"  interrupted  Lewis, "she  is  not  dead,  but  a  pris- 
oner, in  my  opinion.  Your  horses  are  gone,  for  in  returning  to  the  house  I  had 
the  caution  to  examine  the  stable,  where  the  tracks  of  men  and  horses  are  plen- 
ty. It  is  all  stiange — very  strange.  There  were  more  men  on  this  murdering 
party  than  we  have  found.  It  is  strange — very  strange." 
"  They  may  be  lurking  near,"  replied  Conrad. 

"  They  are  making  their  way  to  the  Ohio,"  bitterly  interrupted  Lewis,  "If  I 
did  not  know  these  wolves  I  wouHf  not  stand  here.        ^          *         ^         ;¥ 
Here  Kingsley  paused  as  his  young  auditory  awaited  the  finishing  of  his  story. 
"  1  am  talking  about  events  in  a  diiferent-age  from  tho  present,"  at  length  he 
resumed. 

Before  the  parley  I  have  related,  short  as  it  was,  was  closed,  Conrad  Mayer 
had  no  living  parent. 

"  1  am  alone!   I  am  alone!  Susan,  my  Susan,  I  follow  (hce." 
"  And  I  am  with  thee  to  the  Siiawnee  towns,"  replied  Wetsrel,  who  commenc- 
ed to  place  the  dead  bodies  of  Mayer  and  his  wife  side  by  side,  covering  them 
with  the  bed  clothes,  and  after  swallowing  a  few  hasty  morsels  the  tvv'o  persever- 
ing warriors  were  again  on  their  way  in  pursuit, 

Lewis  traced  the  horse  tracks,  which  for  several  miles  were  found  along  a 
path  towards  where  VVaynesburg  now  stands,  and  then  bent  to  the  southwestward 
over  the  southern  heads  of  Wheeling  into  the  valley  of  Fish  Creek.  The  tracks 
proved  haste  and  the  small  puddles  left  where  watercourses  were  passed  enabled 
Lewis  to  determine,  as  he  vehemently  expressed  himself,  that — 
"These  painted  scoundrels  are  gaining  from  us." 

In  our  days,  vviieii  our  ^/Z?(e  3'oung  men  must  ntZe  along  good  road?,  and  would  shrink  «  a 
walk  from  Wheeling  to  Washingtoji  in  Pennsylvania,  yon  may  v.-ell  feel  astonished  when  I  tell 
you  that  vvith  all  the  fatigue  of  the  day  and  night  before,  Conrad  Ma3Trand  Lewis  Wetzel  were 


25 

atrain  on  the  Ohio  before  night  closed  on  their  path ;  but  they  arrived  only  in  time  to  find  their 
objects  of  pursuit  had  crossed  that  gr-^it  stream. 

Arrived  on  the  bank,  Lewis,  tuniir)\r  to  his  companion,  observed — 

Conrad,  we  must  sleep,  if  we  do  s;.  oj),  oa  yonder  bank. 

"I'll  be  on  that  bank  this  night  if  !    -vinr'Trepiied  Conrad.     ,    ,.     ._; 

"And  swim  you  mu&t,  but  \vc  mi',--l  <V;.r'  carevBfctCjttr  »un^^;\?!iii|''yA'"'''^  y°^  °^  ^"^  ^^  ^°^^ 
family  ever  a  wortiiless,  cowardly  encisy  who  liod Trom  ^       i^^^™^^ 

The  question  was  a  volume  at  unro  to  Coiirad,  who,  clajH^TO^rand  to  his  forehead,  re- 
flected in  silence  for  several  minutes,  nud  at  len^'th  answeroo^ 

"  Yes,  there  was  one  fellow,  Ned  'i  'ra<h,  from  whom  I  won  a  hunt  of  deer  skins  at  a  shooting 
match,  and  afterwards  knocked  down  tor  s  lying  he  intended  to  court  Susan.  He  has  been  gone 
up'vards  of  two  years." 

"  And  is  the  worst  Sljawnee  in  the  tu.vns.  .^nd  has  got  your  Susan  without  pourting.  The 
moment  i  sa.w  the  stable  this  moniiriL;'  I  set  (lovvn  in  my  mmd  that  the  cowards  who  left  .their 
companions  were  not  Inqens.  Look  at  yon  fi;e.''  And  a  tire  was  now  distinctly  seen  amongst 
the  trees  on  the  opposite  shore. 

"Blood  painted  mongers,"  muttered  Lsv/is,  "you  left  a  home  flowing  with  blood  this  morn- 
ing, and  to-morrow  morning  your  binod  shall  tirv.v.  My  friend,  Conrad,  we'll  cross  the  river, 
and  do  j'ou  take  care  of  your  rifle  and  your  girl,  your  sister,  or  what  you  chose  to  call  her,  and 
I'll  lead  those  new  made  Ingens  a  dance — never  mmd  if  I  dont."'      — — 

Though  Conrad  felt  very  muAi  dispoi'ed  to  lead  them  a  dance  himself,  his  increasing  confi- 
dence ai  his  commandL-r  kept  him  siloM  andsLibmis-sive.  The  nver  was  passed,  and  as  Lewis 
intended,  they  made  land  far  enough  below  the  savage  camp  to  secure  ihemselyes  from  dis- 
covery. Short  as  was  the  distance,  however,  it  was  far  in  tiiu  night  before  the  dying  embers  of 
their  fire  and  the  sleeping  bodies  of  the  enemy  were  seen  by  the  two  c^liti  •us  hunters,  who  in 
their  approach  kept  a  deathlike  silence.  There  was  indeed  but  one  "sound  of  human  voice 
v/hich  broke  upon  the  dreary  scene,  'j'hat  sound  was  the  heart-broken  and  despairing  aspira- 
tions of  the  captive  girl.  Though  bnd  in  a  forest  Susan  Gray  was  reared  tenderly.  The  first 
riide  shock  tbat  marked  her  young  days  from  the  deaUi  of  her  parents,  was  one  of  utter  destruc- 
tion. The  gray  dawn  of  morning  vi'as  tlie  messenger  of  horror.  The  faint  i  ight  broke  over  the 
eastern  hills  ofOhio, — broke  over  those  nntive  hiWs  she  dared  not  hope  ever  again  to  behold. 

The  greatest  danger  and  no  dang;n-  pr. 'duces  the  same  efFrCts,  says  Zimmerman,  quoting 
Count  Lippe.  Many  are  the  instance's  I  have  known  where  that  truth  was  shewn  by  Indian 
c;iptives,  and  mor.-^  than  one  when  it  proved  their  last  defence. 

With  the  dawn  the  savages  arose;  ope  sal  gloomy  and  with  a  visage  of  more  than  Indian 
ferocity  opposite  to  where  the  slightly  bound  captive  vvas  lying.  Her  eye  caught  the  glance  of 
the  villain,  and  tiie  eflect  was  an  ex("l:.mation  of  indignant  contempt  rather  than  that  ot  what 
might  in  common  cases  be  expected. 

"  You  are  Edward  Trash — where  are  my  father  and  mother'?"' 

Though  steeped  in  blood,  Trash  cowered  under  the  glance  cf  an  angll  and  the  voice  of  God, 
for  what  was  she  at  this  awful  moment  buL  the  messenger  of  lum  whose  eye  pierces  the  thick- 
est dnrkness. 

"  Yes  !'■ — rdie  reiterated.  But  her  voice  was  lost  in  sounds  equally  the  voice  of  Heaven. — 
Trasli,  like  all  cowards  who  shrink  f.-om  the  moral  power,  soon  gain  confidence  when  assured 
of  the  personal  weakness  of  their  opponents,  sprang  to  his  feet  with  an  expression  oi  rage  and 
hatred  which  only  a  renegado  ever  can  assume.  'A'hat  would  have  been  h:s  next  act  we  can 
now  never  know.  The  whole  scene  was  rapid  as  the  fiash  and  report  ol  an  impending  thunder 
cloud,  and  followed  by  the  report  of  a  rdle  and  the  dreadful  name  of  Lewis  Wetzel  resounding 
along  tlie  Ohio. 

Trash  fell  under  the  ball  of  Conrad,  Vvdio  with  burning  impatience  awaited  the  signal  to  lire, 
a  punishment  he  so  wickedly  won,  and  a  served.  It  may  seertf  strange  that  Lewis  did  not  also 
fire,  but  he  was  too  good  a  warrior  to  give  his  enemies  an  advanta§:e.  His  name,  terrible  to  the 
real  Indians,  was  te^nfold  more  so  to  "the  Girtys  and  other  whites,  who,  though  never  equal  to 
the  Indians  in  ther  mode  of  war,  proved  that  the  Shawnee  could  be  far  outdone  in  brutal  cruel- 
ty. Urged  as  they  were  to  flight  by  the  avenger,  the  two  unwounded  captors  of  Susan  gave  to 
the  pursuers  an  advantage,  v/hich  on  another  occasion  as  well  as  on  the  present,  was  most  et- 
fectually  used  by  Lewis  W^ctzel.  Tlie  two  fugitives  separated,  or  more  distinctly,  one  outran 
the  other,  and  left  each  to  contend  singlehanded  with  a  man,  that,  perhaps,  if  in  the  woods  ot 
Ohio,  and  armed  only  with  rifles,  there  was  not  then  on  the  face  of  the  earth,  another  who  could 
have  contended  with  the  least  probability  of  success.  The  wary  Lewis  in  the  outset  did  not 
exert  his  utmost  powers  of  speed,  but  awaited  the  very  effect  I  have  noticed,  but  that  effect 
once  produced,  every  muscle  was  strained,  and  every  moment  the  hindmost  savage  heard,  or 
thought  he  heard,  nearer  and  nearer  the  rapid  tread  of  his  pursuer. 

Amongst  the  unequalled  combination  of  qualities  as  a  warrior,  possessed  by  Lewis  Wetzel, 

4 


26 

one  of  the  most  remarkable  was  the  skill  with  which  he  drew  his  enemy's  fire— an  advantage 
he  scarce  ever  failed  to  obtain,  and  almost  certain  death  was  the  consequence  to  his  opponent, 
for  an  empty  rifle  in  his  hand  was  most  dangerous  to  those  thrown  ofFtheir  guard,  and  liis  ability 
of  reloading  in  full  retreat  or  advance,  enabled  him  to  deceive  his  adversary  by  actually  throwing 
away  his  own  fire,  a  stratagem  he  put  in  practice  in  the  present  pursuit.  Before  he  could  se- 
cure an  unerring  aim  he  halted  and  discharged  his  piece.  Tiie  discharge  and  wheeling  of  the 
nearest  savage  was  the  work  of  a  moment.  Affecting  to  retreat  in  turn,  the  triuuij.hant  shouts 
of  one  enemy  and  sound  6i  the  rifle  deceived  the  other,  and  both  rushed  on  to  expected  victory 
— but  certain  destruction.  The  moments  were  few  until  Lewis  was  again  ready  to  "/'/te  Iree," 
but  as  he  sprung  behind  one,  the  foremost  Ingen  contemptously  shouted  ''Ingen  not  a  fool." 

"A  doe  skin  would  be  too  high  a  price  for  your  wisdom,"  muttered  Lewis,  his  eyes  flashing 
like  a  tyger's,  as  he  awaited  the  approaching  monster. 

"Empty  gun,  wiiite  man." 

"Empty  through  your  heart,  murderer,  once  white  man,"  passed  through  the  gritting  teeth  of 
Lewis,  and  one  frightful  groan,  the  last  of  the  renegado,  seemed  an  echo  to  the  sharp  crack  of 
the  rifle. 

'J'he  remaining  monster  in  human  (orm  was  now  too  far  advanced  to  retreat  with  any  safety, 
and,  rendered  desperate,  it  became  now  a  real  struggle  for  life  and  death,  and  had  the  enemy 
been  truly  an  Indian,  even  the  skill  and  activity  of  Wetzel  might  have  failed.  Both  feeling  that 
their  blood  depended  on  the  issue,  put  every  nerve  and  sinew  to  the  strain.  The  disadvantage 
was  fearfully  on  the  side  of  Wetzel,  and  mast  have  been  fatal  had  his  pursuer  not  been  deter- 
mined to  make  security  more  secure,  reserved  ins  fire  awaiting  a  chance  of  discharging  with 
certain  aim      Thus  proceeded  the  race  for  a  few  hundred  yaids,  when  Lewis  once  more  ''t'ree'd." 

"  You're  a  dead  man,"  roared  a  thundering  voice. 

"H — 1  shall  have  one  tenant  more,"  seemed  to  come  hoarsely  from  the  bowels  of  the  earth, 
as  Leu'is  lay  like  a  crouching  lion.  Not  conceiving  the  possibility  of  encountering  a  loaded  rifle 
discharged  not  three  minutes  before,  with  dreadful  caths  expressed  in  good  or  had  English  as 
you  choose,  his  adversary  advanced. 

"  I'll  know  who  this  scoundrel  is  before  I  finish  him,"  muttered  Lewis,  as  he  deliberately  sent 
a  ball  through  his  left  arm  and  shoulder,  and  dropping  his  rifle  seized  his  tomahawk  and  rushetl 
upon  the  fallen.  "Never  carelessly  approach  a  wounded  enemy,"'  was  a  maxim  Lewis,  had 
guod  reason  to  remember,  as  he  learned  its  wisdom  from  seeing  a  rifle  muzzle  raised  and 
pointed  to  his  breast.  The  rifle  ball  and  his  tomahawk  passed  each  other  in  mid  air.  The  ball 
passed  harmless,  but  the  hatchet  lodged  in  the  brain,  and  forever  concealed  the  last  of  the  cap- 
tors of  Susan  Grey." 

Here  Kingsley  stopped  as  if  his  tale  was  ended.  Every  hearer  felt  burning  to  know  what  be- 
came of  Conrad  and  JSusan,  and  at  length  finding  the  old  historian  silent,  more  than  one  voice 
rather  impatiently  breathed,"  and  Conrad  and  Susan"- - 

"  Reared  a  fine  family  of  young  Conrads  and  Susans,"  resumed  Kingsley.  They  returned  to 
see  the  fresh  graves  of  their  parents  which  had  been  laid  in  earth  by  a  party  of  men  the  very  day 
of  their  return.  It  was  long  before  their  hearts  could  again  feel  the  gayiiy  of  former  days,  biit 
time  softened  the  memory  of  the  past,  and  when  the  name  of  their  eldest  son,  Wetzel  Mayer, 
was  pronounced,  they  remembered  the  v/arriorof  the  west,  and  many  is  the  time  the  young 
Mayer  ran  to  meet  the  coming  warrior,  and  many  is  the  time  that  Susan  Mayer  sent  to  heaven 
the  breathings  of  innocence  mingled  with  like  aspirations  from  other  mothers,  for  the  preserva- 
tion of  the  brown  warrior  sleeping  in  the  far  distant  woods  of  Ohio  or  Muskingum. 

The  reader  migiit  view  some  of  the  incidents  of  the  preceding  tale  as  so  far  bordering  on  the 
marvellous  as  to  be  out  of  nature: — But  there  is  not  one  incident- but  in  some  case  or  other 
really  happened  within  forty  miles  of  Wheeling  between  1770  and  1795.  The  power  of  loading 
a  rifle  whilst  running  in  Vvoods  was  really  possessed  as  represented  in  the  person  of  Lewis  Wet- 
zel, and  actually  exercised  not  very  materially  different  from  the  incidents  related  in  the  tale. 
My  object  has  been  to  represent  a  Hunter  Warrior  as  they  were  in  fact,  without  putting  slang 
and  vulgar  j)«/f«s  in  his  mouth,  never  used  by  him.  I  was  bred  among  the  hunter  warriors,  and 
have  seen  and  heard  them  in  al)  situations,  except  that  of  war.  I  have  seen  them  serious  and 
pad,  and  have  seen  them  in  their  hours  of  revelry,  and  when  shoulderino-  their  rifle  for  chace 
and  war.  •  MARK  BANCROFT. 


THE    FAIMOUS    CAPTIVITY    AND    SUFFERINGS    OF   FREEGIFT    PATCHIN, 
AMONG  THE  INDIANS,  AS  RELATED  BY  HIMSELF. 

In  the  year  1780,  myself  as  well  as  the  whole  population  about  the  region  of  old  .Schoharie, 
were  held  in  readiness  by  Col.  Peter  Vi-ooman,  as  minute-men,  to  be  ready  at  a  moment's 
warning,  as  the  tories  and  Indians  were  a  watchful  and  cruel  enemy.  Around  the  region  of 
the  head  of  the  Delaware  river,  it  was  suspected  there  were  persons  who  favored  the  cause  of 
the  British ;  a  small  company  of  men,  therefore,  were  seat  out  as  spies  upon  them  ;  and  also, 


27 

if  possible,  to  make  a  quantity  of  maple  su^dr,  as  an  abunJoiicc  of  maple  grew  there. 

Of  this  little  company,  Captain  Alexander  Harper  had  the  command  Fourteen  persons 
were  all  that  were  sent  out,  amon^  whom  was  myself,  Isaac  Patchin,  my  brother,  Ezra  Thorp. 
Lieutenant  Henry  Thorp  and  Major  Henry. 

It  was  early  in  the  month  of  April — the  second  day  of  the  month—when  wo  <-■;■'  '  ik 
place  of  rendezvous,  a  distance  from  the  Forts  of  Schoharie  of  about  thirty  mil  ivy 

snow  storm  came  on,  during-  which  about  three  feet  of  snow  fell,  in  addition  to  tl,  was 

on  the  ground  before. 

'We  were  not  in  the  least  apprehensive  of  dano;er,  as  the  nearest  Fort  of  the  en  .  ;  .  :;;  at 
Niagara  ;  knowing  also  that  .Sullivan,  the  year  before,  had  sroured  the  Chemung  and  Genesee 
countries,  killed  or  driven  the  Indians  to  Canada  ;  also  as  it  was  winter,  and  the  snow  very 
deep,  we  supposed  were  circumstances  of  sufficient  magnitude  to  prevent  marauding  parties 
effjctually  from  approaching  from  that  quarter,  at  that  peculiar  time. 

We  had  tapped,  as  the  sugar  making  phrase  is,  a  great  number  of  trees,  finding  the  proper 
utensils  at  hand,  as  they  had  been  before  occupied  in  the  same  way,  by  the  inhabitants,  who 
were  fled  to  other  places  for  safety.  A  few  hundred  pounds  of  maple  sugar,  would  have  been 
a  groat  acquisition,  as  the  inmates  of  the  Forts  were  in  want  of  all  things  ;  having  been  com- 
pelled to  floe  from  their  homos  to  Schoharie  and  other  places  of  safety. 

We  had  proceeded  in  our  enterprise  of  sugar  making,  as  merrily  as  the  fatiguing  nature  of 
the  business  would  permit,  a  few  days,  when,  on  the  7th  of  Ajinl,  1780,  at  about  two  o'clock  in 
the  afternoon,  we  were  suddenly  beset  and  surrounded  by  forty-three  Indians  and  seven  tories. 
The  names  of  the  tories  1  forbear  to  mention,  except  two  or  three,  of  whom  the  reader  will 
hear  in  the  course  of  the  narrative,  the  rest  I  have  thought;  proper  not  to  name,  as  their  de- 
scendants are  not  chargeable  with  the  misguided  acts  of  their  fathers  ;  and  it  is  not  my  wish 
afthis  time  of  day  to  cast  reflections  and  grieve  the  innocent. 

So  silent  had  been  the  approach  of  the  enemy,  that  tlu'ee  of  our  number  lay  weltering  in 
their  bloo  1,  before  I,  or  any  of  the  rest  knew  they  were  among  us,  as  we  were  scattered  here 
and  there,  busy  with  our  work.  I  was  not  far  from  our  captain,  when  I  saw  the  Indians  firsr, 
who  was  accosted  by  Brant,  their  leader,  as  follows  : — "Harper,  I  am  sorry  to  find  you  hero.'' 
Why,  said  Harper,  Captain  Brant,  are  you  sorry?  "Because,  he  rejoined,  I  must  kill  you, 
though  we  were  school  mates  in  youth."  When  he  lifted  and  flourished  his  tomahawk  over 
his  head,  ready  to  execute  the  deed,  but  suddenly,  as  if  paralyzed  by  a  stroke  of  magic,  stop- 
ped this  act  of  murder,  as  if  some  new  and  important  thouglit  had  crossed  his  mind — when  ho 
gazed  at. Harper  with  an  eye  as  keen  and  deadly  as  a  serpent,  saying,  "Are  there  any  troops  at 
the  Forts  in  Schoharie']"  iiarper  perceived  in  a  moment,  that  the  answer  to  this  question 
would  either  save  their  lives  or  procure  their  instant  death  ;  for  if  he  should  say  iYo,  which 
would  have  been  the  truth,  the  Indians  would  have  instantly  killed  them  all,  and  then  proceed- 
ed to  Old  Schoharie,  massacreing  as  they  went,  and  cut  off  the  whole  inhabitants  before  help 
could  have  been  had  from  any  quarter,  and  the  enemy,  as  a  v»'olf,  whf^n  the  morning  appears 
flees  with  the  shades  of  night. 

Accordingly,  he  answered,  "There  are  throe  hundred  continental  troops  now  at  the  Forts, 
uho  arrived  there  about  three  days  since."'  But  the  whole  of  this  statement  was  untrue  ;  yet 
who  will  condemn  the  captain,  aud  say  the  act  would  need  much  repentance,  ere  it  should  have 
Oiitaincd  forgiveness. 

On  hearing  tins,  the  countenance  of  Hrant  fell,  when  he  waved  his  hand,  a  signal  tc  the 
chiefs;  stopped  the  massicre,  and  called  a  council  of  war;  all  of  weich,  from  the  time  Brant 
had  brandished  his  hatchet  over  the  head  of  Harper,  had  been  but  the  work  of  a  moment. 

The  eleven  survivors  were  seized,  pinioned,  and  turned  altogether  into  a  hogpen,  where  they 
were  kept  till  morning.  A  guard  of  tories,  with  one  Becraft  by  name,  at  their  head,  was  set 
over  them  in  the  pen,  a  bloody  villain,  as  will  appear  in  the  course  of  this  account. 

All  night  Brant  and  his  warriors,  with  the  tories,  were  in  fi':^ice  consultation  whether  the 
prisoners  should  be  put  to  death,  or  taken  alive  to  iS'iagara.  The  chiefs  appeared  swayed  by 
Brant,  whose  influence  prevailed  over  the  whole  opposition  of  the  murderous  crew;  there  Wcs 
a  reason  for  tliis,  as  will  appear  by  and  by. 

While  this  question  was  pending,  we  could  see  plainly  their  every  act  through  the  chinks  of 
the  pen,  as  a  monstrous  fire  was  in  their  midst,  and  hear  every  word,  though  none  of  us  under- 
stood their  language  but  our  captain,  wljose  countenance  we  could  perceive,  by  the  light  of  the 
fire,  from  time  tot:rae  changing  with  the  alternate  passions  of  hope  and  fear,  u'hiie  ihe  sweat 
ran  copiously  down  his  face,  from  the  mere  labor  of  his  mind,  although  it  was  a  cold  night. 
And  added  to  this,  the  sentry,  the  bloody  Becraft,  who  was  set  as  a  guard,  would  every  novi' 
nnd  then  cry  out  to  us,  "You  will  all  be  iu  h'dl  before  morning.''  But  there  we  were,  tied  neck 
and  heels,  or  we  would  have  beat  t!ie  pen  about  his  head  ;  our  captain  wliispered  to  us  that  his 
word  was  doubted  by  the  Ls^hans  and' tories,  who  were  for  killing  us,  and  proceeding  without 
delay  to  Schoharie. 

At  length  the  morning  came,  when  Brant  and  his  associate  cliiefs,  five  in  number,  ordered 
t'.'at  Harper  be  bronglit  before  them.    Here  the  queation  was  renewed  by  Brant,  wlio  saidjVVa 


28 

are  suspicious  that  you  have  lied  to  us;  at  the  same  time  he  sternly  looked  Harper  in  the  face, 
to  see  if  a  muscle  moved  with  fear  or  prevarication,  'i'o  v,'hich  our  captain  answered  with  a 
smile,  expressive  of  confidence  and  scorn,  and  at  the  s:i>ne  time  desGrip«:ive  of  the  most  sin- 
cere and  unvarying  honesty,  that  every  word  which  he  had  spoken,  respecting  th"^  arrival  of 
troops  at  Schoharie,  Vv/as  wholly  true..  His  answer  w:.r  believed;  at  which  moment  not  onlv 
their  own  lives  were  saved,  but  also  tiiose  of  hundreds  ,f  men,  with  helpless  women  and  chil". 
dren,  who  have  not  known  to  this  day.  except  to  the  few  ro  whom  the  storv  has  been  told,  that  so 
great  a  Providence  stepped  in  between  tliem  and  servitu  le,  tortures  and  dc:ith. 

It  was  extremely  mortifying  to  Brant  to  be  compelle.l  to  relinquish,  at  the  very  moment  when 
he  was  ready  to  grasp  the  utmost  of  his  v/'sh,  in  the  gloi  v  and  riches  he  v^^ould  have  acquired  in 
the  completion  of  his  enterprise.  Ho  had  fed  th^-  he;  -s  and  wishes  of  his  associate  chiefs, 
warriors  and  tories  with  the  same  prospect^;;  h;ivu!g  calculated,  from  information  long  before 
received,  that  Sehoh^.rie  was  ;n  a  defenceless  state,  an  1  dreaded  no  evil,  which  rendered  it  ex- 
tremely difficult  to  restram  them  from  killing  the  prisor.ars,  out  of  mere  fury  st  the  disappoint- 
ment. A  few  moments  of  consultation  ensued,  when  the  rest  were  ordered  out  of  the  pen. 
Brant  now  disclosed  the  whole  plan  of  tho  expeditioi;  'n  EngHsh,  expressing  his  regret  at  its 
failure,  stating  that  he  and  the  other  chiefs  had  with  f=  lenity  saved  them  from  hoing  scalped. 
And  that  lie  did  not  wish  to  kill  them  in  cold  blood  now,  they  had  been  together  a  day  and  a 
night,  and  if  they  chose  to  go  Vvuth  him  to  Niagara  as  captives  of  war,  they^might,  but  if  they 
failed  on  the  way  through  fatigue  or  the  want  of  food,  they  must  not  expect  to  live,  as  their 
scalps  v^ero  as  good  for  him  as  their  bodies. 

They  had  no  provisions  with  them,  neither  had  they  eat  any  thing  as  yet  while  we  had 
been  their  prisoners,  except  what  tiiey  had  found  in  our" sap-bush,  which  they  had  at  first  de- 
voured with  the  rapacity  of  cannibals.  We  now  took  up  our  line  of  march,  with  our  arms 
strongly  pinioried,  our  shoulders  sorely  pressed  with  enormous  packs,  our  hearts  bleeding  at 
the  dreadful  journey  before  us,  and  the  servitude  we  were  exposed  to  undergo  among  the  Indi- 
ans; ovU  bought  by  tlie  British,  imprisonment  by  sea  or  land,  was  our  certain  fate,  at  least  till 
the  end  of  the  war,  if  we  even  survived  the  journey. 

Tiie  snov/  was  then  more  than  three  feet  deep,  and  being  soft,  rendered  it  impossible  for  u.s 
prisoners  to  travel,  as  we  had  no  snow  shoes,  but  th.  Indians  had:  a  part,  therefore,  went  before 
us,  and  a  part  behind,  all  in  Indian  file :  so  by  keeping  their  tracks  we  were  enabled  to  go  on, 
bui  if  we  happened  to  fall  down  the  Indians  behind  would  cry  out,  "waugh  Bostona."  We  had 
travelled  about  ten  or  twelve  miles,  when  we  came  to  a  gristmill,  situated  on  the  Delaware, 
the  owner  of  which  welcomed  this  band  of  infernals,  and  gave  them  such  refreshment  as  was 
iuliis  power ;  but  to  us  poor  prisoners,  he  gave  nothing,  while  we  Vv-ere  made  to  sit  apart  on  a 
Jog  by  the  side  of  the  road. 

I  shall  never  forget  the  cruelty  of  three  or  four  d^iughtera  of  this  man,  whose  name  I  forbear 
to  mention,  out  of  pity  to  his  descendants.  These  girls  insisted  thjat  they  had  beUer  kill  us 
tlmi,  for  if,  by  any  means,  we  should  ever  get  back,  their  own  lives  would  be  taken  by  tlie 
wbigs  ;  their  father  also  observpd  to  Brant  that  he  had  better  have  taken  more  scalps  and  less 
prisoners.  When  we  were  ready  to  proceed  again,  the  miller  gave  Ihant  i^bout  three  bushels 
of  shelled  corn,  which  wos  divided  into  eleven  equal  parts,  and  put  upon  our  backs,  already 
too  heavily  burdened.  This  corn  was  all  the  whole  body  of  Indians  and  ourselves  had  to  sub- 
sist upon  from  there  to  Niagara,  except  that  which  accidentally  might  fall  in  our  way,  a  dis- 
tance of  more  than  three  hundred  miles,  entirely  a  wilderness. 

FroLi  this  mill  we  travelled  directly  down  tlse  river;  we  had  not,  however,  gone  many  miles, 
when  we  met  a  man  v.'ho  v.'as  a  tory,  well  knouii  to  Brant,  by  name  Samuel  Clockstone  ;.  who 
seeing  us  the  prisoners,  was  surprised,  as  he  knew  us,  when  Brant  related  to  him  his  adven- 
ture, and  how  iie  had  been  defeated  by  the  account  captain  Harper  had  given  of  the  troop.s 
lately  arrived  at  Schoharie.  Troops!  "said  Clockstone ;  there  are  no  troops  at  that  place,  you 
may  rely  upon  it  captain  Brant.  I  have  heard  of  none.  In  a  moment  the  snalce  eyes  of  Brant 
ilashed  murder,  and  running  to  Harper,  said  in  a  voice  of  unrestrained  fourj'.  his  hatchet  vi- 
brating about  his  head  like  the  tongue  of  a  viper;  how  came  you  to  lie  to  me  so?  When  Har- 
per, turning  round  to  the  tory,  said,  you  know,  Mr.  Clockstone,  I  have  been  there  but  four  days 
biuce  ;  you  know  since  our  party  Vv-aa  stationed  at  the  head  of  the  river,  at  the  sap-bush,  that  [ 
have  been  once  to  the  Forts  alone,  and  there  v.'lto  troops,  a3  I  have  stated,  and  if  Capt.  Brant 
disbelieves  it  he  does  it  at  his  peril. 

That  Harper  had  been  tliere,  as  iie  stated,  Iiappened  to  be  true,  wJiich  the  tory  also  happen- 
ed to  knovv' ;  when  he  replied,  yes,  I  know  it.  All  the  while  Br.^nt  had  glared  intensely  on  tho 
countenance  of  Harper,  if  possible  to  discover  some  misgiving  there,  but  all  svas  firm  and  fair; 
when  he  again  believed  him,  and  resumed  his  march. 

There  was  a  very  aged  man  by  tlie  name  of  Brown,  who  had  not  gone  off  with  the  rest  of 
the  families  who  had  iled  the  country.  This  miserable  old  man,  with  two  grand  sons,  mero 
lads,  were  taken  by  Brant's  party,  and  compelled  to  go  prisoners  with  us.  The  day  after  our 
raeeting  with  the  tory,  as  above  noticed,  this  old  old  man,  who  v/as  entirely  bald  from  age,  be- 
came too  weary  to  keep  up  with  the  rest,  and  requested  that  he  might  be  permitted  to  return, 


29 

and  alleg-ed  as  a  reason,  that  he  was  too  old  to  take  part  in  the  war,  and  therefore  could  do  the 
kini:'s  cause  no  harm. 

At  this  request,  instead  of  answering  him,  a  Jialt  was  made,  and  tlio  man's  pack  was  taken 
from  i;iui, — wiicii  he  spoke  in  a  low  voice  to  h;:i  "-rand  sons,  saying,  that  Jie  should  sea  tiiem 
no  more,  for  tiipy  arc  going  to  kill  rn-^;  this  he  knew,  b'jirio-  acpua:.>!tet!  with  the 'manners  of 
the  Indians.  He  was  now  taken  to  the  rear  of  th«  party,  and  left  m  the  care  of  an  Indian, 
whose  face  was  painted  entirely  black,  as  a  token  of  his  office,  which  was  kill  and  scalp  any 
of  tlie  prisoners  who  might  give  out  on  the  way.  In  a  short  time  the  Indian  came  on  again 
with  the  bald  scalp  of  the  old  man,  dandling  at  the  end  of  his  gun,  hitched  in  bstween  the 
ramrod  and  muzzle,  'i'his  he  often  fiappod  in  the  boys'  faces  on  the  journey.  The  place  at 
which  this  was  done,  was  just  on  the  point  of  a  mountain  not  far  from  where  Judge  Fojtused 
to  live,  on  the  Delaware,  below  Delhi.  'I'here  he  was  left,  and  doubtless  devoured  by  wild 
animals;  human  boness  were  afterwards  found  on  that  part  of  the  mountain. 

We  pursued  our  way  down  the  Delaware,  till  wa  came  to  the  Cook-house,  suffering  very 
much  night  and  day,  from  the  tightness  of  the  cords  with  which  our  arms  were  bound.  From 
this  place  we  crossed  through  the  wilderness,  over  hills  and  mountains,  the  most  dismal  and 
difficult  to  be  conceived  of,  till  we  came  to  a  place  called  Ochquigo,  on  the  Susquehannah  ri- 
ver, which  had  been  an  Indian  settlement  before  the  war.  Here  they  constructed  several 
rafts  out  of  logs,  which  thoy  fastened  together  by  withes  and  poles  passing  crosswise,  on 
which,  after  untieing  us.  we  were  placed,  themselves  managing  to  steer,  'i'hese  soon  floated 
1J3  down  as  far  as  the  mouth  of  the  Chemung  river,  where  we  disembarked  and  were  again  tied, 
taking  up  our  line  of  march  for  the  Genesee  country. 

The  Indians  we  found,  Vv'ere  more  capable  of  sustaining  fatigue  than  we  were,  and  easily  out 

travelled  us,  Vv'hich  circumstance  would  have  led  to  the  loss  of  our  lives,  had  not  a  sino-ular 

ProvidonL:e  interfered  to  save  us ;  this  was  the  indisposition  of  Urant,  who,  every  other  da}', 

,for  a  considerable  time,  fell  sick,  so  that  the  party  were  compelled  to  wait  for  him,  this  gave 

opportunity  for  to  rest  ourselves. 

Brant's  sickness  was  an  attack  of  the  fever  and  ague,  which  he  checked  by  the  Uoe  of  a 
preparation  from  the  rattlesnake,  'J'he  rattlesnake  he  caught  on  the  side  of  a  hill  facing  the 
south,  on  which  the  sun  shone,  and  had  melted  away  the  snow  from  the  mouth  of  their  dens; 
when,  it  appears,  one  had  crawled  out,  being  mvited  by  the  Vv-armth.  The  reader  will 
also  observe  that  about  a  fortnight  had  nO'V  elapsed  from  the  time  of  their  captivity,  so  that  the 
season  was  farther  advanced  ;  and  added,  to  this,  the  snov/  is  sooner  melted  on  the  Chemung, 
in  Peunsylvania,  being  farther  south,  by  about  three  degrees,  than  the  head  of  the  Delavvare, 
yet  in  places  even  then,  there  was  snow  on  the  ground,  and  in  the  woods  it  vv'as  still  deep.  Of 
this  snake  he  made  a  soup,  which  operated  as  ;>  cure  to  the  attack  of  the  ague. 

The  reader  v/ill  remember  the  three  bushels  of  corn  given  at  the  mill ;  this  they  fairly  and 
equally  divided  among  us  all,  which  amounted  to  two  handfuls  a  day,  and  that  none  should  have 
more  or  less  than  another,  '.vhile  it  lasted,  the  corns  were  counted  as  we  leceived  them  ;  in  this 
respect  Brant  w^is  just  and  kind.  This  corn  we  were  allowed  to  boil  in  their  kettles,  when  the 
Indians  had  finished  theirs  ;  we  generally  contrived  to  pound  it  before  we  boiled  it,  as  we  had 
found  a  mortar  at  a  deserted  wigv^am  left  by  the  Indians  the  year  before,  who  had  been  driven 
away  by  Gen.  Sullivan.  VVhile  in  the  neighborhood  of  what  is  now  called  Tioga  Point,  we  but 
narrowly  escaped  every  man  of  us  being  butchered  on  the  spot ;  a  miracle,  as  it  were,  saved  us. 
The  cause  was  as  follows:— At  this  place,  when  Brant  was  on  his  wny  down  the  Chemung,  on 
tliis  same  expedition,  but  a  few  days  before,  ho  had  detached  eleven  Indians  from  his  company, 
lopa.ss  through  the  v;oods  from  Tioga  Point  to  a  place  called  the  J^Imisink.  It  was  known  to 
^">ant  that  at  this  place  were  a  few  families,  where  it  was  supposed  several  prisoners  might  be 

ide,  or  scalps  taken,  which  at  Niagara  would  fetch  them  t- ight  dollars  apiece.  Tiiis  was  the 
great  stimulus  by  vyhich  the  Indians  m  the  Hevolution  were  incited  by  BiUler,  the  British  agent, 
to  perpetrate  so  many  horrid  murders' upon  women,  children,  and  helpless  old  age,  in  this  re- 
gion of  country. 

f  nis  pu-ty  made  good  their  way  to  the  Minisink,  when  lying  concealed  in  the  woods,  they 
managed  to  get  into  their  possession  o  lo  after  another,  nve  lusty  men,  and  hid  brought  them 
as  far  as  to  tlip  east  side  of  the  Husquehannah.  opposite  Tioga  Point.  Here  they  encamped 
for  the  nigiit,  intending  in  the  morning  to  construct  a  raft ,  in  order  to  float  themselves  over 
the  river,  as  they  had  done  on  Iheir  way  toward  the  Minisink,  a  few  days  before,  and  so  pursue 
their  way  up  the  Chemung,  which  course  was  the  great  thoroughfare  of  the  Indians  from  the 
Snsquahani  ah  country  to  that  of  ths  Genesee. 

Here,  while  the  eleven  Indians,  lay  fast  asleep,  being  greatly  fatigued,  and  apprehendini?  no 
danger,  as  the  prisoners  were  securely  bound,  and  also  sleeping  soundly,  as  the  Indians  sup- 
posed, before  they  laid  themselves  down  ;  but  as  the  soul  of  one  man,  the  prisoners  were  ever 
watchaig.  '^oine  opportunity  to  escape. 

Butth !s  was  not  possible,  even  if  they  could  have  made  their  escape,  unless  they  s!;ould 
first  iiiv3'ei!'bcted4he  death  of  the  whole  of  the  party  of  Indians,  ihis  object  tiserefure  was 
their  constant  aim.     This  night,  by  some  means  unknown,  one  of  the  prisoners  got  loose,doubtr. 


S3 

less,  either  by  knawlng  off  his  cord,  or  by  chafing  it  in  two  as  he  lay  on  it,  or  during  the  day  had 
managed  to  hitch  it  as  often  as  he  could  against  the  snags  of  the  trees,  till  it  had 
bcconrie  freltcd  and  weak,  in  some  place,  so  tliat  at  last  he  got  it  in  two.  When 
this  was  ciiected,  he  silently  cut  the  cords  of  his  follows,  the  Indians  sleeping 
exceedingly  sound  ;  when  each  man  took  a  hatchet,  and  in  a  moment  nine  of 
them  received  their  blades,  to  their  handles,  in  their  brains;  but  the  sound  of 
the  blows,  in  cutting  tiirough  the  bone  of  their  heads,  awaked  the  other  two', 
who  sprung  upon  their  feet  as  quick  as  thought,  when  one  of  them,  as  they  fled, 
received  the  blade  of  a  hatcbet  between  his  shoulders,  which,  however,  did  not 
kill  him,  nor  prevent  his  escape — yet  he  vv'as  tei'ribly  wounded.  These  men, 
who  had  so  heroically  made  their  escape,  returned,  as  was  supposed,  to  their 
homes  to  relate  to  their  families  and  posterity  (he  perils  of  that  dreadful  night. 

After  they  had  gone,  the  two  Indians  relunicd  to  the  spot,  where  lay  their 
ruthless  but  unfortunate  companions,  fast  locked  not  only  in  the  sleep  of  the 
night,  but  that  of  death,  never  moie  to  torment  the  ear  of  civilized  life  with 
the  death  yells  of  their  sepulchral  throats.  They  took  from  the  feet  of  their 
slaughtered  friends,  their  mocasins.  nine  pair  in  number,  and  then  constructed 
a  float  of  logs,  on  which  they  crossed  the  I'iver,  and  had  proceeded  a  little  way 
up  the  Chemung,  where  they  had  built  a  hut,  and  the  well  Indian  was  endea- 
voring to  cure  his  wounded  companion. 

When  the  whooping  of  the  party  of  Indians  to  v.hom  we  were  prisoners,  struck 
his  ear,  he  gave  the  death  yell,  which  rung  on  (he  dull  air  as  the  scream  of  a 
demon,  reverberating,  in  doleful  echoes,  up  and  down  the  stream;  at  which  the 
whole  body  made  a  halt,  and  stood  in  mute  astonishment,  not  knowing  what 
this  could  mean  ;  when  directly  the  two  Indians  made  their  appearance,  exhibit- 
ing the  nine  pair  of  mocasins,  and  relating  in  the  Indian  tongue,  v/hich  Harper 
understood,  the  death  of  (heir  companions.  In  a  monsent,  as  if  transformed  to 
devils,  they  threw  themselves  into  a  great  circle  ar£)und-us,  exhibiting  the  most 
horrid  gestures,  gnashing  their  teeth  like  a  gang. of  wolves  ready  to  de»'our, 
brandishing  their  tom.ahawks  over  us,  as  so  many  arrows  of  death.  But  here 
let  it  be  spoken  to  the  praise  of  a  Divine  Providence, — at  the  moment  when  we 
had  given  ourselves  up  as  lost — the  very  Indian,  who  was  a  chief,  and  had  been 
the  only  one  of  the  eleven  who  had  escaped  unhurt,  threw  himself  into  the  midst 
of  the  ring,  and  with  a  shake  of  his  hand  gave  the  signal  of  silence,  when  he 
plead  our  cause,  by  simply  saying,  these  arc  not  the  men  who  killed  our  friends, 
and  to  take  the  hfe  of  (he  innocent  in  cold  blood,  cannol  be  right. 

As  it  happened,  (his  Indian  knew  us  all,  for  he  had  lived  about  Schoharie  be- 
fore the  war,  and  was  known  as  an  inotfensive  and  kind  hearted  native,  but 
when  (he  war  can>e  on,  had  seen  (it  to  join  the  British  hidians  ;  his  words  had 
the  desired  euect,  arrested  the  mind  of  Brant,  and  soothed  to  composure  the 
terrific  storm,  that  a  moment  before  had  threatened  to  destroy  us. 

Again  we  resumed  our  course,  bearing  with  considerably  more  patience  and 
fortitude  the  anguish  of  our  suiferings,  than  it  is  likely  we  should  have  done,  bad 
our  lives  not  been  preserved  from  a  ijreater  calamity,  just  described.  We  soon 
came  to  Newtown,  where  we  were  nearly  at  the  point  of  starvation,  Indians  and 
all,  as  we  had  nothing  to  eat,  except  a  handful  or  two  of  corn  a  day  ;  and  what 
the  end  woald  have  been  is  not  hard  lo  foresee,  had  not  the  amazing  number  of 
wolf  tracks  remaining,  directed  us  to  (lie  carcass  of  a  dead  horse.  The  poor 
brute  had  been  left  to  (ake  care  of  itself,  the  summer  before,  by  Sullivan,  in  his 
march  to  the  Indian  country,  being  unfit  for  further  service  as  a  pack  horse. — 
Here,  on  the  commons  of  nature,  which  during  the  summer  and  fall,  it  is  likely, 
produced  an  abundance  of  pasturage,  but  when  winter  came  on,  aiui  rendered 
it  impossible  for  the  poor  worn  out  animal,  to  take  care  of  itself^ — death  came  to 
its  relief.     That  it  had  lived  till    the  winter  had  become  severe,  was  evident*. 


31 

from  its  not  being  in  the  least  degree  putrescent,  but  was  complelely  frozen,  it 
having  been  buried  in  the  snow  during  the  winter. 

The  wolves  had  torn  and  gnawed  the  upper  side  quite  away,  but  not  being 
able  to  turn  the  carcass  over,  it  was  sound  and  entire  on  the  under  side.  This 
we  seized  upon,  rejoicing  as  at  the  (inding  of  hidden  treasures ;  it  was  instantly 
cut  to  pieces,  bones,  head  and  hoofs,  and  equally  divided  among  the  whole. — 
Fires  were  built,  at  which  we  roasted  and  eat,  without  salt,  each  his  own  share, 
with  the  highest  degree  of  satisfaction. 

Near  this  place  wc  found  the  famous  Painted  Post,  which  is  now  known  over 
the  whole  continent,  to  those  conversant  with  the  early  history  of  our  country  ; 
the  origin  of  whicii  was  as  follows.  Whether  it  was  in  the  revolution,  or  in  the 
Dunmore  battles  with  the  Indians,  which  commenced  in  Virginia,  or  in  tlie 
French  war,  I  do  not  know;  an  Indian  chief,  on  this  spot,  had  been  victorious  in 
battle,  killed  and  took  prisoners  to  the  number  of  about  sixty.  This  event  he 
celebrated  by  causing  a  tree  to  be  taken  from  the  forest  and  hewed  four  square, 
painted  red,  and  the  number  he  killed,  which  was  twenty-eight,  represented 
across  the  post  in  black  paint,  without  any  heads,  but  those  he  took  prisoners, 
which  was  thirty,  were  represented  with  heads  on,  in  bla^k  paint,  as  the  others. 
This  post  he  erected,  and  thus  handed  down  to  posterity,  an  account  that  here  a 
batfle  was  fought,  but  by  whom,  and  who  the  suherers  were,  is  covered  in  dark- 
ness, except  that  it  was  between  the  whites  and  Indians. 

This  post  will  probably  continue  as  long  as  the  country  shall  remiain  inhabi- 
ted, as  the  citizens  heretofore  have  uniformly  replaced  it  with  a  new  one,  exact- 
ly like  the  original,  whenever  it  has  become  decayed. 

Nothing  more  of  note  happened  to  us,  till  we  came  to  the  Genesee  river,  ex- 
cept a  continued  state  of  sulfering.  We  passed  along  between  the  Chemung  and 
the  heads  of  the  lakes  Cayuga  and  vSeneca,  leaving  the  route  of  Sullivan,  and 
went  over  the  mountains  farther  north,  These  mountains,  as  they  were  very 
steep  and  high,  being  covered  with  brush,  our  bodies  weak  and  emaciated,  v/ere 
almost  in^jrmountable  ;  but  at  lensjth  we  reached  the  top  of  the  last  and  highest, 
which  overlooks  immeasurable  wilds,  the  ancient  abode  of  men  and  nations  un- 
known, whose  history  is  written  only  in  the  dust. 

Here  v.'e  h.alted  to  rest,  when  the  tory  Becraft,  took  it  in  his  head  to  boast  of 
what  he  had  done  in  the  way  of  muider,  since  the  war  began.  lie  said  that  he 
and  others  had  killed  some  of  ihe  inhabitants  of  Schoharie,  and  that  among  them 
was  the  family  of  one  Vrooman.  The?e,  he  said,  they  soon  despatched,  except 
a  boy  of  about  fourteen  yeai's  of  age,  who  lied  across  the  ilat,  toward  the  Scho- 
harie river.  I  took  alter  the  lad,  said  the  tory,  and  ailhough  he  ran  like  a  spirit, 
I  soon  overtook  him,  and  putting  my  hand  under  his  chin,  iaid  him  back  on  my 
thigh,  though  he  struggled  hard,  cut  his  throat,  scalped  him,  and  hung  the  body 
across  the  tence.  This  made  my  blood  run  cold  ;  vengeance  boiled  through 
every  vein,  but  we  dare  not  say  a  word  to  provoke  our  enemies,  as  it  would  be 
useless.  This  man,  however,  got  his  due,  in  a  measure,  after  the  war  was  over : 
wliich  will  be  related  at  the  end  of  this  account. 

Another  of  them,  by  the  name  o{  Barney  Cane,  boasted  that  he  had  killed  one 
Major  Hopkins,  on  [)imon  I-land,  in  lake  Geoi-ge.  A  party  of  pleasure,  as  he 
stated,  had  gone  to  this  island  on  a  sailing  excursion,  and  having  spent  more  time 
than  they  were  aware  of,  before  they  were  ready  to  return,  concluded  to  en- 
camp, and  remain  aU'night,  as  it  would  be  impossible  for  them  to  return  to  the 
fort. 

From  the  shore  where   we  lay  hid,  it  was  easy   to  watch  their  motions  ;  and 

perceiving  their  defenceless  situation,  as  soon  as  it  was  dark,  we  set  otffor  the 

island,  where  we  found  them  asleep  by  their  hre,  and  discharged  our  guns  among 

'leoa.     Several  were  killed,  among  whom  was  one  woman,  who  had  a  suckiq^ 


32 

child,  which  was  not  hurt.  This  we  put  to  the  hreast  of  its  dead  mother,  and 
so  we  left  it.  But  Major  Hopkins  was  only  wounded,  his  thiijh  bone  being  brok- 
en ;  he  started  from  his  sleep  to  a  rising  posture,  wlien  1  struck  him,  said  Bar- 
ney Cane,  witii  the  but  of  my  gun,  on  the  side  of  his  head,  he  fell  over,  but 
caught  on  one  hand;  I  then  knocked  him  the  other  way,  when  he  caught  with 
the  other  hand  ;  a  third  blow,  and  1  laid  him  dead.  These  were  all  scalped  ex- 
cept the  infant.  In  the  morning,  a  party  from  the  fort  went  and  brought  away 
fhe  dead,  together  with  one  they  found  alive,  aithough  he  was  scalped,  and  the 
babe,  which  was  hanging  and  sobbing  at  the  bosom  of  its  lifeless  niotlier. 

Having  rested  ourselves  and  our  tantalizing  companions  having  linished  the 
stories  of  their  in  farm/,  we  descended  the  mountains  toward  the  Genesee  which 
we  cnnic  in  sight  of  the  next  day  about  two  oVJock.  Here  we  wcie  met  by  a 
small  company  of  natives,  who  had  come*to  the  flats  of  the  Genesee,  for  the  pur- 
pose ot^  corn  planting,  as  soon  as  the  v>^atcrs  of  the  river  should  fall  suthciently  to 
drain  the  ground  of  its  water.  These  Indians  had  with  them  a  very  beautiful 
horse,  which  Brant  directed  to  be  cut  to  pieces  in  a  moment,  and  divided  equally, 
without  dressing,  or  any  such  fashionable  delay,  which  was  done  ;  no  part  of  the 
animal  whatever,  being  suffered  to  be  lost.  There  fell  to  each  man  of  the  com- 
pany but  a  small  piece,  which  we  roasted,  using  the  zohite  ashes  of  our  lires  as 
salt,  which  gave  it  a  delicious  relish;  this  Brant  him?elf  showed  us  how  to  do. 

On  these  flats  werf  found  iniinite  quantities  of  ground  nuts,  a  root  in  form  and 
size  about  equal  to  a  musket  ball;  which,  being  roasied,  became  exceedingly 
mealy  and  sweet.  These,  together  with  our  new  acquisition  of  horse  flesh,  form- 
ed a  delicious  lepast. 

Fronr:  this  place  Brant  sent  a  runner  to  Niagara,  a  distance  of  about  eighty 
miles,  i:i  order  to  inform  the  garrison  of  his  approach,  and  of  the  number  of  pri- 
soners lie  had,  their  name  and  quality.  This  was-a  most  Iiumane  act  of  Brant, 
as  by  this  means  he  cilecied  the  removal  of  all  the  hidian  warriors  in  the  two 
camps  contiguous  to  tlie  fort. 

Brant  was  in  possessioii  of  a  secret  respecting  Harper,  v/hich  he  had  careful- 
ly concealed  in  his  own  breast  during  the  whole  journey,  and,  probably,  m  the 
very  first  instance,  at  the  time  when  he  discovered  that  Harper  was  his  prisoner, 
operated  by  influencing  him,  if  possible,  to  save  his  life.  This  secret  consisted 
in  a  knowledge  that  there  was  then  in  the  fort  a  British  oflker  who  had  married 
a  niece  of  Harper,  Jane  More,  whose  m.olher  was  the  sister  of  Captain  Harper. 
This  girl,  togelher  with  her  mother  and  a  sister,  had  been  captured  at  ihe  mas- 
sacre of  Cherry  V;dley,  and  taken  to  Niagara.  This  information  was  conveyed 
hy  the  means  of  tlie  runsier,  to  the  husband  of  Jane  iUore,  Captain  Powe!,  who. 
when  the  girl  was  first  brou,u,ht  by  Butler  and  his  Indians,  a  prisoner  to  the  fort, 
loved,  courted,  and  b.onorably  n)arried  the  girl. 

Now,  if  Powell  wished  to  s';ive  the  life  of  his  wife's  uncle,  he  had  the  oppor- 
tunity, by  doing  as  Brant  had  suggested — that  was,  to  send  the  warriors  of  both 
camps  down  the  lake  to  the  Nine  Mile  Landing,  with  the  expectation  of  meeting 
Brant  iherc,  wlsose  prisoners  would  be  given  into  their  hands,  to  be  dealt  wilrt 
aS  the  genius  of  their  natures  and  customs  might  suggest.  Accordingly,  Fowel 
told  his  wife  that. her  mscSe  was  among  the  prisoners  of  Brant,  who  had  sent  him 
word.  a:Ki  that  (he  warriors  must  be  sent  away  ;  to  whom  he  gave  a  quantity  of 
j-nm.  as  (hey  thouglit,  to  aid  in  the  celebration  of  their  infernal  pov,'\vows,  at  the 
Nine  Mile  Landing,  haviiig  obtained  the  consent  of  his  superior,  Col.  Butler,  to 
do  so. 

Brant  had  concealed,  from  bo!h  his  Indian?  and  torics,  as  well  as  from  the 
•prisoners,  tliat  Powel,  at  the  fort,  was  H.irper's  rehilive,  or  that  h.e  had  made  the 
above  arrangement.  The  reader  may  probably  wish  to  know  zvhj/  the  warriors 
in  those  twp  camps  ^i».s.'  be  sent  away,  in  order  to  save  the  lives  of  the  prisoners. 


83 

All  ptirsoiis  acquainted  with  Indian  customs,  in  time  of  war,  know  very  well  lliat 
the  unhappy  wretch,  vvho  falls  into  their  hands  at  such  a  time,  is  compelled  to 
nui  what  is  cniled  the  gauntlet,  between  two  rows  of  Indians,  composed  of  war- 
riors, old  men,  women  and  children,  who,  as  the  prisoner  flics  between,  if  pos- 
sible, to  reach  a  certain  point  assigned,  called  a  council  house,  or  a  fort,  receives 
from  every  one  who  can  reach  him,  a  blow  with  the  list,  club,  hatchet,  or  knifcj 
and  even  waddint^  iired  into  their  bodies,  so  that  they  generally  die  with  their 
wounds  before  they  reach  the  appointed  place,  though  they  struggle  with  all 
the  violence  of  hope  and  despair. 

We  had  now,  on  the  fourth  day  after  the  runner  had  been  sent,  arrived  with- 
in about  two  miles  of  Niagara,  when  tlie  tories  began  to  tell  us  the  danger  we 
soon  were  to  be  exposed  to,  in  passing;  those  two  Indian  encampments,  which, 
till  then,  we  knew  nothinrj;  of;  this  difficulty  they  were  careful  to  describe  in  the 
most  critical  manner;  so  that  every  step,  although  so  near  our  journey's  end, 
when  we  hoped  at  last  to  have  our  hunger  satisfied,  was  as  the  steps  of  the 
wretch  condemned  to  die.  But  on  coming  to  the  first  encampment,  what  was 
•our  suiprise  and  joy  at  tindin;^  nothing  tiiere  capable  of  injuring  us,  but  a  few  old 
women  and  children,  who  had  indeed  formed  themselves  as  before  described.-^ 
However,  one  old  squaw  coming,  up  in  a  very  friendly  manner,  saluted  me,  by 
■saying,  poor  shild,  poor  shild,  when  she  gave  me  a  blow,  which,  as  I  was  tired, 
could  not  be  parried,  that  nearly  split  my  head  in  two. 

But  now  the  desired  fort,  although  it  was  to  be  our  prison  house,  was  seen 
through  the  opening  woods.  I  had  come  to  within  about  five  rods  of  the  gate- 
way, still  agonizing  under  the  effects  of  the  otd  squaw's  blow,  when  a  young 
savage,  about  twelve  years  old,  came  running  with  a  hatchet  in  his  hand,  directly 
up  to  me,  and  seizing  hold  of  the;;e/Mm6  lie.  or  cord,  by  which  I  was  tied,  twitch- 
ed me  round,  so  that  v/e  faced  each  other,  when  he  gave  me  a  blow  exactly  be- 
tvireen  my  eyes  on  the  forehead,  thc.t  nearly  dropped  me  dead,  as  I  was  weak  and 
faint,  the  blood  spouted  out  at  a  dreadful  rate,  when  a  soldier  snatched  the  little 
■demon's  hatchet,  and  flung  it  into  the  lake.  Whether  Brant  was  rewarded  over 
and  above  the  eight  dollars,  (which  was  the  stipulated  price  per  head,)  for  Har- 
per, or  not.  I  cannot  tell ;  but  as  was  most  natural  to  suppose,  there  was  on  the 
part  of  himself  and  neice,  great  joy  on  so  unexpectedly  falling  in  with  friends 
and  relations,  in  the  midst  of  enemies,  and  on  the  part  of  Powell,  respect  and 
kindness  was  shown  to  Harper,  on  account  of  the  lovely  Jane,  who  had  become 
a  talisman  of  peace  between  them. 

We  had  scarcely  arrived,  when  we  were  brought  to  the  presence  of  a  number 
of  British  oflicers  of  the  crown,  who  blazed  in  all  the  glory  of  military  habili- 
ments ;  and  among  them,  as  chief,  was  the  bloated,  insolent,  unprincipled,  cruel, 
infamous  Butler^  whose  name  will  stink  in  the  recollections  of  men,  to  be  the  la- 
test page  of  American  history  ;  because  it  was  him  who  directed,  rewarded,  and 
encouraged  the  operation  of  the  Indians  and  tories  all  along  from  Canada  to  the 
state  of  Delaware.  This  man  commenced,  in  a  very  abusive  manner,  to  ques- 
tion us  respecting  the  American  affairs ;  and  addressing  me  in  particular,  proba- 
bly because  nearer  me  than  any  of  the  rest  whether  I  did  not  think  that,  by  and 
by,  his  Indians  would  compel  a  general  surrender  of  the  Yankees  ?  I  replied  to 
him  in  as  modest  a  manner  as  possible,  not  feeling  in  a  mood  of  repartee,  as  the 
blood  from  the  wound  in  my  forehead  still  continued  to  trickle  down  my  face, 
covering  my  vest  and  bosom  with  blood,  that  I  did  not  wish  to  say  any  thing 
about  it,  nor  to  give  offence  to  any  one.  But  he  would  not  excuse  me  ;  still 
insisting  that  I  should  say  whether  1  did  not  think  so  ;  to  which  I  firmly  replied 
-T-feeling  what  blood  and  spirit  there  were  yet  remaining  in  me,  to  rouse  a  little — 
that  if  I  must  answer  him,  it  was  to  say  no  ;  and  that  he  might  as  well  think  to 

5 


34 

empty  the  lake  of  its  waters  at  a  bucket  full  a  time,  as  to  conquer  the  Yankee  in 
that  way.  At  which  he  burst  out  in  a  violent  manner,  calling  nne  a  dain?d  rebel, 
forgiving  him  such  an  insolent  answer,  and  ordered  me  out  of  his  sight ;  but 
here,  when  readv  to  sink  to  the  floor,  (not  from  any  thing  the  huge  bulk  of  flesh 
had  said  to  me,"^  but  from  hunger,  weariness,  and  the  loss  of  blood.)  a  noble 
hearted  officer  interposed,  saying  to  Butler,  '-The  lad  !>>  not  to  blame,  as  you 
have  compelled  him  to  answer  your  questior.,  which  no  doubt  he  has  done,  ac- 
cording to  the  best  of  his  judgment.  Here,  poor  fellow,  take  this  glass  of  wine 
and  drink."  Thus  the  matter  ended.  [Here  the  old  General  wept,  at  the  re- 
collection of  so  much  kindness,  where  he  expected  none.] 

We  were  now  given  over  to  the  care  of  a  woman,  JSancy  Bundy  by  name, 
who  had  been  ordered  to  prepare  us  a  soup,  made  of  proper  materials,  who  was 
not  slow  to  relieve  our  distress  as  far  as  she  dare,  as  she  was  also  a  prisoner.  But 
taking  off  the  belt  which  I  had  worn  around  my  body,  as  the  manner  of  the  In- 
diams  is  to  keep  the  wind  out  of  the  stomach,  it  appeared  that  1  was  ready  to  dis- 
own my  own  body,  had  1  not  been  convinced  by  my  other  sense  that  there  was 
no  mistake. 

I  will  just  give  the  reader  a  short  account  of  this  woman,  as  I  received  it  from 
herself.  She  stated  that  herself,  her  husband  and  two  children,  were  captured  at 
the  massacre  of  Wyoming,  by  the  Butlers,  Indians,  and  tories,  and  brought  to  the 
Genesee  country,  then  entirely  inhabited  by  the  natives.  There  she  had  been 
parted  from  her  husband,  the  Indians  carrying  him  she  knew  not  where,  but  to 
■some  other  and  distant  tribe.  She  had  not  been  long  in  the  possession  of  the  tribe, 
with  whom  she  had  been  left,  after  her  husband  was  taken  from  her,  when  the 
Indian  who  had  taken  her  prisoner,  addressed  her,and  was  desirous  of  makng  her 
■his  wife  ;  but  she  repulsed  him,  saying  very  imprudently,  she  had  one  husband, 
and  it  would  be  unlawful  to  have  more  than  one.  This  seemed  to  satisfy  him, 
and  I  saw  him  no  more  for  a  long  time  ;  but  after  a  wlvilc  he  came  again,  and  re- 
.lewed  his  suit,  alleging  that  now  there  was  no  objection  to  her  marrying  him,  as 
her  husband  was  dead,  for,  said  the  Indian,  I  found  where  he  was,  and  have  killed 
him.  I  then  told  him  if  he  had  killed  my  husband  he  might  kill  me  also,  for  1 
would  not  marry  a  murderer.  When  he  saw  I  v/as  resolute,  and  that  his  person 
was  hateful  in  my  sight,  he  took  and  tied  me,  and  brought  me  to  this  place,  and 
sold  me  for  eight  dollars.  But  where  my  husband  is  buried,  or  whether  he  is 
buried  at  all,  or  where  my  children  are,  I  cannot  tell  5  but  whether  she  ever  re- 
turned to  the  states  again,  is  beyond  my  knowledge. 

From  this  prison,  after  being  sold  to  the  British  garrison  for  eight  dollars  a  head, 
we  were  sent  across  the  lake  to  Carlton  Island,  from  this  place  down  to  the 
Cedars,  from  the  Cedars  we  vvere  transported  from  place  to  place,  till  at  length 
were  permanently  lodged  in  the  prison  at  Chambiec.  Here  we  were  put  in  irons, 
and  remained  two  years,  suffering  every  thing  but  death,  for  want  of  clothes,  fire, 
food,  medicine,  exercise  and  pure  air.  At  length,  from  the  weight  and  incon- 
venience of  my  irons,  I  became  so  weak  that  I  could  not  rise  from  the  floor,  when 
my  fellow  sufferer,  Thorp,  who  was  not  as  badly  off  as  myself,  used  to  help  me  up. 
The  physician  appointed  to  have  the  care  of  the  prisoners,  whose  name  was 
Penderorass,  paid  but  little  attention  to  his  charge,  seldom  visiting  us,  but  never 
examining  closely  into  our  situation  ;  consequently  a  description  of  my  horrid 
•condition  would  afflict  the  reader,  on  which  account  1  forbear  it.  At  length, 
however,  this  physician  was  removed,  and  another  put  in  his  place,  of  an  entire- 
ly contrary  character;  he  was  humane,  inquisitive,  industrious,  and  skilful. 

When  he  came  first  to  that  part  of  the  prison  where  myself  and  about  twenty 
others  were  confined,  the  captain  of  the  fort  came  with  him,  when  the  doctor 
proceeded,  one  by  one,  to  examine  us,  instead  of  giving  us  a  general  look  only, 
as  the  other  ha<l  done.     The  place  where  1  sat  was  quite  in  one  corner.     I  had 


35 
chosen  rt,  because  it  was  the  darkest,  iuid  served  (o  hide  me  from  observation 
more  than  other  parts  of  the  room,    I  had  contrived  to  get  into  my  possession  an 
old  rug  of  some  sort,  which  partly  hid  my  naked  limbs  5  this  I  kept  over  my  lap, 
in  the  best  possible  manner. 

After  a  while,  it  became  my  turn  to  be  examined  ;  when  he  said.  Well,  my  lad^ 
what  is  the  matter  with  you  ?  From  shame  and  fear  lest  he  would  witness  the 
loathsome  predicament  which  1  was  in,  I  said,  Nothing,  sir.  Well,  then,  said 
he,  get  up.  I  cannot,  sir,  said  1.  He  then  took  the  end  of  his  cane,  and  putting 
it  under  the  blanket  that  was  partly  over  me,  and  served  to  hide  me  from  my 
waist  downward,  and  threw  it  quite  from  me.  When  a  spectacle  of  human  suf- 
fering presented  itself,  sucli  as  he  had  not  dreamed  of  seeing.  I  had  fixed  my 
eyes  steadily  on  his  face,  to  see  if  aught  of  pity  moved  his  breast;  which  I  knew 
I  could  trace  in  his  countenance,  if  any  appeared.  He  turned  pale  ;  a  frowrt 
gathered  on  his  brow,  the  curl  of  his  lip  denoted  wrath  ;  when  he  turned  round 
to  the  captain  of  the  fort,  whose  name  was  Steel,  and,  looking  sternly  at  him, 
said,  in  a  voice  of  thunder,  "You  infamous  villain,  in  the  name  of  God,  are  you 
murdering  people  alive  here ;  send  for  your  j)rovost  sergeant  in  a  moment,  and 
knock  ofTthat jt?oor/e//or«V  span  shackles,  or  1  will  smash  you  in  a  moment!" 

O,  this  language  was  balm  to  my  wound  ;  was  oil  to  my  bleeding  heart ;  it  was 
the  voice  of  sympathy,  of  determined  mercy,  and  immediate  relief.  I  had  a  sol- 
dier's heart,  which  shrunk  not;  a  fountain  of  tears;  I  had  none  in  the  hour  of 
battle;  but  now  they  rushed  out  amain,  as  if  anxious  to  behold  the  man  who,  by 
his  goodness,  had  drawn  them  from  their  deep  seclusion. 

An  entire  change  of  situation  now  took  place;  our  health  was  recovered, 
which  rendered  my  imprisonment  quite  tolerable.  From  this  place,  after  a 
while,  we  were  sent  to  Rebel  Island,  or  Cutodelack,  or  Cutthroat  Island,  where 
we  remained  a  year,  when  peace  was  declared.  We  weie  now  sent  to  Mon- 
treal ;  then  to  Quebec  ;  and  then  put  on  board  a  cartel  ship,  and  sent  round  to 
Boston;  though  before  we  reached  that  place,  we  were  driven  out  to  sea  in  a 
storm,  and  nearly  shipwrecked,  suffering  exceedingly  ;  but  at  last  arrived  at  the 
desired  haven ;  where  I  once  more  set  foot  on  my  native  land,  and  rejoiced 
that  it  was  a  land  of  liberty  and  Independence. 

As  fast  as  possible  we  made  the  best  of  our  way  to  Old  Schoharie,  which  was 
our  home,  after  an  absence  of  three  years,  during  which  I  suffered  much,  as 
well  as  my  companions,  for  the  love  of  my  country  ;  which,  under  the  blessing 
of  heaven,  I  have  enjoyed  these  many  years. 

The  reader  will  recollect  Becraft,  the  tory,  who  stood  sentry  over  us  during 
the  first  night  of  our  captivity,  in  the  sap  bush,  who  boasted  he  had  cut  the 
threat  of  a  boy  of  the  Vrooman  family — this  man  had  the  audacity  to  return 
after  the  war  to  Old  Schoharie,  the  scene  of  his  villanies. 

As  soon  as  it  was  known,  a  number  of  persons  properly  qualified  to  judge  his 
case;  having,  during  their  captivity,  tasted  a  little  of  his  ability  to  distress  and 
tantalize  unnecessarily;  and  remembering  his  deeds,  which  he  had  confessed 
boastingly  on  the  mountains  of  the  Genesee — hastened  there  and  surrounde«i 
the  house  where  he  was.  Two  or  three  of  the  number,  who  were  deeply  in- 
debted to  his  philanthropy,  as  need  be,  knocked  at  the  door,  and  were  bidden  to 
come  in  ;  when  the  redoubtable  gentleman  arose,  respectfully  inquiring  after 
their  health,  and  offering  his  hand  ;  the  compliment  was  returned  by  a  hearty 
and  determined  clench  of  his  shoulders,  by  which  he  had  the  opportunity  of  mak- 
ing progress  without  the  use  of  hydraulic  or  locomotive  power,  as  far  as  to  a 
very  ominous  staddle,  which  stood  not  far  off,  in  a  beautiful  grove  of  hickory. 
There  were  ten  persons  in  number,  who  composed  this  jury,  and  though  they 
lacked  two  of  the  legal  quantum,  understoqd  the  c^se  equally  well  neverthelesjji 
and  as  five  of  them  happened  to  be  left  handed,  and  five  who  could  swing  the 


36 

right  honorable  arm  full  as  adroitly,  were  an  assortment  of  kintl  and  character. 

Becraft  was  stripped  of  the  habiliments  that  covered  a  .skin  which  shrouded 
a  heart  in  which  dwelt  a  spirit  as  bad  as  the  devil's  worst,  and  tied  him  to  this 
clean  smooth  staddle,  as  fair  an  one  as  grew  in  the  forrest.  Ten  tJne  excoria- 
tors,  (gads,)  were  taken  from  the  generous  redundancy  of  the  axc-handle  tree, 
(hickory)  and  given  to  each  of  those  light  and  left-handed  gentlemen  ;  who,  af- 
ter binding  the  culprit,  to  save  him  the  trouble  of  running  away  from  the  said 
staddle,  began,  after  dividing  themselves  in  due  form,  so  that  a  circle  was  formed 
quite  around  him,  to  do  as  the  spirit  of  the  occasion  migiU  lead  their  minds. 

Fifty  lashes  were  declared  by  them  a  suitable  expiation,  to  be  placed  upon 
the  bare  back,  in  such  a  manner  as  strength,  and  the  exigency  of  the  case,  most 
rigorously  demanded.  Now,  in  the  hour  of  judgment,  a  tenfold  apparatus,  that 
had  the  pliancy  of  examining  the  subject  qin'te  around,  endeavored  to  awake  into 
life  a  conscience  that  had  died  an  unnatural  death,  some  years  before. 

A  very  commendable  care,  in  resuscitating  this  invaluable  principle,  was  tak- 
en, at  the  dawn  of  its  opening  into  life,  to  inculcate  what;7ori?a//ar  ciime  itwas 
that  had  operated  with  such  deleterious  influence;  and  now,  through  the  smart- 
ing medium  of  what  is  esteemed  a  corrective,  as  v/ell  as  a  coercive — an  attempt 
was  making  not  only  to  enliven  the  conscience,  but  to  fix  the  atirighted  memory 
on  the  horrible  points  mos/ prominent  in  his  life  of  depravity. 

Now  commenced  the  work  of  retribution.  The  first  fen  lashes  played  around 
him  like  the  fiery  serpents  of  the  Great  Saharah.  hissing  horror,  when  they  said, 
♦'Becraft,  it  is  for  being  a  tory,  when  your  country  claimed  the  services  of  those 
it  had  nurtured  on  its  bosom,  you,  like  a  traitor,  stabbed  it  to  the  heart,  as  far  as 
your  arm  had  power."  The  second  ten  lashes  came  with  augmented  violence, 
as  if  the  arrows  of  vengeance  were  drinking  deep  of  life's  keenest  sensations  ; 
Becraft !  it  is  for  aiding  in  the  ma>sacre  of  those  who  were  your  neighbors,  the 
Vrooman  family.  A  third  series  of /e?i  lashes  at  a  time,  lapped  their  doleful  his- 
sing around  his  infamous  body,  as  if  Vulcan,  from  the  infernal  regions,  had  sup- 
planted the  hickory  rods  with  tissues  of  red  hot  iron  ;  Becraft,  it  for  the  murder 
of  that  helpless  boy,  the  son  oif  Vrooman,  whom  you  scalped  and  hung  on  the 
fence. 

A  fourth  quantum  of  ten  lashes  at  once,  played  around  him  as  if  the  light- 
nings of  some  frowning  cloud,  streaming  its  direful  fury  at  one  selected  victim, 
tearing  anew,  and  entering  deep  into  the  quivering  flesh;  Becraft,  it  is  for  taunts 
jeers,  and  insults,  when  certain  persons  well  known  to  you  were  captives  among 
a  savage  enemy,  which  marked  you  as  a  dastardly  wretch,  fit  only  for  contempt 
and  torture,  such  as  is  nozo  bestowed  on  your  infamous  body. 

Fifth  and  last  series,  of  ten  lashes  at  a  time,  as  if  the  keen  sword,  hot  from 
the  armory  of  an  independent  and  indignant  people  had  sundered  the  wretched 
body,  one  part  to  the  zenith,  the  other  to  the  nadir :  Becraft,  it  is  for  coming 
again  to  the  bosom  of  that  country  upon  which  you  have  spit  the  venom  of  hate, 
and  thus  added  insult  to  injury,  never  to  be  forgotten. 

Here  they  untied  him,  with  this  injunction — to  flee  the  country,  and  never 
more  return,  to  blast,  with  his  presence,  so  pure  an  atmosphere  as  that  where 
liberty  and  independence  breathe  and  triumph.  With  which,  it  was  supposed, 
he  complied,  as  he  has  never  been  known  in  these  parts  since.  He  expressed 
his  gratitude  that  he  had  been  so  gently  dealt  with,  acknowledging  his  conduct 
to  have  been  worthy  of  capital  punishment. 

It  is  proper  to  state  that  General  Patchin,  whose  narrative  the  reader  is  now 
acquainted  with,  is  no  more,  having  died  at  his  estate  in  Blenheim,  Schoharie 
county,  a  very  short  time  after  this  account  was  written,  1830.  He  was  a  man 
of  amiable  manners,  beloved  and  respected  by  his  neighbors  and  a  numerous 
acquaintance.     He  had  acquired,  in  a  fair  and  laudable  manner,  a  genteel  corn- 


d  37 

kipctencv  of  this  worliPs  goods;  and  also  son\G  pinnil  porlion  ofWn  horvors.  n^  he 
\  had  been  sent  a  representative  of  the  county  o('  Sc.ttohiuie  to  the  Stnte  [.eiii^- 
''  latiire;  which  phcc,  it  if-  said,  lie  tilled  with  propriety,  and  n^ofiilne'"'  to  his  <;on- 
}  stitiients,  when  Dewit  Clinton  was  Governor  of  the  State  of  New  YorL 


MUDJEE  MONEDO    AND  MINNO    MONEDO,  OR  THE   SPIRIT  OF 
EVIL  AND  THE  SPIRIT   OF  GOOD.— a  saginaw  tale. 

In  a  beautiful  portion  of  the  country,  uliicii  was  part  forest  and  part  prairie,  there  lived  a. 
bloodythirsty  M-diiito  in  the  guise  of  an  Indian,  who  niado  nsc  of  ail  iiis  arts  to  decoy  men  into, 
his  power  for  the  purpose  of  killing  thtMn.  Although  the  country  yielded  -^n  abundance  of 
^amc,  and  every  other  production  to  satisfy  his  wants,  yet  it  was  tiio  study  of  his  hfe  to  de- 
stroy human  beings,  and  subsist  upon  their  blood.  The  country  had  once  been  th.ckly  popiv- 
lated,  but  he  had  thinned  it  off  by  his  wickedness,  and  his  lodge  was  surrounded  by  the  bleach- 
ed bones  of  his  victims. 

The  secret  of  ius  success  lay  in  his  great  speed.  He  had  the  power  to  assume  ihe  shapo  of 
any  quadruped,  and  it  was  liis  custom  to  challenge  persons  lo  run  with  him.  He  had  a  beaten 
path  on  which  he  ran,  leading  around  a  large  lake,  and  he  ahvaj-s  ran  around  this  circle,  »<> 
that  the  starting  and  winning  point  were  the  same.  At  this  point  stood  a  post,  having  a  sharp 
and  shining  knife  tied  to  it,  and  whoever  lost  the  race  lost  his  life.  Tbe  winner  immediate! y 
took  up  the  knife  and  cut  offhis  competitor's  head.  IN'o  roan  was  ever  known  to  beat  this  evil 
Manito  in  the  race,  although  he  ran  every  day ;  for  whenever  he  was  pressed  hard,  he  changed 
himself  into  a  fox,  wolf,  or  deer,  or  other  swift-footed  animal,  and  thu-s  left  his  competitor  be- 
hind. 

The  whole  country  was  in  dread  of  him,  and  yet,  such  was  the  fully  and  raslmess  of  the 
young  men,  that  they  were  continually  running  with  him  ;  for  if  they  refused,  he  called  them 
cowards,  which  was  a  taunt  they  could  not  bear.  They  would  rather  die  than  be  called  cow- 
ards. In  other  respects,  the  Manito  had  pleasing  manners,  and  visited  the  lodges  around  thw. 
country,  like  others  ;  but  his  secret  object  in  these  visits  was  to  see  whether  the  young  boys, 
were  getting  to  be  old  enough  to  run  with  him,  and  he  was  careful  to  keep  a  watch  upon  their 
growth,  and  never  failed  to  challenge  them  to  run  on  his  race  ground.  There  was  no  family 
which  had  not  lost  some  of  its  most  active  members  in  this  way,  and  the  Manito  was  execrated 
by  all  the  Indian  mothers  in  the  country. 

There  lived  near  him  a  widow,  whose  husband  and  ten  sons  he  bad  killed  in  tJiis  way,  and 
slie  was  now  left  with  an  only  daughter  and  a  son  of  ten  or  twelve  years  old,  named  Monedowa... 
She  was  very  poor  and  feeble,  and  suffered  so  much  for  the  want  of  food,  that  she  would  have 
been  glad  to  die,  had  it  not  been  for  her  daughter  and  her  little  son,  who  was  not  yet  able  to 
hunt.     The  Manito  had  already  visited  her  lodge  to  see  whether  the  boy  was  not  sufficiently 
grown  to  challenge  him.     And  the  mother  saw  there  was  a  great  probability  that  he  would  be 
decoyed  and  killed  as  his  father  and  brothers  had  been.     StUl,  she  hoped  a  better  fate  wouW 
attend  him,  and  strove,  in  the  best  way  she  could,  to  instruct  him  in  the  ma.\ims  of  a  hunter's 
and  a  warrior's  life.     To  the  daughter  she  also  taught  all  that  could  make  her  useful  as  a  wife, 
and  instructed  her  in  the  arts  of  working  with  porcupine  quills  on  leather,  and  various  other 
things,  which  the  Indian  females  regard  as  accomplishments.     She  was  also  neat  and  tasteful 
in  arranging  her  dress  according  to  their  customs,  artd  possessing  a  tall  and  graceful  persoih 
she  displayed  her  national  costume  to  great  advantage.     She  was  kind  and  obedient. to  her" 
raother,  and  never  neglected  to  perform  her  appropriate  dotnestic'duties.     Her  mother's  lodge, 
stood  on  an  elevaiion  on  the  banks  of  a  lake,  which  gave  them  a  fine  prospect  of  the  conntry  for. 
many  miles  around,  the  interior  of  which  was  diversified  with  groves  and  prairies.    It  was  in. 
this  quarter  that  they  daily  procured  their  fuel.     One  day  the  daughter  had  gone  out  lo  these 
open  groves  to  pick  up  dry  limbs  for  their  fire,  and  while  admiring  the  scenery,  she  strolled, 
farther  than  usual,  and  was  suddenly  startled  by  the  appearance  of  a  young  man  near  her.  She, 
would  have  fled,  but  was  arrested  by  his  pleasing  smile,  and  by  hearing  herself  addressed  in, 
her  own  language.     The  questions  he  asked  were  trivial,  relating  to  her  place  of  residence^ 
and  family,  and  were  answered  with  timidity.     It  could  not  be  concealed,  however,  that  they- 
were  mutually  pleased  with  each  other,  and  before  parting,  be  asked  her  to  get  her  mother's 
consent  to  their  marriage.     She  returned  home  later  than  usual,  but  was  too  timid  to  say  any- 
thing  to  her  mother  on  the  subject.     The  meetings,  however,  with  her  admirer  on  the  borders 
of  the  prairie,  were  frequent,  and  he  every  time  requested  her  to  speak  to  her  mother  on  the 
subject  of  their  marriage,  which,  however,  she  could  not  muster  the  resolution  to  do.    At  last 
the  widow  suspected  something  of  the  kind,  from  the  tardiness  of  her  daughter  in  coming  in» 
aind  from  the  scjinty  quantity  of  fuel  she  sometimea  brought.    In  answer  to  inquiries,  she  re-' 


38 

voalcd  tliG  clrcuniriUnco  rf  hor  meetin.^  tb.c  youn;^  man,  and  of  his  request.  At^er  reflecting 
iipon  lipr  lonely  ami  cK-stitnte  situation,  tlie  mother  gave  her  consent.  The  daughter  went 
with  a  lio"liL  step  to  coniniunicato  the  Jinswcr,  which  her  Jover  heard  with  delight,  and  after  say- 
jiic  that  lie  would  come  to  the  lodge  at  sunset,  they  separated.  He  wag  punctual  to  his  en- 
irao-ouieut.  and  came  at  the  {)!-eci.se  lime,  dressed  out  as  a  warrior  with  every  customary  de- 
coration, and  approached  the  lodp;e  with  a  mild  and  pleasing,  yet  manly  air  and  commanding 
step.  On  entering  it,  he  sDoke  atiectionately  to  his  mother-in-law,  whom  he  called  (contrary 
to  the  usa^e,)  i\Ei-:.TEE,  ov  frieiid.  She  directed  him  to  sit  down  beside  her  daughter,  and  from 
this  moine^it  they  were  regirded  as  man  and  wite. 

Early  the  followin<i'  moriung,  he  asked  for  the  bow  and  arrows  of  those  who  had  been  slain 
by  the  ivlanito,  and  went  out  a  hunting.  As  soon  as  he  had  got  out  of  sight  of  the  lodge,  he 
transformed  hanselt  into  a  Pke.n'a,  or  patridge,  and  took  his  flight  in  the  air.  Where  or  how 
he  procured  his  food,  is  unknown;  but  he  returned  at  evening  with  the  carcasses  of  two  deer. 
This  continued  to  be  h;s  daily  practice,  and  it  'vas  not  long  before  the  scaffolds  near  the  lodge 
were  loaded  with  meat.  It  was  observed,  however,  that  he  ate  but  little  himself,  and  that  of  a 
peculiar  kind  of  meat,  which  added  to  some  other  particulars,  convinced  the  family  of  his  mys- 
terioue  character,  in  a  few  days  his  moLher-ia-law  told  him  that  the  Manito  would  come  to 
i)ay  them  a  visit,  to  see  how  the  young  man  prospered.  He  told  her  that  he  should  be  away 
that  day  purposely,  but  would  return  the  moment  the  visiter  left  them.  On  the  day  named  he 
flew  upon  a  tall  troe,  overlooking  the  lodge,  and  took  his  stand  there  to  observe  the  movement 
of  the  Manito.  'i'his  wicked  spirit  soon  appeared,  and  as  he  passed  the  scaffolds  of  meat,  cast 
Huspicious  glances  tov.'ard  them.  He  hr'd  no  soonin-  entered  tlie  lodge,  stopping  first  to  look, 
before  he  went  in,  than  he  said — "  Why,  woman,  who  is  it  that  is  furnishing  you  meat  so 
plentifullvr'  "i^o  one,''  she  answered,  ''but  my  son— he  is  just  beginning  to  kill  deer."  '-No, 
no,"  said'he.  "some  one  is  living  with  you."  '  Kaween,"  said  the  old  woman,  (which  means 
jio  indeed,)  dissembling  again,  "You  are  only  jesting  on  my  destitute  situation.  Who  do  you 
think  would  come  and  trouble  themselves  about  me  ?"  "Very  well,"  replied  the  Manito,  "  I 
will  fo ;  but  on  such  a  day,  I  v.iil  again  visit  you,  and  see  who  it  is  that  furnishes  the  meat, 
and  whether  it  is  your  son  or  not."  He  had  no  sooner  left  the  lodge  and  got  out  of  sight,  than 
the  son-in-law  made  his  ajipearance  witli  two  more  deer.  On  being  told  of  the  particulars  of 
the  yisit,  "  Verv  well,"  sa'd  he,  "I  will  be  at  home  next  time  and  see  him."  They  remon- 
i^tratfcd  ai^ainst  this,  telling  him  of  his  cruelties,  and  the  barbarous  murders  he  had  committed. 
"No  matter,"  said  he,  "if  he  invites  me  to  the  race  ground,  I  will  not  be  backward.  The  re- 
sult will  teach  him  to  show  pity  on  the  vanquished,  and  not  to  trample  on  the  widow,  and  those 
who  are  without  fathers."  When  the  day  of  the  expected  visit  arrived,  he  told  his  wife  to 
prepare  certain  pieces  of  meat,  which  he  pointed  out  and  handed  to  her,  together  wit'h  two  or 
three  buds  cf  the  birch-trec  which  he  requested  her  to  put  in  the  pot;  and  he  directed  that  no- 
thiutT  should  bo  wanting  to  show  the  usual  liospitality  to  their  guest,  although  he  knew  that 
his  only  object  was  to  kill  him.  He  then  dressed  himself  as  a  warrior,  putting  tints  of  red  on 
his  visao-e  and  dress,  to  show  that  he  was  prepared  for  either  war  or  peace. 

As  soon  as  the  Manito  arrived,  he  eyed  this,  to  him,  strange  warrior,  but  dissembled  his  feel- 
ing's, and  spoke  laughingly  to  the  old  woman,  saying,  "  Did  I  not  tell  you  that  some  one  was 
staying  with  von,  for  I  knew  your  son  was  too  young  to  hunf?"'  Sha  turned  it  off  by  saying 
that  she  did  not  think  it  necessary  to  tell  him,  as  he  was  a  Manito  and  knew  before  asking.  He 
then  conversed  with  the  son-in-law  on  different  topics,  and  finished  by  inviting  him  to  the  race 
ground,  saying  it  was  a  manly  amuse.ment — that  it  would  give  him  an  opportunity  of  seeing 
other  men,  and  he  should  himself  be  pleased  to  run  with  him."  "Why,  he  replied,. 
*'don't  you  see  how  old  I  look,  while  you  are  young  and  active.  We  must  at  least  run  to 
amuse  others."  "  Be  it  so,  then,"  replied  the  youn^  man,  "I  will  go  in  the  morning."  Pleas- 
ed with  his  success,  the  Manito  now  wished  to  return,  but  he  was  pressed  to  remain  and  par- 
take of  the  customary  hospitalities,  although  he  endeavoured  to  excuse  himself.  The  meal 
was  immediately  spread.  But  one  dish  was  used.  The  young  man  partook  of  it  first,  to  show 
his  guest  that  he  need  not  fear  to  partake,  and  saying  at  the  same  time  to  him,  "  It  is  a  feast, 
and  as  we  seldom  meet,  we  must  eat  all  that  is  placed  on  the  dish,  as  a  mark  of  gratitude  to 
the  Great  Spirit  for  permitting  me  to  kill  the  animals,  and  for  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you,  and 
partaking  of  it  with  you.''  They  ate  and  conversed  until  they  had  eaten  nearly  all,  when  the 
Manito  took  up  the  dish  and  drank  the  broth.  On  setting  it  down,  he  immediately  turned  his 
head  and  commenced  coughing  violently,  having,  as  the  young  man  expected,  swallowed  a 

fraiu  of  the  birch  tops,  which  had  lodged  in  his  windpipe.     He  coughed  incessantly,  andfonud 
is  situation  so  unpleasant,  that  he  had  to  leave,  saying,  as  he  quit  the  lodge,  that  he  shonld 
expect  the  young  man  at  the  race  ground  in  the  morning. 

Monedowa  prepared  himself  early  in  the  morning  by  oiling  his  limbs,  and  decorating  hira- 
gelf  so  as  to  appear  to  advantage,  and  having  procured  leave  for  his  brother  to  attend  him,  they 
repaired  to  the  Manito's  race  ground.  The  Manito's  lodge  stood  on  an  eminence,  and  a  row 
of  other  lodges  stood  neP  itllLnd  a^  soO  arilie  young  and  his  companion  came  near  it,  the 
jnmates  cried  out,  "We  are  vi5ited.'''*-»ywhis'try  he  came  out,  and  descended  with  them  to 


"^0^ 


-^0^ 


'S 


^  V  °^     ° « ° 


0^     . 


>»       o 


^0 


'5.^^% 


'oV'' 


.0- 


'^0^ 


"oK 


•>o* 


A 


<". 


^°-;^ 


',1     ^"V 


■  V  ^^      °  W/ 1 


.0^ 


'^^o^ 


"^^    **'    0^^^    ,^".% 


.0 


^0 


^^0^ 


c' 


0^ 


_„  0