|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 93
"Sir!" cried he to Patterson; "you are, I perceive, fatigued and weak.
Your life is in great danger. Mount, sir--mount! I am fresh and will
take my chance on foot."
"God bless you, sir!--God bless you for this noble act!" exclaimed
Patterson, as Reynolds assisted him, into the saddle. "If I escape--"
"Enough!" said Reynolds, hurriedly, interrupting him. "Fly, sir--fly!
God be with you! Adieu!"
And turning away as he spoke, he sprung down the side of the ridge, and
running along the edge of the river some little distance, plunged into
the water and swam to the opposite shore. Unfortunately for our hero,
he had changed his garments at Bryan's Station, and now wore a pair of
buckskin breeches, which, in swimming the stream, had become so soaked
and heavy that he was obliged to remove them in order to display his
usual agility. While seated upon the bank and occupied in this manner,
he was startled by a hand being placed upon his shoulder, and the
familiar grunt of an Indian sounding in his ear. On looking up, he at
once recognized the grim features of Wild-cat, and saw himself in the
power of some half a dozen savages.
"Me wanty you," said Wild-cat, quietly. "Kitchokema give much for Long
Knife. Come!"
There was no alternative now; and Algernon rose to his feet, and
suffered his weapons to be taken from him, with what feelings we leave
the reader to imagine. Taking him along, the savages set forward, on the
alert for other game; and presently three of them darted away in chase
of a party of whites; and directly after, two others, leaving our hero
alone with Wild-cat. Hope now revived that he might yet escape; nor
was he this time disappointed; for after advancing a short distance,
Wild-cat stooped down to tie his moccasin; when Reynolds immediately
sprung upon him, knocked him down with his fist, seized his rifle,
tomahawk, and knife, fled into the thicket, and reached Bryan's Station,
during the night succeeding, unscathed.[24]
Throughout the short but severe action at the ravines, Boone maintained
his ground with great coolness and courage, animating his soldiers by
word and deed, until the rout became general, when he found it
necessary, to prevent falling into the hands of the enemy, to have
recourse to immediate flight. As he cast his eyes around him for this
purpose, he saw himself cut off from the ford by the large body of
Indians, through whose lines our hero was even then struggling. At this
moment he heard a groan which attracted his attention; and looking down,
he perceived his son Israel lying on the ground, scarcely five paces
distant, weltering in his blood. With all a father's feelings of
affection and alarm, he instantly sprung from his horse, and, raising
the youth in his arms, darted into the nearest ravine, and made with all
speed for the river. A few of the Indians were herein concealed, who
discharged their rifles at him as he passed, without injury, and then
joined in pursuit. One, a powerful warrior, having outstripped his
companions, was rushing upon the old woodsman with his tomahawk, when
the latter, with backwoods celerity, instantly raised his rifle and shot
him through the body. Finding himself hard pressed, and that his son was
already in the agonies of death, the old hunter strained him for the
last time to his heart, with choking emotion, pressed his lips to those
already growing cold, and then, with a groan of agony, left him to his
fate and the scalping-knife of the savage, while he barely made his own
escape by swimming the river below the bend. To him this was a mournful
day--never to be forgotten--and one that, even long, long years after,
could never be mentioned but with tears.
In this action the brother of Boone was wounded; but in company with
Isaac Younker, and some three or four others, he succeeded in making his
escape.
On the day of the battle, Colonel Logan arrived at Bryan's Station with
a command of four hundred and fifty soldiers. On learning that the
garrison with their reinforcements had gone the day preceding in pursuit
of the Indians, and fearful of some disaster, he resolved on a forced
march to give them assistance as soon as possible. For this purpose he
immediately set forward on their trail; but had advanced only a few
miles, when he met a party of the fugitives returning from the scene of
slaughter. They were alarmed and excited, and of course their account of
the battle was greatly exaggerated, believing as they did that they were
the only escaped survivors. Their report, to say the least, was very
startling, allowing that only the half were true; and in consequence,
Logan decided on retracing his steps to the station, until he should be
able to collect more definite news concerning the fight. Gradually one
party after another came dropping in; and by nine o'clock nearly or
quite all of the survivors were assembled in the fortress; when it was
ascertained that a little over one-third of the party, or between sixty
and seventy of those engaged in the battle, were missing. It was a sad
night of wailing, and lamentation, and dreadful excitement in the
station; for scarcely a family there, but was mourning the loss of some
friend or relation. Algernon and Isaac had returned, to the great joy of
those most interested in their welfare; but the father-in-law of the
latter came not, and there was mourning in consequence.
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|