|
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 74
"At the same moment, Waunangee, who, with his warriors
had started up on hearing my loud yell of defiance, came
quickly to the spot, and they were not a little astounded
to see an Indian, whom they instantly pronounced to be
a Winnebago, lying motionless at my feet, nor was their
respect for me at all lessened, when on handing my
scalping-knife from one to the other, they perceived what
a proficient I was in the use of their own favorite weapon.
"Of course I was not silly enough to detract from my own
glory, by admitting that it was as much the result of
accident as of design. They made signs for me to scalp
him, but having no particular desire to possess this
trophy of my successful hand to hand encounter, one of
the young men asked me to waive my right in his favor.
This I did, and the scalp of the Winnebago was soon
dangling from his waist. The other spoils I did not
object to, and his rifle, tomahawk, and knife are now
in Winnebago's tent, until there offers a favorable
opportunity of bringing them to my quarters. But to
proceed.
"So much time had been passed in the examination of the
body of the slain Winnebago, that his comrade had found
ample time to escape. The Pottawattamies had not seen
him, and Collins, after having temporarily disabled him,
had run up to afford me further assistance, on seeing
advancing in the rear, those whom he took to be of the
same hostile party. Thus left unwatched, the savage had
managed to creep away into the wood, and when attention
was at length drawn to him, he was not to be seen.
"When Collins had explained the position of the party at
the farm, whose danger, on finding himself of no service
there, he was then on his way to report, I proposed to
Waunangee that half of his warriors should ascend by
land, while the remainder with himself, accompanied me
in the boat. We accordingly separated, and made what
haste we could to our destination--the party on shore
regulating their progress by that of the boat. During
the descent my anxiety was very great, for my whole soul
was bent upon the attainment of one object--that of
restoring Mr. Heywood unharmed to his family. But the
absence of all sound indicating conflict was by no means
favorable, and I had already begun to fear that the
silence which prevailed, was but the result of victory
on the part of the hostile band who had departed, when
suddenly the loud, fierce yell of disappointment which
burst from them, as I have since understood, when a ladder
by which they attempted to enter was thrown from the roof
by Nixon, rang encouragingly upon my ear, and urged me
to increased exertion. Our progress, however, was by no
means proportioned to my anxiety, for somehow or other,
only two oars were in the boat, and, as the Indians did
not much care or know how to pull in time, the task
devolved wholly upon Collins and myself. At length, just
as the day was beginning to dawn, we reached the farm-house,
about a hundred yards beyond which we put in and landed,
making a detour by the barn, so as to meet the remainder
of our little force in the rear, and thus to place the
enemy, if actually surrounding the house, between two
fires.
"After waiting, however, some little time, and finding
every thing quiet, my apprehensions increased, for,
although not the sign of a Winnebago could be seen, so
profound was the stillness within, that I began to think
the whole of the party had been either captured or
murdered. Suddenly, however, while hesitating as to the
course to be pursued--for I feared that if the party were
all right, and the enemy departed, they might fire upon
us as we approached--I saw a man in American undress
uniform, whom I had no difficulty in recognizing as
Corporal Nixon, issue from the back of the house with a
basket in his hands, and turning the corner with an
appearance of much caution, make hastily for the river.
Directing Waunangee, whose two bands had now joined, and
were then lying closely concealed in the barn, to enter
the house as cautiously and noiselessly as possible, I
hastened after Nixon, from whom, after recovering from
his first fright at finding himself unarmed, and in the
power of one whom he naturally took for one of his recent
assailants, I received a brief account of all that had
occurred. On entering the house with him, shortly
afterwards, what a contrast was present--on the one hand
the ludicrous--the horrible on the other.
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|