USA > Massachusetts > Our western border : its life, combats, adventures, forays, massacres, captivities, scouts, red chiefs, pioneer women, one hundred years ago, containing the cream of all the rare old border chronicles > Part 63
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80
582
OUR WESTERN BORDER.
to support it, he called to them in English to " take care !" They did not understand him, however, and continued to support it, when, find- ing himself in danger of being crushed to death, he dropped the log so suddenly that both Indians were knocked down, and lay for a time without sense or motion. They soon sprang up, however, and drawing their tomahawks, would instantly have relieved Johnston of all his . troubles had not the other Indians, amid peals of laughter, restrained them, and compelled them to vent their spleen in curses, which were showered upon " Ketepels," as he was called, for the space of an hour, with great fury.
After crossing the Scioto, the Indians displayed a disposition to loiter and throw away time, but little in unison with Johnston's feelings, who was anxious to reach their towns as speedily as possible, flattering him- self with the hope that some benevolent trader would purchase him of the Indians and restore him to liberty. They amused themselves at a game called " Nosey," with a pack of cards which had been found in one of the abandoned boats. The pack is equally divided between two of them, and by some process, which Johnston did not understand, each endeavored to get all the cards into his own possession. The winner had a right to ten fillips at his adversary's nose, which the latter was required to sustain with inflexible gravity, as the winner was entitled to ten additional fillips for every smile which he succeeded in forcing from him. At this game they would be engaged for a whole day, with the keenest interest, the bystanders looking on with a delight scarcely in- ferior to that of the gamblers themselves, and laughing immoderately when the penalty was exacted.
When gaming, they were usually kind to the prisoners, but this ray of sunshine was frequently very suddenly overcast. Johnston ventured to ask an old Shawnee chief how far they would be forced to travel be- fore reaching his village. The old man very good-naturedly informed him by drawing a diagram upon the sand with a stick, pointing out the situation of the Ohio river, of the Scioto, and of the various Indian villages, and pointing to the sun, he waved his hand once for every day which they would employ in the journey. Johnston then ventured to ask " how many inhabitants his village contained ?" The old man re- plied that the Shawnees had once been a great nation, but (and here his eyes flashed fire, and he worked himself into a furious passion) the "Long Knives" had killed nearly the whole of his nation. " However," con- tinued he, " so long as there is a Shawnee alive, we will fight ! fight ! fight ! When no Shawnee-then no fight."
The prisoners were also in great danger whenever the Indians passed through a forest which had been surveyed, and where the marks of the
583
THE GAME OF "NOSEY."
axe on the trees were evident. They would halt upon coming to such a tree, and, after a few minutes' silence, would utter the most terrible yells, striking the trees with their hatchets and cursing the prisoners with a fierceness which caused them often to abandon all hopes of life. On one occasion they passed suddenly from the most ferocious state of excitement to the opposite extreme of merriment at a slight disaster which befell Johnston. They were often compelled to ford creeks, but upon one occasion they attempted to pass upon a log. The morning was bitterly cold and frosty, and the log having been barked was con- sequently very slippery. In passing upon this bridge Johnston's foot slipped, and he fell into the cold water with an outcry so sudden and shrill that the whole party, which the instant before had been inflamed with rage, burst at once into loud laughter, which, at intervals, was maintained for several miles. Sometimes they amused themselves by compelling their prisoners to dance, causing them to pronounce, in a tone bordering on music, the words, " Mom-ne-kah ! He-kah-hah ! Was-sat-oo ! Hos-ses-kah !" and this monotonous and fatiguing exer- cise was occasionally relieved by the more exciting one of springing over a large fire when the blaze was at its highest, in which they could only escape injury by the greatest activity.
The painful journey had now lasted nearly a month, and the Indian towns were yet at a great distance. Hitherto, Skyles and Johnston had remained together, but, by the whimsical fancy of their captors, they were now separated. Skyles was borne off to the Miami towns, while Johnston was destined for Sandusky. A few days after this separation, Johnston's party fell in with a Wyandot and a negro man, who, having run away from Kentucky, had been taken up by the Wy- andot, and retained as an assistant in a very lucrative trade which he was at that time carrying on with the Indians of the interior. He was in the habit of purchasing whiskey, powder, blankets, &c., at Detroit, generally upon credit, packing them upon horses into the interior, and exchanging them at a profit of nearly a thousand per cent. for furs and hides. This casual rencontre in the wilderness was followed by great demonstrations of joy on both sides. The trader produced his rum, the Shawnees their merchandise, and a very brisk exchange ensued. Johnston's boots, for which he had paid eight dollars in Virginia, were gladly given for a pint of rum, and other articles were sold at a pro- portionate price.
Johnston, as before, was removed from the immediate neighborhood of the travelers and committed to the care of two sober Indians, with strict injunctions to prevent his escape. They, accordingly, bound him securely, and passing the ends of the cord under their own bodies,
+
584
OUR WESTERN BORDER.
lay down to sleep, one upon each side of their prisoner. At midnight Johnston was awakened by a heavy rain, although his guides slept on with most enviable composure. Unable to extricate himself, and fear- ful of awakening them, he was endeavoring to submit with patience, when the negro appeared and very courteously invited him to take shelter in his tent, which stood within fifty yards of the spot where he lay. Johnston was beginning to explain to his black friend the impos- sibility of moving without the consent of his guards, when they sud- denly sprang to their feet, and seizing the negro by the throat, and at the same time grasping Johnston's collar, they uttered the alarm halloo in the most piercing tones. The whole band of drunken Indians in- stantly repeated the cry, and ran up, tomahawk in hand, and with the most ferocious gestures. Johnston gave himself up for lost, and the negro looked white with terror, but their enemies conducted themselves with more discretion than, from their drunken condition, could have been anticipated.
They seized Johnston, bore him off a few paces into the woods, and questioned him closely as to the conference between himself and the negro. He replied by simply and clearly stating the truth. They then grappled the negro, and, menacing him with their knives, threat- ened to take his scalp on the spot if he did not tell the truth. His story agreed exactly with Johnston's, and the Indians became satisfied that no plot had been concerted. The incident, however, had completely sobered them, and for several hours the rum cask gave way to the dancing ring, which was formed in front of the negro's tent, where Johnston had been permitted, after the alarm subsided, to take shelter from the rain. He quickly fell asleep, but was grievously tormented by the nightmare. He dreamed that he was drowning in the middle of a creek which he had crossed on the morning, and his respiration became so painful and laborious that he at length awoke. The song and the dance were still going on around him, and the cause of his unpleasant dream was quickly manifest. A huge Indian had very composedly seated himself upon his breast, and was smoking a long pipe and con- templating the dancers, apparently very well satisfied with his seat. Johnston turned himself upon his side and threw the Indian off. He did not appear to relish the change of place much, but soon settled himself and continued to smoke with uninterrupted gravity.
585
THE TWO CHILDREN SAVED BY MESSHAWA.
THE TWO CHILDREN SAVED BY THE YOUNG CHIEF, MESSHAWA.
At daylight a new scene presented itself. The warriors painted themselves in the most frightful colors, and performed a war dance, with the usual accompaniments. A stake, painted in alternate stripes of black and vermilion, was fixed in the ground, and the dancers moved in rapid but measured evolutions around it. They recounted, with great energy, the wrongs they had received from the whites. Their lands had been taken from them-their corn cut up-their villages burnt -their friends slaughtered-every injury which they had received was dwelt upon, until their passions had become inflamed beyond all con- trol. Suddenly Chick-a-tommo darted from the circle of dancers, and with eyes flashing fire, ran up to the spot where Johnston was sitting, calmly contemplating the spectacle before him. When within reach he struck him a furious blow with his fist, and was preparing to repeat it when Johnston seized him by the arms, and hastily demanded the cause of such unprovoked violence. Chick-a-tommo, grinding his teeth with rage, shouted, " Sit down ! sit down!" Johnston obeyed, and the In- dian, perceiving the two white children within ten steps of him, snatched up a tomahawk, and advanced upon them with a quick step and a de- termined look.
The terrified little creatures instantly arose from the log on which they were sitting and fled into the woods, uttering the most piercing screams, while their pursuer rapidly gained upon them, with his toma- hawk uplifted. The girl, being the youngest, was soon overtaken, and would have been tomahawked, had not Messhawa bounded like a deer to her relief. He arrived barely in time to arrest the uplifted tomahawk of Chick-a-tommo, after which he seized him by the collar and hurled him violently backward to the distance of several paces. Snatching up the child in his arms, he then ran after the brother, intending to secure him likewise from the fury of his companion, but the boy, misconstruing his intention, continued his flight with such rapidity, and doubled several times with such address, that the chase was prolonged to the distance of several hundred yards. At length Messhawa succeeded in taking him. The boy, thinking himself lost, uttered a wild cry, which was echoed by his sister, but both were instantly calmed. Messhawa took them in his arms, spoke to them kindly and soon convinced them that they had nothing to fear from him. He quickly reappeared, leading them gently by the hand, and soothing them in the Indian language, until they both clung to him closely for protection. No other incident disturbed the progress of the ceremonies, nor did Chick-a-tommo appear to resent the violent interference of Messhawa.
586
OUR WESTERN BORDER.
Their rum was not yet exhausted, and after the conclusion of the war dance, they returned to it with renewed vigor. A lame Mingo, on a solitary hunting excursion, soon joined them, and, with drunken hospi- tality, was pressed and in some degree compelled to get drunk with them. They soon became very affectionate and the Mingo, taking ad- vantage of the momentary generosity produced by the rum, ventured to ask that Johnston might be given to him for a particular purpose, which he explained to them. He said that he had lately killed a warrior of the Wyandot tribe, whose widow had clamorously demanded that he (the Mingo) should either procure her another husband or lay down his own life as the penalty for the slain Wyandot. He added that he was too poor to procure her another husband, unless he should take that honorable office upon himself, for which he had but small inclination, the squaw in question being well stricken in years, tolerably crooked, and withal a most terrible scold, and that he must submit to the other alter- native and lay down his life, unless the Shawnees would have compas- sion upon him and give him Johnston, who (he said) being young and handsome, would doubtless be acceptable to the squaw aforesaid, and console her faithful heart for the loss of her former husband.
He urged his suit with so much earnestness that the Shawnees re- lented, and assured him that Johnston should be delivered into his hands. This was accordingly done, without the slightest regard to the prisoner's inclination, and within an hour the whole party took leave of him, shaking him heartily by the hand and congratulating him upon his approaching happiness, telling him that there was a fine squaw waiting for him at the Wyandot town. Johnston would have liked the adoption better without the appendage of the bride, but thinking that if she were one of the furies, her society would be preferable to the stake and hot irons, he determined to make the best of his condition, and wear his shackles as easily as possible, until an opportunity offered of effecting his escape. His new master, after lingering around the late encamp- ment until late in the day, at length shouldered his wallet and moved off by the same route which the Shawnees had taken. By noon on the following day they came up with them, when a curious scene ensued. As soon as the Shawnees had become sober they repented their late liberality, and determined to reclaim their prisoner ; the Mingo stoutly demurred, and a long argument took place, accompanied by animated gestures and not a few oaths on both sides. At length Messhawa put an end to the wrangling by seizing a horse by the halter and ordering Johnston instantly to mount. He then sprang upon another, and applying the lash smartly to both horses, he quickly bore the prisoner beyond the sound of the Mingo's voice. An hour's ride
.
587
THE TWO CHILDREN SAVED BY MESSHAWA.
brought them to Upper Sandusky, where Messhawa dismounted and awaited the arrival of Chick-a-tommo. He quickly appeared, accom- panied by his party and followed by the discontented Mingo. The latter regarded Johnston from time to time with so earnest a counte- nance, and appeared so desirous of approaching him, that the latter became alarmed lest, in the rage of disappointment, he should inflict upon the prisoner the vengeance which he dared not indulge against the Shawnees. But his fears were quickly relieved. The Mingo dogged him so faithfully that he at length came upon him while alone, and ap- proaching him with a good-natured smile presented a small pamphlet which Johnston had dropped on the preceding day. Having done this, he shook him by the hand, and immediately left the village.
At Sandusky Johnston became acquainted with M. Duchouquet, a French trader, who had for several years resided among the Indians, and was extensively engaged in the fur trade. To him he recounted his adventures, and earnestly solicited his good offices in delivering him from the Indians. Duchouquet promptly assured him that every exer- tion should be used for that purpose, and lost no time in redeeming his pledge. That evening he spoke to Chick-a-tommo, and offered a liberal ransom for the prisoner, but his efforts were fruitless. The Shawnee chief did not object to the price, but declared that no sum should induce them to give him up, until they had first taken him to their towns. This answer was quickly reported to Johnston, and filled him with despair. But as the Shawnee party were engaged in another drinking bout, he entreated Duchouquet to seize the favorable moment, when their hearts were mellowed with rum, and repeat his offer. The French- man complied, and was again peremptorily refused. Johnston now desired him to inquire of Chick-a-tommo the name of the town to which . he was to be taken, and the fate which was in reserve for him upon his arrival there.
To the first question Chick-a-tommo promptly replied, that the prisoner was to be carried to the Miami villages, but to the second he gave no satisfactory answer, being probably ignorant himself upon the subject. The mention of the Miami villages completely extinguished every spark of hope which still existed in Johnston's breast, as those towns had heretofore been the grave of every white prisoner who had visited them. He had also heard that the Indians carefully concealed from their vic- tims the fate which awaited them, either from some instinctive feelings of compassion, or, more probably, from policy, in order to prevent the desperate efforts to escape which were usual with prisoners who were informed of their destiny. Under these circumstances he gloomily abandoned himself to despair, and lay down in helpless expectation of
588
OUR WESTERN BORDER.
his fate. But no sooner had he abandoned the case, than fortune, as usual, put in her oar, and displayed that capricious but omnipotent power for which she has so long and so deservedly been celebrated. The same Wyandot trader, who had encountered them in the wilderness, now again appeared at Sandusky, with several horses laden with kegs of rum, and in the course of two days completely stripped them of every skin, blanket and article of merchandise which had escaped his rapacity before.
On the morning of the third day Chick-a-tommo and his party awoke as from a dream, and found themselves poor, destitute, ragged and hun- gry, without the means of supplying any of their wants. Ashamed to return to their village in this condition, after having sent before them so magnificent a description of their wealth, they determined to return to the Ohio, in hopes of again replenishing their purses at the expense of emigrants. They accordingly appeared, of their own accord, before Duchouquet, and declared, that as the scalp of their prisoner would be transported more easily than his person, they had determined to burn him on that evening-but, if he still wished to purchase him, they would forego the expected entertainment for his sake, and let him have the prisoner upon good terms. Duchouquet eagerly accepted the offer, and counted down six hundred silver broaches, the ordinary price of a prisoner. The Indians lost no time in delivering him into the trader's hands, and, having taken an affectionate leave of him, they again set out for the Ohio.
Johnston's gratification may easily be conceived, but on the follow- ing day his apprehensions returned with renewed vigor. To his great surprise, Chick-a-tommo and his party again made their appearance at Sandusky, having abandoned their contemplated trip to the Ohio, and loitered about the village for several days, without any visible cause for such capricious conduct. Johnston, recollecting their former whimsi- cal bargain with the Mingo, was apprehensive that the same scene was to be repeated, and, resolving not to be taken alive, he armed himself and awaited calmly their determination. His suspicions, however, were entirely groundless. They passed him several times without the slightest notice, and at length set off in earnest for Detroit, leaving him at full liberty with his friend Duchouquet.
FLINN ENDURES TORTURE-WONDERFUL ESCAPE OF SKYLES.
On the evening of their departure a Delaware arrived from the Miami villages, with the heart rending intelligence that his unfortunate companion, Flinn, had been burned at the stake a few days before.
.
589
FLINN HEROICALLY ENDURES TORTURE.
The savage declared that he himself had been present at the spectacle, had assisted in torturing him, and had afterwards eaten a portion of his flesh, which he declared "was sweeter than bear's meat." The intel- ligence was fully confirmed on the following day by a Canadian trader, who had just left the Miami towns. He stated that Flinn had been taken to their villages, and at first had entertained strong hopes of being adopted, as his bold, frank and fearless character had made con- siderable impression upon his enemies. But the arrival of some wild chiefs from the extreme northern tribes, most of whom were cannibals, had completely changed his prospects. A wild council was held, in which the most terrible sentiments with regard to the whites were uttered. The custom of adopting prisoners was indignantly reprobated, as frivolous and absurd, and the resolution proclaimed that henceforth no quarter should be given to any age, sex or condition. Flinn was accordingly seized and fastened to the stake. The trader was one of the spectators. Flinn quickly observed him, and asked if he was not ashamed to witness the distress of a fellow creature in that manner, without making some effort to relieve him, upon which he immediately ran to the village and brought out several kegs of rum, which he offered as a ransom for the prisoner.
The Indians, who, by this time, were in a terrible rage, rejected the offer with fierceness, and split the heads of the kegs with their. toma- hawks, suffering the liquor to flow unheeded upon the ground. The disappointed trader again returned to the village, and brought out six hundred silver broaches. They in turn were rejected, with additional fury, and not without a threat of treating him in the same manner if he again interfered. The trader, finding every effort vain, communi- cated his ill success to Flinn, who heard him with composure, and barely replied, "Then all I have to say is, God have mercy upon my soul!" The scene of torture then commenced, amid whoops and yells, which struck terror to the heart of the trader, but which the prisoner bore with the most heroic fortitude. Not a groan escaped him. He walked calmly around the stake for several hours, until his flesh was roasted and the fire had burned down. An old squaw then approached in order to rekindle it, but Flinn, watching his opportunity, gave her so furious a kick in the breast that she fell back totally insensible, and for several minutes was entirely unable to take any further share in the ceremony. The warriors then bored his ankles, and passing thongs through the sin- ews, confined them closely to the stake, so that he was unable afterwards to offer the same resistance. His sufferings continued for many hours, until they were at length terminated by the tomahawk.
Within a few days he also heard of Skyles. After leaving Johnston,
590
OUR WESTERN BORDER.
this gentleman had been conducted to one of the towns on the Miami of the Lake, near the scene of Flinn's execution, where, as usual, he was compelled to run the gauntlet. The Indian boys were his chief tormentors. One of the little urchins displayed particular address and dexterity in his infernal art. He provided himself with a stout switch taken from a thorn tree, upon which one of the largest thorns had been permitted to remain. As Skyles passed him, he drove the keen instru- ment up to the head in his naked back. The switch was completely wrested from his grasp, and was borne by Skyles, sticking in his back, to the end of his painful career. He continued in the hands of the same crabbed master, who had taken such pleasure in tormenting him upon the march through the wilderness, but had found means to make himself so acceptable to his squaw, that his time was rendered more agreeable than he could have anticipated. He carried water for her, gathered her wood, and soothed her sullen temper by a thousand little artifices, so that her husband, who stood in some awe of his helpmate, was com- pelled to abate somewhat of his churlishness.
He at length reaped the fruit of his civilities. The squaw returned one evening alone to the wigwam, and informed Skyles, in confidence, that his death had been determined on in council, and that the follow- ing day had been appointed for his execution. He at first doubted the truth of this startling intelligence, and retiring to rest as usual, feigned to be asleep, but listened attentively to the conversation of the old squaw with her daughter, a young girl of fifteen. His doubts were quickly dispelled. His approaching execution was the subject of con- versation between them, and their language soon became warm. The old lady insisted upon it that he was a good man, and ought to be saved, while the girl exulted at the idea of witnessing his agonies, de- claring, repeatedly, that the "white people were all devils," and ought to be put to death. At length they ceased wrangling, and composed themselves to rest. Skyles immediately arose, took down his master's rifle, shot bag and corn pouch, and stepping lightly over the bodies of the family, quickly gained the woods, and bent his steps to the banks of the Miami river. Without an instant's delay he plunged into the stream and swam to the opposite side. In so doing, however, he completely ruined his rifle, and was compelled to throw it away. Retaining the wallet of parched corn, he directed his steps to the southward, intend- ing, if possible, to strike the settlements in Kentucky, but so poor a woodsman was he, that after a hard march of six hours, he again stum- bled upon the Miami, within one hundred yards of the spot where he had crossed it before.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.