CAPTAIN HUBBELL.

123

Bland Ballard, but not in time to save his mother. The savage and his victim both fell dead together. The Indians were supposed to have numbered sixteen, and before they completed their work of death had sustained a loss of six or seven.

CHAPTER IX.

Captain Hubbell descends the Ohio-Is attacked by Indians -His desperate defence-The Indians beaten off-Boat of Captain Greathouse captured-Hubbell again attacked-Indians retire with great loss-Heroism of a boy-Number of wounded-Painful condition of Captain Hubbell-The boat reaches Limestone-Unsuccessful pursuit of the savages -John May descends the Ohio-Indian stratagem-Finn urges May to put into the Ohio shore-Finn surprised by the savages-The boat attacked and captured-Skyles wounded -May and Miss Fleming killed-Reception of the Indians by Johnston-Captain Marshall descends the Ohio with three boats-Is pursued by the Indians-The attack and defence -His escape with the loss of two boats.

A SHORT time subsequent to the adventure related in the preceding chapter, a much more terrible affair took place. In March of this year, Captain William Hubbell floated down the Ohio River in a flat-bottomed boat, on his return from the eastward, and after leaving Pittsburg, saw traces of Indians along the banks of the stream, which raised his suspicions and increased his watchfulness. There was on board the boat, be

sides Captain Hubbell, Mr. Daniel Light, and Mr. William Plascut and his family. Before they reached the mouth of the Great Kenawha, the number was increased by additions to twenty; among whom were three persons whose respective names were Ray, Tucker, and Kilpatrick; two daughters of the latter, a man by the name of Stoner, an Irishman, and a German.

Information received at Gallipolis confirmed their previous expectation of a serious conflict with a large body of Indians; and as Captain Hubbell had been regularly appointed commander of the boat, he made every preparation to resist the anticipated attack.

The nine men were divided into three watches for the night, who were alternately to be on the look-out for two hours at a time. The arms on board, which unfortunately consisted mainly of old muskets very much out of order, were collected, loaded, and put in the best possible condition for service.

About sunrise on the 23d, Hubbell's party overtook a fleet of six boats descending the river in company, and at first concluded to join them for the sake of mutual protection. Finding, however, that they were a careless, noisy set of people, more intent on dancing than watching for Indians, Hubbell determined to push forward alone. One of the six boats, as if also desirous of keeping up with the party under Hubbell,

WILY STRATAGEM.

125

pushed forward for a short time; but its crew at length dropped asleep, and Hubbell, pressing vigorously forward, soon left it in the rear.

Early in the night, a canoe was seen dimly floating down the river, in which were probably Indians on the watch for their prey, fires and other signs were at the same time observed, which indicated the neighbourhood of a formidable body of savages.

Just as daylight began to appear in the east, and before the men were up and at their posts, a voice at some distance below them repeatedly solicited them, in a plaintive tone, to come on shore, as there were some white persons who wished to take a passage in their boat. This the captain naturally concluded to be an Indian artifice. He accordingly roused the men, and placed every one upon his guard.

The voice of entreaty was soon changed into the language of indignation and insult, and the sound of distant paddles announced the approach of the savage foe. At length, three Indian canoes were seen through the mist of the morning rapidly advancing, and with the utmost coolness the captain and his companions prepared to receive them.

Every man took his position, and was ordered not to fire till the savages came nearly up to the boat; a special caution being given that the men should fire in succession, so that there might be no intervals.

On the arrival of the canoes, they were found to contain from twenty-five to thirty Indians in each. As soon as they approached within musketshot, they poured in a general fire from one of the canoes, by which Tucker and Light were both wounded. The three canoes now placed themselves on the bow, stern, and side of the boat, and commenced a raking fire upon the voyagers; but the steady firing from the boat had a powerful effect in checking the confidence and the fury of the savages.

Captain Hubbell, after firing his own gun, took up that of one of the wounded men, and was in the act of discharging it when a ball came and tore away the lock; he coolly turned round, seized a brand of fire, and applying it to the pan, discharged it with effect. raising his gun a third time, when a ball passed through his right arm, which for a moment disabled him.

He was in the act of

Just as he had recovered the use of his hand, which had been momentarily drawn up by the wound, he observed the Indians about to board the boat. Severely wounded as he was, he rushed forward to the bow and assisted in forcing them off, first by the discharge of a pair of horse pistols, and afterward by billets of wood which had been prepared for the fire. Meeting with so desperate a resistance, the Indians at length discontinued the contest.

DESPERATE DEFENCE.

127

The boat which Hubbell had previously left behind during the slumber of its crew, now appearing in sight, the canoes were rapidly directed towards it. They boarded it without opposition, killed Captain Greathouse and a lad of about fourteen years of age, placed the women in the centre of their canoes, and manning them with a fresh reinforcement from the shore, again pursued Hubbell and his party. A melancholy alternative now presented itself to these brave, but desponding men. They must either fall themselves a prey to the savages, or run the risk of shooting the women in the canoes, who had been purposely placed there by the Indians, in the hope of obtaining protection from their presence. Hubbell was compelled for the sake of his own wounded to risk the latter, well knowing how little mercy was to be expected if the savages were victorious.

There were now but four men left on board of Captain Hubbell's boat capable of defending it, and the captain himself was severely wounded in two places. The second attack, however, was resisted with almost incredible firmness and vigour. Whenever the Indians would rise to fire, their opponents would commonly give them the first shot, which in almost every instance would prove fatal. Notwithstanding the disparity of numbers, and the exhausted condition of the defenders of the boat, the Indians at length appeared to de