he
Indian country prove.

[Illustration: INDIAN CHIEF.]

In the year of 1782, Lewis Whetzel went with Thomas Mills, who had been in
the campaign, to get a horse, which he had left near the place where St.
Clairsville now stands. At the Indian Spring, two miles above St.
Clairsville, on the Wheeling road, they were met by about forty Indians,
who were in pursuit of the stragglers from the campaign. The Indians and
the white men discovered each other about the same time. Lewis fired
first, and killed an Indian; the fire from the Indians wounded Mr. Mills,
and he was soon overtaken and killed. Four of the Indians then singled
out, dropped their guns, and pursued Whetzel. Whetzel loaded his rifle as
he ran. After running about half a mile, one of the Indians having got
within eight or ten steps of him, Whetzel wheeled round and shot him down,
ran on, and loaded as before. After going about three-quarters of a mile
further, a second Indian came so close to him, that when he turned to
fire, the Indian caught the muzzle of his gun, and as he expressed it, he
and the Indian had a severe wring for it; he succeeded, however, in
bringing the gun to the Indian's breast, and killed him on the spot. By
this time, he, as well as the Indians, were pretty well tired; the pursuit
was continued by the remaining two Indians. Whetzel, as before, loaded his
gun, and stopped several times during the chase. When he did so the
Indians treed themselves. After going something more than a mile, Whetzel
took advantage of a little open piece of ground, over which the Indians
were passing, a short distance behind him, to make a sudden stop for the
purpose of shooting the foremost, who got behind a little sapling, which
was too small to cover his body. Whetzel shot, and broke his thigh; the
wound, in the issue, proved fatal. The last of the Indians then gave a
little yell, and said, "No catch dat man--gun always loaded," and gave up
the chase; glad, no doubt, to get off with his life.

Another of this daring warrior's exploits is worthy of a place beside the
most remarkable achievements of individual valor. In the year 1787, a
party of Indians crossed the Ohio, killed a family, and scalped with
impunity. This murder spread great alarm through the sparse settlements
and revenge was not only resolved upon, but a handsome reward was offered
for scalps. Major McMahan, who often led the borderers in their hardy
expeditions, soon raised a company of twent