eavored to spring over the
fence. The mother was shot dead as her son was piously aiding her over
the fence. The other brother was killed as he was gallantly defending
his sister. The widowed sister, her infant, and one of the brothers
escaped the massacre, and alarmed the settlement. Thirty men, commanded
by Colonel Edwards, arrived next day to witness the appalling spectacle
presented around the smoking ruins of this cabin. Considerable snow had
fallen, and the Indians were obliged to leave a trail, which easily
indicated their path. In the evening of that day, they came upon the
expiring body of the young woman, apparently murdered but a few moments
before their arrival. The Indians had been premonished of their pursuit
by the barking of a dog that followed them. They overtook and killed two
of the Indians that had staid behind, apparently as voluntary victims to
secure the retreat of the rest.

To prevent immigrants from reaching the country, the Indians infested
the Ohio river, and concealed themselves in small parties at different
points from Pittsburgh to Louisville, where they laid in ambush and
fired upon the boats as they passed. They frequently attempted by false
signals to decoy the boats ashore, and in several instances succeeded by
these artifices in capturing and murdering whole families, and
plundering them of their effects. They even armed and manned some of the
boats and scows they had taken, and used them as a kind of floating
battery, by means of which they killed and captured many persons
approaching the settlements.

The last boat which brought immigrants to the country down the Ohio,
that was known to have been attacked by the Indians, was assaulted in
the spring of 1791. This circumstance gives it a claim to be mentioned
in this place. It was commanded by Captain Hubbel, and brought
immigrants from Vermont. The whole number of men, women, and children
amounted to twenty persons. These persons had been forewarned by various
circumstances that they noted, that hostile Indians were along the shore
waiting to attack them. They came up with other boats descending the
river, and bound in the same direction with themselves. They endeavored
ineffectually to persuade the passengers to join them, that they might
descend in the strength of numbers and union. They continued to move
down the river alone. The first attempt upon them was a customary Indian
stratagem. A person, affecting to be a white man, hail