Duncan M’Krimmon, (a resident of Milledgeville, a Georgia militia
man, stationed at Fort Gadsden,) being out one morning on a fishing
excursion, in attempting to return, missed his way, and was several
days lost in the surrounding wilderness. After wandering about in
various directions he was espied and captured by a party of hostile
Indians, headed by the well known prophet Francis. The Indians having
obtained the satisfaction they wanted respecting the determination
of government, the position of the American army, &c. they began to
prepare for the intended sacrifice. M’Krimmon was bound to a stake,
and the ruthless savages having shaved his head and reduced his body
to a state of nudity, formed themselves into a circle and danced round
him some hours, yelling most horribly. The youngest daughter of the
prophet, about fifteen years of age, remained sad and silent the whole
time. She participated not in the general joy, but was evidently, even
to the affrighted prisoner, much pained at the savage scene she was
compelled to witness. When the burning torches were about to be applied
to the fagots which encompassed the prisoner, and the fatal tomahawk
was raised to terminate forever his mortal existence, Milly Francis,
(for that was her name,) like an angel of mercy, placed herself between
it and death, resolutely bidding the astonished executioner, if he
thirsted for human blood, to shed hers; being determined, she said, not
to survive the prisoner’s death. A momentary pause was produced by this
unexpected occurrence, and she took advantage of the circumstance to
implore upon her knees the pity of the ferocious father, who finally
yielded to her wishes; with the intention, however, it is suspected, of
murdering them both, if he could not sell M’Krimmon to the Spaniards;
which was luckily effected a few days after at St. Marks, for seven
gallons and a half of rum. As long as M’Krimmon remained a prisoner his
benefactress continued to show him acts of kindness. The fortune of war
since placed her in the power of the white people, being compelled,
with a number of others of her tribe who were in a starving condition,
to surrender themselves prisoners. As soon as this fact was known to
M’Krimmon, in manifestation of a due sense of the obligation which he
owed to the woman who saved his life, at the hazard of her own, he
sought her to alleviate her misfortune, and to offer her marriage; but
Milly would not consent to become his wife as a consideration of having
saved his life, declaring that she did no more than her duty, and that
her intercessions were the same as they would ever have been on similar
occasions.