In August, 1786, Mr. Francis Downing, then a lad, was living in a fort,
where subsequently some iron works were erected by Mr. Jacob Myers, which
are now known by the name of Slate Creek works. About the 16th, a young
man belonging to the fort, called upon Downing, and requested his
assistance in hunting for a horse which had strayed away on the preceding
evening. Downing readily complied, and the two friends traversed the woods
in every direction, until at length, towards evening, they found
themselves in a wild valley, at a distance of six or seven miles from the
fort. Here Downing became alarmed and repeatedly assured his elder
companion, (whose name was Yates,) that he heard sticks cracking behind
them, and was confident that Indians were dogging them. Yates, being an
experienced hunter, and from habit grown indifferent to the dangers of the
woods, diverted himself freely at the expense of his young companion,
often inquiring, at what price he rated his scalp, and offering to ensure
it for sixpence. Downing, however, was not so easily satisfied. He
observed, that in whatever direction they turned, the same ominous sounds
continued to haunt them, and as Yates still treated his fears with the
most perfect indifference, he determined to take his measures upon his own
responsibility. Gradually slackening his pace, he permitted Yates to
advance twenty or thirty steps in front of him, and immediately after
descending a gentle hill, he suddenly sprung aside and hid himself in a
thick cluster of whortleberry bushes. Yates, who at that time was
performing some woodland ditty to the full extent of his lungs, was too
much pleased with his own voice, to attend either to Downing or the
Indians, and was quickly out of sight. Scarcely had he disappeared, when
Downing, to his unspeakable terror, beheld two savages put aside the
stalks of a canebrake, and looked out cautiously in the direction which
Yates had taken. Fearful that they had seen him step aside, he determined
to fire upon them, and trust to his heels for safety, but so unsteady was
his hand, that in raising his gun to his shoulder, she went off before he
had taken aim. He lost no time in following her example, and after having
run fifty yards, he met Yates, who, alarmed at the report, was hastily
retracing his steps. It was not necessary to inquire what was the matter.
The enemy were in full view, pressing forward with great rapidity, and
"devil take the hindmost," was the order of the day. Yates would not
outstrip Downing, but ran by his side, although in so doing, he risked
both of their lives. The Indians were well acquainted with the country,
and soon took a path that diverged from the one which the whites followed,
at one point and rejoined it at another, bearing the same relation to it
that the string does to the bow. The two paths were at no point distant
from each other more than one hundred yards, so that Yates and Downing
could easily see the enemy gaining rapidly upon them. They reached the
point of re-union first, however, and quickly came to a deep gully which
it was necessary to recross, or retrace their steps. Yates cleared it
without difficulty, but Downing being, much exhausted, fell short, falling
with his breast against the opposite brink, rebounded with violence, and
fell at full length on the bottom. The Indians crossed the ditch a few
yards below him, and, eager for the capture of Yates, continued the
pursuit, without appearing to notice Downing. The latter who at first had
given himself up for lost, quickly recovered his strength, and began to
walk slowly along the ditch, fearing to leave it lest the enemy should see
him. As he advanced, however, the ditch became more shallow, until at
length it ceased to protect him at all. Looking around cautiously, he saw
one of the Indians returning apparently in quest of him. Unfortunately, he
had neglected to reload his gun, while in the ditch, and as the Indian
instantly advanced upon him, he had no resource but flight. Throwing away
his gun, which was now useless, he plied his legs manfully, in ascending a
long ridge which stretched before him, but the Indian gained upon him so
rapidly, that he lost all hope of escape. Coming at length to a large
poplar which had been blown up by the roots, he ran along the body of the
tree upon one side while the Indian followed it upon the other, doubtless
expecting to intercept him at the root. It happened that a large she bear
was sucking her cubs in a bed which she had made at the root of the tree,
and as the Indian reached that point, she instantly sprung upon him, and a
prodigious uproar took place. The Indian yelled, and stabbed with his
knife, the bear growled and saluted him with one of her most endearing
"hugs;"--while Downing, fervently wishing her success, ran off through the
woods, without waiting to see the event of the struggle. Downing reached
the fort in safety, and found Yates reposing after a hot chase, having
eluded his pursuers, and gained the fort two hours before him. On the next
morning, they collected a party and returned to the poplar tree, but no
traces either of the Indian or bear were to be found. They both probably
escaped with their lives, although not without injury.
[Illustration: DOWNING ALARMED AT THE NOISE OF THE INDIANS.]
[Illustration: THE DESERTER ACTING AS A GUIDE.]