368

POWERFUL ANTAGONIST.

[CHAP. II. Big-Foot with a shock which bore him to the earth. At the moment of contact, Andrew had also thrown his right arm around the neck of the smaller Indian, so that all three came to the earth together.

"At that moment, a sharp firing was heard among the bushes above, announcing that the other parties were engaged, but the trio below were too busy to attend to anything but themselves. Big-Foot was for an instant stunned by the violence of the shock, and Andrew was enabled to keep them both down. But the exertion necessary for that purpose was so great, that he had no leisure to use his knife. Big-Foot quickly recovered, and without attempting to rise, wrapped his long arms around Andrew's body, and pressed him to his breast with the crushing force of a boa constrictor! Andrew, as we have already remarked, was a powerful man, and had seldom encountered his equal; but never had he yet felt an embrace like that of Big-Foot. He relaxed his hold of the small Indian, who sprung to his feet. Big-Foot then ordered him to run for his tomahawk, which lay within ten steps, and kill the white man while he held him in his arms. Andrew, seeing his danger, struggled manfully to extricate himself from the folds of the giant, but in vain. The lesser Indian approached with his uplifted tomahawk, but Andrew watched him closely, and as he was about to strike, gave him a kick so sudden and violent, as to knock the tomahawk from his hand, and send him staggering back into the water. BigFoot uttered an exclamation in a tone of deep contempt at the failure of his companion, and raising his voice to its highest pitch, thundered out several words in the Indian tongue, which Andrew could not understand, but supposed to be a direction for a second attack. The lesser Indian now again approached, carefully shunning Andrew's heels, and making many motions with his tomahawk, in order to deceive him as to the point where the blow would fall. This lasted for several seconds, until a thundering exclamation from BigFoot compelled his companion to strike. Such was Andrew's

1781.]

FEARFUL STRUGGLE.

369

dexterity and vigilance, however, that he managed to receive the tomahawk in a glancing direction upon his left wrist, wounding him deeply, but not disabling him. He now made a sudden and desperate effort to free himself from the arms of the giant, and succeeded. Instantly snatching up a rifle, (for the Indian could not venture to shoot, for fear of hurting his companion,) he shot the lesser Indian through the body. But scarcely had he done so, when Big Foot arose, and placing one hand upon his shoulder, and the other upon his leg, threw him violently upon the ground. Before his antagonist could spring upon him, he was again upon his feet, and stung with rage at the idea of being handled so easily, he attacked his gigantic antagonist with a fury which, for a time, compensated for inferiority of strength. It was now a fair fist fight between them, for in the hurry of the struggle, neither had leisure to draw their knives. Andrew's superior activity and experience as a pugilist, gave him great advantage. The Indian struck awkwardly, and finding himself rapidly dropping to the leeward, he closed in with his antagonist, and again hurled him to the ground. They quickly rolled into the river, and the struggle continued with unabated fury, each attempting to drown the other. The Indian being unused to such violent exertion, and having been much injured by the first shock in his stomach, was unable to exert the same powers which had given him such a decided superiority at first-and Andrew seizing him by the scalp-lock, put his head under water, and held it there, until the faint struggle of the Indian induced him to believe that he was drowned, when he relaxed his hold, and attempted to draw his knife. The Indian, however, to use Andrew's own expression, 'had only been possoming!' He instantly regained his feet, and in his turn, put his adversary under.

"In the struggle, both were carried out into the current beyond their depth and each was compelled to relax his hold and swim for his life. There was still one loaded rifle upon the shore, and each swam hard in order to reach it, but the

370

DEATH OF BIG-FOOT.

[CHAP. II. Indian proved the most expert swimmer, and Andrew seeing that he should be too late, turned and swam out into the stream, intending to dive and thus frustrate his enemy's intention. At this instant, Adam having heard that his brother was alone in a struggle with two Indians, and in great danger, ran up hastily to the edge of the bank above, in order to assist him. Another white man followed him closely, and seeing Andrew in the river, covered with blood, and swimming rapidly from shore, mistook him for an Indian, and fired upon him, wounding him dangerously in the left shoulder. Andrew turned, and seeing his brother called loudly to him to 'shoot the Indian upon the shore.' Adam's gun, however, was empty, having just been discharged. Fortunately, Big-Foot had also seized the gun with which Andrew had shot the lesser Indian, so that both were upon an equality. The contest now was who should beat loading, the Indian exclaiming, 'Who load first, shoot first!' Big-Foot got his powder down first, but in the excitement of drawing the ramrod out, it slipped through his fingers and fell in the river. The noble savage now feeling that all was over, faced his foe, pulled open the bosom of his shirt, and the next instant received the ball of his adversary fair in his breast. Adam alarmed for his brother, who was scarcely able to swim, threw down his gun and rushed into the river, in order to bring him ashore-but Andrew more intent upon securing the scalp of Big-Foot as a trophy, than upon his own safety, called loudly upon his brother to leave him alone, and scalp the big Indian, who was endeavoring to roll himself into the water, from a romantic desire, peculiar to the Indian warrior, of securing his scalp from the enemy. Adam, however, refused to obey, and insisted upon saving the living, before attending to the dead. Big Foot, in the meantime, had succeeded in reaching the deep water before he expired, and his body was borne off by the waves, without being stripped of the ornament and pride of an Indian warrior."

The death of Big-Foot was a severe blow to his tribe, and is said to have thrown them all into mourning. He was an able and noble chief, and often rendered signal service to the

1781.]

A BOLD ACT.

371

whites by reclaiming prisoners from the stake, and otherwise averting the doom which his tribe seemed determined to visit upon their captives.

Poe recovered from his wounds, and lived until within about twenty years. We have recently seen a gentleman, who often witnessed Poe go through the "fight," and he declares the scene was the most thrilling he ever beheld. He says the old man would enter into the spirit of the conflict, and with dilated pupil, contracted muscle, and almost choaked with foaming saliva, go through every motion and distinct feature of that terrible fight. He describes the appearance of these pantomime exhibitions as most painfully interesting, and declares, that the old man would be as much exhausted after the performance as though the scene had been actual.

Andrew Poe was certainly an extraordinary man, and the impress of his character is still visible in the region where he lived. An incident is related as occurring shortly before his death, which strongly marked the character of the man. Among his cattle, was a fierce and powerful young bull, endangering the life of any one who went near him. Poe, however, then a man of advanced age, would visit his stockyard, regardless of the animal in question, until he supposed it knew him. On one occasion, the refractory animal made at Poe, and before he could get out of reach, received a severe wound from one of its horns. So exasperated was this singular man, that he went at once to his house, armed himself with a tomahawk, and, despite the entreaties of his family, returned to the yard, and driving all the cattle out but the one alluded to, faced it, and with a menacing scowl, laid hold of the right horn. The animal plunged, and attempted to break loose, but Poe held on, and at every favorable opportunity, struck him with the pipe end of his tomahawk. In this way, he repeated his blows until finally the animal sunk dead at his feet.

Mr. Poe, during his whole life, was a most active and useful man. He lived about one mile from Hookstown, Pa., where many of his descendants still reside.

372

COLONEL CRAWFORD.

[CHAP. III.

CHAPTER III.

COLONEL WILLIAM CRAWFORD.

THE fate of this unfortunate officer has excited, and will continue to excite, so long as the history of the west shall be read, the most painful interest and the liveliest sympathy. We do not propose at this time to give a lengthy sketch of his life and services, but simply to notice a few points in his personal history.

Col. Crawford was a native of Berkeley county, Virginia. He was born in 1732-a year memorable as giving birth to Washington and Marion. He early gave promise of much talent and energy of character. At the age of twenty-six, he raised a company, and joined Washington's regiment in the expedition of Gen. Forbes against Fort DuQuesne. His fine military bearing at that time attracted the attention and commanded the esteem of Washington. On the breaking out of the Revolution, by his own indomitable energy, he enrolled a regiment, and received, in consideration of his great personal effort, a colonel's commission in the Colonial army.

His first visit to the west was in 1767, and two years after, he removed his family. The place selected for his home was on the Youghiogheny river, where the town of Connellsville, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, now stands. His house was one of the first in the valley of the Youghiogheny, and it was always open to those who thought proper to give him a call. His hospitality, generosity, and uniform kindness were subjects of general remark. Of those who early shared the hospitalities of his roof, was WASHINGTON. We find by his journal of a tour to the west in 1770, frequent reference to Col. Crawford, who proved one of his most devoted friends.