service, abroad from the fort. The general apprised Brady of what had passed, who readily acquiesced in the propriety of the proposed ar rangements; and an opportunity was not long wanting for testing its efficiency.

"The Indians made an inroad into the Sewickly settlement, committing the most barbarous murders, of men, women and children; stealing such property as was portable, and destroying all else. The alarm was brought to Pittsburg, and a party of soldiers, under the command of the emulous officers, despatched for the protection of the settlements, and chastisement of the foe. From this expedition Brady was of course excluded; but the restraint was irksome to his feelings.

"The day after the detachment had marched, Brady solicited permission from his commander to take a small party for the purpose of "catching the Indians;" but was refused. By dint of importunity, however, he at length wrung from him a reluctant consent, and the command of five mens to this he added his pet Indian, and made hasty preparation.

"Instead of moving towards Sewickly, as the first detachment had done, he crossed the Allegheny at Pittsburg, and proceeded up the river. Conjecturing that the Indians had descended that stream in canoes, till near the settlement, he was careful to examine the mouths of all creeks coming into it, particularly from the southeast. At the mouth of Big Mahoning, about six miles above Kittanning, the canoes were seen drawn up to its western bank. He instantly retreated down the river, and waited for night. As soon as it was dark, he made a raft, and crossed to the Kittanning side. He then proceeded up to the creek, and found that the Indians had, in the meantime, crossed the creek, as their canoes were now drawn to its upper of northeastern bank.

"The country on both sides of Mahoning, at its mouth, is rough and mountainous; and the stream, which was then high, very rapid. Several ineffectual attempts were made to wade it, which they at length succeeeed in doing, three or four miles above the canoes. Next a fire was made, their clothing dried, and arms inspected; and the party moved towards the Indian camp, which was pitched on the second bank of the river. Brady placed his men at some distance, on the lower or first bank. "The Indians had brought from Sewickly a stallion, which they had fettered and turned to pasture on the lower bank. An Indian, probably the owner, under the law of arms, came frequently down to him, and occasioned the party no little trouble. The horse, too, seemed willing to keep their company, and it required considerable circumspection to avoid all intercourse with either. Brady became so provoked that he had a strong inclination to tomahawk the Indian, but his calmer judg. ment repudiated the act, as likely to put to hazard a more decisive and important achievement.

"At length the Indians seemed quiet, and the captain determined to pay them a closer visit. He had got quite near their fires; his pet Indian had caught him by the hair and gave it a pluck, intimating the advice to retire, which he would not venture to whisper; but finding Brady regardless of it, had crawled off-when the captain, who was scanning their numbers, and the position of their guns, observed one

[345]

throw off his blanket and rise to his feet. It was altogether impracticable for Brady to move without being seen. He instantly decided to remain where he was, and risk what might happen. He drew his head slowly beneath the brow of the bank, putting his forehead to the earth for concealment. His next sensation was that of warm water poured into the hollow of his neck, as from the spout of a teapot, which, trickling down his back over the chilled skin, produced a feeling that even his iron nerves could scarce master. He felt quietly for his tomahawk, and had it been about him he probably would have used it; but he had divested himself even of that when preparing to approach the fires, lest by striking against the stones or gravel, it might give alarm. He was compelled, therefore, "nolens volens," to submit to this very unpleasant operation, until it should please his warriorship to refrain; which he soon did, and returning to his place wrapped himself up in his blanket, and composed himself for sleep as if nothing had happened.

"Brady returned to and posted his men, and in the deepest silence all awaited the break of day. When it appeared, the Indians arose and stood around their fires; exulting, doubtless, in the scalps they had taken, the plunder they had acquired, and the injury they had inflicted on their enemies. Precarious joy-short-lived triumph! The avenger of blood was beside them! At a signal given, seven rifles cracked, and five Indians were dead ere they fell. Brady's well known war cry was heard, his party was among them, and their guns (mostly empty) were all secured. The remaining Indians instantly fled and disappeared. One was pursued by the trace of his blood, which he seems to have succeeded in stanching. The pet Indian then imitated the cry of a young wolf, which was answered by the wounded man, and the pursuit again renewed. A second time the wolf-cry was given and answered, and the pursuit continued into a windfall, Here he must have espied his pursuers, for he answered no more Brady, found his remains there three weeks afterwards, being led to the place by ravens that were preying on the carcass. The horse was unfettered, the plunder gathered, and the party commenced their return to Pittsburg, most of them descending in the Indian canoes. Three days after their return, the first detachment came in. They reported that they had followed the Indians closely, but that the latter had got into their canoes and made their escape."

[NO. XXXIV.]

BEAVER COUNTY.

BEAVER County was erected March 12, 1800. It was formed out of parts of Allegheny and Washington, and bounded: "Beginning at the mouth of Big Sewickly creek, on the Ohio river; thence up the said creek to the west line of Alexander's district depreciation lands; thence northerly along the said line, and continuing the same course to the north line of the first donation district to the western boundary of the State;

thence southerly along the said boundary across the Ohio river, at a point in the said boundary, from which a line to be run at a right angle easterly will strike White's mill on Raccoon creek, and from such point along the said easterly line to the said mill, leaving the said mill in the county of Beaver; thence on a straight line to the mouth of Big Sewickly creek, the place of begining."

Jonathan Coulter, Joseph Hemphill and Denny McLure, were appointed commissioners to erect public buildings. Beaver Town was named in the act, as the county seat.

Beaver county is bounded on the north by Mercer county, on the east by Butler, on the south-east by Allegheny, on the south by Washington, and on the west by the State of Virginia and Ohio. Length 34 miles, breadth 19, area 649 square miles: containing 413,440 acres. The population in 1800, was 5,776: in 1810, 12,168; in 1820, 15,340; in 1830, 24,206; in 1840, 29,368.

The following table presents at one view the population of each township, according to the census of 1810, '20, '30 and '40:

The male adult population was variously einployed. In mining 19; agriculture 5,262; commerce 120; manufactures and trades, 1,540;

navigation of canals, &c., eighty; in the learned professions, 112. Beaver county belongs to the secondary geological formation. Valuable and extensive beds of bituminous coal, with strata of limestone, occur in almost every part of the county. Near Greensburg is a bed of cannel coal, about eight feet thick, resting upon three feet of ordinary bituminous coal. This cannel coal is light, compact, ignites with great facility, and burns with a strong flame. Iron ore of various kinds has been found in many parts; and sulphur and alum in various states of combination.

"The surface of the country is generally rolling rather than hilly, with steep and precipitous ascents from the valleys of the principal water courses. The alluvial soil of the bottom lands is highly fertile, and most of the upland is adapted to the production of grain and for the grazing of cattle and sheep. Agriculture is in a flourishing condition, and considerable attention has been paid to the cultivation of the mul berry and silk, and vine for grapes. Considering the limited extent of this county, and the comparative recent date of its settlement, Beaver county deserves favorable mention for the rapidity of its improvement, and for the variety of its productions of agriculture and manufacturing industry.

The following, compiled from the last census, affords the reader some idea of the products and wealth of this county:

Mineral, Agricultural, Horticultural, Commercial, &c., Statistics of Beaver County, of 1840.

Furnaces 4, produced 260 tons of cast iron, capital $30,000.

Live stock: 8,395 horses, 21,028 neat cattle, 74,176 sheep, 33,355 swine; value of poultry of all kinds, $12,104.

Cereal grains, &c.: Wheat 326,663, barley 6,376, oats 515,985, rye 53,141, buckwheat 75,336, corn 233,735. Pounds of wool 198,842, hops 1,278, wax 627. Bushels of potatoes 203,127; hay 19,550 tons; sugar manufactured 35,718; products of the dairy $12,157; products of the orchard $9,573; gallons of wine made 3,270; value of homemade goods $36,301.

Commerce, &c.: 86 stores, capital $196,370; lumber-yards 3, capital $2,570. Value of lumber produced $5,578. Value of machinery manufactured $9,245. Fulling mills 8, woollen manufactories 8; value of manufactured goods $164,950; 157 persons employed, capital $154,400. Cotton manufactories 2, with 2,800 spindles; value of manufactured articles $40,000; 65 persons employed; capital $50,000. Hats, caps and bonnets manufactured to the value of $11,000. Tanneries 30, tanned 6,003 sides of sole, and 7,285 of upper leather; employed 57 hands; capital $29,605; all other manufactories of leather 64; value of manufactured articles $34,430; capital $14,515. Distilleries 13, produced 73,360 gallons; 4 breweries produced 79,000 gallons. Value of carriages $15,500; 28 men employed; capital 88,140. Flouring mills 12, grist mills 60, saw mills 73, oil mills 3. Value of boats built $53,275. Value of furniture manufactured $12,450. Houses built of brick 19, wooden 53. Total capital invested in manufactures $724,958.

The aggregate amount of property taxable in 1845, was $4,073,824, whereof $3,696,566 was real estate.

The Ohio river flows through the southern part of the county, which it enters 14 miles below Pittsburg, and pursues a northern course for about 12 miles, where receiving Big Beaver creek, it turns south-west, and crosses the county by that course 15 miles, receiving the Big Sewickly and Raccoon creeks. Mahoning and Shenango unite and form the Beaver river, which flows southward nearly through the middle of the county, and empties into the Ohio near the town of Beaver. On Beaver river, within five miles from its junction with the Ohio, is a succession of falls and rapids, having an aggregate descent of 69 feet, and affording an immense water power for manufacturing and mechanical purposes. Besides these rivers, there are many important creeks in this county-Hickory, Little, Brush, Mill, Big and Little Travis, Raccoon, Slippery Rock, Conuquenessing; and several rivers or rivulets. The streams collectively, afford an incalculable amount of water power-the larger ones facilities of water communications-especially the Ohiowith the east and west, &c.

"The Beaver division of the Pennsylvania canal extends through this county, from the mouth of Beaver river to Newcastle, in Mercer county, where it connects with the Erie extension, forming, on the completion of the latter work, a direct communication from the Ohio river to lake Erie. The Mahoning, or Pennsylvania and Ohio canal, connects the Beaver division of the Pennsylvania works with the Ohio canal at Akron; and the Sandy and Beaver canal connects the same works by way of Little Beaver and Sandy rivers, forming a junction with the Ohio canal at Bolivar."

BEAVER, the county town, was laid out more than fifty years ago."By the act of Sept. 28, 1791. Thomas Mifflin, the Governor of the State at that time, was instructed to be caused to be surveyed 200 acres of land in town lots, near the mouth of Beaver creek, on or near the ground where the Old French town stood, and also 1,000 acres adjoining, on the upper side thereof, as nearly square as might be, in outlots, not less than five nor more than ten acres each. By the same act, 500 acres were granted for an academy. Daniel Leet surveyed the town plot." In 1800 it was made the seat of justice, and incorporated March 29, 1802. Population in 1840, 551. Its public buildings are a court house and county offices of brick, a stone jail, a bank, an academy and several churches. Its situation is pleasant, being on an elevated plane near the junction of Beaver river with the Ohio, surrounded by picturesque and beautiful scenery.

Bridgewater is situated about half a mile above the junction of the Ohio and Beaver rivers, on the west side of the Beaver river, being connected with Rochester, on the east side of the Beaver, by a handsome and substantial bridge. It is regularly laid out upon a level flat, and contains a number of fine buildings, manufactories, commission houses, hotels, &c. It is the usual landing place of the Pittsburg steamboats, and the termination of the stage and packet routes for Cleaveland.

Fallstown, at the foot of the falls of Beaver, deriving its name thence, is famous for its manufactures-woollens, cottons, paper, linseed oil,