He had discovered us by our fires and came up in the most
wretched condition. He states that as soon as the Indians
discovered his situation [his boat had run on a rock] they turned
their whole attention to him and kept up a most galling fire at
his boat. He ordered his wife, a son nearly grown, a young man
who accompanies them and his negro man and woman, to throw all
his goods into the river to lighten their boat for the purpose of
getting her off; himself returning their fire as well as he
could, being a good soldier and an excellent marksman. But before
they had accomplished their object, his son, the young man and
the negro, jumped out of the boat and left.... Mrs. Jennings,
however, and the negro woman, succeeded in unloading the boat,
but chiefly by the exertions of Mrs. Jennings who got out of the
boat and shoved her off, but was near falling a victim to her own
intrepidity on account of the boat starting so suddenly as soon
as loosened from the rock. Upon examination he appears to have
made a wonderful escape for his boat is pierced in numberless
places with bullets. It is to be remarked that Mrs. Peyton, who
was the night before delivered of an infant, which was
unfortunately killed upon the hurry and confusion consequent upon
such a disaster, assisted them, being frequently exposed to wet
and cold.
Pages:
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190