NARRATIVE OF MR. JOHNSON, WHO WAS TAKEN PRISONER BY THE INDIANS IN 1790. [From the Duke de la Rochefoucault's Travels through Mod, Virginia, found himself under the ne R. Johnfon, inhabitant and merchant of Rich ceffity of proceeding to Kentucky; there to receive certain fums of money, due to his father, who was recently dead; and to examine fome witneffes before the fupreme court of the ftate of Virginia. Having made the fame tour the preceding year, he fet out accordingly from Richmond, in the beginning of the month of March 1790, and proceeded with his friend, Mr. May, a great landholder in Kentucky, and an inhabitant of Peterburg, to Kecklar's Station, in Virginia, on the banks of the Great Kanhaway. They found there James Skuyl, a merchant, of Great Brayer-courthoufe, in Virginia, who was carrying a large quantity of merchandise to Kentucky. They jointly purchased one of the veffels, which, as they are intended merely to defcend the Ohio, and are not built to remount it, have no more durability than is required for that purpofe, and are, confequently, fold at a cheap rate. They are large flat-bottomed veffels, without any deck; and are fold in Limestone for the value of their timber. Having embarked on board this veffel with their merchandife and ftores, they defcended the river, working the veffel themselves. During the whole paffage of two hundred and ninety-five miles thence to Limestone, nothing is required but to keep the veffel in the middle of the ftream, which is fufficiently rapid to carry her down, without the leaft affiftance from rowing. At the con fluence fluence of the Kanhaway with the Ohio, at Point Pleafant, they found three other travellers, who were wait ing for an opportunity to proceed on the fame journey; namely, William Phlyn, of Point Pleafant, a petty tradefman, who was in the habit of travelling to Kentucky; and Dolly and Peggy Flemming, likewife of Point Pleafant, who intended to proceed to Kentucky, under the protection of Phlyn, a relation of theirs, and to fettle in that place. They were, all of them, fully aware that the navigation of the Ohio is not exempt from danger; but they alfo knew, that inftances of the Indians attacking a veffel in the midst of the stream are very rare, and that an attack on a veffel, with fix perfons on board, was altogether unprecedented. They had failed one hundred and fix miles; it was five o'clock in the morning: they were near the confluence of the Sciota, and had a fair profpect of reaching Limestone the next morning, by day-break. Paffing on with this expectation, they heard dreadful thrieks, proceeding from two men, who fpoke English, and told them, in the most affe&ting tone of grief, that they had been taken prifoners by the Indians, and had made their efcape, but feared to fall again into their hands. They had not eaten any thing for thefe four days paft, and entreated, if they could not be taken on board, to be at leaft fupplied with fome provifion, and thus faved from the unavoidable danger of perithing through hunger. The first and immediate fentiment of all the paffengers, impelled them to fuccour thefe unfortunate perfons: but a little confideration excited trong apprehenfions in fome of them, left the affiftance which they might afford the fe perfons fhould throw themselves into the hands of the Indians. The two unfortunate men followed the veffel along the fhore, as the was carried onwards by the current. Their mournful lamentations, their fereams, and expreffions of agonizing anguish and defpair, ftill increafing, William Phlyn, who derived fome kind of autho rity from his being accustomed to this paffage, and in the habit of frequenting Kentucky, propofed, that he would go alone, and carry bread to the unfortunate fufferers, if his companions would land him on fhore. He contended, that he fhould difcern the Indians from afar, if they made their appearance; that, in this case, the veffel might eafily regain the middle of the ftreain; and that he would make the journey to Limestone on foot, without falling into the hands of the Indians. It would have been extremely hard to oppose this propofal, which was feconded by the two women, and by James Skuyl. Mr. Johnson and Mr. May, therefore, yielded, rather out of weakness, than from any hearty approbation of the measure. They fteered towards the fhore, where the two fufferers were dragging themfelves along, as if tormented by the moft excruciating pains. Why is it that humanity and candour must fo frequently fall victims to artifice and fraud? The two men were two traitors, fuborned by the Indians to decoy the veffel to the fhore. The Indians followed them, at fome distance, constantly concealing themfelves behind trees. The moment the veffel reached the shore, they burft forth, about twenty-five or thirty in number, raised a dreadful howl, and fired on the parfengers. Two of them were killed by the first firing, and the reft, in equal aftonishment and terror, endeavoured to regain the middle of the ftream: but being too near the fhore, and their activity and dexterity being feverely checked by the proximity of the impending danger, they made but little way. The two perfons killed were Mr. May and Dolly Fleming. The Indians continued to fire. James Skuyl was wounded, and two horfes, which were on board, were killed. All this increased the terror of the three travellers, who were yet able to work, and impaired their exertions. The fury of the Indians increafed in proportion to their hope of fuccefs. Some threw themselves into the river, and fwam towards the fhip; thofe who remained on fhore, threatened threatened to fire on the paffengers, if they fhould make the least refiftance, and kept their pieces conftantly levelled at them. The fwimmers brought the fhip accordingly on thore; and the unfortunate Americans were obliged to land under the continued howl of the Indians, which, however, were no longer the accents of rage, but fhouts of joy, on account of the feizure of their prey. The articles found in the fhip were carried to the fire, as well as the two unfortunate perfons who had been thor. The latter were completely ftripped of their clothes, scalped on the spot, and thrown into the river. The fcalps were dried by the fire, to increase the trophies of the tribe. The Indians were now near feventy in number, among whom were about a dozen women. Their leader affembled them around the fire, and, holding the tomahawk in his hand, addreffed them in a speech, which lafted about an hour, and which he delivered with great cafe and fluency of expreffion, with geftures, and in a tone of enthufiafm, looking frequently up to heaven, or cafting down his eyes on the ground, and pointing now to the prifoners, now to the river. Almoft at every phrafe the Indians, who liftened to him with the utmost attention, expreffed their approbation and applaufe with accents of deep, mournful exclamation. The booty was divided among the different tribes which fhared in this enterprife. The tribe of the Shawanese, being the most numerous, and that to which the leader belonged, received three prifoners, and William Phlyn fell to the thare of the other tribe, the Cherokees. Every prifoner was given to the charge of an Indian, who was answerable for his perfon. Although thus diftributed, the prisoners remained together, and neglected not to improve the liberty allowed them, converfing with each other without constraint. The two men, who, by their lamentations, had detoyed them on thore, now rejoined the Indians. Their wretched wretched victims poured forth against them fevere reproaches, though they were fomewhat foftened by the fear of being overheard by the Indians. They pleaded neceffity, and that they had been ordered, on pain of death, to act as they did. By their accounts, they were inhabitants of Kentucky, furprised by the Indians fix months before, in their own habitations; and had, already, feveral times, been employed in fimilar treachery. The ftores found on board the veffel, ferved the Indians for their meals, in which they generously allowed the prifoners to partake. Night coming on, every one lay down to reft, under the trees. The prifoners were furrounded by the tribes to which they refpectively belonged, and fingly guarded by the Indian who had the charge of them. Peggy Fleming, who was never left by her guards, was, this night in particular, furrounded by women. Mr. Johnson was tied by the elbows; and the ends of the ropes were faftened to trees, which flood far asunder, so that it was altogether impoffible for him to lie down. Yet this was not deemed fufficient. Another rope, faftened to a tree, was tied round his neck, and from it a rattle was fufpended, which, if he had made the leaft motion, would have awakened the whole troop. The rest were treated nearly in the fame manner. The two white fpies enjoyed the most perfect liberty. Some Indians were ftationed at certain diftances, around the party, to obferve what was palfing in the furrounding country. Early in the morning the prifoners were unbound, and fuffered to enjoy the fame liberty as on the preceding day. About ten o'clock the Indians, who were pofted along the banks of the Ohio, reported, that a veffel was dropping down the river. The prifoners were ordered to join the other two, who yesterday beguiled their prey, and to exert their utmost efforts to decoy the paffengers in the fhip on fhore. It is easy to conceive that the horror which they felt, on receiving these orders, was strongly combated by the fear of inftant |