his
afflicted daughters and fellow-travellers, who were witnesses of the
awful occurrence, a spectacle of horror which we need not further
attempt to describe.

The boat was now providentially and suddenly carried out into the middle
of the stream, and taken by the current beyond the reach of the enemy's
balls. Our little band reduced as they were in numbers, wounded,
afflicted, and almost exhausted by fatigue, were still unsubdued in
spirit, and being assembled in all their strength, men, women, and
children, with an appearance of triumph gave three hearty cheers, calling
to the Indians to come on again, if they were fond of the sport.

Thus ended this awful conflict, in which out of nine men, two only escaped
unhurt. Tucker and Kilpatrick were killed on the spot, Stoner was mortally
wounded, and died on his arrival at Limestone, and all the rest, excepting
Ray and Plascut were severely wounded. The women and children were all
uninjured, excepting a little son of Mr. Plascut, who, after the battle
was over, came to the captain, and with great coolness requested him to
take a ball out of his head. On examination, it appeared that a bullet
which had passed through the side of the boat, had penetrated the forehead
of this little hero, and remained under the skin. The captain took it out,
and the youth, observing "that is not all," raised his arm, and exhibited
a piece of bone at the point of his elbow, which had been shot off, and
hung only by the skin. His mother exclaimed, "why did you not tell me of
this?" "Because," he coolly replied, "the captain directed us to be silent
during the action, and I thought you would be likely to make a noise if I
told you."

The boat made the best of its way down the river, and reached Limestone
that night. From that time forth no boat was assailed by Indians on the
Ohio.

[Illustration: CORNSTALK.]

MURDER OF CORNSTALK AND HIS SON.

Cornstalk, the commander of the Indians in the battle of Point Pleasant,
was possessed of a noble heart as well as a genius for war and
negotiation. He was ever anxious to maintain an honorable place with the
whites and they returned his friendly inclination by putting him to
death.

A Captain Arbuckle commanded the garrison of the fort, erected at Point
Pleasant, after the battle fought by General Lewis with the Indians at
that place, in October, 1774. In the succeeding year, when the
revolutionary war had commenced, the agents of Great B