Page:History of Delaware County (1856).djvu/365

 DELAWARE COUNTY. 341 passed through on that gloomy day. Although sleep came not to her on that memorable night, she felt refreshed when the day dawned. The sun arose in all the beauty of a June morning ; not a cloud obscured the sky. They started for the block-house, following the track, where they arrived about three •in the afternoon. No one knew that the gallant Murphy had 'Story the morning previous, with apparent indifference, with- out making any reply j concealing his design, fearing it might prove an entire failure. He was half suspected of being a ■ ' tory, and in league with the savages, who had abducted the young girl. He was a stranger, of whose business and distinc- tion they knew nothing. Under such peculiar circumstances, their feelings can be but faintly conceived, much less described. It was a scene of thrilling interest, calculated to awaken the finest feelings of the human heart, the loftiest tones of unal- loyed gratitude. The next morning he left them, undeV a shower of invoked blessings and benedictions, and proceeded to his place of destination. He arrived safely in the neighborhood of the Mohawk river, where he killed several of the red men, and narrowly escaped being killed himself. As he was lying in ambush he disco- vered an Indian, who from his actions he believed to be alone, and at once shot him. Instantly two brawny warriors rushed upon him with uplifted tomahawks. One he brought to the ground, from the contents of the barrel of his rifle ; the other advanced and aimed a blow at his head, which he warded off, and plunged his knife to the heart of the savage. He at once retreated to the fort at Schoharie, for fear he might in turn be ambushed. From thence he again returned to his friends at the block-house, and found them in great dis- tress. About two hours previous to his arrival two men, who were at work in the corn-field, had been taken by a party of Indians. The number of savages was not known ; there were 29*
 * gone in pursuit of the captured girl. He had listened to their