At one time, after they had partly reined the current, Captain Ward
attempted to bring his rifle to bear upon them, but so violent was the
agitation of the boat, from the furious struggles of the horses, that
he could not steady his piece within twenty yards of the enemy, and
quickly laying it aside returned to the oar. The Indians followed them
down the river for more than an hour, but having no canoes, they did
not attempt to board; and as the boat was at length transferred to the
opposite side of the river, they finally abandoned the pursuit and
disappeared. None of the crew, save the young man already mentioned,
were hurt, although the Dutchman's seat of honor served as a target
for the space of an hour, and the continental captain was deeply
mortified at the sudden, and, as he said, "unaccountable" panic which
had seized him. Captain Ward himself was protected by a post, which
had been fastened to the gunnel, and behind which he sat while rowing.

Massy Herbeson and her Family


During the settlement of the interior of Pennsylvania, the Indians
were almost constantly hostile. Houses were burned, fields desolated,
and the poor, hard-working settlers were killed, or carried into a
dreadful captivity. The sufferings of some of these captives can
scarcely be described. The following narrative will give some idea of
savage nature.

On the 22nd of May, 1792, Massy Herbeson and her children were taken
from their house, within two hundred yards of Reed's blockhouse, and
about twenty-five miles from Pittsburg. Mr. Herbeson, being one of the
spies, was from home; two of the scouts lodged with her that night,