"While Squaw Very Brave."

Otago Witness, Issue 1956, 20 August 1891, Page 41

"While Squaw Very Brave."

The early annals of the West abound in anecdotes of fortitude under suffering and heroism in circumstances of peril among the wives and mothers of the early pioneers. Many were the instances in which, when their cabins were attacked by the savages, these brave women displayed wonderful courage and presence of mind. In December 1791 a small party of Indians attacked the dwelling house of Mr John Merrill in Nelson County, Kentucky. Mr Merrill was alarmed by the barking of his dog, and opened the door to see what was the matter, when he received the fire of seven or eight Indians, by which his leg and arm were broken.

The Indians at once attempted to enter the house, but Mrs Merrill and her daughter shut the door against them. Then they hewed away a piece of the door, and one of them wedged himself part way through the opening. The heroic mother dealt him a fatal blow with an axe and hauled him through the opening into the house. Ttiie other savages, unaware of the fate of their companion, and supposing that they had. now nearly succeeded in their object, rushed forward. One by one they pushed themselves through the door, and were despatched and drawn inside by Mrs Merrill till five jlead Indians were in the house. Then the others outside discovered what was going on.

They retired for a few minutes, but soon returned and renewed their efforts to force an entrance. Despairing of succeeding at the door, they attempted to ascend the chimney. Mr Merrill heard them, and anticipating their design, ordered his small son to cut open a feather bed and throw the feathers on the fire.

Two of the Indians were already descending the wide-mouthed chimney. The smoke and heat from the burning feathers greeted them most unpleasantly. Choking, coughing, and well-nigh suffocated, they came tumbling down into the room.

Mr Merrill seized a billet of wood and despatched the half-smothered redskins, and Mrs Merrill in the meantime was defending the door against the efforts of a single savage. Finally he, being wounded, retired, and the family were not disturbed again that night.

A prisoner who escaped from the Indians soon afterwards stated that the wounded savage was the only one of his party of eight braves that escaped. When he returned and was asked, " What news 1 " he answered :

" Bad news for Indian ; me lose son, me lose broder. White squaw very brave ; she fight better than ' Long Knives ' "—the name given to the white men by the Indians because of their long swords.

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