AN EXCITING STRUGGLE.

Waikato Times, Volume II, Issue 96, 10 December 1872, Page 3

AN EXCITING STRUGGLE.

Lr i i : known that tho railroal from San Francisco to Now York passes through the reservations of several tribe* of indi.uts. who : •!••••!r:-ib!y regard tho locomotives as terrible ln.mstors, a- -,\vl by the Manitou to exterminate the re I uiaii. Several times already the Indiana lv.ve .ittem >t>;d to. throw thy trains oil the track. In these e t!. prices they were led ! y one of the fierc- at of their a f.Jhoroeke, named iviha, and surnamed Mocking Bird. All thei- attempts having failed. Xaha resolves to change his tac'ics. Accordingly, of the 2nd of June last, ho conceded Himself near the "rails, and with extraordinary activity bouitd on the foot-board on train No. 67, from San Francisco to New York. He then slipped along the train till ho reached the locomotive, where he killad the fireman wi h h the blow of his tomahawk, stabbed the engineer with his knife, and after scalping them jumped on the tender, brandishing his scalps ami Howling out a savage wirsong. Tho settlers nlor.g the line became ter'itied as thev saw the train, which now dashed along the line at a ,'ea.ful speed, driven by a ferocious engineer. The passengers all cried out for help. Their situation was extremely perilous ; in fact they were running into the jaws of death. Finally, an oilJccr of the navy, Mr Henry Pierce, determined to Hac.-ifice himself to save his fellow passengers. Armed with a long dirk knife he ran along the foot-board of the nam and jumped upon the engine. The chief uttered a war-cry ;iu i urauduhed his tomahawk, an I a hmd-to-hand B"iug_;le was commeuad over the 10.lies of the engineer and fireman. The passengers put their liealsout of the windows, and .vith an anxiety which may easily be imagined, tried to >ce the light. In about a minute fierce fell mortally wounded under Mocking Bird, who in the twinkling of an eye, scalped him. Bit while he was triumphantly waring .he scalp of his victim in the air, Mr Pierce who was still living, had suliicient strength to jump up and plunge his knife into the Indian's breast, killing him instantly. He then crawled to the valre handle, shut off the steam, and the train stopped. The passengers ran to the assistance of this brave ollieer, but it was too late ; he died two hours afterwards.—iVeje York World,