displeased that she had escaped. This wretch offered her no sort of consolation, nor any relief, whatever. Some of the men gave her a piece of bread and a cold duck, but her stomach loathing it, she put it in her petticoat, and pursued her journey, thinking to eat it when she felt an appetite; but unfortunately, she lost it, without ever tasting it. At the time her husband was killed, and herself taken, they had a negro man and woman, who happened to be at work in the field. The man made his escape with all possible speed, leaving the woman, who was his wife, to shift for herself. She also took to flight, but having a young child, and fearing its cries would betray her to the Indians, she picked up courage, and killed it. They both effected their escape, and got safe to Augusta; and it was from them that these people received the news of the whole family being slain. In the mean time Mrs. Clendening arrived safe, in her old neighborhood, and in the course of a few days married a Mr. Rogers, the father of Mrs. Maiz, (from whom I had this relation,) and moved to the same place where her first husband was killed-peace being restored; and on looking about the old premises, she found the dish and flesh-fork where she dropped it, on the day her husband was killed.

Meanwhile she had two children with the Indians, a little boy and girl. Her brother, by some means, returned before the general ransom of the prisoners. He informed her, that an old Indian man and woman, who had lost all their children, adopted her little son, and was very fond of it, the child likewise being fond of them. But one day, the old man displeased with his wife, on some account, told the child, whom she was sending for water, not to go, if he did, he would kill him ; the squaw said she would kill him if he did not. The child stood still, not knowing what to do; at length, the old man went out to the field, and the child, glad of an opportunity to please its mother, picked up the vessel and set off to the spring, but the old man seeing him from where he was, walked up behind him, and knocked out his brains. He related the circumstance himself, and would add, "I was obliged to approach him behind,

that I might not see his face, for if I had, I cpuld never have had the courage to kill him." The little girl was seven years with the Indians; when she was brought to her mother as her child, she disowned her, saying "it was not hers," and the child was returning, amongst various other children, who had not as yet been claimed by their parents, and friends. After the child had left her house some time, she called to mind a mark, which was on some part of its body, and ran after it, with a view to be satisfied whether it was her's or not, and upon examination, found it to be her child; but it was long before she felt any attachment for it. The child grew up, and being a great heiress, rang loud in her day; many suiters came to woo her, and many were rejected. At length she gave her hand to a Mr. Davies, by whom she had several children, one of whom, a daughter, married Mr. Ballard Smith, late a member of Congress, and amongst the first lawyers in the western country. Mrs. Davies is still living. It is only seven years since her mother, Mrs. Rogers, died. This renowned female is represented to have been a woman of a great mind, unequalled fortitude, and invincible courage. Besides Mrs. Maiz, who is among the most sensible women I have seen, she has a son living near this place, of highly respectable standing,

Lewisburg-Lewisburg takes its name fron Gen. Andrew Lewis, who commanded at the battle of the Point already mentioned. On his way thither, he encamped upon the ground where Lewisburg now stands, which, at that time, was nothing more than a bleak savannah. In the following year, Col. John Stewart, (now living) and Mr. George Matthews, of Augusta, Va. opened a store on this savannah; a fort was likewise built on it, to protect them from the Indians. I am now (1824) sitting on the site where this fort once stood: not the least vestige of it, however, remains. It is now the property of Mrs. Welsh, whose house and garden stands within the limits once occupied by this fort. From Mrs. W. who is now in her seventieth year, I collected these particulars. She is now sitting by me, and goes on to re

late "That she was one of the earliest permanent settlers of Greenbriar, and lived within a mile of the fort just mentioned, which was called Fort Savannah. She was then the wife of a Mr. Arbuckle, who was in the famous battle of the Point, and spent all his time in guarding the settlements. There was, besides Fort Savannah, another about eight miles north-east of it, called Donnally's Fort.

The Indians, actuated by revenge, for the treatment they met with from Gen. Lewis, and his men, meditated the destruction of this second settlement of Greenbriar, and sat off accordingly in a large body, from their towns, with this design. At that time there was a party of men stationed at Point Pleasant,* (where the battle was fought,) by government, with a view of guarding the settlement, and to watch the movements of the Indians. These men, by some means, got intelligence of their march; but who would undertake the perilous task of going to apprise those unsuspecting people of their danger! The Indians were several days on their march before they were informed of it. It was an enterprise that required the utmost courage, trust, and dispatch: a counsel was held; silence, for a long time, reigned in the terrified party. At length, two champions stepped forth, John Prior and Philip Hammond: We will go, said these brave and worthy men. No time was to be lost, they sat off that instant, travelled night and day, saw the Indians as they passed them; almost spent, and out of breath, they arrived at the settlement the third day, a few hours before the Indians.

The inhabitants flew to Donnallys's Fort, to the amount of three hundred souls. It was late in the evening before they were all fairly in, principally women and children: there were but four men besides Col. Donnally, and a negro man belonging to him, and three or four guns in the fort. The negro's name was Dick Pointer, and Dick saved the fort! On the same night the Indians drew near, old Dick (as he now is, for he is still living,) and the four men, were standing

* One hundred and fifty miles distant from the settlement, with vast mountains and rivers between.

guard. Col. Donnally's house made a part of the fort, the front of it forming a line with the same, the door of the house being the door of the fort. Near this door, Dick and his companions were stationed, and about midnight Dick espied, through a port-hole, something moving, but the night was so dark, and the object making no noise, it was long before he discovered it to be an Indian, creeping up to the door on all fours. The negro pointed it out to his companions, and asked "if he might shoot ;""no," they replied, not yet. In about twenty minutes after this, a large force was at the door, thundering it to pieces with tomahawks, stones, and whatever weapon offered. The door being of the stoutest sort, resisted their efforts for some time; at length they forced one of the planks. Dick, (who, from every account, is as brave as Cesar,) had charged his musket well with old nails, pieces of iron, and buck shot; when the first plank dropped, he cried out to his master, "May I shoot now, sir?"" Not yet, Dick :" he stood ready, with his gun cocked. The Indians, meanwhile, were busy, and the second plank began to tremble. "O master, may I shoot now?" "Not yet," his master replied. The second plank falls; "Now Dick," said his master; he fired, killed three, and wounded several; the Indians ran into some rye, with which their fort was surrounded, leaving the dead bodies at the door. Shortly after this, or at least before day, they were attacked by a large party of men, under the command of Col. Samuel Lewis, who had, during the while, been collecting and preparing for that purpose, and were totally routed by these men. Mrs. Welsh's husband, Arbuckle, was one of them. But had it not been for Dick Painter's well-timed shot, every soul in the fort must have been massacred.* I have had the relation from several persons, and from old Dick himself. The poor old creature wanders about very shabby: the country does allow him something, but his principal support is derived from donations by gen

*This house is still standing, and the bullet holes made in it by the Indians when they were attacked by the whites, are still visible. Mr. A. Rayder now lives in it.

tlemen, who visit this place and admire his character. He does not know how old he is, he thinks he was twen ty-five at the attack of Donnally's Fort. His head is as white as wool, which, contrasted with his black keen eye, gives him a singular appearance. His master, some years after the signal service he rendered his country, set him free.

But to return to Mrs. Welsh, the most extraordinary woman I ever saw; she has been, and is now possessed of much personal beauty. Although this female has spent her life in the western wilds of America, often running from the Indians and cooped up in forts among people as rude as the savages themselves, yet she is eminently qualified to adorn the most polished assembly. Her pleasing and courtly manners are unequalled, and every way bewitching; with a mind unimpaired, she possesses all the gaiety and sprightliness of youth; but her predominant trait is benevolence. God knows what she must have been when in youth, for she is irresistible

She has a daughter living here, (Mrs. Reynolds,) every respect her counterpart. How nature managed to combine so many virtues and charms in one family is matter of great wonder. There are few people in whom we do not see something to admire; but on Mrs. R. nature has bestowed the choicest of her gifts; she has adorned her with a liberality that seldom marks her munificence to the sex.

Climate. The climate of all these counties is the same. If any difference obtains, Greenbriar is the coldest. Generally, there is frost in Greenbriar every month in the year, but one, which is August; and one year (1810) they had a frost in August that wholly destroyed vegetation, and nearly caused a famine. The winters. are very long and cold, and leave them but a few weeks that can be called summer: the climate is therefore unfavorable for the growth of any thing except wheat, rye, oats, flax, Irish potatoes, timothy, blue grass, turnips and cabbage. Garden vegetables do not succeed. well, neither does Indian corn, except on the rivers; but buckwheat is reared in great quantities. The climate: