Beadle's New Dime Novels: The Specter Chief — page 38: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

42 THE PHANTOM CHIEF. <i our tale, it was hazardous to approach at night very near to either shore of the Ohic, as the hostile feeling of the Indians had reached a pitch. more threatening than the whites had yet been taught to believe, and experience had shown the feasibility of an attack from either bank. But- ler, who was at first impressed solely by the situation of the boat, as respected her grounding, was now roused to all the possibilities against which his mode of life had taught him to guard, and he could not avoid the conclu- sion that more was designed by the treacherous savage who had just escaped, than the simple destruction of the Fiat- bottom. Leaving the helm in charge of one of the crew, he busied himself in such preparations as the exigency of the case demanded, being aided by Colonel Victor, the surveyor, and some of the traders. Others joined the crew, but it was soon evident that they were settling to- ward the island, notwithstanding their most strenuous ex- ertions. The unwieldiness of the boat, and the unfavor- able circumstances in which the efforts of the men were applied, were obstacles to every plan devised by the com- mander. They succeeded in passing the extreme point of the island, but, unfortunately, its outer side was rounded so as to meet the Flat-botiom as she was siding toward the main channel, and, still advanced by the current, a cor- ner of her bow struck upon a ledge of earth. At this mo- ment, when the greatest confusion and eagerness prevail- ed, a rifle cracked from the thick undergrowth on the Dank, and almost simultaneously there broke out, seem- ingly, a thousand yells. Shot after shot was poured into tie boat, and upon the first answering discharge, a hand of dark forms, fearfully disfigured with war-paint and trap- pings, rushed out like a swarm upon the whites. The ‘cheering cries of Colonel Victor and Fenton were now mingled with the savage whoop, the oaths of the traders - and sctilers, and the report of fire-arms. Various attempts. : = pans had fallen, and the numerical superiority of the " os ' ‘a ¥ . se Fone kes) te — a Det ne Sam ok — at ™~ = a, OO "7 a a om were made by the Indians to spring over the side, and firish the engagement hand to hand; but they were baffled by the hardihood and experience of their antagonists.