Spread of English-Speaking Peoples 177 



He was a famous Indian fighter; one of the ear- 

 liest of his recorded deeds has to do with an Indian 

 adventure. He and three other men were trapping 

 on Sulphur Fork and Red River, in the great bend 

 of the Cumberland. Moving their camp, they came 

 on recent traces of Indians ; deer-carcasses and wick- 

 er frames for stretching hides. They feared to tarry 

 longer unless they knew something of their foes, 

 and Mansker set forth to explore, and turned toward 

 Red River, where, from the sign, he thought to 

 find the camp. Traveling sortie twenty miles, he 

 perceived by the sycamore trees in view that he was 

 near the river. Advancing a few steps further he 

 suddenly found himself within eighty or ninety yards 

 of the camp. He instantly slipped behind a tree to 

 watch. There were only two Indians in camp; the 

 rest he supposed were hunting at a distance. Just 

 as he was about to retire, one of the Indians took 

 up a tomahawk and strolled off in the opposite di- 

 rection ; while the other picked up his gun, put it on 

 his shoulder, and walked directly toward Mansker's 

 hiding-place. Mansker lay close, hoping that he 

 would not be noticed; but the Indian advanced di- 

 rectly toward him until not fifteen paces off. There 

 being no alternative, Mansker cocked his piece, and 

 shot the Indian through the body. The Indian 

 screamed, threw down his gun, and ran toward 

 camp; passing it he pitched headlong down the 

 bluff, dead, into the river. The other likewise ran 

 to camp at the sound of the shot ; but Mansker out- 

 ran him, reached the camp first, and picked up an 



