They fought only with the butt-ends of their guns, for their object was not to kill her.  She hacked and hewed at their pieces as they were thrust against her, now on this side, now that.  Finally, she broke loose from them, and dashed out into the prairie.  The Indians pursued her, shouting and laughing, and now and then calling out,—­

“The brave woman! do not hurt her!”

At length they overtook her again, and, while she was engaged with two or three in front, one succeeded in seizing her by the neck behind, and dragging her, although a large and powerful woman, from her horse.  Notwithstanding that their guns had been so hacked and injured, and even themselves cut severely, they seemed to regard her only with admiration.  They took her to a trader on the Illinois River, by whom she was restored to her friends, after having received every kindness during her captivity.[37]

Those of the family of Mr. Kinzie who had remained in the boat, near the mouth of the river, were carefully guarded by Kee-po-tah and another Indian.  They had seen the smoke—­then the blaze—­and immediately after, the report of the first tremendous discharge sounded in their ears.  Then all was confusion They realized nothing until they saw an Indian come towards them from the battle-ground, leading a horse on which sat a lady, apparently wounded.

“That is Mrs. Heald,” cried Mrs. Kinzie.  “That Indian will kill her.  Run, Chandonnai,” to one of Mr. Kinzie’s clerks, “take the mule that is tied there, and offer it to him to release her.”

Her captor, by this time, was in the act of disengaging her bonnet from her head, in order to scalp her.  Chandonnai ran up, and offered the mule as a ransom, with the promise of ten bottles of whiskey as soon as they should reach his village.  The latter was a strong temptation.

“But,” said the Indian, “she is badly wounded—­she will die.  Will you give me the whiskey at all events?”

Chandonnai promised that he would, and the bargain was concluded.  The savage placed the lady’s bonnet on his own head, and, after an ineffectual effort on the part of some squaws to rob her of her shoes and stockings, she was brought on board the boat, where she lay moaning with pain from the many bullet-wounds she had received in both arms.

The horse Mrs. Heald had ridden was a fine, spirited animal, and, being desirous of possessing themselves of it uninjured, the Indians had aimed their shots so as to disable the rider, without injuring her steed.

She had not lain long in the boat, when a young Indian of savage aspect was seen appapproaching buffalo robe was hastily drawn over her, and she was admonished to suppress all sound of complaint, as she valued her life.

The heroic woman remained perfectly silent, while the savage drew near.  He had a pistol in his hand, which he rested on the side of the boat, while, with a fearful scowl, he looked pryingly around.  Black Jim, one of the servants, who stood in the bow of the boat, seized an axe that lay near, and signed to him that if he shot, he would cleave his skull; telling him that the boat contained only the family of Shaw-nee-aw-kee.  Upon this, the Indian retired.  It afterwards appeared that the object of his search was Mr. Burnett, a trader from St. Joseph’s, with whom he had some account to settle.