I had to return to the fort and bear to Mrs. Ashlock the absolute truth, that her husband was lost forever.

Meantime her sister had entirely recovered her equilibrium, and being the guest of the officers, who were extremely courteous to her, she did not lament so loudly the calamity that saved them a long life of banishment on the beach of Indian River.  By the first opportunity they were sent back to St. Augustine, the possessors of all of Ashlock’s worldly goods and effects, consisting of a good rifle, several cast-nets, hand-lines, etc., etc., besides some three hundred dollars in money, which was due him by the quartermaster for his services as pilot.  I afterward saw these ladies at St. Augustine, and years afterward the younger one came to Charleston, South Carolina, the wife of the somewhat famous Captain Thistle, agent for the United States for live-oak in Florida, who was noted as the first of the troublesome class of inventors of modern artillery.  He was the inventor of a gun that “did not recoil at all,” or “if anything it recoiled a little forward.”

One day, in the summer of 1841, the sentinel on the housetop at Fort Pierce called out, “Indians!  Indians!” Everybody sprang to his gun, the companies formed promptly on the parade-ground, and soon were reported as approaching the post, from the pine-woods in rear, four Indians on horseback.  They rode straight up to the gateway, dismounted, and came in.  They were conducted by the officer of the day to the commanding officer, Major Childs, who sat on the porch in front of his own room.  After the usual pause, one of them, a black man named Joe, who spoke English, said they had been sent in by Coacoochee (Wild Cat), one of the most noted of the Seminole chiefs, to see the big chief of the post.  He gradually unwrapped a piece of paper, which was passed over to Major Childs, who read it, and it was in the nature of a “Safe Guard” for “Wild Cat” to come into Fort Pierce to receive provisions and assistance while collecting his tribe, with the purpose of emigrating to their reservation west of Arkansas.  The paper was signed by General Worth, who had succeeded General Taylor, at Tampa Bay, in command of all the troops in Florida.  Major Childs inquired, “Where is Coacoochee?” and was answered, “Close by,” when Joe explained that he had been sent in by his chief to see if the paper was all right.  Major Childs said it was “all right,” and that Coacoochee ought to come in himself.  Joe offered to go out and bring him in, when Major Childs ordered me to take eight or ten mounted men and go out to escort him in.  Detailing ten men to saddle up, and taking Joe and one Indian boy along on their own ponies, I started out under their guidance.