Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1831-03-03
AzART1NsRURG, va: THUR4sDAz. rgAaoas 8, 1854

writer was 'niormei that human bones many
years ago, were plougbed up in held--and
Hat aooot rms spPt numerous arrow points
ana stone tomakalNks have been found. and
,nat an ihd'an grave near the place is also to
4 here are several aged and respectable in
Wv iuuais new res iing IN the counties OF She
hanuoah and Frederick, who well reeollect
seeing numerous parties of the Catawba and
DeIaware Indians, passing x repassing thro'
me valley while engaged in war. The "a
.a"oas were then considered powerful.
brave and warIike people-in most of their
ceailIcts they beat the Delawares
lie hostile parties were frequently seen
ascending and descending the Shenandoah
river, IN their bari; Canoes while ether par.
ties wendell THEM way on feet. The same
thing was TO be se:n on TIE Potomac This
valley was the great thoroughfare of the war.
ring parties for m;lny years
Tradition relates, that, on a certain oeca-
sion, party of Delawares, consisting OF tar
~ warriors, had penetrated far to the south,
surprised party Of the Catawbas, killed Sc
vcrdl, and took oge prisoner. On their return
they called at the house OF Mr. perrls, in
The neighhorbood of Winchester, and mani
tested much exuleation at their success The
next day party of the Catawbas, ten in
number, called at Mr. PerrilI's in pursuit and
inquired OF him at what time their enemy
had passed Mr. Perrll informed them; when
they pushed on with all possible speed. over
took their Delaware enemies al tie Potomac
river, kl.led sVery man aud recovered their
prisoner. They called at Mr. Perrilrs on
their way home, and related their successt
On another occasion, the author is inform
cd by highly respectable old LADY, that
party Of the Delawares, in Passing STAYED a
night AZ her msihcrs with ferssale prisoner,
who was among ths most beautiful young wo-
men she Lad ever seen. Whether this priso
ner was ever recovered by her nation she was
not Informed. Il was remarkable 10 see with
what patience size submitted TO her fate.
About the year l745, Mr. Joseph Carter
removed lTom Bucks county, Pennsylvania,
anc settled CD 0pcquon, about 5 miles east
oi Nlnchester. At that period there was a
beautiful grove OF forest trees Oh the west
side OF the creek, opposite to which issues
fine spring Of limestone water. This grove
was favonr'te camping ground, or place Of
reudezvous for the Indians. Parties Of from
two to three hundred would sometimes as
sen5ls there, aud remain for several weeks
at time. Mr. Carter1 was shoemaker, and
his residence very near this camping ground.
On enc occasion. two Indians called OF Mr.
Carriers shop. He had finished a pair Of
shoes, and hung them up, when enc OF the
Indians secretly slipt them under his blanket,
and attempted TO take them off Dir Garter
( detected him, and took the shoes frem him.
! The other manifested the utmost indignation
at the dishonest conduct of his countryman.
and gave Mr. Garter to understand that the
csiprit would be severely chastised. As soon
as the two Indians returned to their encamp-
rnent, information was given TO the chief,
who Immediately ordered the thief to be pun
ished; and such was the violence of tie chas-
iisement, that MIR Carter from motives OF
humanity intcrposed, and begged the fellow
/ from further suffering
Parties Of insians frequently GALES at Joist
iiite's and but a single instance OF theft ever
occurred On the theft being made known
! to the chiefs, search was Immediately made,
The article found in possession of an Indian,
and immediately restored TO lis owner. But
whether the culprit was punished or not, my
nformantS does not rec0llcct These two
cases are the only instances % theft commit
ted by the Indians (Which have been able
TO leain) ut that period, and certainly go far
to show their sense Of honesty and summary
Justice. The Indians charge the white peo-
pie with teaching them 10 steal, and the know
ledge OF many ether vices.
The author fell in with Col Barnett, of
Georgia, in the winter Of 1916. The Col. was
one of the commissioners for running the
boundary line OF the Indian eession Of lands
TO the United States about the close oil the
late war. In conversation which took place
upen the subject of the Indians, and the In
dian character, Col. b informed the writer;
that in one of his excursions through the In
dian country, he fell in with a very aged Che
rokee Indian Chief, who appeared 10 be high
" Intelligent, and understood and spakc the
English language pretty well, that he had Sc
vefal conversations with this old chief in one
of which he congratulated the old man upon
the great prospect Of the improvement OF the
condition Of his people; that there was eve
ry reason to believe the red people would be-
come acquainted with the arts of civil life
they would be better clothed, better fed and
what was more important they would become
acquainted with the doctrines and principles
Of the christian religion The old man lis
tened TO him with profound respect and at
tention, until the colonel had closed his re-
marks, and then, with much emphasis apd
shake of the head, replied, that he doubted
the benefits Of the red people, pointed cut by
the colonel Before their fathers were ac-
quaipted with the white people, they needed
but little, and that little the Great Spirit gave
them. The forest supplied them with food
-
The waters Of Shenandoah exhibit atths
time a very different scene. II has become