Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1846-07-30
MISCELLANEOUS.
STARVED ROCK

STARVED ROCK.
We extract the following interesting Lercn,
from Mrs. Fainhams I" Life In Prairie L,gndn
There is the "Starved Rock !" its frowninr side.
overhanging the quiet waters-its half-naked sur
face strewn with the bones of brave men. tende
women, and helpless children The storms o.
near century have bleached and wasted them int
crumbling fragments for here, so long ago, a bonG
OF warriors, retreating with their wives and little
ones, took refuge from their more powerful enemies
thinking to make their defence good on the small
area, which could only be approached by one mar.
row passage connecting it with the main land -
Here they spent nanny days defyinp their besior
ers, and laughing at their efforts to drive them from
their shelter. Food they had in plenty and water
ran at the foot of their fort, two hundred aud fifty
feet below them, which they raised in buckets at
tached TO bark ropes. One afternoon, however n
bucket was let down, but when the Indian would
draw 1t up, it was strangely light! Twice or thrice.
alter shooting 1t few feet, he returned it to the
stream Wondering that it did hot dip! At length
weary at being thus foilod he drew it hastily to
the top OF the rock CONSERVATION seized every
bosom! The rope had been severed, and the buck
ct was gone The experiment was repeated at a.
mother point with the same result Where now
was their hope? The base of their rocky fortress
was surrounded by the canoes of their enemies
Ii they remained, death more terrible than the
tomahawks and scalpng knives of their foes could
infct, was before them. Yet with their small
numbers, and their wives and children there, it
were madness to venture a sally. A council was
held, at which it is determined by the warriors to
await some relaxation on the part of their besiep-
ers, or some interposition of the Great Spirit in
their behalf Days passed in this fearful condition.
Mothers with their nursing infants were furnishing
of thirst. Their babes were starving for the food
which their exhausted systems could no longer fur
nish. Strong warriors began to look aghast and
tremble, as they walked about The Great Spirit
thpr f,rc 1D
blessing they much craved, foated over them
and poured out their delicious treasures on the
senseess plains and woods around, but never there
The clear river lay stretched for miles below them
its waters glancing in the sum- or maddening their
thirst more fearuy when clouds darkened its
checkered surface, making them look still more
cool and inviting. Nay, it run at their very feet.
When the gusty night wind swept over itthoy could
hear the water family plash and chime below, and
could almost in their madness have precipitaled
themselves into them from the fearful height TO
revel for one brief moment in their ABUNDANCE
Sometimes, at the deepest hour Of night u vessel
would descend the rock, stealthily and slowly that
no untoward contact might arouse their cruel watch
ers, II happily they slumbered. But vain and in
furiating the hope and effort. 1t resulted only in
the loss of the vessel, and the more dreadful az
gravation Of their sufferings. The terrible watch
was never relaxed for moment of the day or night,
and the stern sufferer, at every failure could hear
those who had caused it, Then they would height.
en- his agonies by toying idly with the water ma
king 1t splash and leap TIL the victim could almost
see the light bubbles dancing on Us cool surface
Some of the feeble women and children died. But
they could not be buried. Their bodies were laid
decenty away on the verge of the rock, and then
the friends sat down to wait until they should fol-
low
Oh! what days and nights were these. Mana
Giles on the limbs Of the free, proud warrior, the
lighted deahhre, the flashing tomahawk would
have been his paradise, could he have thrown him.
self upon them. To sit in miserable inaction all
the day, he was like the wind in swiftness and love
of motion; to endure the raging torments Of thirst
and hunger flor the latter had at length been ad-
dcd to their suf'nrngs3 TO see his wives and his
young warriors sinking and dying around him 10
make trial after trial for their relief each ending in
failure, more eXasperated than before was one of
those fearful conditions Of human being which &C.
cur but once in the history of ages and form in The
annals OF nations the proVerbial evidences Of bra
very and fortude, to which countless ages turn
back with pride and EMULATION.
At length, when the exquisite torture could be
no longer borne, and the prospect of an ignomini-
Gus death by slow degrees was the only certainty
before them, they determined on a sally. Selling
an hour when those stationed on the landward side
would least expect movement after their long re-
pose, and causing their women and children to rem
der redoubed vigilance necessary at the base OF
the rock they armed themselves, and strong in the
fury which their fearful suffering had provoked, is.
sued silently from their retreat and fell on their
foes.
The contest that followed was bitter as Indian
hatred could make it. 1t resulted in the total route
and destruction of the Illinois. From that day
they were no more seen in council house or battle
field. Their name became extinct or was borne
only by few miserable wanderers from tribe TO
tribe. Their bones were left to crumble on the
field and their enfeebled women and children slain
within the fortress, whence they watched the fatal
struggle.
Such is the legend of the "Starved Rockm 1t
is now in these tanner days, curious ard inter-
esting object for visitors. Surrounded on three
sides by The waters of the Illinois, it rears its lrown-
ing summit two hundred and fifty feet above them
The sides are smooth in many places and overriding
the base, looking into the dark mirror below, as
TRANQUILITY as if they had never formed an mpas-
sable barrier between mortal agony and all that
earth could afford to relieve it, The summit of
the rock is crowned with vegetation; rich grasses
and light growth of young trees render its sur.