The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1847-09-09
From the National Era.
Legend of the Starved Rock.

west L rom the shores of Lake Michigan
It the banks of the Illinois, step by step, the in
yaded tribe had commended for the homes
their wives and children, and the burial place
Q OF their fathers; andas the triumphant inva
ders sped onward in their wild career, leavin
Q behind them the smouldering ashes of tn
y WlgWam and the mangled forms ofhelpless in
fancy and feeble old age, fainter grew tn
! hopes OF that feeble but gallant band, of sue
cesstul resistance. Already had the last vii
lage been assailed, and what was once tn
peaceful home of many happy hearts was nov
pie OF smoking ruins the dismal howl ofth
wolf alone broke the fearful stiffness of the
dark forest, which had so lately resounded
with the happy sounds of life.
The illinois, once q numerous and power
tul tribe, claimed as their hunting grounds
the beautiful prairies, and gently sloping hills
crowned with majestic forests, that stretch in
rich luxuriance from the shores of Lake
Michigan to the banks of the Mississippi. In
an evil hour, the Pottawatomies, tribe in.
habiting the eastern shores of Lake Michigan
stirred up by that worst foe of the red man,
Fire Water for imagined wrongs or to glut
a savage thist for blood, waged war of ex-
termination against the Illinois.
Driven backward, still fercely contending
for each foot of soil they claimed as the Gift
OF the Great Spirit, the feeble band of the i'll
inois, vanquished in battle, yet disdaining to
surrender meekly to their foes, like stag at
bay stood beneath the towering bluff of their
own river, glarlng upon their surrounding
toes, IN all the impotence of revengeful de-
SPAR ,Suddenl y, with wildcry they spring
forward, scale the cliff and far above their
foes rings out the shrill war cry of defia nee
and death. Alas short is their triumph.
The will enemy sees and at once secures his
prey; the cliff stands insulated on the banks
OF the river, rising full hundred feet above
the surface OF the water, and towards the land
1t IS inaccessible save at one point. On ev-
cry side were the besiegers, with the deadly
arrows pointed, and the tomahawk uplifted.
Close beneath the cliff lurked the canoe, with
Its murderous occupant, ready to impae the
desperate wretch who, maddened by thirst,in
moment oftrenzy should fling himself head
long into the cool waters beneath.
Night came. Weary and exhausted the
besleged lay down on the barren rock. The
twilight dew fell softly on their burning brows,
ana the cool breeze played amid their dark
locks Many an eye was turned upward in
the silent watches Of that fearful night, and
faith feebly strove to lift the dark bali that
Swallowed the future. Somewhere beyond
those stars lay the happy hunting grounds
winch their fathers trOd, and to which their
wives and little ones were beckoning them
fierce memories Of the dark strife, even the
deep burning for revenge, were forgotte in
the cool quiet ofthe autumnal night. Life as
dream had passed. It's wild hopes, its burn
ing desires, It's deeds Of daring, were remem-
oered no more. Slowly from their midst
arose an aged chief. His white hair cleaned
IN the wan starlight, like the mist on the brow
OF the dark hills Every eye was unclaimed
the deep breathing ofthe warrior alone broke
the stiffness Mournful as the sound of the
nutiied drum, or the waling of the autumn
wind, rose the chant of the death song. The
owl answered from her lonely nest, and from
the echoing cliffs the sad wall reverb Grated
along the shores of the river. The aged war
rlor sang; and las memory retraced the years
Of his life, with kindling eye he recounted the
leeds OF daring he had done When the HI
mos, numerous as the buffalo on the plain,
held all the neighboring tribes in awe-when
heir warriors were swift of foot and sure of
land-and while the deer and panther and F.!
GEAR were an easy prey, their war cry echoed
through the Forest and the scalps Of their en-
9mles werein every wigwam. triumphant
y rang the song Of the chieftain, and quick as
thought the vanquished warriors sprang to
heir feet, fercely brandishing the battle ak
Iboyc their heads, and yelling the war hoop.
AS the last faint echo sighed across the |
BOSOM of the waters, plaintive moan, like /
hat of the turtle dove, was heard from the
depths of the neighboring wood A noble |
brave, who, after joining in the exultine war
loop, had thrown himself despairingly upon
he ground, rose, and, bending eagerly for
ward, listened to the faint cry Again it was
heard. The warrior sprang forward, and had
lot his intention been seen, and strong
lrm prevented, he had thrown himself head |
ong from the cliff, to find death or deliver
nee in tho waters beneath.
In the wild uproar and confusion of the at
acll upon the last village of the Illinois, a
Dung matron had escaped with her child
rom the horrid massacre, and concealing her
elf in the forest had followed for days on
he trail Of the pursuers and pursued, subsis-
ING upon wild fruits and nuts, bearing her
hid in her arms, and living only in the
ope that her warrior would yet triumph, or
hat she should share his fate She had
raced them to the fatal rock, and with wo-
mans love in her heart, nerving her feeble
rm, she resolved to attempt his rescue.
Silently as the autumn leaf on the bosom
the wave, a light canoe glides within the
pposite bluff The mother sat with her
hid, cautiously moving the frail bark and
$, favored by an oyerhanging tree, it shot
ut partly across the stream, the warrior on
he cliff leaped boldly out into the water
he whining arrows flew, death. winged.
With fearful cry the warrior leaped from
he dark waters, then sank into their depths,
nd rose no more. At the same moment,
lasping her child to her breast, the mother
prung from the canoe, and found grave
18th her warrior husband, in the bosom of
he placid river.
Again the death song rose from the fugi-
yes on the rock and when the morning