Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-09-14
LEGEND OF OWL CREEK,


It was in year long since forgotten by the
natives of these forests, unmarked and unrecord-
ed save in the inermost lines of the oak tree of
five centuries or more, that steady solemn re-
cord9r of the storms Of years-it was in year
which must be naneless, since we know nothing
of it, that chief of the Wyandottes, wandering
on far trail, came into this beautiful country,
the wilderness regions of the northeastern portion
of New York State. The home of his tribe was
on the southern bank Of the Ohio, where their
thousands owned royal land.
The strange Indian looked with longing eyes
en- the brown neck and ruddy cheek, the light
form and beautiful foot, of the maiden, the
daughter of the old chief in whose lodge he ate
yenson brought by her own hands, and before
he had completed his first meal, with the haut-
ness Of one accustomed to demand, he asked her
in marriage But she had long been promised
to a chief of her own kindred, and mayhap had
learned to love him. She and her father alike re-
fused the Wyandotte, and he returned to his tribe
in wrath He came again--it was with thous-
and warriors at his back to take his bride, One
of those long and bloody wars ensued, in which
the Indian tribes of our country so often engaged.
1t lasted through the winter and spring, and as
the summer sun grew warmer the stranger had
made his home in the lodge of the old chieitain.
But his bride was not yet won. In faith it's ca
sier, many men have found, to conquerc nations
than to win an unwilling bride Somewhere in
the forest fingered trusty band, guarding with
jealous care the maiden daughter of their saug-
tered chief In vain the invaders searched, in
vain sought trails of their enemies-the latter
never left their lastness but for food, and then
concealed their trail with skill which was match
In tho hos ,Cft ha
thirty warriors, and the few female attendants of
the maiden, guarding her retreat. The ground
in an angle of the rock was covered with rich
panther and wolf skins, and the little nook was
rooted with the same material, and the whole was
so covered with brush as to defy detection. Trees
lay across The outlet Of the basin, whose dense
leaves wholly concealed it, and the only egress
and entrance was by swimming through mar
row opening. From this opening every night
more or less of the guard issued, swan out into
the stream down the creek into the river, and
up or down the river a half mile before they
touched land-thus defying all skill to find
trail to their concealment.
A Wyandotte, sitting one night on the bank
of the river, saw something in the water which
did not look like any anima"he had before seen.
He watched it closely as it turned into the creek,
and followed stealthily till he saw mans hand
grasp the limb Of tree that lay across the water.
The next night as the first man issued from this
retreat, Ratchet hurled with unerrng force en-
tered his brain, and, with yell that woke the
whpporwill that slept on the dead tree over him.
he"'sprang from the water, fell back, and his bo-
dy floated down the bloody stream. An instant
after dark object entered at the same opening
from which the slain man had issued. The chief
Of the few stout guardsmen saw the red feathers
in the tuft of the Wyandotte, and waited till he
reached an eddy in the current, then struck a
swift blow, and sprngng into the water gr2sped
his scalp lock, and drew his stone knife around
his skull Qts marvellous what passion Indi-
ans have always had for those scalp locksD An
other, and another, followed their leader into the
basin, and followed him to his fate. The yes
Of the combatans rang in the forest, but the cry
ofthe attacked far furpassed the cries of the ip-
vaders, and the latter shrank from the ferceness
of the wolf in his den
But the sequel was fearful. No mode of at
tack avaied, and the Wyandottes sat to besegt
and starve out the gallant little band One BY
one they yielded to the grim death that was in
eyitable Their mournful death songs were
heard day and night in the dim forest arches anC
one by one their giant bodies went floating dow
the stream, They met death bravely in thos
old days.
AT length the maiden and her betrothed re
manned with but ten warriors, gaunt and famine
stricken, yet lion like in their hunger The
then devised plan of escape. The girl was
bold swimmer as are all Indian girls, and wa
accustomed to beieng long under water. 1t wa
supposed that the beseigers would not troubl
themselves to regard the dead body of warrc
floating by; so while the ten old warriors chan
ed death song, the young chief lay on the W;
ter, and the girl graspng his hand with one {
hers, swan under him as his body hoated out
the opening and down the river. A Wyandott
with low grunt of contempt, threw stor
which struck his breast, but he was firm, and s
that faithful two noated away in the solemn nigl
and fled to lodge among their distant kindred
One by one the remainder adopted smil;
plan, and when the silence of the hold was :
profound that the watchers concluded death h5
done its work, they entered, ndfndmg no bod
on the ground, knew at once the cheat, and the
yeIs of rage and disappointment again scare
the birds that were Matching their second bro'
in the branches of the trees above the fall.