Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-07-11
LEGEND OF STARVED ROCK
BY MSS MARY W. JANvRIN.

! LEUGNV 0lhhfEU hUVh.
| BY Mss MARY W. JANvRIS.
| In the "far West, where broad rolling
prairies stretch away for miles in billowy
| undulations-where bold, mountain cliffs
| rise abruptly to the azure sky, crowned
| with dark frs and cedars, not far from
the head waters Of navigation OH the
Illinois river, and towering up from the
brink of the stream, rises Starved
Rock" ...,... --.... ......
It's walls are Of dark grey stone. half
yelled with clambering wild vines and
trailing mosses,-as some old dilapidated
castle, relic of feudal times, stands buried
in the drapery which long ages have wo-
ven around it, and broken parapets of
stinted cedar and fir frown threateningly
at the daring adventurer who attempts to
scale its precipitous sleeps. A narrow,
almost perpendicular path, on the oppo-
site side of the river, is revealed, as you
make circuit of the base of the cliff; !;
and here. he who reaches the highest ele-
vation of the Rock, can ascend. q
There is fugitive tale, commemoratlng
the event, which gave this wild cliff SO
strange name. coming down to us from
those times when the red man was sole
lord Of rock, and river, and rolling prai-
rie-a little record of the Indian race,
which we would now weave anew, and
again relate The Legend Of Starved
Rock" @" -
Long years agone, the brave and noble
Indian chief, Oronee, leader ofa powerful
tribe inha abiting the surrounding region,
saw and loved the gentle maiden, Ulah
daughter of his rival chieftain
Oronee was young and brave; at his
belt hrre, ~. ~--1r-- 6 h..-a- II -ri-:~
foes, whom he had slain in the battle
fray his arm was strong, and his eye
like the mountain eagles, and no warrior
in the chase could bring down the fleet
deer. or the fierce panther so surely as
he. .--...
Ulah was young and fair, with eyes
like the evening star, and dusky locks
like the gathering shades of night She
loved the brave Oronee and when he
told her that his wigwam was spread
with the sofest furs, aud for her he
would chase the deer and bring down the
eagle in his fight, and asked to share his
| lodge-then she turned from her stern
father, and went with the young chief
tain.
Ne-pow-va missed his daughter from
his wigwam. When he came back at
night from the tolls of the chase, she
sprang not forth to meet him; when he
came from the battlefield, or the deadly
ambush, e1ulting in victory, she came not
forth to sing with his braves the war
songs of her race. The daughter of a
chieftain was in the wigwam of his dead
ly foe. He could not brook the insult;
and gathering his bold, feet warriors
about him, told them, beside the council
fire, the wrong he had suffered, and bade
them follow him. ..s..
Day after day, night after night, saw
them on the trail of the feeting enemy,
guided ever by the heavens above and the
forest wilds beneath. a"
| Westward, the stars of night guided
their footsteps; and westward, through
| the tangled wild wood, the sunbeams re-
vealing broken shrubs and trampled leaves
and MOSES, gave toAen that they were on
the trail. -r~ -. -...r
On the fourth day, the eagle gaze of the
fugitives saw the waving plumes of their
pursuers in the distance. Before them
rose bold and high, the huge rock, on the
brink of the Illinois behind them, came
the enraged father, and the fierce warri-
ors of his tribe. Upon the wind foated
their wild cries of vengeance, and dancing
ever nearer and nearer, foated those eagle
plumes. a .' .''. ny
The pursued chief, with his dusky
maiden and small band of faithful fol-
lowers, fled to the rocky fortress-to the
tower of strength which rose precipitously
in their path. - f
On, on, came the pursuers, with wild
shouts and unearthly yells-on on, and
nearer yet, until they had reached the
base of the cliff, and then, singing loud
war-song, they rushed swiftly up the mar
row, steep path. .Et 1rlf url -.
! But the young chieftain's arm was
strong, and his arrows swift and sharp,
and his braves resolved to fight to the
| death SO one after another, as their enc
mics had almost gained the summit, they
were pierced by the unerring shafts of the
archers above, and fell back lifeless, amid
their companions below. And then, fall