Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1854-03-02


Exhausted by incessant toll and suffer.
} ing, and extreme anguish from my wounds
| became unable to work as fast as the Tn.
dians desired and often when scarcely
! able to stand, and hardly knowing what
was doing, have been required to do the
work OF the strongest man. And because
of my inability to accomplish my task sat
Istactorily, l have been whipped till my
tiesh was raw. Large stones were thrown
at me. | was knocked down and slammed
upon by the ferocious chief who seemed
anxious to crush me like worm under
his feet. My head sometimes fell under
the horses feet and then the Indians
would try to make the beasts kick me
After all was ready for the days journey.
| was obliged to travel as fast as the 9TH
ers, riding sometimes over rocks and thro'
bushes, aching aud sore from head to foot.
and exposed alike to cold and heat. sun
shine and storm 80
have gone two days at time without
tasting food. The Indians depended on
hunting for their subsistence. and some
times had nothing to eat themselves-un.
less there was an abundance of food, re.
celved little or nothing-when any game
was killed, the Indians would tear out the
heart, liver and entrails and eat them raw
suffered exceedingly from thirst 1 was
not allowed to drink, except while in camp
We frequently crossed beautiful streams
during the day. and l would beg the priv
ilege OF dlsmounting to quench my thirst.
But the Indians would always DENY my
request with contempt 1t was in vain
| pointed to my parched lips and head
| iSfa in ba oG
could soften them into pity, and [ ardent.
iy desired death that my torments might
come to an end.
/ Every lndlgnity was offered to my per
son which the imagination can conceive.
And | am at a loss to know how | have
lived through the barbarous treatment
which was inflicted upon me- Frequently
my feelings were so outraged that [ was
tempted to kill my inhuman masters
My Indignation burned particularly a
gainst the chief, and thought if I could
only cut him to pieces, could die con
tent
We travelled every day-we usually
started about 0 o'clock in the morning
and halted about four O'Clock III the even.
ing. The Indians were accustomed to 90
to the top of the highest hills and stand
there gazing in every direction. We al
ways spent the night on a hill and were
thus exposed to The cold autumn winds
we slept on the ground generally without
covering. When it rained the Indians
made tent of the blankets and wagon
sheet they had stolen from us, but | was
not allowed to take shelter in it-I pre-
! ferred sleeping outside even when it storm
| ed
After my mule had become so gentle
that | could ride it without being thrown,
1t was taken from me and / was obliged
to travel on foot The road over which
we passed was rough and stony, and full
| of thorns. My feet were wounded and
bruised till they were covered with blood
and greatly swollen. But still | was OBJ
liged to keep with the rest of the party,
aud if fell behind l was beaten till | was
nearly senseless. The Indians often urg-
ed me on by attempting to ride their horses
over m many mile of that road is
marked with my blood, and many a hill
there has echoed to my useless cries
! l travelled thus on foot some five or six
days. After the party were ready to start
IN the morning the direction of the route
was pointed out to me, and [ was requir-
ed to 60 before the Others in order not to
hinder them. They usually overlook ME
/ before 1 travelled far l had always in
tended to make my escape as soon as |
! found an opportunity. | never expected
to reach any friendly settlement, but l
/ did not wish to give the Indians the pleas
ure of seeing ME die On the morning
of the twenty fifth day after my capture,
| was sent in the advance as usual
had eaten no breakfast and was very weak,
but the hope of escape now supported me-
| fastened on as fast as l could, and find
| ing a suitable hiding place turned aside
and concealed myself IN the bushes. Af
ter this [ saw nothing more of my captors
| found afterwards by the tracks of the
animals that they had searched for me;
they probably thought I would die, and
therefore took less trouble to find me-
| | have no doubt that the next time they
pass that way they will look for my bones
| My situation was now most distressing
beyond all description; was alone in an
Indian country some hundreds of miles
from the nearest friendly settlements.
was without food, without shelter, and al
most without clothing My body was
full of wounds and bruises, and my feet
were so swollen that l could hardly stand
Wild beasts were around me. and savages.
more wild than beasts, roamed on every
| hand. Winter was coming on, and death
! in its most terrible forms stared ne in the
face | sat down and thought of my lone
ly and exposed situation, but could not
weep; my heart was full of woe | re-
mem bered the events of the few preceding
weeks The husband of my choice had
been murdered. and was not allowed the
melancholy privilege of closing his eyes
aud seeing his remains decently inferred
Ny little property had been stolen, and
when within few days march of sympa
thizing friends was captured by savages
and after three weeks of indescriba bic sui
fering, found myself wandering solitary
and destitute in the midst of the wild
prairie-my cup was filed to overaowing,
but resolved to live in hope, if died in
, despair.
After remaining three days in the place