The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1854-02-23
NO. XIV.

ride 1t without being thrown, it vas taken from IN
l. and was obliged TO travel foot. The road owe
u which we passed was often very rough and stony
% and full Of thorns. Nv feet were wounded ane
" greatly swollen. But still obliged to keep u,
II with the rest Of the party, and If 1 fell behiud
" was beaten till was nearly senseess. The Indianl
= often urged nc on by attempting ride their horse,
3 over me--many mile Of that road is marked With
m, blood, and many hill there, has echoed to my
d useless cries.
0 travelled thus on foot some FIVE or six davs. AT.
Ter the party we're ready to the morning. the
o"ect'o" OF Inc route was pointed out TO me, and
was required TO go before the Others, in order not 10
, hinder them. They usually overlook me before
travelled Tar. had always intended to make my cs-
cape as as found an opportunity. never ex-
pected to reach any Giendiy settlement, but did not
wish 10 give the Indians the pleasure OF seeing ne
de GA the morning of the twenty fifth ciay after
my capture, was sent in the advance, Is usual.
had eaten no breakfast and was very weak hut the
nope oil escape now supported ME. / FASTENED on as
last as could, and finding suitable hiding place
turned aside and concealed myself ia the bushes -
4 Tier this | saw nothing more OF my captors
iound afterwards by the tracks Of the animals, that
they had searched for me they probably thought |
would die, and therefore took less trouble TO find me.
have no doubt that the mex. time they pass that
way they viii look for my bones.
My situation was most distressing beyond all
description; was alone III lndi.n country, some
hundreds oi miles from the nearest friendly settle.
most without clolhng. Ny body was full of wounds
ana bruises, and IN, feet were swollen that could
hardly stand. Wild beasts wete around me, and
savages more Wild than beasts, roa,Ded on every
hand inter was Coming on, and dc aih in its most
ho'iD!e ioriDs stared ~ the face. | sat dawn
and thought Of my lonely and exposed situaion--
I1ut could not weep ; my heart full of woe
iemeinOered the events OF the few preceding weeks
he husband OF my choice had been murdered, and
was not allowed the melancholy privilege Of closing
ayes nd a.,
My l''lIe property had been stolen, and when within
a lew DAYS march Of ssmEa,hizlng fiends, | vas
Captured by sayagcs, aud after three weeks OF indie
sc'ibibe suffer- ing, found myself wandering, solitary
and destitute, IN the nids of The wild praric-my
cup was filed TO overtlowing, but resolved to live
in hope, if died in despar.
Alter remaining three days 1T the place where
hrst concealed myself from the Indians, went to a
grove about half m,lc d.stant, aud built little
house OF bushes and grass. Here lived zine dd,s
Ny only food was the hactberiies which giev on The
bushes round. qucnched m, Thirst a ping near
by My wounds panied me exceedingly, and vast
cd to mere skeleton ior want proper nourishment.
II ra'ncd upon me nights in succession and my
lille house was unable to protect from the cold
stofsns. More than speni sleerless ni,hr
perfectly drenchcd in rain; while the wolves some
times coming within five sers Of me, wouli make
the woods ring with then Gght.uI howliugs. They
would also follow close behind me when went 10
The spring during The day; ] expected sometime to
"a
and could easily frighen them away.
When | slept, | would dream Of seeiag tables
spread with an abundance Of every Kind Gf food; but
when stretched forth my hand satisfy nv hunger
the effort would awaken me, and would find myself
weeping bitterly.
When absent from nv house, On the twelfth dav
after my escape, some New Mexican traders passed
! by on their way To the Camanche settlemcnts--
bile standing a small hill looking after them in
order 70 be sure they Indians, was discoy-
cred by three or four Of The paity who happened
be some distance behind. They immediately came
towards me and soon understood INV situation, They
hindIy offered 10 take ne with them, and GLADLY
bade farewell 10 my house in the woods. The Mex.
leans put me upon 6aTTo and gave blanket and
some meu clothing, in which dressed m,self very
comfortably.
Two or three days after this came in siyht of a
band o Canianches, and il not safe FOR me e,
be seen by them, was left behind in a iayine. viii,
the promise that the MeAcaus would return Tor me
at night. As they did not fulfil their promise. |
started towards their camp. About midnight while
wandering among the bushes, d Ca,nanche Indian
passed within twenty steps. j though; was cap
tive once more, bu fortunately the savage did not see
me. threw myself On The ground and waited for
day In the morning, | started agaia for the ean,D
OF the MeA'cans, but before reached il was dis
covered by one OF the trading party who was herdnc
The animals. l his man is Pucbia Indian, OF San
lldefonso, and is named Juan jose To him. more
than to any other man In the parry, m, prescn,
freedom
He told me that the camp was full Of Camaocbe..
and It the, saw me it woaid he impossible for the
! ariy 10 save me. He made me lie down on the
ground while ne covered me with dried grass. lay
here all day, and al night crel forth quench nv
almost intolsable thirst. Juan aud brought nc
some bread, and told ly anv means 20 leave
m, hiding place the next day. The day dragged
slowly along, and ! could hear the dreaded Canaan.
CHts psHi'. and eassin9 and shouting To each 9TH
er. AT night Jua" setmned, bringing another tlan-
ket and several leaves OF bread, aud told me that
must remain there Tor ght days AS the par
ty were Obliged to GO further of, and could no, take
me unless was willing to become captive once
more. saw the party disappear the next day. and
1t seemed as II my hopes OF disappeared with
them But resolved To wait ill the appointed time
was up.
In a ravine near by found large log which had
been left burning; TINS fire kept alive dan and night
TN the Mexicans returned, and without II should
probably have frozen dech, AS The wea,hc, had
become very cold. | covered a hollow cotton - ood
stump with bark and leaves to keep out The cold wud
This stump was my house during MY STAY here
Wsen could endure the cold no longer. [ woud
leave my house and The FIRE, bu. was afraid TO
stay there long lest The Indians should see me- The
wolves soon found out my retreat, and frequcat,v
While Was IN the stump, they would come and
scratch around and it's top. The ha,ktefrje.
were very scarce here, ard had not iecn for the
bread Juan Jose gave me, ] do lot see how could
have been Kept fiom starving {, death.
The eight days passed slp~y by, and knew not
whether 10 give way to hope despair. But on the
Sth heard several persons calling 10 each other.
fared they were Indians, bur tiev belonged to the
trading party and were their return 20 New Mex
leo. They had lost the place where l was eca-
cealed, aud were shouting 10 each ether To attract nav
attention. was so oveIjoyed that rushed towards
them unmndful of brars and sore feet Juan pavc
me hne horse 10 ride, and the whole party treated
me with the utmost ciyiiy and kindness On the
'hit! fourth day Of our return towards New Mexico
~e reached The town Of Pecos Here I met Maior
Carleton and Mrs. Adams, Of the IT, s. Army. who
} took the deepest interest in my comfort; Here [
Laid aside mems apparel, and was furnished with a
; supply from Mrs. ASS wardrobe. Alter remaining
at fecos few days, conducted TO Santa Fc by
. the son Of Governor Merrjwether.
To Governor NJ, and also to the American ladies'
Of this place. cannot he thankful for their friend
y sympathies and uniform kindness
he past seems to me like "A dream have re-
lated nothing but facts, and no language that can
use can fully express the suTerings Of mind and body
which have endured My two broth-,s-in- law are
stiil captves, and unless reclaimed will become az
savage as the Indians. The Mexicans saw them
) with the Cananchcs, hut were unable to procure
their freedom Ooc is twelve years o!d, and the
other ten, ind unless the strong arm Of Government
n leI I'M, fs,rib ibatr Al.