The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-01-20

linen Autumn Win q tear;
Then comes old Wintcr-death and all
Must find a level here.
From the Macoupin 0ll) Statesman.
Eighteen Years u Captive among the In.
dians.
We were visited, few days ago, by
man by the name Of Joseph Barney, whC
saws that hc is in search Of son whom ht
supposed to be somewhere near Alton. II,
made his escape on the 9TH Of May, from
Flathcad Indians, near the head of the Fla
Head river, ia Oregon. He stated that h'
has been with this tribe Of Indians eghtecl
years. We listened for some length of tim,
to his history, many portions of which ar,
truly Thrilling. He was taken prisoner in
1886 on the Upper Missouri river. while il
the employ OF the fur company He is a ma
tive Of France, and speaks English but i'm
perfectly, but We give what he communicat
cd to US rs nearly as possible. He was il
company with a man by the name Of JOIN
RobCrSton, both Of whom were captured. 49,
They attempted 70 defend themselves, cu,
killed two Indians, but were oycrpgNpr-
there being twenty five Indians 20 contcnt
with. They were secured nand aud foot
and placed on ponies, and started to III,
nOr,hwestwar3, and Travelled five week
when isey came 10 the hunting ground O
the tribe, where they were given up 10 tht
chief who shook hands with them, ant
manifested much Joy at their capture Tho
were unbound aud confined IN a hut whcrC
they were fed but not allowed to escape
The chief offered them his two daughters, il
they would marry and remain with the
Tube, Finding escape utterly impossible
for the r>ne being, the terms were accepted
and the marriage took place, The fruits o
this marriage was two children who are still
living a daughter sixteen, and son four.
/ teen, both f which he lltt with the tribe
Two years ago Robertson attempted 10 cs.
cape, but was re-capturcd, scalpcl and
burned alive, leaving three children with
/ the tribe. Seven years ago, Barney attempt
ci TO escape, but was Tc-capturcd, and
would have been put to DEATH but for the
intcrp0sition of his wife who Was the dgusi-
: tci vi dc ,hi~c puiimE the uTc or tic
captivity, Barney was engaged with bis
tribe ia three battles--two with the Back
feet, and one with tribe, the name ofwhich
we do not know, in one Of which he says
seventy Black Feet were killcd.
The most Of the time OF his captivity hg
lived ON the head Of Size Columbia river aud
Mt times as far up ~ the head Of the Flat
Head river During this eighteen years, hc
81 neither salt bread, potatoes, coffee, tea
or anything Of the kind; living upon meat
Of moose, deer, skunk, rlttlysuahc turkeys,
prairie hens, etc. N the time lac made hs
escape he was near Lake superior, about
sixty miles OF a trading post OF the American
Fur Company. The chief ths iathcr-in-lawJ
was 4 doctor, and on the 18th Of May he
lglt, and while he was gone Barney succeed
cd IN making all the Indians dead drank
with the whiskcy which had Just been re-
cciycd, giving one and half pints to each
Indian After they were asleep he took his
bow and arrow, toma,awk, pipe, two and a
half pounds tobacco, flint and steel, and two
pound, of meat, being all there was in the
hut. lie started and Travelled all night, hay.
ing his dog along, the next morning Ae killed
his dog, to prevent his returning to give u
clue to his trace.
about thirty five miles, he was oyerhaulcd
by his fatherin-law (the chiefs dog which
he killed with his bow and arrow, and carri-
cd his carcass away from the path, and then
concealed himself in the brush while he
was thus concealed, the chief passed. by him;
as he passed, the chief muttered to himself,
in his language 81 will pass this mountain,
and at the foot Of it will take the left hand. "
Ovcrhcarng this, Barney avaicd himself of
this information. Following the chief TO the
foot of the mountain, he found, sure enough,
that he had taken the left hand road, which
he asccrtaincd hy the tracks of his pony
lie continued his journey 70 the cast, until
about two hours before daybrcak on the
next morning, when he SET down, iatigucd
aud hungry; after daylight he killed rat.
tlosnatc eight feet four inches in length,
which he roasted and ate for breakfast. lie
kept on in the same direction. when about
3 o'clock he was overhaule1 by his brother
in.law's dog, which he killed Immediately
and passed on. On the next day, about
o'clock, he was overhauled 10y another dog,
belonging to the same tribe, which he dis
patched in the same manner IS the others
after which he proceeded without any mo-
lestation, travelling four days without daring
to build u fire, only in the day time.
He was seven weeks travelling before he
came to any tribe of Indians, during which
time he had spent one week in despair, not
travelling or expecting ever TO reach a habta-
I libil OI NlltS. ~ tHc CIU Vi lut UbONt
time, he ca,nc to a tribe which he calls the
Tomahawks. lie was kindly treated by
them. For fear of being taken again, he
assured them that he belonged to the. Flat
Heads, ahd was in search of two crazy lndi-
ans who had made their escape.
After asking some questions in English
concerning "crazy Indians he departed,
and after nine miles travel came to the Mis-
souri, river. lie made raft of some logs
and crossed over Travelling due cast, lie
continued his journey nine weeks before he
arrived at White Lake, in Minnesota; dur
ing all the tine he had subsstcd upon game,
which he killed with his bow and arrow
He remained there three days and sold his
accontrementS for clothing, anu then made,
his way for this State. He arrived here in
the cars
Barney is man Of cons siderable intelligence,
and seems to have vivid recollection OF
nearly all that passed during his captivity.
He seems familiar with the Indians life, and
gives many OF their signs for, diseases etc.
lie would like to see his children again, but
would rather iorego the pleasure than 60
back and remain with the tribe. He was
married soon after he came to this country.
and lived in Otscgo county, New York,
where his wife died; after " hich he was
employed by the Fur Company. He is 63
years Old but stll seems active and hardy
lie describes the country where he has been
as the handsomest he ever saw. Truly be
has "sccn the elephant" and ifhis story is
correct he cau tell Of more trials, tribula-
tons and adventures, than any man now
living. do. I'il'
/ Why is alady's hair like the Natost news
Because in the morning we always find it in
papers.