Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1855-11-15


He then stopped until his interpretel
translated what he had said, and ther
arose, took longer piece of the wan,
pun and proceeded until he had finish
ed his speech; having at the same time
passed over the whole piece of wampum
He then arose and placed the wampum
across the knees of Edgar and awaited
the decision. Stafford remarked that be
showed much feeling. used much and
graceful action and produced the effects
of persuasive oratory. He seemed to
divide his discourse into arguments by
his wampum, and laying it on the knees
of the Judge was submitting his case
to his consideration.
Trapping was much practiced by the
early settlers of GalIipolis There re-
sided at Point Pleasant a man by the
name of Vanbibber who was very in
genius and useful in his day. He was
accustomed to make steel-traps, guns,
powder horns, flies and flutes. combining
the blacksmith, gunsmith and jeweler.
He made flies for military companies, of
the common black haw. said to have
been very clear toned. / saw very
large steel-trap made by him for Stafford
which has done great service to its mas
ter. He calls it Isaac. 1t has been
twice captured by the Indians, but as
often he re-obtained it; once he found
where it had been set by the Indians.
holding large beaver; again he found
it among friendly Indians, and. by
claiming it, obtained it. With his Isaac,
Stafford has caught many wolf. The
most common. 49,. , &c .s~tsirg II Tor them
is to throw some meat into hollow log
some feet, and nearer the entrance to
place the trap covered with leaves, over
which the wolf treading is caught by
the fore foot. But beaver was the most
profitable game and most easily caught.
For this game the trap was placed un-
der water where they were want to
swim, and over the sunken trap was
placed, on the end of stick in the |
bank, bait, which the beaver reaching
up to obtain would step on the trap and
was caught. If left long they would 1
gnaw off their foot and escape.
Col. Stafford very distinctly remem-
bers Louis Philippe and his attendants,
how long they staid in Gallipolis, and
relates an anecdote. After they had /
delayed some time thev were preparing
to leave GalIipolis for New Orleans, and
they were taking passage in one of
those little keel boats which carried the
mail from Marietta TO Limestone. The
captain of this boat was a mercurial lit
tie Frenchman named Muret. who had |
imbibed very large notions of the free
dom of our institutions, and of indi-
vidual equality. Nevertheless he at
tached much importance to himself as
commander of the Packet Boat. On
the contrary the future "Citizen King
had not learned to lay aside authority
and expected respect from his country
men, in America. Accordingly on en-
tering the Packet he began to act and
talk as if he possessed authority, not
even recognizing the authority belong
ing to the captainship of Muret; where
upon, as Louis made an imperious de-
mand, our captain flew into passion,
exclaiming in French: Take care, take
care, sir! We are not Slaves; we are
treemen. BY the Mother Of God we are
in America! lam captain of The Packet
Boat No. 3 of the United IStates" He I
proceeded at such a length in his rage
at the future King that it was necessary
for bystanders to interpose to prevent
his laying violent hands on the Royal
Parsonage. This seems to show that
the French immigrants, or at least this
had thus early laid aside all
sympathy with Monarchy and imbibed
the true spirit of Republicanism.
/ have now finished these scribblings,
and laid aside my cognomen regretting
that l have not given them more care
and hoping that in some they have
awakened fond recollections of bygone
days. l.. 2. LAcRoIx.