Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-08-27
THE DACOTAII'S CAPTIVE.
A Tale Of the Lead Mines of Iowa.

Wnlle the Spanish colonists ravaged the
southern portion of North America in quest Of
gold, and the English planted the germs of
self-govcrnmcnt on the eastern coast, the
French were but the agents of home merchants
who enjoyed monopoly of the various traf-
fics, and were sustained in the enjoyment of it
by the strong arm of milirary power. To the
trading association in particular, we owe the
discovery of the Mississippi, by the son Of one
of the members-the intrepid La Sale. In
his day lead was first discovered within the
present limits of the State of Iowa, but the
noted Julien Dubuque was the first who taught
the Indians to collect the ore, and make an ar
ticle of trade Of it. He was not only brave,
but crafty man, and after his death the sava-
ges, in compliance with his dying wish, depos-
tied his remains upon the summit of bluff
overlooking the 'sFather Of Waters,'' securing
the mouth of the mausoleum with n massive
leaden door of ton weight. They then burn
cd his dwellings and erased every trace of civ
ilized life around his settlements, except the
orchards planted by his own hands. Yandal
whites afterwards cut up the door to sell, but
the name of Dubuque will ever be remembered
in Iowa.
Years passed away. The white flag of France
no longer waved over the Mississippi Valley
and the bold frontiers man, advancing on the
foremost wave of civilization, crossed the riv-
er in quest of the lead ore, game and fertile
soil. One of the first settlements thus estab
lished was formed by party from Kentucky,
led by the grandsire Of the younger genera
tion-old Joe Bates, a noble specimen of
\
his long locks, but he was still hale and hear
ty, able to WELD an axe with any of his sons,
or to draw bead on a rife with that fatal accu-
racy of aim which had enabled him to render
good service at the battle of New Orleans.
Selecting good locality on the very shore of
the Mississippi, ,old Joe and his sons built log
cabin, surrounded by stockade to keep off
the Dacotahs. They then surrounded sclear-
ing with worm fence, deadened the standing
trees by the fatal axe circle, and planted corn.
When their corn was well above ground and
freed from weeds, they began to prospect"
for lead ore.
Thus far they had seen no Indians, and be-
gan to f1atter themselves that the ssred skins''
had left the country to their peaceful posses
sion, but the willy savages had kept constant
watch upon their movements. Perhaps, had
they confined themselves to agricultural la
bors, the intruders might have gone unmolest-
cd, especially as the Dacotahs wished to con-
ciliate the United States Government into
profitable treaty, but when pick axes were
welded in search of lead ore, the destruction
of the pale faces was resolved upon in council.
The first object of savage vengeance was
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a cabin about five hundred yards from ''head
quarters,'' despite the warnings of old joe
Frank, however, had no fear of Indians, and
lived with his wife and their babe in great hap
piness, until one summers night, when he was
awakened by the loud barking of dogs
Springing from his bed, he looked through an
opening in the logs, and saw to his horror, at
least fifty Dacotahs, in full war costume, evil
IDENTIFY seeking the easiest way to force an en-
trance into the cabin. Arousing his wife, he
raised cellar trap door, and was about to send
her down, when the child she had left in the
bed began to cry.
"I cannot leave my babe,'' said she.
s.Nay,' he exclaimed, al will take care of
the boy,'' and almost forcing her down into
the small cellar, he closed the unhinged door,
over which he drew a large chest. Then seiz-
ing his rife and hatchet, he took the infant
and ascended to the loft of the cabin, pulling
up the ladder after him. A moment more, the
door was forced from its hinges and tho Daco-
tabs entered, eager for their prey. But Bates
did not remain TO watch their movements, foI
lashing his boy to his shoulder, he cautiously
opened a shutter in the gable of the loft, and
seeing that no Indians were beneath, jumped
to the ground, rifle in hand.
Ere he had traversed his little garden, the
air resounded with the blood-chilling tones o.
the war-whoop, and volley of arrows rainet
around the fugitive. Happily only one struci
him, and that in the feshy part of the arm
so that he kept on, straining every nerve t.
reach the stockade around his fathers cabin
But ere he had gone many PAGES gigantic
Indian overlook him. Turning like stag a
bay, he faced his antagonist, knocked hin
down with the butt of his rifle and then spec
on his way. But now, to his horror, he saw
large body of the Dacotahs around his father
dwelling, as he approached, firing over on t
the roofs of the cabins with arrows to whic
burning tow was attached.
He paused-but the cries of his boy arouse
him to sense of his own danger and III
wife's perilous situation. Directing ms step
towards the river, where he found his ''dus
out'' safely moored, he soon was padding
cross the river to settlement where ther
We're larger number of whites.
Day had scarcely dawned on the succeedin
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