Weekly hawk-eye and telegraph. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1855-1857, 1856-05-07


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EKuG1 & 49, - "a
ntaa - sssS
R.ssf t;An ~ &c r - 81 u
- o. -. s. cap4ie 6t yess1 |;
lears dnrSfsoa niSoIi4' tN6 Indians 81 Soufhern
,sssf6ssls ~ a n i tspee JsaGe
6os0 Speefy. q CHI, Nonrce c0unsa, n. 1, - +
!, ,i..shter al ii e;gtar. Who rcsnoved With her
.rsi,eIld. n. Ontmnn. Ia Iowa. The interesting /
= iSIcuieas AZ - nlrdes of Ihoossof the family
"a II repeae az he dau1ster from Indian cap
iyity, are s. fcllovs:
Late ID 1850, Or esfly iii ASST, the Oatman
anily. consisting Of the husband, wife, and their
hree hoys md four xirls, lei Iowa By the over.
ana rotfe. with he Intention 0f settling On the
bsnIa 81 the Colorado river. The Subsequent his
lory Of the family q far as then known Is thus de-
allied IN San Diego letter, publshed in the San
Francisco Herald Of April 80. 1851:
- On the 2lst of February, Bfevet Major |
Heintaelman received . letter complaining Of In
dian sRRressions. With this letter, he received
another from Nj. Roys Oatman dated nth Feb
ruary. representing the distressed condition Of
his family, consisting Of nine persons, Sand
on the point Of being still further increased. -
The supply, Of food was not sufficient for the
Journey, and could last only till the most speedy
relief could be sent. Four days elapsed without
any action being takAn. More urgent Eepresen-
tations were then made to Major Heintzelman,
Who finally sent two men with small supply
Of provisions Eleven days afterward these men
returned, reporting that on the road, $50 miles
from the post, near the ella, they found . wagon
with much property scattered in confusion
around and in : neighboring pile of stones,
two decomposing human bodies. Letters adj
dressed 10 The Oatman family were picked up,
and the prints Of naked feet, apparently Ameri-
cans. led backward from the spot. ~ Z 1t,
aOn the alst Of March, two emingrant fami-
lies arrived bringing SON Of Mr. Oatman,
bow Of fifteen years Of age, who was brought
across in the government train. He told that
the family. on the morning Of the 18th, was met
by party Of Indians, who called themselves Yu-
mas from the Colorado, and said that their ma
ton were now friends with the Americana. -
After smoking quietly for some time, upon the
signal from the Chief, they rushed upon the
unsuspecting victims, and in an instant all were
struck down with clubs. The boy was only
stunned, and, on recovering his senses, was COM
PEELED to listen to the shreks Of his sisters, with
out the possibility OF aiding them. To feign
death was his only chance Of escape. Before
leaving, the Indians dragged him overthe stones
many yards, but without bis showing any symp-
toms Of life. Towards evening, scarcely able to
move, he crept to the edge of the hill and roll
ing down, concealed himself among some BUSH
cs At night he travelled back slowly IN the
direction Of the Primes villages, and inaa few
days was SO fortunate as to meet some aimmi-
grants, who fastened forward to bury the bodies.
Portions, supposed to belong to SIX, were found.
The remaining two-girls OF eight and thirteen
years-were doubtless earned on py the Andi-
| ans.
This boy is now living at the monte near Los
Angeles The circumstances winch led 70 tne
rescue OF the surviving glrl are thus narrated, N
la letter from Mr.. Frost, OF the racine express
Company.
"For years nothing had been heard OF these
two young girls, and their rate appeared 70 %
/ wrapt in mystery. ABOUT nve montns SINCE an
article or letter was puDlshed IN the Los Ahgeios
Star, stating that the umas INDIANS had oHereo
to exchange two female prisoners Win the OF
icers at Fort una, ior Deaas piankets, &C., ano
the latter had refused TO trade with or purchese
the unfortunate sufferers from the INDIANS.
Col. Nauman, y; ?. a, VINO was a1 st.as .llie
en- route tor Fort una, immediateiy inquired
into the SUBJECT, put iouna .ne charges agalns'
the omcers wnohy witnou ~. iouhaauoh' anu rear
full that, by some possioiiity, there might pe
some prisoners never pe.ore neard Oh sent on
runners to the various trloes, oHerlng neaVy
ransom for their recovery; IN answer to which
Yuma Indian, OF the name OF francisco, came
IN, saying that ne couid ma young giri WithlI
ten days travel OF tne lort. beads, Dlalkets
9c were immeaia'e gwen W;aa anu ~ Wha
hro,,aht in She WAS dressed as all the females. 81
the Yuma Mohave Indians, and on q white mar
approaching, threw herself PROSTATE on the sane
and would not rise until suitable female gar
Iments were brought her. sil 3
ssShe has almost entirely forgotten her native
4 tongue. being only able to speak two or three
words. Being asked in the Indian language he,
/ name. she replied sOlive Oatman;' is tattoed OF
4 the chin. and bears the marks of hard slavery
She was slave for two wears with the Mohayes
4 who sold her to the Yunas. Her Youngest sis
4 ter died about six months before the rescue o
Miss Olive. The hair of the lady being of
l;oht golden color. the Indians lcolored # blacl
4 ne;no . dive made from the bark of the Kes
loot tree She was eleven wears old when tax
i on nr;eoner which will mako her sixteen now
tbonph she Is moro fully deyeloned than man,
p;rls at twenty .,..sssss.-1lzl
.vThe officers Of the fort have dubbed topeth
or making nm a nurse for her and fnrnishin
snch clo,b;np no Is necessary. also have Mace
her IN scb,ree Of female residing there mn
who're every. attention will be paid to all he
wants and until onv relations NAV come fo,
ward 70 relieve the moor GIRL from her nresen
denendent nosition. and endeayor to wean he
from All savage taste or desire to return TO Ir
dian i;fa y -, 81
~, 49, a..
= ie'.ef ifo''. WI, t.Saa, - y ~ "i''s0
"Miss Oatman seems to be about sixteen year
Of age, and has unfortunately almost ,entirel
lost the use Of the English language, speaking
nothing but that ofthe rude people among WHOM
she has so long resided, and which no one her
Z can interpret well. She hewcver retains re
collection of her name, and says it is Olive Dat
man. Every proper care will be taken of her
and it will afford us all infinite satisfaction Il
restore her to her friends and civilization u
i A letter from correspondent of the San Fran
/ cisco Herald, furnishes the following informa
4 ton:
4 "She is fast recovering her English, read
s;ster and herself mist have kent mn their recol
4 lection Of c;v;l;zat;on The death Of her s;ste
made this GIRL more of a burden than anyth;n,
alse ~ the fndiana She was constantly ween
IN On thov oiio,yad tho 5fact of har he;no viii