The independent. (Harrisonburg, La.) 1853-18??, 1856-06-25

pleased. Lands were allotted TO tneln, ana
they were furnished with seeds, and raised
their own corn. melons and beans, as the In
dians did.
There is little or no rain at the Colorado,
and the Mohaves depend upon the overflow
Of the river for the irrigation necessary to
germnate and ripen their harvests. Some
times there is no overflow Of The river, and
much suffering follows. The Indians are too
indolent to plant more than will suffice for
their actual necessities. Three years ago
there was no overflow, and famine was the
consequence, in which many perished 1t
was in this famine that Olive suffered her
greatest grief. Her little sister, Mary Ann,
had endured all her captivity with her
They supposed that they were alone Of their
family; they had suffered together the cruel
ties Of the savages, but they had not been
separated. They could sympathize and cheer
each other in their dreariness, and sometimes
they would whisper together faint hope Of
future redemption. But now came the trial.
The child wasted away by degrees-she knew
that she was to die, and talked calmly of
death to Olive. She had no disease, but
there was no food, and she wasted miserably
in the famine that desolatedAhe tribe. Olive
herself was near perishing, but the strength
of her constitution saved her life. She speaks
of the chiefs wife in terms Of the warmest
gratitude. A mother could not have express
ed more kind hearted sympathy than did this
good woman, whose gentle treatmenk saved
her life. This woman had laid up seeds 10
plant, and which even the dying groahs OF
her own people could not make her bring
out. When she saw Olives distress, she
ground the corn between stones, made gru
el and fed it to her, not reserving any even
to herself.
The Mohaves always told her that she could
20 to the white settlements when she pleas
ed, but they dared not go with her, fearing
they might be punished for having kept a
white woman SO long among them, nor did
they dare to let it be known that she was
among them. Before the arrival Of the In
dian messenger with her release, she heard
Of his departure from the fort by an Indian
runner. Her Joy was very great, but she
forced herself to appear Indifferent, lest the
Indians should still retain her. She had lit
tie confidence in their sincerity, when they
gave her permission to leave them, because
they refused to go with her, and they knew
she would not go alone. At length, Francis
20, the Yuma, arrived with the requisition
rom Col. Burke for her delivery. The pack |
enc rnurans, uur n6 Que
understood it. 1t was put inro her hand to
explain. It was written in bold round |
hand, the letters being third of an inch
ong. 1t was the first word Of English she
had seen for five long, weary years, and she
could not restrain her emotion. The cold
chill Of Indian reserve seemed to melt away, |
and she saw before her mind the old home
scenes apd happy voices seemed to welcome
her return. She readily deciphered the mean |
ng of that rescript, and communicated it 70
he assembled Indians. Accompanying it
we're six pounds Of white beads, four blank |
ITS and some other trinkets, to be given in
exchange. These were accepted, and the
;hief told her she was at liberty to depart
or her friends. Many Of the Indians, how
,ycr, objected to her going, fearing they |
would be punished as her captors. The
;hief's wife, the kind woman who saved her
ife in the famine, cried a day and night as
{ she were losing her own child, and then
,ave her up. With the guide she started
or the fort with light heart, OF foot, as
Usual.