The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1856-10-09
THE DECOTAH's CAPTIVE,

OF sell governing on the eastern coast, the
French were but the agents of home mer.
chants, who enjoyed a monopoly of the va
tious trafiics, and were sustained i'm the en-
Joyment of it by the strong arm Of militia.
ry power. To the trading association in
particular we owe the discovery of the
Mississippi, by the sons "f one of the mem
bers-the intrepid La Sale. In this 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 10 collect the ore, and make
an article Of trade of it. He was not only
brave but crafty man, aud after his death,
the savages, in compliance with bis diving
wish, deposited bis remains on the summit
of a high cliff overlooking the Father of
Waters" securing the mouth of the mau.
soleum with Il massive leaden door Of a ton
weight. They then burned his dwellings
and erased every trace Of civilized life
around his settlement, except the orchards
planted by his own hands. Vandal whites
afterwards cut up the door to sell, but the
name of Dubuque will ever be remem.
bered in Iowa.
Years passed away. The white flag of
France no longer waved over the Missis,ip-
pi valley, and the bold frontiers man, ad.
vancing on the foremost wave of ciyiliza.
ton, crossed the river in quest Of lead ore,
game, and fertile soil. One of the first set
Elements thus established. was formed by
party from kentucky, led by the grandsire
OF the younger generaton-old Joe Bates,
noble specimen of II frontiers. man. Sew
enty winters had whiiened his long locks,
but he was sill hale and hearty, able to
WELD AN axe with any of his sons, or to
draw bead on a rifle with that fatal accu.
racy of aim which had enabled him to rem.
der good service NJ the battle Of New Or
leans. Selecting a good locality on the
very shore of The Mississippi, old Joe aud
his sons built n log cabin. surrounded hy
stockade to keep off the Deco,ahs. Then
surrounded clearing" with worm fence.
deadened the Standing trees BY the fatal
axe circle, and planted corn. When the
corn was well above ground and freed fiom
weeds. they began to prospect" for lead
ore.
Thus far they had seen 10 Indians, and
began 10 iiatler themselves that the red
skins" had left the country 10 their peace.
iul pOssession; but the Willy savages had
kept constant watch upon their move.
nents. Perhaps, had they confined them
selves to agricultural labor>, the intruders
might have gone on uumoIested, especially
as the Decotals wished 10 conciI;ate he
United States Government into profitable
treaty, but when pick axes were welded in
search OF lead ore, the destruction of the
pale-taces was resolved upon in council.
The fist object of savage vengeance was
the oldest son, Frank Bates, who had bull,
him a cabin abou, 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 babe
in great happiness, u'tl one summers
night hen he WAS awakened 10y the loud
barking OF his dogs Springing from his
bed, he looked through an opening in
the logs, and saw to his horror at least IF
| ,y Decotahs, in full war costume. evidently
seeking the easiest way To force AN en-.
trance into the cabin. Arousing his wife
he raised a cellar trap door, and was about
To send her down. when the child she had
left III the bed began TO cry.
| Il cannot leave my babe" she said.
| May" he exclaimed, Il will take care
OF the boy" and almost forcing her down
into the small cellar, he closed the unlluCed
door, over which he drew large chest
Then, seizing his rifle and hatchet, he took
the infant and ascendcd To the lott OF the
cabin, pulling the ladder up after him. \
moment more. the door was forced from lis
hinges, and the peco,ahs entered eager for
| their lIey. But Bates did not remain 10
watch their movements. for lashing his boy
Ia his shoulders, he cautiously opened a
shutter in the gable of the loft, and seeing
that no Indians were beneath, jumped 10
the ground, rifle in hand
Ere he had traverscd his little garden. the
air rc>ouhded with the hlood.chiling tones
"f the war.whoop. and volley of arrows
rained around the fugitive. Happily only
one struck him, and that in the tieshy part
OF the arm, So that he kept IN s,raining
every nerve 10 reach the siocKa,ie around
his fathers cabin. But ore he had gone
many PAGES a gigantic Indian overlook
him. Turning like stag at bay, he faced
his antagonist, knocked him down with
the QUIT Of ms rifle, and then sped on his
way. But now, to his horror, he saw n
large body Of Uecotahs around his fathers
dwelling as he approached, firing over on
to tIie roofs Of the cabins with arrows to
which burning tow was attached.
llc pau'ed-Lu the cries Of his boy
aroused him to sense of las own danger
and his wlfe's pcriIous situation. Direct
ing his steps towards the river, where he
found his "dugou:" safely moorcd, he soon
was padding across the river to a settle
ment where there were large number oI
whites.
Day had scarcely dawned on the sue
ceeding morning, before twenty miners
good men and true, were ready TO accom-
pany him across the river. They cared nc
more for the Decotahs than for prairie dogs
and acted upon the spur OF the moment
regardless of consequences. Crossing above
his residence, young Bates led them toward.
his clearing but ON ariyincr there n0tbino