The Davenport daily gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1869, 1856-02-22
4 rrprIIrro INDIAN raAaEpY

band Of Sioux, We copy from the Missouri
Democrsi. 1t Is the more interesting on
account of having occurred very recently
Logan Fontanelle, chief of the Omaha's,
has Just been slain and scalped at Loup
Fork, by band OF Sioux. Logan was
noble fellow, and 10 this mortal conflict he
despatched several OF the enemy to the
shirt land before. TO lersld the coming OF
his own soul. He fought long, desperately,
and with great effect, but numbers finally
oyercame him, and his life departed through
hundred wounds He died martyr to
his people, and his name should be carved
upon fame's brightest tablet.
He was on his annual hunt with his ma
ton. A number Of his lodges were pitched
upon the plains near Loup Fork. As a
Young warrior one day rode around the ad-
accent hills. he espied powerful band o.
Sioux encamped along stream IN se-
ouestered vale. He fastened to inform Lo-
gan of the propinquity and power OF their
natural foe. Logan ordered his people 10
back immediately, and proceed in straight
line, with all speed, for home, when he
would remain behind, and divert the Sioux
| by false camp fires and other devices, from
| direct pursuit of them. This was about
twilight The people got under way as
| quickly as possible, but not too soon; for
scarcely they had turned highland when
| several Sioux warriors came in sight and
| discovered the place OF their recent encamp-
men,. They examined il and found that
| he Omahas had been there, and they then
/ returned to notify their chief and bring an
| adequate force TO pursue and slaughter
them.
I Logan, from hiding place, saw all, ana
/ knew that no time was TO be lost in draw
/ inc their attention from the trail, which they
would soon discover and follow, and noun
TING his horse, he dashed away al full speed
across the prairie, at righ, angles with the
route his tribe had taken, and struck iire
about eight miles distant, on an emlnence
when the Sioux could distinctly see it. He
had scarcely done so before powerful band
we're on the spot he and his people mad just
| left, and who without stopping to Distinguish
the trail, started for the fire, which they
saw rising against the clear blue sky ana
where they expected in another moment 10
imbue their hands in the gore oil their un-
Guarded victims. But Logan had not been
I unwarv. AS soon as the fire was hghted,
he again mounted and rode eight or ten
miles further, and kindIed another IRE Just
az they reached the first This rather be-
wiIdered them. They dismounted and ex-
amined the ground. Logsn. anticipating
this. had trotted and walked his horse round
ii. SO as to make the appearance upon the
grass of dozen horses, and this threw them
/ into the belief that q small body had iingeT-
| ed behind and kinded this FIRE, and then
| gone to where they could see the new hre
| burning; and 30 they followed with renewed
avidisy. The same thing happened as. be-
| fore Logan had gone, and another fire met
| their sstonished gaze, while the same sort
/ of footprints were about the one around
which they were now gathered Their
suspicious were now awakened. They ex.
| amined the ground more closely. both far
and near, and discovered that solitary
| horsemsn had deceived them, and they
knew it was for the sole purpose Of leading
them off from the party whose encampment
| they had first discovered.
! Logan saw them going round with giar-
| ing torches, and understood their object,
and knew that his only chance of safety
was in immediate fight towards has home;
and he further knew that BY the time they
could reirsee their way 10 their place OF
starting, and find the trail his own people
had taken, they would be beyond the reach
of danger
The Sioux, in the meanwhile, had divided
into smaller bands, the largest Of which
was to return and pursue the Omshas, and
the others TO endesvor TO capture the one
thew had missed They knew that he must
be an Omaha, and that he would either GO
farther and kindle another walch-fire, or
! start for his nation in straight line; and
/ therefore one party went on little farther
/ and the others spread out tow ards the Oma-
/ ha country, for the purpose OF intercepting
| him. Logan pressed forward as fast as his
1 faded steed could bear him, until he though,
4 he had entirely eluded them, but, as the day
/ dawned, 10 his horror and dismay, he saw
his pursuers close upon his track. He
turned his course TO rsvine, which he dis
! tinguished at distance covered with tree,
and underground. He succeeded in reach
ing it, and just within its verge he met al
Indian girl dipping water from the spring
She was startled and about to cry for help
when he hastily assured her that he needed
protection and assistance. With the true
instinct Of noble woman, she appreciated
his situation in an instant, and all her sym
pathies were with him. She directed hin
to disnount and 60 TO a small natural bow
er TO y hich she pointed him, in the verge o
the woods. while che would mount his hoi Sc
and lead his pursuers away. He obeyeC
her, and she mounted his horse, and dashed
on in serpentne way through the woods
leaving marks along the brushes by which
she could be traced.
The pursuers soon followed. When she
had gone some distance down the branch
she rode into the water and followed il,
descending course for few steps. making
her horse touch its sides and leave foot
prints in that direction, and then turned VI
the stream ard rode above the place al
which che entered it, without leaving trace
and back 10 where Logan was concealed
She told him 10 mount and speed away
while his pGrsuers were going in a contra.
~ detection from the ravine. He id so ana
got long distance out of sight, and again
thought himself out of danger, when in a
valley just ahead OF him he saw fifty brave.
coming up the bill to meet him. They were
some Of those who were returning from the
pursuit Of hii people He changed his di.
rection and tried to escape, but his poor
horse was too much exhausted TO bear him
with sufficient speed With savage yells