Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1856-08-12

FIVE YEARS AMONG THE INDIANS
ADV -NTuRRs OF AN ILLINOIS wowaN

! Ipiil tild< IOutIldl.
Miss Olive Oatman, q young lady who
had lately been redeemed from captivity
among the SIohaYe Indians, arrived in
this city on Sunday morning, on the steam
er Senator, from Los Angeles. She STOP
ped at the Clinton House, on Pacific S.,
IN company with her cousin, Harvey b.
Oatman, and her brother Lorenzo. She
left yesterday afternoon at o'clock. in
the up river boat, on her way via Sac-a-
mento. Red Bluffs, and Yreka, for Rogue
river, Oregon, where her cousin noy re-
SIDES
During her shor; stay in our CITY. we
called upon aud found her young lady
apparently about nineteen years of age,
large. stout 2ild healthy Her chin is
tattooed with five or SIX lines, made With
Indian ink, and running from The lip down
wards. Tne story of her adventures has
already been partially told, and was CIV
en- III the form OF an extract on the ou.-
side OF the Bulletin, of March 12th-
we, however, requested TO hear it from
her own Ups. and wrote it down as she
related 1t. Heg account, as told TO us, is
fuller ald coTnpleter tnan any version that
we have yet seen published, aud we there
- tA%-3>.@4t II W Jul
My name is Olive Ann Oatman; I WAS
born IN NhitesIde county, Illinois, in Is
3S. In 1851 my father, mother, three
brothers, three sisters and myself were
coming out over the plains from Indepen-
dence, No, 20 California, and when we
arrived al the CHA river, aboul SO miles
from its mouth, 1t then being about sun
set, band Of nineteen Apache Indiens,
pretending to be friendly, approached u;
as they drew near they seemed to hold a
kind Of council, and IN few minutes af-
terward set up the war whoop, and altacls-
ed US with clubs, the only weapons which
they had. Each one seemed TO have sin.
ged out his victim; and in a short time
they killed my father, mother two broth
ers and two sisters. NY own brother at
that time about fourteen years OF age,
was struck down aud supposed to be dead,
but afterwards escaped. and Is now with
me. Ny other sister and were captur-
ed and taken by the Indians across the
Giia, and about one hundred miles IN a
northeast direction from the place where
we were attacked, travelling Oh foot all
that night and the next day, without any
thing 10 eat. We at last arrived at an In
NtiStk1 Which
home. We remained there with the IN
dams one year; being, when we arrived
about thirteen years OF aga, and nay SIS
ter sven. We were compelled du-
ring our stay there to work, collecting
wood and water from several miles around
the camp and packing them on our shoul-
ders. The water we carried in Mexican
ollas or pots placed upon cur heads, ani
the wood by Tying II up with rope, and
placing the bundles upon our heads in the
same way. Al the end OF the year we
were sold 10 i tribe Of the Mohave IN.
dlans, living on the Colorado river. about
800 miles from Fort Yuma The Apa-
n 5 received in exchange fer us ten hor-
ses, two blankets, and quantity of beads
Wnen we were sold we were taken TO the
purchasers, and compelled TO travel on foot
three hundred and fifty miles to their vii
lage. We we're about ten days on the
road, and had nothing TO eat during the
whole time BIZ about one pound of beef
which had been given to rs when Wa
started. w. each ate i very small riecs
Of beef every day until the fifth. when i
gave our, AID we travelled five DAYS more
withou; any food whatever, and on some
DAYS we got no water TO drink When
we arrived at the Mchlve village, Aspe-
uosay, Jnlef Of tie tribe, took US as adopt
cd children, and we were treated as MEM
berS of his fam y, which consisted Of him.
self, his wife. two sons and two daugh-
;ers, all married but one Of the daugh-
tars.
Ii was at this time and by his orders
that the tatiooed marks upon my chinwere
made. In the Year 1892, but some time
after we arrived. there was a great want
of rain, and a great number OF the Ind
ians died of starvation. Oar family also
had little O. nothing 70 eat, and my sister
died for the want OF food. was myself
nearly starved, aad believed that l was
dying, when the chiefs wife, Who had
sona time before buried a lule seed corn,
took !: up and made gruel, which she gave
me, and [ recovered It was then pretty
near spring, and we all lived along on
whatever We could get, such as fish, mes
keets, beans, roots 1e., which We we're
soon able 20 ohtain in plenty. ! remained
thIs with the AIohaves foar wars.
About three months ago a Yuma In
dian found Ont that | WAS at the Mohaye
village, and told the Americans AZ Fort
Yuma about it. They sent him after me
and he brought with him two blankets
and seven pounds Of beads, for which the
chief, Aspenosay, gave me up. ] was
taken to Fort Yuma, and remained there
a month in the family Of Sergeant Reu-
ben Twist. s1y brother, who had escaped
at the attacl; and Afterwards came out to
this country by another train, was living
at the Monte, near Los Angeles. He
learned frcm the papers that was at Ft.
Yuma, and came after me. He took me
to the Monte, where we remained till last
Monday, when We went TO San Pedro,
where we got on board Of the steamer
Senator. and arrived In this city OF Sun
day morning. We are on our way 10
Rogna River Valley, Oregon Territory.
where we have relatives living.
Eg 1t is reported, that u Buchanan
men have been discovered IN NauSegan,