The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1856-12-04
81 5flrrtra 5turu,
Ihs lecotahs' eabtibs.


WHILE the Spanish colonists ravagcd the
| southern portion of North America in quest
of gold, and the English planted the germ
OF sell. government on the eastern coast, the
French were but the agents of home mer-
chants, who enjoyed monopoly Of the vari-
GUS traftics, and were sustained in the enioy.
! nent of it by the strong arm of military
power. To the trading associations in par.
rcular we owe the discovery of the Nfissis.
sippi, by the sons of the members-tbe in.
trepid La Sale. In this day, lead was first
discovered within the present limits of the
State Of Iowa, but the noted Julien Du.
Buque was the first who taught the Indians
to collect the ore, and make an article of
trade OF 1t. lie was not only brave. but
crafty man. and after his death, the savapes.
in compliance with his dying wish, deposit.
cd Ills remains on the summit of high cliff
overlooking the Father Of Waters securing
the mouth Of the mausoleum with massive
leaden door of a ton weight. They then
burned his dwellings and erased every trace
of civilized life around his settlement ey.
cept the orchards planted BY his own hands
'ahdai whites afterwards cut up the door
to sell, but the name Of Dubuque will ever
be remembered in Iowa
lcars passed away. The white flag Of
france no longer waved over the Mississippi
valley, and the bold frontiers man, advan
| eng on the foremos. wave Of civilization.
crossed the river in quest of lead ore game.
and fertile soil One of the first settlements
thus established, was formed by party from
Kentucky, led by the grandsire of the
younger generation-old Joe Bates, a noble
specimen of froniiers.man. Seventy win
tiers had whtened his long locks, but he was
still hale and hearty, able to WELD an axe
with any OF his sons, or to draw bead on
rifle with that fatal accuracy of aim which
had enabled him to render good service at
the battle Of New Orleans. Selecting n
good locality on the very shore of the Mis-.
sissippi, old Joe and his sons built a log
cabin, surrounded by a stockade to keep off
the Decotahs. They surrounded clear
ing with worm fence, deadencd the stand.
ing trees 10y the fatal axe circle, and planted
corn. When the corn was well above the
ground and freed from weeds, they began
to prospect for lead ole.
Thus far they had seen no qndians, end
began to fatter themselves that the red
skins had left the country to their peaceful
possessions, but the willy savages had kept
constant watch upon their movements
Perhaps, had they confined themselves TO
agricultural labors, the intruders might have
gone on unmolested, especially as the Deco
tabs wished to conciliate the United States
Government into profitable treaty, but
when plckaxcs were welded in search of
lead ore, the destruction of the pale-faces
was resolved upon in cOnncil
| The first object Of savage vengeance was
the oldest son, Frank Bates. who had built
him a cabin about five hundred wards from
head quarters despite the warnings of old
joe. Frank, however, had no fear Of In.
diaDs, and lived with his wife and babe in
great happiness, until one summers night
when he was awakened by the loud barkins
Of his dogs. Springipg from his bed he
looked through the opening in the logs, and
saw to his horror at least fifty Decotahs, in
full war costume, evidently seeking the ca
siest way to force an entrance into the cab.
in. Arousing his wife, he raised cellar
trap door, and was about to send her down,
when the child she had left in the bed be,
gan to cry .....
] cannot leave my babe she sail.
Nay he exclaimed, l will take care Of
the boy and almost forcing her down into
the small cellar, lie closed the unhin1ed
door, over which lie drew large Chest
Then, seizing his rifle aud hatchct, he took
the infant and ascended to tie loft Of the
cabin, pulling the ladder after him. A mo.
meut more, the door was forced from its
hinges, and The Decotahs entered eager Of
their prey. Bu. Bates did not remain 10
watch their movements, for, lashing his bov
to his shoulders, he cautiously opened a
shutter in the gable Of the loft, and seeing
that no Indians were beneath, jumped the
ground, rifle in hand, s - ls.
Ere he had traversed his little garden, the
| air resounded with the blood chilling tones
of the war-whoop, and volley of arrows
rained around the fugitive. Happily only
one struck him, and that in the fleshy part
Of the arm, SO that he kept on straining ey-
cry nerve to reach tile stockade around bis
fathers cabin. But ere he had gone many
PAGES Il gigantic Indian overlook him.
Turning like stag at bay, he faced bis an
tagonist, he knocked him down with the
butt Of his rifle and then sped on his way.
But now, to bis horror, he saw = large body
of Deootahs around las fathers dwelling as
he. approached, firing. over on the roof OF
the cabins with arrows TO which burning
II 49, n 4 ! =