Plymouth weekly banner. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1856, 1856-07-17

norihwesterly direction.
On this journey they ate nothing until
the fourth day. when they received a
piece OF meat about as large as her hand
and this kept them alive. There were
no roots or berries. and they dared not
ask the Indians for food. The Indians
would kill such game as came in their
way. but they did not offer it to their
captives. She describes them as being
too lazy to exert themselves to procure
food, and only killing such game as
chance brought TO them. Her days had
thus far been dark, and she was almost
ready to despair Not all act of kind
ness nor word of sympathy or hope had
been addressed to her by her cap,ors, who
treated her and her sister as slaves.
Arrived among tho Mohaves. the chief
whom she calls Espsrasay, took them in
to his own family. and they were treated
in every respect as his own children
The blankets were given to them for COW
ering; food was divided with them; they
were not obliged To labor. but did pretty
much as they pleased. Lands were al.ot-
ted TO them. and they were furnished
with seeds and raised their own corn.
me Ions, and beans as the Indians did.
There is little or no rain at the Coiora
do. and the Mohaves depend upon the
overflow Of the river for the irrigation
necessary TO germinate and ripen their
harvests. Sometimes there is no over
flow of the river, and much suffering fol-
lows. The Indians are too indolent to
plant more than will suffice for their &C.
tual necessities. Three years ago there
was no overflow, and q famine was the
consequence, in which many perished.-
1t was in This famine that Olive suffered
her greatest grief. Her little sister, Ma.
ry Ann, had endured all her captivity
with her. They supposed that they were
alone of their family; they had suffered
together the cruelties Of the savage;
but they had not been separated. They
could sympathise with 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 de-
erees-she knew that she wss 10 die, and
talked calmly Of death TO Olive. She had
no disease--but there was no iood--and
she wasted miserably in the famine that
desolated the tribe. Olive herself was
uear perishing. bat the strength of.heI
Of the chiefs wife in terms Of the warm
| est gratitude. A mother could not have
expressed more kind hearted sympathy
than did this good woman. whose gentle
treatment saved her life. This woman
had laid up seeds 10 plant. and which
even the dying groans OF her own people
could pot make her bring out. Whe
she saw Olives distress. she ground ,h
corn between stones. msce q Cruel an.
fed it to her, not deserving any even Il
her.a,f.
The Mohaves always told her she coult
go to The white settlements when sh,
pleased, bu; they dared not 60 with her
fearing they nigh, be punished Tor hav
ing hrpt white woman so long among
them. nor did they dare to let il bt
known that she was among them. Be
fore the arrival OF the Indian messenge
charged to release her. she heard of hi
departure from the fort. by an Indiar
runner. Her JOY was very great, but shs
forced herself TO appear Indifferent, les
the Indians should sill retain her. She
had little confidence in their sincerity
when they gave her permission to leav,
them. because they refused to 60 will
her. and they knew she WOULD not gt
alone. At length Francisco, the Yuma
arrived with the requisition from Colone
Burke for her delivery. The packet wa.
examined by the Indians, but no one un
derstood it. 1t was written in bold
round hand, the letters being third ofsr
inch long. /: was the first word Of En-
glish she had seen for five long wear,
years. and she could not restrain hel
emotion. The cold chill of Indian re.
serve seemed to mel, away. and she saw
before her mind The old home scenes, and
happy voices seemed 20 welcome her re.
turn. She readily deciphered the mean.
ing Ct that rescfipt. and communicates
it to the assembled Indians. Accomra.
nying it were six pounds of white beads
four blankets and some other trinkets. TO
be gwen in exchange. These were &C.
cepted. and the chiet told her she was al
liberty to depcss for her friends. Many
o. the Indians. however, objected to her
going. fearing they would be punished %
her captors. The chiefs wife. the kind
L. - r.