Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1858-02-12
CLARKsyILLE TENN. FRIDAY. FEBRUARY 70, 1855

negotiating peace, and then take hin
prisoner" ,.... 4
"This is, indeed, daring schcme;" said
Wilmer; "and scarcely know how tc
credit Il. How did you learn the fact2"
"From himselfl'' replied the stranger
"Day before yesterday, seeing mounted
band of Indians advancing towards me,
conceded myself in the cleft of rock
they halted close by, and Tatunkah ex.
planned the plan of operation. Their Ian.
guage is familiar to me, and lost scarce.
ly word Of what he said. II seeths that
he has been in the fort, and there took a
fancy to the Generals daughter, and his
object is to sieze the father and make mis-
liberation depend upon the delivery Of the
daughter into the hands Of the Chief. AS
soon as they left the spot, I set off for this
place, and by travelling night and day have
reached here in advance of them. By
noon, tomorrow their messenger win reach
the fort, and it is for your General to de-
eide what had best be DONE"
"In the meantime, sir" said Wilmer,
Ego with me into the fort, and receive the
thanks ofthe Generation your timely warn
ing, and there rest from your labor"
"Excuse me young man my mission is
ended, and must return. Long has it
been since I held intercourse with my race,
and long will itbe ere I desire to renew it. /"
Sand will you not, at least, let me know
sir, to whom we are indebted for so impor-
tant service?' tfei ''5t l.Hf
"Should we ever meet again" said the
stranger; III may give you the information
you seek /; but story of wrongs endured,
and now past remedy, is painful to relate.
Those wrongs have driven ME from the
walks of civilization TO seek home in the
forest where the savage still holds domin-
ion, and whose worst traits of character
are borrowed from the white man.
81 know not that we shall ever meet
again." said Wilmer; "but ere we part, tell
me if you have seen much of the mixed
tribe of whom Tatunkah is the chief, and
whether you have heard of any female
captiyes held by himi'' sf aa6i ,
"This tribe;" replied the straager;" is
made up of Hurons and Apachees-frag-
ments Of the broken body Of Dacotahs,
once SO powerful; and the young Chief
bears the name Of his father--assumed
since the death of the latter. A trader
once told me that he saw, in their village,
two femal captives-mother and daughter
who had been adopted into the tribe, and
that Tatunkah had tried to marry the
daughter, but in vain" Hr' ,lm.sr
sand how long have they been cap
tives?' Asked Wilmer, with show of
interest.
"Several years." was the reply; "but the
trader did not know exactly how long;
nor did he learn their names or their his
tory further than that they had been
brought from east Of the Mississippi. 1t
has been some six months since the trader
related these facts to me; but the probabil-
ity is that the captives are still in the vii
lage, on Red River, near the Raft. Now
will you tell me why you have made such
particular enquiries aboutfemales captives2'
~, too, have q story of wrongs to tell
you, perhaps, should we meet again." said
Wilmer, in tone of deep feeling" 'and
that we may the more readily meet, will
you not say where l may find your
"The Indians and traders know me as
the "Hermit of the Washita;" was the re-
ply; "and my cave lies about due South
from here, and on the bank of the river.
So good woodsman as you, will have
little difficulty in finding it, and have
a presentiment that the day is not distant,
when you will be my guest, and the only
one ever invited to my abode"
II too, have a similar presentiment;"
Wilmer said. "Whst you have told me
quickens the hope that I may yet accomp-
lish purpose which have sworn never
TO abandon until success crowns my labors,
or deep vengeance repays, in blood, the
wrongs have endured Mt the hands of the
savages. AS an inmate of the fort, can
do nothing towards the attainment of these
ends, and care not how soon leave it, free
to enter upon the sacred task of liberating
the captiyes and Furnishing tho captors,"
"My sympathies are with you, young
man." said the Hermit "and great must
be your wrongs to nerve you for such a
task as that you propose to yourself.
Should you attempt TO effect it by force, it
will be fatal to those you would serve /;
and To undertake it alone, would seem TO