The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1859-12-08

nut not the taintest trace could De dlS>
covered. An old settler. still alive, acted
as stoekeeper. and as each party came in
after an unsuccessful hunt, he filled
their meal bags and canteens, and sent
them off again.
Meantime the brave mother kept on
steadily at her household duties, her
heart racked with thousand pangs Of
fear, and her eyes turning ever - the
window in hopes to be gladdenel with
the sight Of her darling boy. But to he,
sight that boy was never fated to return
ON ea,th, at least. Weeks passed
way-.weeks Of agonizing hopes and f ars
and then came the settled conviction thal
all hope was lost. 1t was thought that a
party of Pottawattomies, who passed
through about that time on the trail fol
Cannda, had taken him with them. From
time TO time came rumors that the boy
had been seen in this direction or that,
but speedy examination proved all these
rnmors to be without foundation. Once,
about four years after his loss, a man who
bad been travelling among the Indian
tribes Of Illinois said he had seen anon 9
the Potawattomies in that States white
child, whose age and appearance woald
correspond with little Mathew. Mr. Bray
ton Immediately wrote to Gen. Cass. then
Indian Commissioner, but the answer was
prompt that the report was certainly in.
correct, "The Indians had no white child
with them"
So the years wore on. and the incident
became less fresh in mems memories
Not forgotten. however. for the hardy
pioneers OF Wyandot, S"neca, Hardin.
Hancock and the adjoining counties, still,
among the histories Ct their pioneer life,
told their children Of the mysterious dis
appearance Of little Matthew Brayton.-
Not forgotten,--for the sturdy Elijah
though another boy had been added to
his family to replace the one SO sadly
lost, and another girl to replace one lost
by death-sti|l multered of his "lost Mat
thew" and said had he lived he would
have been "the smartest of them all" =
Not forgotten, for deep in the heart of
the eldest brother, William, sank the
spoken or silently expressed reproach Of
the mother, that the loss of that boy was
owing to his care essncss in sending him
off alone. Not forgotten, ah, no! not
forgotten by that fond maternal heart
that yearncd lougingly for the missing
lamb of the fold. The paing cheek, the
wasting form, the decaying strength told
how deep the love. how bitter the anguish
Of the mother Tor her lost son. If she
were but sure Of his fate,--if but rag
Of his clothes. but a particle Of his body
had remained 10 assure her that her dar.
ling had perishcd by wild beasts, or been
slain by still wilder men, it would have
given at least rest to her weary heart, but
this torturng mystery was too great TO be
borne. So the years wore on, until eigh-
teen years ago that suffering heart was
laid to rest beneath the turf, and all VINO
knew the story sighed and said the fate
of her boy had broken the motherly
heart.
AMONG THE INDIANS.
The events Of the first eight years Of
young Brayton's captivity are only known
to him by the statements made to him at
different times by the various bands Of
Indians, and their exact accuracy cannot
therefore be known. 1t appears that lie
was carried off by the Pottawattomie In
diaas, and by them taken to Canada. 1t
was told him that after being kept some
time bv this tribe he was sold to the
Paw.Paws for about five gallons Of whis-
ky, who traded him off to the Winneba-
goes for seven gallons ofwhisky. With
this tribe he remained some time, and
was eventually sold to the Chippewas,
who soon transferred him to the Sioux for
eleven gallons whisky. Here his first
distinct recollections commence, twenty
six years ago, when he was "about
head shorter" than at the present time.
Twenty five yearsago last April lie was
soldin Iowa to the Snakes and Copper
heads. This tribe he accompanied in
their migrations through California and
Oregon, until they were at length crow
ded up in the far North West. Here the
tribe to which he belonged have been
joined by portions Of the Crows, Utahs,
and Flat Heads, making large aggre-
gate united under one general chief, with
numberof suoordinary chiefs. That por
ton Of the tribe to which Matthew more
particular belonged remained principally
in the Russian territory. and they paid
frequent visits to Russian Forts on the
Colville River.
A bout eight years since thear supply
of game during the winter ran low. and
being almost both starved and frozen out
the portion Of the tribe with which he
was. moved off in the direction Of the
Hudson's Bay trading posts. Here some
Of the traders remarked his appearance,
and told him that he was "pale face"
The whites demanded him but the Indians
absolutely refused either to give him up
freely or to allow him to be ransomed.