Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1859-12-21
An Indian Captive Reclaimed
after Thfrty-fiyc Years.
tFropl the Tifiin (Ohio) Tribune

The falls narrative of the retnrn and
recognition of Mathew BraytoD, the long los
son of Elijah Brayton, of this county, whc
was stolen by the Indians thirty five years
/ ago, will be read with interest It was kind
/ ly furnished by Mr. J. ". Chamberlain, OF
Cary. and can be relied upon as true:
On the the 10th of September, 1925, two
children of Elijah Brayton. then residing
near Springville, in this county. we're sent
out for the cows After going short dis
tance from home, the younger one, Mathew
/ between seven and eight years of age, be-
came fatigued and started for neis shboring
house close by. while the other continued the
search for the cows. Since that time moth
ing has been heard of the child until lately.
The country was thoroughly searched bY all
the whites and friendly Indians that resided
near this settlement, and continued for sever
al weeks, but without effect. At the time be
was lost there we're two scars on his person.
one on his bead, caused by boil, and one on
| the big toe OF his right foot,
During the latter part of last August, it
was ascertaned, through the medium of the
papers, that returned Indian captive was at
Cleveland, searching for his relatives. Search
was made for this person. but he was not
found until Tuesday evening, November 18th
near Sugar Grove, Warren county, Pa, by
William Dayton, who started with him imme
diately for Adrian, where be arrived Thurs
day aftern Don.
The news few like wildfre through the
neighborhood, and the people have been Wis
itiug him constantly since his arrival, qucs-
tlooing and cross questioning him until he is
almost exhausted The scars, corresponding
to those on Mathew Brayton wheu lost, were
found on his person. He is a man about
five feet seven aud quarter inches in height
and OF light complexion. He has some .at-
too marks on his chest. also some scars on his
rightrieg. ezu5ed =ssOuuds-receivedi ia sI-
Indian battle some three years ago. The In
dians in performing the necessary surgical
operation, strapped him to log and sewed
up the woand (some eight inches in lengthy
with buckskin thong, making but three
stitches The scars made by the needle and
thong are nearly as large as that made By the
cut OF the tomahawk He has with him his
Indian dog, named Nemi, aud large pipe
made of flint, which weighs nine ounces
He says it toog him one moon to drill the
hole through the pipe, which he did with
piece of steel, some bears oil aud water. He
was stolen by the Pattawatamie and Canada
Indians, and was shifted from one Of these
tribes to the other, until be was sold by them
to the Pawpaw Indians, who gave five and a
half gallons of whskey for him, and they
sold him to the Winnebagoes for seven and
half GALLONS. They were living in Michigan
at that time. The Chippeways bought him
of the Winnebsgoes. and kept him two months
End half. and then sold him to the Sioux
for eleven gallons of the fire water. This he
does not reculect himself. but it was told
him by the various tribes, as he traced him
self back to Ohio.
lie remembers back to the time he was
owned BY the Sioux, which be says was TWEEN
ty-six years ago To use his language, Il
was theI head shorter than | am now" He
was purchased from the Sioux twenty-five
years ago last April. at Cedar Rapids. Iowa,
by the Snakes aud Copperheads, with whom
he has resided ever since He lived in Iowa
two years, then moved to Minnesota, where
he staid six months; thence to California,
where he resided five and half years, thence
20 Oregon where they stad two years, thence
to the Russian possessions, where he has re-
sided ever SINCE except when travelling to
and from their trading post He lived near
Behring's Straits, 200 miles northwest of
big Esquimaux' village, go degrees north
latitude. He-iS,s crossed the straits several
times in the winter season on the ice. He
was crossing once few winters ago, on the
back of lar ge elk, going at pretty sharp
pace, when the elk stepped into an air hole,
him over his head into the water
At the time this took place the lamented DIR. !
Kane with his expedition In that Sec !
ton. After getting out of the water he met |
one of his crew, a man by the name of Thorn |
as Hickey. Since his return to the States, |
on the arrival in Cleveland, when he got off |
the train, he saw Hickey, who recognized
him instantly, calling him by his Indian
name.
He was in ST. Paul when it only contained |
seven houses. About eight years ago his i
tribe being nearly famished by hunger. went
to Hudson Bay in search of provisions, where |
he first learned that he was pale face The
whites being unable to purchase him the In
dians refusing to part with him. threatened !
to take him by force. but the great disparity
of their numbers prevented them from put
ting their threat in force. They would cot
visit any white settlement for three years after
that, for fear he would leave them, or be ta-
ken away by the whites. They then visited
lord Sefkirk's settlement on Red River
where they got into skirmish with the whites
The whites told him there, also. that he was
a white man. He had been at ST. Paul sew
en- or eight times trading expeditions; also
at Lord Selkirk's settlement. H1dson's Bay
aud St. Anthony's Fails. The whites repeat