Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1862-03-01
SIOUX CITY IOWA SATURDAY, MARCH L. 1862


.ion. They started at nigh,faH of the
mex. day, having twenty miles Of hard
walking, encountering difficulties seen and
unseen. Their comrades came round to
bid them good bye, as they were uncertaio
OF ever meeting them again. The General
took them warmly BY the hand and wished
them Good speed I'm, I'D g.. .,...
As the first gray streaks Of dawn we're
shooting up in the east, Martin and West
had made half the distance, and being
wearied, and faint from hunger they look.
ed about for a secure place to rest, which
was soAnd 10 the shape Of thick copse
Of hazel bushes. They had as yet seen
nothing to warn them Of the presence OF
danger, and were beginning to feel that
the evil was more in Imagination than
elsewhere They rested and partook of
refreshments, and were preparing to
emerge from their little fort, when noise
like the rustling Of leaves was heard, and
little Indian dog bounded iu, and loudly
commenced barking. West soon silenced
the little intruder with his bunting knife
But peril was at hand, the owners of the
dog could not be far of, and cooking
their rifles. they proceeded cautiously -
Through the opposite side of the copse
from which the dog came. they betook
themselves They had not gone far when
the heavy tread of human beings was
heard it seemed to be coming nearer,
aud looking down they discovered small
path which the Indans--for it was evi-
IDENTITY them must be pursuing. They
stepped quickly and silently aside, secret.
ing themselves as best they could and
awaited the approach of their foes. Soon
they came, copversiug in their own ton.
que, which was we'll understood by the
/, poung men.
"The dog went to the copse yonder and
barked something is there. Two of you
get around to the other side, and the rest
will approach from th,s," said one. They
passed on. 1901
Martin and West, fearful Of being tracked,
again began their Journey with double
caution and swiftness. The steps of the
savages had passed out Of hearing. and
safety seemed certain, when the foot Of
West caught in the root Of an old tree and
he was thrown headlong. At the same
instant, his gun caught in a limb, was dis.
charged, and the contents lodged in Mar
tins arm A loud shout vas instantly
heard from the Indians and scarcely had
West regained his footing and succeeded in
firmly grasping Martins own gun, which
had fallen from his now powerless hand,
than they crashed through the uuderLrush
and were upon them. Fleeing was out of
the question, and resolving to sell his life
IS dearly as possible, West fred at the
foremost, who, leaping into the air, fell
dead at his feet. Clubbing his gun. he
raised it to strike the next one, but it was
caught by some one behind, and turning
he found Martin prisoner, with his wound
ed and bleeding arm bound back in as try.
ing position as possible for Gendish saw
ages to invent" Here tear welled up in
my uncle's eye. He sighed, looked down
for minute, and then went on. "West
was instantly bound, and together they
were both set on the march. For miles
thus they went, taunted and tortured in
every conceivable way, nor did they rest
until dusk, when nearly fainting from
hunger and fatigue they were given the
remnants Of piece of yenison, and thrown
down TO rest on the bare, damp ground.
A night passed in unspeakable agony,
gave place to a lovely morn The birds
flowers hooded lovingly in the breeze, and
all seemed happy except the wearied pris.
| oners.
They were again given some fragments
left by the Indians, who were soon lighted,
| and the Indians proceeded to move their
prisoners, causing visions of dreadful
death by burning, to fit through their
minds. But they we're not led in the di.
rection of the fire, but taken nearly hun.
dred yards through the woods to place
where another Indian seem waiting.
Two sapligs were bent over and they
were tied on them by their hands and
knees, so that their whole weight was
straining on their limbs. This was
doubly torturing in the case Of Martin,
whose arm had now swollen to fearful
extent.
The wretches laughed as he closed his
eyes when the fearful pangs sho: through
MIN. My great uncle Lhen paused aud
clinched his hands, and the tear that had
been standing in his eyes rolled heavily
and sadly down his furrowed cheek.
Soon the cleaning scalping knife was
brought forth, and in an instant the black
locks Of Martin were in possession of a
savage. He then departed with it to the
camp, and IN fifteen or twenty minutes
returned, bearing il full Of embers. The
prisoners saw him coming and half OWNED
his hellish purpose. Martin gazed up At
the blue sky above him seemingly engaged
in prayer. Soon the savages came up and
thrust the scalp OF red hot embers on his
raw and bleeding head Martin closed his
lips as il to keep back all expression Of
agony; he writhed moment, and groan
wild and thrilling. burst from him, seem.
ing let his soul out Of its narrow tenement.
A slight shiver, and the spirit Of Martin
took It's fight to the invisible world
The sound Of the narrators voice died
away. We looked up--his chin was upon
bis bosom, and great tear drops fell and
glistened in the soft, SUNNY curls OF our
darling Clara, who with her head repasing
on his knee now looked up wond rlusly,
and carressingly took his great bard palm
in her white dimpled hands, saying, "nncle
don't cry, Jour little Clara loves you.''--
This recalled his wandering MUD and -