Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-07-20

Snc ulu, Her tongue never Dreamed IL.
fell sick once, and she was my nurse
really think if it hadn't been for her kind
ness | should have died. She bathed m,
fevered head, sang me songs to lull me t.
repOse, and almost wept for Joy when | re
covered
Well at this time the Sioux were at wal
with the Pawnees, and it was not till 81,
months after my arrival that great smoke
was held between the hostile chiefs, anC
the hatchet buried in the big lodge of thC
| village. AS soon as this was settled, my
Sioux friend found leisure to escort me tC
! the Rocky Mountains, where we went fo
a great hunt.
| In a fortnight we reached our destination
and stood upon one of their lofty peak:
amid the region of eternal SHOWS. Wha
a magnificent scene Below-peak, cliff
and gentle slope fell down into the plain OF
each side ; while far away to the west
over forest and river, the setting sun sunk
into the vast Pacific. The eagle sailed un
| harmed on these solitary recesses, and the
feet below. Now the hoarse roar of cat
aract broke majestically on my ear, anC
now the imprisoned wind, like stifed thun
der, was heard far down some dark ravine
| lifted up my voice, waking the echoes
that had slumbered since creation. A
crowd of sublime emotions thronged in my
bosom. Never had civilized foot stood
where | stood A continent was beneath
me its past history was dream and the
names of the races that peopled it were un
known. The graves Of nations We're under
my feet.
| we'll remember when, on our return, we
first caught sight of the Sioux wigwams
dwindled on the horizon to a speck, and the
eagerness with which we pressed on across
! the prairie to reach our homes before night
! fall Suddenly We saw crowd issuing
| from the village, and contained scarcely a
single warrior. Instead of the wild tu-
multuous Joy which attended our first ar
rival when a hundred braves swept huz-
zaing around us on their feet horses, we
were met with solemn silence, and all the
stoicism Of the Indian character The
cause was soon explained. A party of our
Sioux friends, when returning from a visit
to a ncighborlng village, had been wayIaid
by the Pawnees. who. after numbering the
braves, had carried off the women as cap
tves. My sweet prairie flower was one of
the prisoners.
"Does my white brother hear 2" said her
brother, turning to me with unnatural calm
ness, but a fire burning in his dark eye that
forebode fearful Vengeance" does my
white brother hear 2"
told him that | would go with him to
the worlds end to rescue Meneateeah; and
then smile of approval lighted up the
countenance of the young chief, as he re-
piled in his deep cultural tones. Good
very good. The War Eagle and his
brother will be after the dogs of Pawnees
before sunset" ..
The proposition was hailed with a shout;
we made our preparations for the war par
ty and, before the moon was an hour high,
we were already far upon the track of the
flying Pawnees.
All night we continued the pursuit, and
only towards the morning did we pause for
a little rest In an hour or two we resumed
our march, and night had long settled on
the prairie before we halted to bivouac till
morning We had moved forward for some
hours with extreme caution, for we suspec-
ted the enemy to be in our near neighbor-
hood and accordingly, when we stopped,
runners were sent out to recOnnoitre the
Pawnee camp, and scouts stationed to pre-
vent ali possibility of surprise
At my urgent request | had been per-
mitted by the young chief to accompany
him to one of these outposts, where he pro-
posed to spend the night. 1t was a still
hazy evening. A few stars ficked through
the mist; the moon waded heavily amid
the clouds above and occasionally the
wind moaned across the the silent prairie,
with a low, mournful sound. In an hour,
however, the clouds totally obscured the
light, and thick palpable darkness set
tied down around us. Occasionally low
sound, like the stifed neigh of a horse,
would be heard amid the stiffness and
then the wailing tones of the night-wind
would come to the ear with strange mys-
terious sound, A couple of hours had
passed, when iancicd heard cry, like
that of a human voice. coming out Of the
darkness a short distance ahead. put nv
ear to the ground, and heard several voices
conversing, What they said, however, was
in language | knew not | looked hur-
riedly around to apprise my companion of
our danger but / found myself could
scarcely credit it--alone For one minute
| fancied saw dark form stealing along
IN the uncertain gloom but even while
looked, the shadowy appearance vanished.
Left to my own resources, | did not quail.
Hurrldiy throwing my rifle across my arm,
with one foot extended, and every sense
alive with excitement, | waited the APP
prOach of my foes Had the chance given
me | should have sold my life dearly but
all at once, as dark form rose suddenly
before me, | felt myself tripped up, and fell
PROSTATE on the prairie, In another in
stant four swarthy figures sprang up at
my feet, and | found myself prisoner. My
hands were instantly bound, and was hur-
ried off toward the Pawnee camp The In
dlans had approached by crawling noise
lessly on their hands and feet; and while |
was looking for them in the gloom, they
had me already in their power. " .aG
Never shall | forget the emotions of that
night. well knew the manner in which
prisoners were treated, and | looked for
ward to death of torture. Morning at
length dawned ; but it brought me no CON-