The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1867-02-15
Eighteen Years Captive-Curious A l.
ventures of a Man and Wife.

From the Elnra N. Y. Advertiser, Jan so
In the spring of 1913 pleasant party,
with high wrought viSioas about the then
virgin land of gold, California, left Fast
Medway, Massachu~e for an overland
journey across the plains. Among the par
ty was James Z. klmball, then only nine
teen, and Just married to Jane Mcneil, and
halt sister of the famous Kit Carson. The
father and mother Of the bride accompan-
led them. Everything prospered with them,
the company having augmented 10 sixty
three, when they set out upon the overland
journey. They reached the foot OF Ch l.
cothe mountain June Is, 1913, having
crossed the plains of Utah. Here they were
suddenly attacked by a war party of the
Snakes and ShosboneeS, and the entire com
parry captured CT killed, kimbail was sue
ccsstu in saving his own lie and that of his
wife by fortunately running the gauntlet
twice for himself. He was then exalted IN
to favor ameng the Indians, and soon be-
came great medicine man. His tather-in
'law had been previously burned atthe stake.
When the Indians had satiated their bar
barity, then the remaining captives we're hur-
rled away towards the mouth of the Column
bla river in w Washington territory, the head
quarters of the tribe. Starting out on an
other war path they assembled the Colun,-
bia ard met hostile tribe in their path,
the Enoyas, and were badly defeated and
the wife of kimbal was saptured ard re-
manned in slavery for two years and ha.t,
when another war terminated in the defeat
Of the enemy and the restoration of Mrs
kimbal to her husband again. The Snakes
and Shohonees acted as one tribe, although
with different head men or clrieis For the
remaining fifteen years Of their captivity,
the kimbalis followed the fortunes of the
tnbe, wandering here and there over a vast
region OF country, at some seasons well pro-
vlded with provisions, at others compelled
to subslst on insects, roots and herbs, a vag-
abond life, here to-day and there to-
morrow. During the whole PERIOD they
kept an accurate account OF the years by
the passage OF the seasons. The reputa-
tion Of Kimball waxed greater and greater,
as the great medicine man If the tribe. In
April or March, the tribe in one of their
raids approached the fro:tiers of civiliza-
ton and took part IN the Fort Laramie
massacre. During the progress of the fight
klmball made signals to the United States
soldiers, which gave them to understand
that he was Write man. He was soon
recaptnred by lieutenant Wyman Of the
18th United States infantry. With the as
slstance OF the "boyS in blue, he was for
tunate in fighting his way through to his
wife 8 tent, and rescuing her. They both
received the kindest attention from General
Darlington, commanding at Fort kearuey,
Kan, who helped them well on their way
towards friends in the East Two daugn-
ters, aged lG aud II, they left behind, be-
ing wives of the Indian chiefs, Peter Ful-
som and John Hawkeye. After reaching
this State, klmball was fortunate in finding
that his father had left East Medwayi
Mass, and had settled between Corning
and Painted Post, as farmer and merchant.
His name is Newell kinball. He left here
yesterday noon by the mail train, with his
wife. Their appearance to his father
family Was like those having risen from the
grave, as, years ago, they had been given
up as lost or killed On tire vast western
plains. At the time ct his recapture KIM
ball received ball through his left wrist,
which paralized that arm, and an lndiali
arrow passed thro his groin. AS yet, he
has not much taste for the arts of civiliza-
ton. His food is exceedingly primitive
raw beeistake, and but little besides-gra
tying his appetite better than all the most
elaborate efforts or cookery.