The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1868-06-20

area Of two or three acres, and aanked on its
south and west sides by deep ravines. The
earthworks are now from eighteen inches to two
] feet inf height. Tbs ground occupied by the
fort is at this time covered by trees and shrubs,
but the earthworks - very easily traced, and
they show that the fort VAS furnished with bas-
tions and angles, 80 q r. cover the ground in
every direction from tts fort. The gateway of
the fort is about ten feet wide, and is but few
feet.wsst of the road BOW RAINING from the
south to Starved Rsck Old settlers say that
some thirty years ago the places where the OFF,
Gers houses and soldiers barracks stood could be
feasiiy eointsd out intbqfort, and that there was
I at that time a we'll shoft distance north of the
| fort, which has since been filled up.
The position of the ravines near this fort show
| that it was probably connected with the strong
hold on the rock by stockade and in this en-
closure they probably raised their corn and vege-
| tables. This enclosure would contain an area
one-half mile in length by one.quarter of mile
| in width
| 1t must be remembered that at that time this
country was a very paradise for hunters. The
groves We're filled with deer and wild TURKEY
The streams abeunded with fish. Beaver and
and otter were plenty, and during the summer
| and fall the prairies were ranged by numerous
herds of buffalo.
On the low land south of Starved Rock there
are now several underground archways built of
stone. These archways are ten OF twelve feet
long. and about three feet in height and dame
ter Charcoal and ashes are now found in these
archways. They may have been used for ovens
in which to cook their food or Tor warming
houses, which were built over them. As they
stand on the low ground in front of the mouth
of deep ravine, they may have been built upon
the surface of the ground, and since become cov-
cred by the soil brought down from the ravine
| by the water
| The fort, during the time it was held by the
French was much of the time occupied by from
five hundred to thousand persons, consisting of
French soldiers and their families, and friendly
Indians, with whom they had formed alliances,
and it is not improbable but that these archways
were used for cooking purposes.
| Tonti undoubtedly formed an alliance with
the tribes of Indians living Immediately in the
vicinity of tine fort. This tribe was one of five
or six tribes who inhabited the Illinois river
valley, and commonly known as the Illinois
Indians.
| This particular tribe which lived in the vicin-
ity of the fort called themselves "Lini,' which
in their tongue, literally meant Men" The
| French called them Illini. From this tribe this
state took its name Illinois, the literal meaning
of which is "The Men,
The Indians of this tribe considered themselves
superior to those of the surrounding tribes, and
although comparatively small tribe, yet among
the surrounding tribes their old men were famed
at the council fire and their young men feared
on the war path
| They seem to have used the jealousy Of the
| surrounding indians, for We find that about the
year 1890, the surrounding tribes had combined
against the Illinois Indians in war, which
resulted in the total destruction of the Lini
| tribe.
After several years of fighting, a remnant of
the Lini tribe took refuge in the old French fort
on the rock, where they were besieged until
nealy all OF them persisted by starvation. The
few who succeeded in breaking throu h the be-
sieging lines were unrclentinyly pursued and
killed near the mouth of the Illinois river.
Since this occurrence this rock has received the
name of Starved Rock, instead of its old name Fort
| st. Louis.
1t is said that Tonti, with his men and the
friendly Indians under his command and pro.
lection, at one time fought battle with some of
the surrounding tribes little distance north of
the place where the city of Ottawa now stands
| The following occurrence seems somewhat to
| corroborate this story:
Some years ago. as ex.Mayor Clancy was caus.
ing some excavations to be made in the north
! part of the city, small iron cannon was found
embedded some two or three feet in the ground.
This cannon is of the size and style of cannon in
use at the time La Sale occupied this country,
and the superstition that it WAS lost or abandoned
by Tonti and his men is not wholly mag mary.
This cannon is now IN the possession of the
Academy of Natural Sciences in the city of Otta-
wa, and may be seen by application to DR.. Paul,
the President of the Academy.
| La Sale was engaged all the time in voyages
of discovery, and Tonti appears to have had the
command of Fort St Louis but nothing appears
to be known in regard to his fate after the French
abandoned Fort St. Louis
| La Sale was killed by the treachery of one
of his men while endeavorng to find passage
| by water from the Gulf of Mexico to Lake Mich.
| igan, by way of the Mississippi river, . ~. E.
h Of the five Catholio Fathers who accompanied