Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1868-03-14
Among the Indians.

There is at present in this city a
young boy named George Henry Syl-
vester, who has spent most of his life
since 1861 among the Snake, Cheyenne
and Sioux Indians. His father and
family live at the Dalles or in that vi
cinity. In 1861, while crossing the
plains from Illinois to this coast, and
while encamped on the Humboldt
river, the boy George was suddenly
missing, the parents conjecturing right
ly that the Snake Indians had stolen
him. lie has not a definite recollec-
ton of the circumstances of his capture,
beyond the fact that the Indians seized
and hurried him off, and kept him for
about two years, treating him as we'll
as it is in the nature of an Indian to
do. He was then traded to the Chey-
ennes for two horses, and remained with
that tribe, as near as he can remember,
about year, when he was again traded
by them to the Sioux for one horse.
This occurred some time in 1864. He
remained among the Sioux till just be-
fore Christmas in 1866.
During that time bands to which he
successfully belonged ranged and hunt
ed the Smoky Hill, Arkansas river, Re.
publican fork, etc. Though in man
ner accustomed to Indian life, he often
felt desire to escape from them and
return among the whites, but never
had an opportunity to do so till the
time above mentioned. Being sent out
on horseback to watch band of horses
he concluded to make the attempt te
get away, and accordingly started to-
ward Julesburg, riding for whole day
and night at the utmost possible speed
His horse finally dropped down exhaust
ed and died, when he took his way Oh
foot During the trio he had no food
except the carrion of an OK which be
found, and a crow which he contrived
to kill. During the nights he was com
PEELED to build fires to keep away the
gray wolves which focked close around
snarling and barking, and impatient fol
their prey. He describes those nights
as most horrible; doubly so because
the fires built to keep away the wolves
increased the danger of his recapture
by the Indians, whom he supposed te
be in pursuit. When within fifty
miles of Julesburg, he encountered a
soldier who took him in custody, sup
posing him to be an Indian boy or girl
either lost Or sent as spy. Being tax
en- to Omaha, soldier was found who
could talk the Sioux language, to whom
George related his history. COL King
then sent him to St. Louis, where the
facts of his captivity and escape were
published in the newspapers, with a
view to the discovery of his relatives
An uncle residing in Illinois read the
advertisement, went to St. Louis and
took the boy home with him, and in
formed his father of bis recovery. Be.
fore, however, his father had been
heard from, George got sick and be-
came dissatisfied, and, running away.
went to Fort Laramie, and there enlist
ed in the Second U. S. Cavalry
Through Senator Corbett's influence he
was soon after discharged from the ser
vice with a view to his return to bis
parents.
However, instead of returning to mis-
home, he ran away again early in 1867,
and went and joined the Sioux under
the chieftancy of "Spotted Tail" He
stayed with this band three months,
when he split off from the band with 16
lodges and 200 Indians, by whom be
was chosen as their Chief. The Iudi-
ans called him "Littlejohn,D or in their
dialect, "Wascotcne. He pursued
hunting and trapping with his tribe
until the beginning of Winter, when he
started with his buffalo robes and furs
to what is now Fort Mcpherson. On
his way he froze his hands and feet
badly. and in consequence of this con-
cluded to give up his wild and rowing
life-Portland Oregonian.