Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1872-02-03
Legends OF the Yellowstone.

Even in the middle of summer the snow
is so deep in these mounatins that success
sive government expects to enter them, and
all private expeditions have been driven
of by the Indians; ;a9s are aifSe :G' green, that if
The white men once knows of their beauty
their hunting grounds will be ruined.
These are the resorts of numberless herds
of buffalo and wild game, and here, trap
pcrs tell Us, is the mothers region'' of tho
gold, where the Indians told Father dc
Smit it was found on the surface. Here
are burning plains, SO tcstifies Bridger, at
the head Of the Yellowstone, and large
lakes. and boiling springs like the gey sers
of leland. Here be saw Two Ocean. Rivers,
which, after flowing for n distance, separ-
atCs into two large streames-one travelling
to the Atlantic, the other to the Pacific.
In one of these wales is n large tract ofsage
brush, every leaf and branch perfect, and
here and there are rabbits, sage hens, and
ever Indians, all turned to solid stone. Ill
fares it with whosocver pcnetrates these
mysteries, for the genius Of the place at
once adds him to the ground of statuary.
More wonderful siill-and our trappers told
it with great awe these bushes bear rare
thousands of rILjies, sapphires, dia-
monds, cmcralds, large as walnuts. II
tell you sir" said one veracious narrator to
Captain Reynolds, 1T is true =, for l gath
cred quart myself, and sent them down
the country" y party of whites were hot!y
pursued by Indians, and could only travel
by night, when they were aided by the bril-
liant light short from huge diamond III
nclghboriug mountain. by which they trar-
eled on for three consecutive nights. Here
once an old trappcr was lost on his road
from Fort Laramie to Taos, and wandered
for many days; and drinking from stream
found pieces of yellow metal large as hazel
nuts, which he carried to Taos and found
to be gold. lie spent many years seeking
the place again, but in vain. These and
many other legends and traditions ofthese
regions the trapper gave as truths familiar
rs household words, which it would be inn
pous to doubt. bt.-FrOm The February num-
Der Of Lippinnotrs Magazine
! TIE INDIAN AND THE SETTLER.-It is
generally supposed that the Indian is all
exceedingly cunning being, unrlvaled in
/ the peculiar knowledge of the woods. This
! is something of mistake. The Indian
has the quick perception and the natural
.sagacity of one who lives in the woods but
/ it never surpassed, fit equaled the acquir-
/ ed knowledge and perception OF the pioneer
| hunter. On one occasion, in a sort of
| block-hOuse, an old hunter of the pioneers
was standing in door, when the cry of y
wild turkey was heard at some distance.
i youth stood by the hunter, able to bear
II rifle, who, with youthful impctuosity,
exclaimed
There's turkey-I'll so and kill it,"
The hunter listened II moment, suspi-
ciOusly, and said:
No, you are no! good shot. l'll so
and give you the turkey"
The youth demurred, but was at length
persuaded.
The hunter crept out in the opposite di-
rection from the cry. Slyly he made his
way through the bushes, and at length
came behind the spot where the cries of
the turkey were heard and, concealed by
the low bushes and brush. came up the
ravine. There, before him, in the limbs of
tree, was large Indian, who was imi-
tating the cries of wild turkey TO decoy
some one from the block-hOuse. The hun
ter shot him and took his scalp. Arriving
at the block-house, he threw it down before
the youth, saying:
There is Your turkey"
The youth was filled with gratitude FOR
his escape.