The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1872-05-04
THE HUNTERS REVENGE.

L IL
the employ of the old Northwest Ger.
man Company, was one Francois, a
German voyager, who had established
2 notorlety Tor courage and physical
strength and like many others of his
class, he was sometimes vain of his ex-
traord1nary powers, and fond of exhib
ltlng them to his associates. He would
LOAD DIS brawny shoulders with packs
which his companions could scar, civ
H. from the ground and without evinc-
ing the slightest degree of fatigue
would march with them, day after day,
through the wilderness, often leaving
his lightly loaded companions far Ill
the rear. 1t was no uncommon thing for
Francois TO Hnger In the camp an
hour or two after his comrades had
started, take the trail they were follow
ing, and, after few hours, pass them
quietly, and after travelling till the
middle OF the afternoon, STOP at some
convenient spot for encampiDg. He
usually selected some water course,
which he Judged his friends would
reach by nlghttall, and striking camp,
would surprise them with well pre-
pared supper, of venison and other
game, Which he had prepared against
nlelr arrival
On a certain occasion, when ascend.
ing the Bots de Sioux river alone, In
his canoe, he was attacked by large
party Of Sioux Indians, who after
sinking his canoe by perforating its
bottom with their rifles, and making a
desperate fight of it, succeeded making
nina prisoner His reputation for
courage and strength had reached them,
aid before putting him to torture they
determined to test his powers. Accord
ingly, they took him to the edge of the
cliff, some two or three hundred feet
high, beneath which ran the rives, and
fastening one end of the rope 10 a large
stone at the base of the cliff, they di-
rected him to raise it to where they
were collected IN q groupto witness the
at.--Francois whose Judgment and
self-reliance never for a moment de-
serted him, readily consented to humor
the Indians, but declared the thing was
impossible with so short a rope. The
Indians, who had brought the free end
Of it to the top of the bank, insisted
that it was all-sutficient, beside being
strong enough to raise weight twice
that OF the stone. Still Francois per
sisted III declaring that the rope was
not long enough by many feet, and re-
fused to crafty their curiosity unless
his demand was complied with, and
TIE rope heightened to suit him See
ing that unless they INDUCED his cap
rice they would be deprived of that
portion of their anticipated sport, the
indians yielded and collected more
bark, added the requisite number OF
feet to the rope. Ali being now right,
the Frenchman was ordered to lift the
stone. But Francois deliberately pro-
ceegled to knot the end lasso-wise, and
gathered 1t III coil at the end of the
cliff, after first clearing the ground OF
brush and broken limbs, which might
interfere with it's free run.
The stone, which was of several hun
dred weight, was heavy lift fo1
Francois, and he exerted all his powers
to start it from its bed. But wheI
once started, the labor of raising It was
comparatively lighter. After he haG
drawn it up for q few feet, he was or
dered TO lower 1t, again. when four O
the most stalwart warriors tried theil
united strength upon it, but they coulo
not make 1t bulge an inch.
Again Francois was ordered to hols
1T to the top of the bank With the
outlay of all his muscular force he OBJ
eyed, and as 1t moved slowly along the
face of the cliff, the Indian, III thei1
excltment, gathered in knots upon the
very verge, and looking dow ward
watched its ascent Hand over hand
tha INrn,, fnI1.1 Of toClx I,,,-
with his keen gray eyes taking IN al
about him He had raised the hug,
weight one-third of the distance, wher
the stone catching against luttine
ledge Of superintendent shale, defiet
all his herculean strength to raise i
higher. As he struggled to overcome
this resistance, the Indians gathered
closer and closer upon the verge Of the
cliff, and watched the efforts of the
prisoner.
At this moment, stopping the rope par
tally over the top of a stunted cedar
bush, and holding the strain upon hi:
left hand. he reached forward ant
gathered up the cooled portion IN hi
right, he gave it one wide swing Owe
his head which opened its wide run
ming moose, and with skillful cast
let 1t drop over the largest knot of ex
cited Indians as they were looking be
low. The fatal circle. true to the de
sign of the brave Francois, encom
passed no less than six of his enemies
and letting so his hold of the rock, will
noise of thunder rushed headlong III
to the abyss, dragging, with lightning
speed, the SIX bowling Indians after it
SO sudden and awful was this fright
ful denouement, that the surviving
Indians, some thirty in number, were
for many minutes horror-stuck and re
gardless of all else about them. Dur
ing the excitement and confusing, the
the voyageur, seeing the way clear
made good his escape, flying with thu
speed of a wild deer. The swiftes
runners were sent in pursuit; but the,
soon gave up the chase as useless, anC
the fortunate Francois returned IL
safety to his comrades at Lake Travers
The spot where this incident occurred
Is well known to the hunters and In
dams of that region, and still retain
the name of Francois Cliff. Upol
the smooth surface of the limestone
near the waters edge, the Siouxs hav
commemorated the event by rude cary
ings, representing SIX warriors III th
act of tumbling headlong from tn
edge of the precipice to the river be
low
Snow.SIidpS nt Little Cottonwood.