The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-04-27

tlalbeO pafk, which, though uhhisiaA~
bly, original, were, by some of the younger
females, made with some pretentions to
comeliaess and even coquetry I; yet, SO
unlike anything modern, that II seemed
like transition to the dark ages. We
were escorted by our conductor to the
| most pretentions of these habltations,
situated in the centre OF the group, and
there presented to the chief or patriarch OF
the community. He received US with a
degree OF quiet dignity, not free, however,
from perceptible shade OF uneaslness, as
his glance surveyed our number and ap>
polntments, but which, as the interview
progressed, disappeared. He was seated
on kind of camp stool, with tanned
skin stretched across it, in a hut about
fourteen feet square the floor of hardened
earth was covered with mats and skins Of
animals, and the walls were decorated
with hunting implements and fishing ap-
paratus.
lie was robust, heavy>bearded, white-
haired cid man, apparently sevstty-five
or eighty years of age, with brown,
lcathery complexion The long silence
was broken by our chief asking him how
long he had lived in this wIlderness-for
some of the huts seemed many years old,
YES" he replied, ''they are 30 and |
have lived here mary yeaIs-since l was
boy"
Have you no intercourse with the out
side world e.
"No we take care of ourselves, and
looking at our party suspicionsly-"we
don't want any interference from outsi-
ders."
''Bu; are you happy and contented p
"Yes, we always have been but The
young folks have lately got an idea from a
hunter who lost his way in the forest, and,
like you, happened upon us, that there is
a better state of thugs outside here, and
it is hard work TO control them aud keep
them quiet"
''Pardon me for saying that ] am in
clined TO think them more than half right;
and. although we do not cume here TO
disturb your quiet and happy community
for our business is that of surveying a
route for great State road-yet we think
we can interest, and perhaps benefit you,
by telling of the outside world, of which
you must necessarily now be ignorant !;
aud we would like to hear from you ssme
lhiGg OF your history-the place whence,
and the reason why, you came here"
You speak So kindly" replied the old
man, ''Ihat, although the story is painful,
and only whuley known to TIVE Of US, after
you have rested, and have seen and cons
versed with some of our people, and salts
fed your evident curiosity, will tell it to
you" rf 9
We were not long in overcoming their
shyness, and soon found them obliging
and willing to show and explain their mode
of living, their houses and households.
Among their culinary utensils were drink
ing cups of horn, bowls and plates, with a
variety of articles of baked clay Of con-
siderable ingenuity and beauty mats Of
straw, grasses and pine bark, woven or
plated, ornamented The floor, and swing
ing cradles of willow, artistically inter-
woven with variegated barks, were cosy
resting places for the tiny occupants, who
were robed in single garment, made of
the finest skin of the fawn. An accurate
description of the costume of The female
portion of this community would require
a more intimate knowledge of the femi-
nine toilet than the writer possesses but
certainly NO one could fail to admire the
blooming cheek, the elastic step, the we'll
proportioned forms Of these bright>ey ed
tnaidens, as they here met az odriiring
gaze. One article of dress-a reminis
cence of home and by~gone years-at-
tracted our attention. 1t was a little
cloak, with the hood thrown back, and
dotted with tufts of feathers-the sacredly
cherished property of the chiefs aged
companion. But strange and crude as
were their outward appearance and sur
rouRdings, we found that their ideas of
conventional life-its privileges, duties
and Ubligations-were much more 50 !;
and, to our questions as to their history,
senealogy, marital, parental and filial
relations, they seemed utterly at loss,
and to regard it all as very tangled
skein. They were all brothers and sisters;
some brothers first cousins TO their own
sisters; others, step>reIations-with very
short steps at that-to their own wives,
and some almost their owp grandtathers.
The patriarch, in compliance with his
promise, proceeded to give US a sketch of
the origin and cause of the seclusien of
the community:
Soon after the middle of the Last cen-
tury, and subsequent to the old French
war and Braddock's defeat, two little
children-karl Buehler, aged seven, son
OF Philip Buehler, and Susan, aged seven,
only daughter of the widow Stearns, Of
Germantown. Pa, then the very border
of western frontier settlements-went,
one afternoon, with other children, to
gather berries. Having strayed some
distance from their companions into the
woods, they wandered on, regardless of
their course OF the flight of time, until, TO
their surprise, they were overtaken by the
shades of night. Bewildered and fright
II