The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1873-12-18
A Mohawk Legend,

To the most picturesque and beauti-
ful in tho world. Aud if it is attrac.
tive now, what must IL have been be.
fore its acres were given to tillagc
and its mountain sides robbed OF
their forest covering.
At one point II high mountain ends
ON one side in u terrible precipice OF
ut least two hundred feet, at the base
of which the river rolls and tumbles
over its rocky bed.
Connected with this mountain is II
legend which, although never before
put in print, still lives in the tradi.
tions of the neighborhood. 1t runs
rs follows.
More than hundred years & o
Brave Bear was the youngest and
handsomest warrior of tribe OF IN
dams which dwelt in the Mohawk
Valley. Tall, straight and powerful
his physical prowess won for him
wide fame among his people. In
deed he and White Deer, the chiefs
pretty daughter, were the pride and
boast of the tribe; and AZ the chief
had no son, the marriage ofWhite Deer
with Brave Bear was ultimately, by
general consent, to elevate tho latter
to the rulership of the tribe.
At this time white settlers had
invaded some portions of the Mohawl:
Valley, and within IA few miles OF
Brave Bears tribe lived family
named Patterson, consisting Of n
husband, wife AMI only daughter.
Mary Battersou, just past sixteen,
was fresh, blooming and healthy.
Pure air and exercise kept her checks
red, her limbs supple, her spirits
buoyant and the whole valley could
not boast ola pretticr girl.
One day Brave Bear, wandering
near the clearing. came upon Mary
Probably he had never seen white
girl before, or if he had, not one go
attractive as Mary. Although little
frightened by the encounter, for the
place was solitary. the girl was re
assured by the Indians kindly de-.
mcanor. Indeed, he showed his
admiration 50 plainly that Mary
could not but see it. lie paid her
the broadest of compliments in
terribly broken English, and followed
her to her own door. Then he turn
ed suddenly and was gone. The
fact was, thatthc savage was through
ly impressee by Mary's charms, so
different from the dusliy beauty OF
White Deer. The pale-faced girl
was in his dreams that night, in spite
of the proximity of his marriage to
the chiefs daughter
With nm Indian, treacherous by
nature, the evil wish is father to the
deed. Brave Bears sudden love for
Mary blinded him to every other
sentiment. All was swallowed up
in n desiret to possess the newly found
treasure, and his scheming brain
readily concocted plan for her alb
duction. Accustomed to the provcr.
bial submission of Indian woman,
he imagined that, once in possession
of Mary, she would quietly submit
to become his wife,
Stealthily watching hermovoments
he soon caught her Mt sufficient
distance from her house To suit his
purpose. Selling her in his power
full arms, he bore her rapidly on. She
screamed, but no friendly ears heard
it. She entreated, but her captor
only assured her that 10 violence
YVES intended. She was. he added.
to become his squaw only he further
explained. it would be necessary for
him to hide her for few days in II
safe place. His marriage to White
Deer was mt hand, and although the
laws of his tribe did not prevent an
Indian having two or more wives at
once, we wished to have one marriage
ceremony fairly concluded before an
other was begun.
Brave Bear. after carrying his cap
tive some distance, bade her to walk.
Knowing the uselessness of resistance
she obeyed. After a while he securely
blindfolded aud led her, to prevent
her finding the way home in case she
got away.
After walk that seemed Of many
miles to poor Mary, the Indian stopp
ed and removed the bandages from
her eyes Upon looking around she
saw that dense forests surrounded
her on three sides, but the fourth
was a nearly perpendicular roc k.
Pushing aside the vines which over
grew the latter, the mouth of small
cave was disclosed. Into it Brave
Bear conducted the girl. The interior
had evidently been roughly fitted up
for her reception. There was a
couch of skins, food, water, &c
There she was to remain, as her cap
tor cautioned her, without ventuiing
more than a few feet from the en-
trance. He then left her.
Mary's first thought was to escape
but a moments reflection convinced
her that it would be impossible. To
fly would be foolishness, as she would
be unable to find her way home
There she determined to stay, and
hope for the best, being at least safe
from hunger.
That night she slept but little, aud
in the morning, her eyes red with
weeping, she went out and sat dis
consolately upon the trunk Of fallen
tree.