Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1875-10-14
REAL INDIAN ROMANCE.
How WaIlalahaIla Won His EaIe-Eacet
Rri<ic-Ihe Strategy OF Il Young
IOWA ChIcf-A Romantic
Legend OF the West
tern Frontier.

The Louisville Cvuyie7-J0urnal tells this
story: Between Clarksville, Tenn, and
Eddyville, KY, on the Cumberland river,
there is a cavern Which can only be entered
by dying into the water, and which has no
other light than that reflected from the bot
tom Of the river. 1t twas accidentally dlscov-
cred by young Indian chief, while one day
diving for his gun, which he had dropped
from his canoe into the river. The Indian
youth who discovered it tor long time kept
the secret to himself, and would often resort
to it in his lonely hours, where, by the aid OF
his flint and piece OF dry wood, he would
kindle fire and enjoy himself in looking at
the magniticence OF the scene as the light re-
Elected back millions of beams from the nu-
merous stalagmites and stalactites of gigantic
size and fantastic forms. The cave was
about fifty feet wide, and about the same in
height In the course Of time this young
son of the forest became enamOred with
beautiful daughter Of one Of the backwoods-
men in the settlement. The young chief s
name was Wallahalla, and the girls name
was Agnes Robertson. In those days the
daughters of backwoodsmen could swim,
ride, and handle gun with all the dexterity
and skill of their fathers and brothers. Ar
irving at the place the lover disappeared be-
meath the surface Of the water and the maid
en- quickly followed him. Here he informed
her she must remain as his prisoner until he
gained the consent of her parents to their
union.
WaIlahalla then departed, to return soon
after with dried venisOn and such
articles as were necessary for her COM
fort Returning to the settlement, Walla-
halla found that the place had been attacked
by the foe and the village burnt to the ground.
The parents of Agnes mourned her as dead,
or lingering in a captivity to which death
would be preferable. The young chief was
loudest in his lamentations over the lost girl,
and at the war dance of his tribe sWOre the
direst vengeance against her captOrs. All
the male portion of the settlement, together
with the friendly tribe to which the young
chief Wallahalla belonged, started in pursuit
of the foe to rescue the girl. After long
and tedious march they came upon the enemy
in the neighborhood Of where Metropolis
City, ILL.,, now stands A furious battle was
fought, in which the attacking party, headed
by young Wallahalla, dealt death and de-
structon to their foe until the ammunition
was exhausted AT this moment the enemy
was reinforced, and the attacking party was
compelled to retire across the Ohio. lhe
father of Agnes Robertson was almost crazed
with grief at the loss Of his beloved daughter.
In bis great agony he published to the troops
the following announcement:
/, Andrew Robertson, will give to the res
cuer of my daughter from the hands of the
Iowas her hand in marriage, 1000 acres OF
land, 100 head of cattle and horses, 100
pounds Of powder, and two rifles.
ANDREW ROBERTSON.
Twenty men, warriors and riflemen, among
them Wallahalla, stepped forward and ten
dered their services. The girl herself was a
fortune to any man. The parent and his
trusty friends, with the exception OF those
who were to go in pursuit Of the loWas IN
search of Agnes Robertson, returned to the
settlement of Little River, near the place now
known as Cadiz, in Trigg county, Kentucky,
to rebuild their huts and the stockade which
the Indians had destroyed Wallahalla sep
arated himself from both parties, and by q
circuitous route wended his way to the cavern
in search of his beloved Agnes, whom he
found in almost starving condition. The
full moon shone forth in all splendor on the
night of the 25th Of May as they rose to the
surface Of the water and entered their canoe
to return to the arms Of the lovely Agnes
parent, and receive the reward and blessing.
Their advent into the settlement on the fol
lowing morning was an occasion OF great re-
joicing. Feasting and dancing were the or
DER lOr several weeks, anu lHc young CultI
Wallahalla was the toast Of the country for
miles around. He was the recipient Of pres
ents of land, horses, cattle, skins, ETC., to a
larger extent than any man living since the
foundation of the world. Of the nineteen
men who stepped forward to offer their serv-
ices to Andrew Robertson, not one returned
to give in his experience, and the general
impression existed at that time that they were
either tomahawked or burnt at the stake.
Wallahalla married and changed his name to
Robertson. Many Of his descendants lived
in the neighborhood Of what is now known
as Crittendcn county and Trigg county. KY,
till about the year 1918, when they removed to