The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-02-14
than half the men. Campbell himself. for

than half the men. Campbell himself, for
long time, fingered between life and
death. Nature, aided by an iron constitu-
ton, finally triumphed-he recovered, but
was MANNED and crippled for life, his left
arm being entirely useless.
Long years after. the steamboat Gen.
Pike was ascending the Mississippi; in
crossing the Rapids, she ran aground
where Campbell's boats had stranded; to
save her from being drifted over and stove
upon the opposite rock, she anchored right
in the current; when she swung around to
her anchor, her bow lay within few feet of
the rock. A tall, athletic man, with his
lett arm hanging powerless by his side,
stood looking at the rock, apparently abb
sorbed in deep thought. As he thus stood
some one mentioned that the author Of
'Campbelrs Massacre, "psrnetrated on that
rock, was on board. who do you say?"
irterrogated the stranger; edo you mean
old Rolett?" ''I es, Pierre Rolett, of Prai
rie du Chen u where is hep" "Up
there in the cabin was the reply.-The
stranger Immediately went up into the
} cabin, where he found Rolett. Walking
up to him, he said. Your name, sir, |
} am informed, is Rolett-Rolett, of Prairie
do Chen. THAT is my name.sir, )" replied
: he. well. sir, do you see that rock ?"
pointing to the rock over the bow of the
, boat2 "Yes," was the reply.-"Well,
, l'that is Campbelps rock. Do you see
that Island on the opposite side of the
: "boat?-that is Campbell's Island. Now.
4 sir, do you see me? l am John Camp
. bell. Do you see that arm, how worth,
. LESS it is? I am manned and crippled for
t life, and you are the author of it all. You
t 'instignated old Black Hawk and his
q bloody savages to way-lay me here: they
= were concealed there among the willows
. ION that Island; our boat drifted down up
s ION the rock: more than half my men
: were either killed or wounded; | was
It shot all to pelces, as you see me now, and
e you were the instigator Of the whole
IS ''scheme-you bloody treacherous, black,
a hearted old scoundrel-you instigated
It ''the savages to murder me and my men
1t Now, you must do one of two things
n EITHER leap upon that rock, and run YOU
is chances OF being drowned or swimming
lie ito that Island, or will cut your throa
y from ear to ear Take your choice
Us Upon that re drew a knife, and made
le blow at him, just grazing his neck. Rolet
Re seeing there was no trifing with such
v man, made leap from the stern of tn
t. boat into the water, and finally reache
Is the island, but not without the creates
ID difficulty and at the imminent hazard c
1s drowning. The boat pursued her wa
n, leaving the half drowned and dripping
as Rolett to manage as best he could to reac
p the main land That rock and island hav
Ut ever since been known as, Campbell
Rock and Island" The latter, however
lie is sometimes called "Rolett's Leap"
as commenoration of the exploit of the frigh
r ened Indian trader, Most travellers upo
It. the upper Mississippi are acquainted wit
ell the name and location of this rock and i.
ID and, but few are aware of the origin
IS history Of those names, or the bloody ira
Il; edy there perpetrated. Campbell, Blae
d. Hawk, Ro!ett and all engaged in tn
o. bloody fray, whether savage or ciyilize
e. have all or most Of them passed away, bl
OF the locality and the name remain, as las
Ill. ing chronclsrs of one of those bloody al
or thrilling scenes with which the early hi
's] tory Of this valley abounds.
~ By stratagem and cunning, Black Hav
- succt eied in defeating the most powerf
- armament of the white man that h,
ever fl dtei upon the Great River" B.
y, he wa destined, in more peaceful time
a. to be driven from his much loved home
~ wanderer and exile in the wilderness,
the irresistible tide of the same race ov
sS whom he had won his proudest victory, f
-ne great and glorious it was, and the tri
=. even now look back to that event wi
LIS something of the same feelings of pri
on and exultation with which we recount t
na' scenes of Bunker Hill an d Yorktown,
lug among the greatest and most glorio
achievements of their race. War SON
:" celebrating the event, are sung at all tn
" dances, and the youthful warrior is stiu
:, '0 lated and exhorted to emulate the brave
VI. and heroism Of his ancestors on that eve
',ai SO great and glorious in the annals of
Tic race and country,
Gus
NOTES HERE AND THERE.
For Moline column see first page.
- GnnSidarahla ice formed In the n,