The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-04-27

and death. Mature, aided ~ an iron con
stitution, finally triumphed- recovered
botavas maimed and crippled for life, hi
aftarmsbeing entirely useless.
HOns years after, the @eteamboat4 Gen
Pike was ascending the Mississippi; in
crossing the rapids she ran aground
where Gmpbelps boat had stranded :; 4
keep her from being drifted over and stove
upon the opposite rock, she anchored
right ii the current; when she swung
around to anchor, her bow lay within {
few feet of the rock. A tall, athletic man
with his left arm hanging powerless at hi.
side, stood looking at the rock, apparent
ly absorbed in deep thought. As, he thu.
stood some one mentioned that the author
Of" Campbell's massacre" prepetrated or
that reckxwas on Hoard.
/" Who DO you sayy' interrogateds the
stranger, edo you mean old fRolett,"
" Yes, Pierre Rolett, Of Prairie sdr
Chen"
"Where is her"
up there in the cabin" was the reply
The stranger Immediately went up into
the cabin, where he found Roletl. Walk
ing up to him, he slid: - ~ 10 EEg
"Your name, sir, am informed, is Mr.
Rolett-Rolett, Of Prairie du Chem"
That Is my name, sir" replied he.
"Well, sir, do you sec that rock!''
pointing to the rock over the bow of the
boat.
Yes" was the reply.
" Well, that is Campbell's Rock. DO you
see that island on the opposite side of the
boat! That is Campbell's Island. Now,
sir, do you SCENE! am John Campbell.
Do you see that arm, how worthless it is !
| am MANNED and crippled for life, and
you are the author Of It all. You insti.
gated old Black Hawk and his bloody saw
ages to way-lay me here; they were con-
.cealea there smong the willows on that
island; our boat drifted down upon the
rock more than half my men we're either
killed or wounded; l was shot all to
pieces, rs you see me now, and you were
the instigator of the whole scheme-you
bloody. treacherous, black-hearted old
scoundrel-you instigated the savages to
murder me and my men. Now, you must
do one of two sthings-either leap upon
the rock, and run your chances Of being
drowned or swimming to the island, or
will cut your throat from ear to ear. Take
your CHOICE
NPoA sAot AV VIC" q hhAC NAiu AbAV I"
blow at him, Just grazing his neck. Ro-
lett, seeing there was no trifling with such
a man, made leap from the stern of the
boat into the water, and finally reached
the island, but not s6ithout the greatest
difficulty and at the imminent hazard of
drowning. The boat pursued her way,
leaving the half-drowned and dripping
Rolett to manage as best he could to reach
the main line. That rock and island have
ever since been known as "Campbells
Rock and Island" The latter, however,
is sometimes called 6 Rolet'ss Leap,' in
commemoration If the exploit Of the
frightened Indian trader. Most travellers
on the upper Mississippi are acquainted
with the naele and location OF this rock
and island, but few are aware of the orig
inal history of those names, or the bloody
tragedy there enacted. Campbell, Black
Hawk, Rolett and all engaged in that
bloody atfray, whether savage or civilized,
have all, or most of them, passed away,
but the locality and the name are lasting
chronicles of one of those bloody and
scenes with which the early his
tory of this valley abounds. Island
ir0uS