The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1877-03-14

l'lnS freight into the bottom Of the
Lake Owas. where j. remains until
spring. when il is drawn up. aud the
dormant papoose found sound aud
well. and after little shaking the
child Is soon restored 70 conscious
ness; The Owassoes live chiefly on
rabbits, the skins Of which animals
are their only clothing and in the
winter, when the SHOWS are deep and
the rabbits scarce, this low tribe
would starye If necessity had not
taught them to have recourse 10 the
desperate plan Of disposing Of their
children IN order 20 save their prosi.
sions.
The writer OF this narrative re-
garced the statement as fabulous at
hrst for. though every Indian be
consulted expressed bis bs.sss that
the children Of the wild tribe were all
buried in the lakes during the win
ter, and hooked up again, safely. in
the spring, yet none Of those who 40
confidently narrated the story certi-
led that any one Of them had been
present when the operation Of seal.
ing mp the children in the aNokoeks.r
or their enlargement therefrom, took
place But the writer happened to
De present at wedding Of the bead
chief Of the Chippewas, No. ga-uup's.
daughter, Lady Louisa, to one
Boyle. scion Of one Of the tribes Of
galway, and at this marriage feast,
lasting q whole week, were present
two trappers from the rsbbit-eating
Indians aforesaid, who, upon being
asked If the story about the sinking
OF children into the lake to save the
food they would consume was faba-
lous, answered, grsvely, "Kawin.n
No" They assured Us that 800 Of
their young people were then under
the water siEee November, aud that
they expected they would be all safe
and well about the middle Of Nav.
when they would be able TO supply
them with food They then describ-
ed how the "Mocoeks' were prepaF-
ed-how the sir was excluded by the
burning Of dry leaves within them.
how the children were ordered TO in
bale foil breast Of air, how the yes
sci or sack Of birch-bark was sealed
and rendered waterproof BY coat
log Of gum aud rosin, and how they
We're sunk into the lake, 70 repose
there till spring!
Not satisfied with the testimony Of
these two witnesses, confirmed by the
solemn piles Of smoke arising ike in
eense from their large stone pipes.
your correspondent came 20 the reso-
luton Of testing in person the truth
Of these strange narrations of 80
many respectable Indians. Christian
and Pagan. Accordingly, next day
being the 7.h Of January. 1872. your
correspondent, accompanied BY son
tof No-ga-nup, toe chief, son OF the
head medicine man, Ma-eo-day-be-
nos, and Antoine Dave, a half-breed.
took the best SIX dogs we could pick
up, with plenty Of dried meat and
provisions for men and dogs, and
started under the guidance Of the two
Rabbit-lndians for their home in the
far North la less than four days
we made the journey Of over 300
miles, for the surface Of the snow was
quite solid, mist having prevailed
for TWO or three days, and, under the
Influence o. the frost, became ice.
Not 10 all nature is there anything
more desOlste and melancholy than
travelling 10 those savage regions,
where for miles and miles not living
thing IS seen nor sound heard. ex-
eept the crash Of the limb Of some
tree under It's weight Of snow, or the
tbud Of the fall Of large mas from
the picturesque arches formed by the
Interviewing tops Of huge pines.
Even the barking Of pack Of han-
CRY wolves, the growing Of bear,
or the roaring Of lion would be pre-
ferable 20 the stiffness Of death which
prevails in all that region
This article would be too long were
70 describe the details of our Jour
ney 70 the region Of the Rabbit, or
Owassoe, Indians. But 70 sum up,
/ must say that we found the state
ment Of our Indian infOrmsnts con-
frmed 10 e7ery particular TIE Rab-
! Bit Indians suffer severely from fam
inc They enclose the youth Of the
tribe in sir-tight envelops, called
"Mokocks," shaped somewhat Ike
large egg. They hsb up these. eases
in The spring, and most Of those en-
clOsed-al but few-say per cent
are alive and well after their resus-
citation
There can be no doubt about the
facts here stated.-San Francisco
GAIL
We publish the above somewhat
remarkable story precisely ss it comes
from the writer. who is evidently
more accustomed 10 the practical de-
tails Of life on the frontier than to
describing them 10 print. IL Is not
the work Of 3 professional writer Of
sensations.-Ed- Gail