The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-04-19

STAND every word L heard, and to eX-
press myself quite readily in the Ian
guage that at first seemed so monoton-
Gus and unmeaning. had been with
them about two months, when 1 deter
mined at all hazards to make a bold
strike for liberty. / was a member OF a
family consisting of the husband, four
wives, some six daughters, and as many
sons; aud as one Of the sons was about
bringing new wife to the already
crowded lodge, 1 determined to relin-
quish my small share Of the same to the
newcomer, Notwithstanding overtures
had been formally made to me to re-
main in the lodge in the capacity Of
son-in-law. 1 had been already assured
by my Indian "mother" that Roo 500,
her eldest daughter, had signified
willingness to "build fires" for me, but
that II l wished to aspire to the exalted
rank Of an alliance with family which
for generations had numbered their
scalps by scores, and the present repre-
sentative Of which had four wives and
twenty dogs, that I must throw off my
outlandish costume and appear among
them as a young gentleman of fashion.
And the young lady had delegated her
mother to say to me that she was will
| ing to overlook my Ignorance OF the
rules of society and Of the arts Of hunt
ing aud scalp-taking, but she could not
reacl-viown to-Hft f.ie from my humble
estate while 1 persisted in wearing
clothes on my body, and no shells in
my ears.
But I was obdurate; in fact, the image
Of one Of my own race away back in
Ohio seemed indelibly imprinted upon
my heart, and there was no room for
another. But ! began to realize that 1
must not tarry longer there; that, dis
/ tasteful to me as were themselves and
all their surroundings when 1 first came
among them, was fast learning 10 ell
dure them, and to like the wild, unre-
strained life they led, and to cease to
wonder that captives, though at first
dissatisfied and anxious to escape, uni
versally become satisfied, aud refuse to
return to civilized life when opportunity
offers. But the thought of attempting
the long, lonely journey across the
prairie over an unknown country-for
had not the most remote idea where 1
was was by no means reassuring.
Again, had been told time and again
that If would remain contentedly with
them that 1 could soon reach the ex-
allied position Of "brave" in the tribe;
but if / attempted escape and was re-
taken, which they assured me was GER
tain to be the case, I would either be
made to expiate my crime at the stake
or be reduced to the position Of dogs and
women, threat of which I knew the
full meaning, for the Indian dog and
Indian woman really occupy about the
same social plane. Their women are
but slaves Of the most abject kind
Bought and sold like dogs or horses
forced TO perform all the drudgery o.
camp and garden, cufied and beaten al
the caprice Of their masters, their condi.
tion is truly not an enviable one; mol
have they in the most desperate case:
any chance Of redress; they are tvomen
Accordingly early one morning, nearly
three months after my arrival at the
village, taking my bow and large bun
die Of arrows, I stole out Of the village
aud going to where I had previously Sc.
. orofoT q, er,oU ov,,,,rt 1.f ,g-s-.T -...s l
bade a somewhat reluctant adieu to the
Wacoes-and Roo Soo-an adieu, how.
ever, now that it was spoken, hoped
might be a final one, and started on my
, lonely and trackless journey acros:
hundreds Of mikes of prairie, in search
Of civilization and liberty. Lonely
Z People may talk Of the solitude o.
! the American forests, but there il
company in the trees that we mis-
upon the prairie. There is food fol
thought, too, even in the ocean wave
not to be found in the unchangeabl,
face Of these boundless prairies, and no
where else does one feel so sickening
feeling OF loneliness as when surrounde,
on all sides by a trackless, uninhabiteC
prairie. Shakespeare was in the wood
when he found
Tongues in trees, books in the running brooks
sermons in stones, and good in everything
, Had he been alone on one of our West
ern prairies, he would have found n,
such companionship.
To be- continued