The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1880-10-21
VAN BIBBER'S LEAP.

|
VAN BIBBER'S LEAP.
Just below the Falls Of the Kanawha
in West Virginia, there is lofty and
Over-hang ing rock of immense size.
which to this day goes by the name of
Van Bibber's Rock, and the incident
which thus designated it is one of the
widest and most exciting to be found
in the records of backwoods adventure
The rock juts out about one hundred
feet over the seething, dangerous whirl-
pool at the foot Of the falls, and nearly
a hundred and fifty above the surface
Of the water.
The surroundings in the immediate
neighborhood of the rock are wild and
picturesque in the extreme; but the
opposite shore is comparatively level
and smiling, with a charming intersper-
sion of pastures, meadows and timber,
a gently shelving beach Of sand sloping
gradually our into the boiling waters,
which continue their disturbed and
riotous character for many rods below
Hiram Van Bibber, an enterprising
back-woodsman from the eastern part
Of Virginia, was the first to build cab
in upon this inviting bank of the ka-
nawha, in the latter part of the last cen
tury
Having had much experience, and
being bold and independent charac-
ter, he lost no time in bringing his
young wife and two children to the new
home that he had provided for them.
Notwithstanding that the region
round about swarmed with hostile or
semi-hostile Indians, he was unmOlest-
ed for a year or more and the landwas
50 fertile that it was not long before he
had a number of neighbors, almost as
hardy, adventurous and Woodworking
as himself
Indeed, regular little settlement
sprang up, which, with Van Bibber at
its head, presented quite village like
appearance, at the end of the second
year, the settlers building their cabins
pretty close together as mutual pro-
lection against the savages.
Then, about this time, a small gov
eminent supply station was established
a few miles further down the stream
which added greatly to the general sense
of security and repose.
But this state of affairs existed almost
exclusively upon the fertile, or low-ly-
ing side Of the river, while the wild and
rocky region, including the opposite
bank, continued to be occupied by row.
ing bands of red hunters, who, if not
actually hostile, often cast regards Of
sullen discomfort and jealousy upon that
ftirer portion of their ancient heritage,
which the industry and enterprise Of
the palefaccd intruders were swiftly
causing to blossom like the rose.
1t was as though civilization and saw
agery directly confronted each other,
with the boiling river as the only de-
batable ground between, and the great
frowning, overhanging rock looking far
away, as a black, standing menace on
the part of the rude tribes, whose wig
vans and hunting lodges still cling with
the tenacity Of despair, amid the glens
and thickets Whereabouts.
Captain Van Bibber was the soul and
heat of the little settlement His re-
nown as a hunter and Indian fighter
was only equaled by his reputation for
fair dealing and worldly prudence; and
from the first he was looked upon by
his neighbors as their natural leader.
| No axe more rapidly thinned the for
est ranks than his; no rifle was surer;
no canoe more dauntlessly breasted the
perilous waters of the mountain Graded
gerge-nursed, characterized stream.
Another child was born to him in the
bosom of the wilderness. His wife was
| hn, tod nd h
home was the abode of frugal thrift and
hard-earned repose. The only othe,
member of his household, besides his
wife and three children, was great pet
bear, called Brownie, which he had
captured when cub, and tanned with
such wisdom and thoroughness, that il
was accustomed to follow him, unmuz
zled, among the cabins like dog, and
with no inclination to reioin it's kind
among the neighboring hills.
Indeed, the brute displayed an ex,
ceptional affection for him and his
family. The officers and soldiers of the
little fort often came to witness it's tricks
and pranks; and Evan Bibber and his
bear was the expression most gener
ally used by outsiders, in abiding tC
our hero.
Trouble with the Indians arose
which at last, 80 far as one tribe was
concerned-the Shawnees--broke into
open war. The authorities were con
stantly on the alert, and it became a
hazardous experiment for any settler
to proceed alone through the rocky and
thickly-t imbered region on the un-
friendly side of the river.
This, however, did not prevent Cap
tain Van Bibber from setting out upon
a lonely hunting expedition amid its
dangers, upon a certain April day, that
was destined to be memorable in the
annals Of the settlement, and at the
time to give his name to the giant rock,
which had Heretofore been exclusive
known by its Indian name, WM-kun.
gee-teh, signifying the "Far-away Look
out"
A great freshet had so flushed the
Falls of the Kanawha that he did not
venture to cross the river at the point
directly below the rapids, and just be-
tween the settlement and the great
rock. He passed down the stream for
a mile Or more to a lonely cabin occu-
pied by a hunter named Radcliffe
where he borrowed canoe, effected a
crossing and fearlessly plunged into the
heart of the enemy country.
He had undertaken this expedition
against the advice of his friends and
even the entreaties of his wife,
The winter ad been a hard one.
There was shortness of supplies in
his humble larder, and game was I'M
commonly scarce on his own side of
the river. These considerations were
sufficient to impel him upon his dam
gerous errand, in spite of all the warn
lngs and forecasts of misadven-
ture that were held forth to deter him.