Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-07-06
CHARMED waITE DEER.
A Love Story of she Indians Who Lived
in the Delaware Valley.

in the Delaware Valley.
One of the popular superstitions Of the
hunters of Pike county, Pa, is that the
killing of white deer will inevitably be
followed by evil results to the one who
fires the fatal shot. 1t is singular how
deep the belief in this superstition is
rooted, not only in the minds of the uned-
ucated backwoodsmen, but among resi-
dents Of the highest intelligence The
Indian tribes that once inhabited the Della
ware valley believed that white deer, which
were very rare, were protected by a charm,
and that their lives were sacred. There is
legend that young Indian loved the
daughter of his chief, and sought her as
the Queen of his wigwam. The Indian
maiden returned his love.
Her lover was one of the bravest OF
braves, and the hero of many battle. He
was leader among the men of the tribe
and more popular than the chief. The lat
ter was jealous OF the warrior, and, though
hating him bitterly, feared the conse
quences of removing him from his path.
The great love Of the young brave for the
daughter of the chief was seized upon by the
latter as a probable means of destroying his
rival in the aft ctions of the tribe The
chief gave his consent to the wedding of
the pair on one condition. This was that
the young warrior should bring to the wig.
wan of his chief the dead body OF white
deer as an off ring. The lover, believing
this to be delicate but emphatic rejection
of his suit, returned without hope to his
wigwam-for was it not as easy to pierce
the hunters moon with on arrow ss to send
fatal shot within white deer's heart?
But one day the chief summoned the war.
rior to his presence. The sorcerer of the
tribe, an aged Indian, to whom all the
mysteries Of nature were deemed by the
tribe to be as an open book, was with the
chief Tire sorcerer handed the young
brave an arrow tipped with silver head,
and told kim that if hs was courageous
enough to slay a white deer, the silver ar
row would break the charm of its life ard
lay it dead at his feet. The warrior grasped
the arrow, and declared that he was eager
to show his love for the Indian maiden by
firing the charmed arrow and offering the
dead white deer at the wigwam of his chief.
High on the hills overlooking the valley
of the Lackawaxer, Pennsylvania, is a
lake as clear as crystal In the Indian
days, as now, it was favorite resort
for deer. The young Indian launched
his birch canoe on the waters of the lake,
and anxiously awaited the coming of deer
at nightfall, hoping that among them might
be one of the charmed members Of the
herd. His hopes were realized. Just ss
the last rays of the sun were glinting the
surface of the lake five deer stole down
from the wood and stood knee. deep in the
cold waters. Among them was pure
white deer Quick as lightning the silver
tipped arrow leaped from his bow. 1t
cleaned for an instant in the air, and then
sank into the white deers heart. With a
cry that resounded far among the hills, the
white deer fell dead and its companions
fed in terror to the woods. While the
death.c cry of the white deer was echoing
powerless to his side. His tongue refused
to give voice.
For days he drifted upon the lake. No
succor came. He was powerless to end his
sufferings by throwing himself in the lake.
His dead and wasted body was found up
right in the canoe by members of his tribe,
after two "moons" had passed. But other
misfortunes followed the white deer's
death. At sunset on the day the young
brave fred the fatal arrow, the chief was
found dead in his wigwam. An arrow pro-
jected from his heart. Its tip was silver
The sorcerer was never seen again. The
maiden, when her dead lover was found,
leaped into the lake and found grave
beneath its waters. The tribe was never
after able to cope with its enemies in
battle, and was gradually destroyed. The
lake is known to this day as White Deer
Lake.
The superstition as to the white deer no
doubt was received from the Indians by the
early white settlers of the valley, and has
been preserved by their descendants.
Among those who believe in the fatality
that attends the killing Of white deer ia
the Hon. VIM. Westfall OF Lackawaxen,
Pa. He was formerly Associate Judge of
Pike county, Pa, and is the present repre-
sentative OF the county in the Legislature.
Mr.. Westfall disclaims being in any way
superstitious, but relates several instances
that have come under his personal obser-
vation. He says he never knew of more
than three white deer being in the vicinity
of this place, and two OF them were killed.
White deer are always does. What freak
of nature makes them white he does not
know. The frat white deer was killed in
LackawaXen many years ago by hunter
named Jas. Van Gordon. This deer had
roamed the ridges for years, and the super
stition had protected her. She was often
seen and was as white as the driven snow.
Van Gordon did not believe that go valua-
bic lot of venison should be allowed to
waste, and, not sharing in the popular feel
ing in favor of white deer, determined to
bring her down. He hunted the deer sea
son after season. He obtained many shots
al her, but without effect. Then he made
up his mind to try the charm alleged to be
in the firing of a silver bullet. He nodded
bullet ort of silver, and with his rifle
loaded with it, started on the white deer's
trail. He came upon her as she was feed
ing, and cent the silver ball crashing into
her heart He killed the white deer, but,
says Judge Westfall, it was his last shot.
A wasting disease attacked him, and not
long afterward he died.
The second white deer remembered by
Judge Westfall was killed by hunter
named Moses Brink. He was hunting in
company with Almanzor Griswold, a well
known resident OF the valley and Com.
missioner Of the county, and with Judge
Westfall Brink was heard to FIRE. The
other hunters joined him. He said he had
5bOb az q hSSi tAo ~ ran Oy MIN. Inc party
walked on in the direction indicated. and
a few steps away found white deer dead.
Brink declared it was not the deer he fred
at, but it was evident that he must have
done so. A few steps further on another
deer OF gTaYish color was found. 1t had
been killed with the same bullet that killed
the white deer, being directly in range.
The Judge says that not one Of the party
were ever able to kill deer after that,
although each had been a successful hunter
before. Brink at the time was one Of the
most hardy and healthy of men, but he
died OF consumption few months after
ward. Commissioner Griswold was subse.
quently killed by load of stone falling
upon him.
The third white deer, says the Judge,
was never killed to my knowledge.
found the deer one morning on a favorite
feeding ground, in company with four
pronged buck. She was as large as q two
year. old colt. and her ears were as long as
mules. The deer was not over ten rods
away the buck being the nearest.