Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-12-11

settled on Buck marsh, near
Berryville, and lived the greater
part of the year in hollow syca-
more tree. They enclosed a piece
of land and made crop prepara-
tory to the removal of the fam
lily. IA
In 1743 Joseph Carter removed
from Bucks county, Pennsylvania,
and settled on Opequon, about FIVE
miles east of Winchester. Very
near Mr.. Carter's residence, on the
west side of the creek, was beauti-
ful grove of forest timber, i'm
mediately opposite which a fine
limestone spring issued from the
east bank of the creek. This grove
was, at the time of Mr.. Carter's
first settlement, favorite camping
ground of the Indians, where
numerous collections, sometimes
two or three hundred at a time,
would assemble, and remain for
several weeks together. Mr.. Carter
was shoemaker, and on one oc-
casion two Indians called at his
shop just as he had finished and
hung up pair of shoes, which one
of the Indians seeing secretly
slipped under his blanket, and at
tempted to make of. Carter de-
tected him, and took the shoes
from him. His companion mani
tested the utmost Indignation at
the theft, and gave Carter to un'
derstand that the culpIit would be
severely dealt with. AS soon as
the Indians returned tothe encamp-
ment, information was given to the
chiefs, and the unfortunate thief
was so severely chastised, that
Mr.. Garter, from motives OF hu'
manity, interpOsed, and begged
that thepunishment might cease.(b)
Mai. Isaac Hite informed the au-
thor that numerous parties of ln-
dians, in passing and repasslng,
frequently called at his grandfath-
er's house, on Opequon, and that
but one instance of theft was ever
committed. On that occasion a
pretty considerable party had call
ed, and on their leaving the house
some article of inconsiderable value
was missing. A messenger was
sent after them, and information OF
the theft given to the Chiefs
Search was Immediately made, the
article found in the possession OF
one of them, and restored to Its
owner. These facts 60 far to show
their high sense of honesty and
summary justice. 1t has indeed
been stated to the author, that
their travelling parties would, II
they needed provisions and could
not otherwise procure them, kill
fat hogs or fat cattle in the woods,
in order to supply themselves with
food. This they did not consider
stealing. Every animal running
at large they considered lawful
game.
The Indians charge the white
people with teaching them the
knowledge of theft and several
other vices. In the winter Of 1910
16, the author spent some weeks
in the state of Georgia, where he
fell in with Col. Barnett, one OF the
commissioners for running the
boundary line Of Indian lands
which had shortly before been
ceded to the United States. Some
conversation took place on the sub
ject of the Indians and Indian
character, in which Col. b. remark
ed, that in one of his excursions
through the Indian country, he
met with a very aged Cherokee
chief, who spoke and understood
the English language pretty we'll
The colonel had several converse
tlons with this aged man, in one
of which he congratulated him
upon the prospect of his people
having their condition greatly i'm
proved, there being every reason
to believe that in the course OF a
few years they would become ac
ouanted with the arts OF civil life
would be better clothed, better
fed, and erect better and more com
, Portable habitations-and what wa'
of still greater Importance, they
would become acquainted with th'
doctrines and principles OF thu
Christian religion. This venerable
old man listened with the most pro
. found and respectful attention un
til the colonel had concluded, an(
l then with significant shake of hi
} head and much emphasis replied
That he doubted the benefits Il
the red people pointed out by tn
t colonel; that before their father
1 were acquainted with the whites
the red people needed but little
1 and that little the Great Splri
gave them, the forest supplying
0 them with food and raiment; tha
= before their fathers we're aquainte'
with the white people, the red pee
Z, pie never got drunk, because the,
: had nothing to make them drunk
, and never committed theft, becaus
!, they had no temptation to do sc
c 1t was true, that when parties wer
7 out hunting, and one party wa