Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-19
THE LEAP TO DEATH.
Avid. Wierd Indian Legend Coming
From the Days When the
PALEFACES WERE YET UNKNOWN.
The Prophecy Made by White Cloud, the
Aged IroquoiS Chief.
BIG PAPPOOSE AND HIS PILGRIMAGE
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE DISPATCH. |

ANOhA1j VI, NAY 4o'-AHO ASOSAV VIZ
covery in a gravel pit near the High Banks,
on the Blanchard river, of the skeletons OF
two Indians locked in close embrace, has
revived among the early settlers of the
county an old Indian legend, which was
current in this section while the century was
still young; and which, in itself, is so beau
tiful, and yet so Indian-like. as to lead to
the belief that the skeleto ms found the other
day we're the identical braves whose tragic
fate is SO fascinatingly woven into the le-
gend. y
From gentleman whose grandfather en-
joyed the friendship and confidence of one
of the last Iroquois chieftains who made the
lake region of Ohio his home, The DIS
PATCH correspondent has gathered the
material features of romance as full of
love, pathos and courage as was ever writ
ten of the heroes of mythology, or is con-
tained in the Legendary lore of any OF the
nations of the earth, past and present.
Long before the white sails of Europe
cast their balefuI shadows over the Western
continent, vast portion of the country was
occupied by two mighty nations of red
men; the Iroquois, by far the most warlike
nation, dominated, with its united tribes,
around the northern shores of the great
lakes; while the Algonquin race peopled
the country from Labrador almost to the
Floridas and extended itself westward, south
of Lake Erie, almost to the borders of Ore
gon. Those of the Algonquin strain-the
Nepperhaus-who inhabitedthe country be-
tween the Miami-of-the-Lakes and the Ohio,
were fierce and blood-thirsty, but withal
manly and brave.
THEN AND NOW.
Their villages were principally along the
smaller streams tributary to the above named
rivers In those days the Blanchard river,
now dividing the city of Findlay into north
and south divisions, and upon whose banks
the skeletons were found not long since,
flowed downward to its resting place in the
bosom of the lakes under some dark Indian
name; and where this city now stands, with
the sunlight glittering upon many spires
and countless windows, the smoke OF numer-
Gus camp fires ascended to the great heavens
above, untrammeled by a single adjunct of
civilization, from pointed wigwars of poles
and skins and birch bark wrought with bar
barrie characters.
Then was the Blanchard river wider and
the curves and sweeps of the current more
graceful than now. What is now known as
the "High Banks" near which the inter-
locked Indian skeletons were found, were
higher then and the river broader at the
base, and on the summit was a large thun-
der-split rock. But the rushing waters and
grinding ice of many springs have worn
away the storm beaten buttresses until but
a moiety of their former height appear,
while the great rock has fallen and lies
buried under the food and shifting sands.
Of the Algonquin tribe, that formerly
held dominion along this stream, history
has only preserved the name. A handful of
earthen beads, few flint arrow-heads, are
the sole memorials of q once great populace.
But tradition, with wonderful tenacity,
clings to its legends. Even from the dross
of nameless nations some golden deed shines
forth with luster antiquity can not tar
nish. So among the songs of the Iroquois
were heard the valorous deed told in the
legend that follows. 1t was heard in the
council fires, in the wigwams and in the ira
dictionary lore of the once powerful nation,
as long as remnant of the tribe followed
the setting sun into the spirit land OF the
fathers.
BEFORE COLUMBUS TIME.
Long before the coming of the pale faces
there was a great warrior of the Huron
Iroquois named big Papoose." He had
a round, smooth, small face like child, but
his arms were long and his shoulders broad
and powerful as the branches of the oak;
at the council fire he spoke not; at hunting
parties he was indolent; and of the young
squaws none could say, "He loves me-"
But if he spoke not at the council fires, his
people knew that the scalps in his wigwam
were numerous as the leaves on the oak
tree; and if he cared not for hunting, it was |
yet remembered that he wore triple collar
made from the claws of grizzly BEARS and
the old braves loved to sing OF the great deer |
he had pursued and killed with q blow from
his stone ak, when his feet were as the wings |
Of the swallow.
True it was the love that is so'common to |
men-the love of woman-was not in his |
breast; but the brightest and boldest |
maiden's eyes dropped in his presence, and |
many time when he was near, the bosoms |
of dusky beauties would rise and fall with |
unuttered emotion. Yet the "Big Pap |
poose was the friend of children, and it was
he who would bind the tiny flint arrow |
heads to the feathered shafts, and the |
string to the little bow with the slnews of |
the deer, and practice the boy braves of the |
tribe in mimic warfare; and taught them to
step with the foot of the sparrow, and trap |
shout the death whoop.
AN AGED WARRIOR.
There was then very old brave in the
Iroquois tribe His hair was like the foam
Of the waterfall and his eyes were deep and
dark as the pool beneath it. He was so old
that he could lay his hand ON the head OF a
squaw of hundred years and say: "Boy."
He 1t was who had found, far in the North,
under the uttermost stars, the sacred pieces
of copper; he it was who had seen the great
fish, so large that single one could drink
up the lake at a mouthful; and the great
water-N iagara-he had seen; and
the cavern big enough to contain all the
Indian tribes, the Iroquois and Algonquins;
and the stone arch that held up the skies,
the sun and moon, and the clouds; he had
stood beneath, and he had seen it.
He was called the White Cloud, and
when the summers heat had
been powerful upon the earth, and the green
leaves of the maize dropped too much, he
would bring forth the magic red pipe and
smoke, and blow the smoke toward the
West, and the vapors would rise up and
approach him and overshadow him; and the
rain would iall and the leaves rise up re-
freshed and the birds sing loudly among the
leaves of the forest. Then,
too, would the "Big Papoose" sit on
the same log with White Cloud aud
ask him to tell him of the mysteries of the
skies; and the sachem would chant of the
White Rabbit OF the North, the Queen of
The Heavens, that holds dominion over the
1ttermost stars, and the SHOWS of winter;
that hides in summer when the sun is pow
erful, that she may rival his brightness in
,he season Of frost.
One day the "Big Papoose" said to the
Chief: "Why, oh, White Cloud, do you
,ver blow the smoke of the Calumet toward
he VESTS there no rain, too, in the