Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-06-25
A DESPERATE ESCAPE.

A DESPERATE ESCAPE.
The dreadful Indian massacre of 'da depop
ulated whole counties of newly settled terri
tory in single day-the 18th of August
and drove from the Minnesota frontiers thou
sands Of people in few days time.
During this eventful period there were
many thrilling and desperate adventures and
hairbreadth escapes. The local historians,
who published narratives gathered at hap
hazard at the time, did all they could to cover
the ground of incident. The main facts and
causes of the bloody uprising hn- been COM
piled and preserved in several volumes pub
lished at st Peter and St Paul
In one OF these, several paragraphs are
devoted to the murder Of the men in charge
of the stores at the isolated trading post on
the eastern shore of Big Stone lake. This ac-
count briefly relates the desperate escape of a
French and Indian boy, Baptiste or Bat
Gubeau-as this common name among the
Canadian French is frequently abbreviated
In the Minnesota massacre it was Little
Crows ruthless policy to exterminate all the
whites west of the Mississippi Every one
with white blood in his veins who could not
or would not take part against the settlers
was to be killed. Contrary to the usual rus
in Indian wars the fur trader, from the very
circumstance that he fancied he was safe, fell
aswift and easy victim TO the rifle and Ratchet
of the Sioux
All the employees of the four stores and
ware houses at Big Stone, Myrcks, Forbes,
Roberts, Pratt & Coz were either French
habtans or half and quarter bloods Of that
extraction. ANON; those of mixed blood was
the ware hotise boy" Bat Gubeau.
On the 2lst Of August four Of Roberts men,
Bat and three Canadians Patnode, l.aundre
and Pachette were cutting hay marsh
near the lake shore below the post They
were Mt work in their loose shirts and leg
gings, moving with scythes, one following
the other Without seconds warning a
party Of Blanket Sioux came up out Of the
tall grass "a few rods distant and began firing
upon them. Patnode Pachette and Laundre,
who were ahead of Bat and most exposed to
to the Indian fire, were killed almost at the
first shot.
/ Young Gubeau saved his life from their
/ fire by quick wittedly throwing himself for
ward upon his face as though shot, lying
4 across the swath and blade OF hia scythe.
The Indians scalped his comrades and
stripped them Of their hats and shoes then
several of them came to him and turned him
over He knew his captors wei and could
understand their language almost as well as
the patois of his Canadian parents
Don't kill me, said he. Why did you
shoot those menu they were always your
friends"
I'VE killed them" one replied, with black
looks, because all whites and fur men have
always cheated and Led to the Indians. and
xy. con- Il of
mixed blood We shall kill you wien the
sun goes down, after scalp dance aud after
the squaws have burned the Indian blood
out Of your body with brands from their
fires"
This is, in effect, what the savages SAID as
near as Baptiste could interpret it in his
broken English.
The speaker was q Wapekutu medicine
man well known at the trading post a a
malignant hater Of the white men and a con
slant fomenter of bad feeling among his oSo
people.
While two of the Indians were tying Bats
hands behind him with strips Of huckskin,
the medicine man began praucius around ,nl
| telling, in a boaStful chant, the murders
which had been committed upon the white
settlers at the Lower Agency, at Beaver
Creek and Birch Coolie lie sang bonatfully
that but two suns more would PAS tefir1
levcry white nan west u MnnohAAa v.aI p
die The Sioux nation, possessed ~ tHH .,
and ammunition taken from tho doif r.
and soliiers, could hold It's coun. -,,.. Is.
back the white peopl, slwaya iu., -
warmed mp and bcsan rocountius uft,r az
zwhooping, singsong fashion ~ hl. klul t.a
fexploits o. himself and the Others win Llm
The possession Of prisoner who cuull au.
derstand their peculiar chants aud tlo Lfag
gings in which they 50 ike 10 indulge sn- uu-
. usual good fortune The vnuntlngs II the
medicine man seemed to act upon the ,nyAges
/ like the baneful charm some reptiles are SAID
to exercise One by one they threw gsids
their weapons and joined the medicine man
In his weird leaps and chantings about the
prisoner
Bat said not a word. but sat quietly. his
shrewd eyes watching for chance to break
through the ring and escape He was strong,
1.-THE, and a swift runner, and a plan Of al
ton soon came to him lie felt that it was
desperate enough. but it was his only chance,
A bayou or narrow bay ran up from the
lake into the marsh upon which be and bis
companions had been cutting hay. and the
head of It was distant not more than a ten
minutes run. This strip Of water was grown
four to six feet deep.
II be could break away, escape his ptIrsli.
ers' shots and outrun them. he thought be
might find hiding place among the rushes
until night should come On
About the time be had canvassei the
chances OF this plan, the Indians about him
had begun to wind up their dancing with
peculiar e Eating movement known among
them as the moon dance. In it the dancers
wheel slowly about bow leggedly, lettering
first upon one foot and then upon the other,
and swayinS the body from the hips in a
snake like movement TIE head is rolled in
imitation Of Q boiling bear aud the arms are
WORKED Nrithingly while he wrigEling saw
age sings, in most lugubrioIs. erunting
tone: "E-yungh, e-yungh! Hi-yee. hi-yerl
E-yongh, eye 'gh.H
The prisonec kept his eye upon one Of the
Indians, whom be knew for he knew them
all well-to b the best run Ter among them.
As this one s. ing around between himself
and the line d retreat he had marked out,
Bat sprans ~ and with an gle jump
planted both heels Of the army shoes be wore
In the small" Of the dancers hack
The Indian went down with a screech Of
pain and surprise, the keen witted Cana.
dian passed over him and shot away toward
the lake.
Certain that be had disabled their swiftess
runner, Bat felt chiefly concerned for the
moment in lodging bullets and arrows. He,
sprang this way and that at as sharp angles
as be could. and at the same time make good
headway
The Indians caught up their guns instantly
upon seeing what had happened, but luckily
only few Of their arms had been reloaded,
and the shots aimed by Indians hreathless
with the exertion Of shrieking dance, missed
their target Throwing down their guns the
whole party gave chase, yelling frightfully,
- Is their fashion
Bat glanced backward, and saw them
spreading out in pursuit. the swiftest runners
heading straight for the bayou on either side.
As there was no longer any danger from bull
lefs the boy nut himself dou-r, n. hia ..4ruc-s