Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1890-01-16
For the Ellsworth American.l
Traditions Concerning the Llvermcre Sur
vey.

Traditions Concerning the Llvermcrs Sur.
vey.
Every incident connected with the first
settlers in Ellsworth or other towns in
/ Hancock county seems to be Of great in
/ terest to the present inhabitants, many OF
\ whom arc the descendants Of those worthy
I old pioneers.
VIII cudeavor to narratc some of the
traditional incidents Of the early settlers
\ Ellsworth was fr>t settled in 1863 or one
of the first ten townships lait. out in Nan.
/ cock county and known a. the Livcrmore
survey. Several Of the first settlers OF
\ Ellsworth were with the surveying party
/ all the time they were engaged in laying
out those townships The party consisted
of seven persons. Two Of them were ne
/ grocs, who did the cooking and took care
1 of the camping utensils They frequently
campcd several nights in the same place In
canvas tent that could be taken apart.
/ The negroes, with one of the white men,
had To move the tent and other camping
articles from place to place. Tho negroes
were trusty and faithful and were fre.
qucntly, With one Of the white men, sent
| to the settlement for a fresh supply of pro-
visions.
will nov introduce to the readers two
| Indians, who caused the surveying party a
great deal of trouble. They came from
Canada and had been living with the Pen
ob-cot Indians several wears. Their
names were 1.oupcervier and Gattss. Loup-
fierce animal, the largest specie Of the
LYNX, called by white hunters the Indian
| devil or mountain cat, as they were gener-
ally found among the rocks and in the
caves Of the mountain regions. Loupccr-
vicr (or Loup as the Indians called hm)
was as feroCiou> as the animal he was
named for. He claimed to be the son of
an Indian chief Of one of the Six Nations
which had been broken and scattered in
the French aud Indian war with the English
and a remnant Of the tribe fed into Cana
dl. Those two Indians had become very
troublesome 10 both the settlers and the
rcuoh>cnt Indians. frequently shooting
their cattle ana Loup had managed TO get
ny several lights among the Penobscot In
llAn>
The surveyors had been in the forest
about two weeks. when, after hard days
tramp.they returned to their camp late one
evening. lIrcd and hungry To find no sup
per awaiting them and everything in and
about their tent t"p-y y-turvy. The negroes
were missing, and most all If their provis-
ions and other articles were gone The
Surveyors were dividcd in opinion; some
Of them thought the negroes had ahscond-
d. others believed they had been robbed
by the Indians and the negroes compelled
to leave, A. they were paid for their ser
vices and always seemed Contented. Turn
cr, one of tie party who had spent several
wears hunting and frequently was among
the Indians, was well posted in Indian
craft. In the tlorning after examining
the ground for some distance around the
been there, a. he had found moccasin
tracks. though precautiou had been taken
q conceal them, and the negroes had gone
with the Indians Of their own accord or
been compelled to 90. They Concluded
thar it would be of no use To follow them,
as they had To send several Of their party
Immediately to Bucksport (that being the
nearest >cttIemeuUfol supplies and cook,
which would take TWO days at least.
The sixth day after the negroes disap-
pcarrd, unr party returning t. the camp at
noon, were surprised to find Loup, Gattas,
and PcnoJecot Indian whose name was
Robin at the camp. also the two negroes
sitting on the ground with their hands tied,
Lnup standing near them with his gun
pointed at them. The Indian being asked
why lie was pointin. his gun at the ne
sroe> replied that he found the negroes IN
the woods runnin. away, and knowing
they belonged 10 the surveying party, he
caught them and brought them back. and
the negroes wanted 10 tell big lies, and he
would shoot them if they did. He wanted
To be- paid FOR catching them and then he
would leave Millikeu one OF the settlers,
ordered him to put down hi, gun and not
point it al the negroes he said he would
not, but would shoot the negroes if they
dill not pay him for catching and bring
in. them back Milikea attempting to
=. l,.. IT,, Eny g..
and said that he would stab any one that
came near him He stood with his back
near large tree. Turner went TO brook
near hy, and returning with pail of water.
he passed toward the tent opposite the In
dian near whom the other men were stand
ing, hoping to d>arm him without his In
juring any one. Turner suddenly turned,
dashed the pail of water in the Indians
caught the knife from his hand. Before
he recovered from the shock caused by the
water several of the other men were upon
him. He was large aud powerful Indian
aud fought like blood d-hound, but was
soon dsarmed and tied hands and feet.
He frothod and raved like mad bull
and called for the other Indians to help
him Robin, the Penobscot Indian, had
cut the cords that tied the negroes hands,
and had taken GattaS' gun from h IN, and
he and the negroes were standing guard
over him. When he found that Robin had
turned against him he said if the white
men would let him live long enough to kill
Robin, they might shoot or burn him ami
he would ask no mercy of them.
The negroes gave the following version
of the AFFAIR: They said that the Indians
came to the camp about noon and asked
for some food. which they gave them.
After they were done eating Loup said
something to the other Indians, then drew
his knife and ordered the other Indians TO
tie the negroes hands, threatening II they
made any resistance he would cut their
throats, After they were tied he over
hauled everything in and about the tent,
packed up the provisions and some other
articles IN two blankets. Then they left,
making the negroes carry the plumber. For
two or three of the first miles, Loup and
Gatias kept behind and where the ground
was soft they covered the tracks with
leaves to conceal the trail 1t was very
hard work for the negroes to travel fast
with the stolen goods tied upon their