Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1891-12-31
LEGEND OF SQUAW ROCK.


sian river, not many miles above the beau
tiful town of Cloverdale, makes a sharp
angle around an immense rock that stands
"a preciptous promontory abruptly end
ing mountain spur--a sheer five hundred
feet above the deep, dark, summer sleeping
pool; at its base rises perpendicular the
clean, overhanging face of the prec1pice.
Some resistless convulsion of nature has
torn of the west end of the spur, like
Gyclopeau effort to dam the foaming foods
pf winter that swirl and roar through the
Sariicade Of fallen fragments below.
Squaw Rock-standing like massive,
spired cathedral at this elbow of the wild
river--is a landmark seen for miles from
the road which follows the winding water
course. Upon a turret-like formation that
surmounts it, a tree has grown and blown
into shape that adds to the superstition
with which the few Mendocino Indians
now remaining view it. From a distance
1t completely assumes the appearance of n
gigantic human figure-that Of an Indian
squaw, with papoose upon her back, sit
ting at the edge of the lofty turret The
Mendocino and Lake Indians say the spirit
Of the squaw, who found there a tragic
death, hauuts the cliff, where the rocks
shutdown are frequently heard falling
From an intelligent and educated Indian
half breed woman, living at rancheria near
Echo Station, were CLEANED in fragments
the incidents woven into the following
story: Away back in the fifties, when the
coast range was thckly settled with In
dians great powwow was held at the
death and burial Of sQuaw of the tribe,
who had long exercised, through her supe-
rior knowledge and unusual beauty, ex-
traordinary influences over all of the coast
Indians. While very young she had at
tracted the attention of Russian officer
at Fort Ross, who had bought and educat-
ed her. BY him she had one daughter,
Panchta--a bright and beautiful blond
her only child. with whom she returned to
her people when the officer suddenly died
at the Russian settlement upon the coast.
As straight and plant as her mountain
pines Panchta spranS up into graceful
maidenhOOd. From her handsome half
breed mother, whose father was distin-
Euished Mexican political exile, she inner
tied great liquid Spanish eyes Of darkest
hue, contrasting wildly with clear, white
SD, and deep red hair that hung in luxu-
riant ripping masses about her shapely
shoulders. Above the ordinary standard
y
goddess among them, and they looked up
TO and revered her as such. From her IA
1Ler came the naughty imperiousnees of
the Russian character, rs did the blond
strain and altitude of figure No Indian
chief, save one, had ever dared to ask her
TO be n wife a reckless brave was Nendo-
CiuO Juan, and when she Ulde him hegone
he 9wore lie would steal her before an0i her
moon. On the dark night he attempted il
She buried n knife in his heart, and The
rdcrlrss steed dashed away alone to the
chiefs wild home she spurncd.
Hers was an unhappy lot. Brought up
TO the age of twelve years among whites
it WAS even harder for the daughter than
for the mother to return to the almost ami
mai Indian life. They lived alone, these
two-the digniied and silent mother and
the naughty, young beauty-in their skin
covered hut at the outskirts of the old
rancheria on the Russian river mound
From an Indian standpoint they were
very wealthy, for they had horses, dogs,
blankets and many comforts unpossessed
by their Indian neighbors. The fierce dogs
.ealoUsly guarded the women and their
ONE, which few cared to approach after
dark.
Pancha--as she was called when no
the village, her fathers shotgun. With
only wolfskin cinched upon the back of
her favorite horse she would ride astride
all day, like very Centaur, hunting and
carrying home at night the deer, and often
bear secured by her unerring aim Their
hut was covered both outside and in with
the skins of wild animals while the bark
covered floor was thick with the softest
1urs. Pancha's 1.-the, graceful form was
generally set off to the best advantage
when, in buckskin dress Of open shirt,
short skirt and leggngs, she sprang, gun in
hand, upon the back Of her obedient steed.
BY some arrangement made by the dying
Russian officer at Fort Ross the mother
and daughter received each month a small
sum OF money, or its equivalent in goods,
from the commissary's store. But there
the daughter would seldom go, for she i'll
brooked the open admiration and advances
made TO her by the white men Of the set
Element. She would not be an Indians
fquaw, nor less than a white mans wife.
She lived for her mother, her horses and
her dogs. Her gun and knife were ever
near, and all took warning from the fate
of the brave she slew in self defense
Unusually intelligent and precocious
Pancha-taught to read and write at the
settiemeut-had eagerly devoured every
book obtainsble, in both Russian and
Spanish. She understood, but spoke only
when necessary, the Indian alect, which
bhe despised us much as she did the race
Even of English she had acquired enough
fn childhood to speak of the ordinary
things of the day. There was really moth
tnR In the straight. clean cut, delicate
features that betrayed her Indian origin
unless it were their immobility in the
presence Of others than her mother. Ilel
cold command Of expression and voice was
hever broken - even though her wild
Eengefui Indian blood might glitter in hel
dark eyes. A sudden word or meeting
would send ths rich, red torrent coursinl
Through her veins, tingeing the clear
healthy skin, from the oval chin to the
delicate little ears, with crimson glow.
She had read and heard of love and heI