The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-12-04

at one time decided to permanently locate
! there, and built she walls for protection
against surprises from the red men. Others
think the Indians might have put them
there DO prevent the waters from overflow
log their camps and maize fields, while a
| few give ferid yarns of its origin, attribu-
ting 1t to prehistoric people.
| There Is one story, however, which stands
aloof from its companions on the ground Of
Its reasonableness and age. This history
| was given to the writer by II. J. Mueller, a
| pioneer trapper, now living in an adjoining
| county, who, in the earliest days of west
ern wlldness, piled his avocation along the
| banks OF the lake and the small stream, the
| upper Coon which feeds 10, and who in turn
received 1t from an old Chippewa medicine
| man, well known thereabouts in those days
for his large fund of Indian history which
he had transmitted to him through num-
berless generations. Mueller gives the story
of the old buck, as nearly as he can recol-
Loot, as follows:
When the tread Of the white man In the
direction Of the rising sun made itself
known to the quick ears of the Chippewa
braves my father oamped on the ground
now covered by the water you speak of.
Wars with the Dakotas and the Sioux had
taught them severe lessons and they had
built those walls to prevent surprise. None
other like them was known then, which
showed my peoples wisdom. They brought
the great rocks from many days distance in
the north and laid them 80 the big brave
could not move them or crawl between.
Then did they flourish and conquer, for
their enemies when they defeated my
fathers in the forests could not pursue them
to their death, as they could not break the
walls and get at them and my fathers could
grow strong again for the next battle.
For years the sun was good to us, but
one day it frowned and we trembled. The
terrible Sioux sent us word to prepare for
death-that they had given US too much
peace and that we must give up our lands
OF die. My fathers felt strong. yet the
angry look which fitted across Gods face
gave them fear and they fastened to make
sure their walls. One day our men brought
word that the giants had come and that they
were going to attack the camp and not wait
for them TO 90 out and give them battle.
And the next day they did. But the wall
stood in their front, and our warriors
sent Death among them, and he brought
many down. But we got no
scalps, as it was dangerous TO 60 out for
them. The big braves fought fercely, but
they failed TO enter the camp. At night they
came again. but with the same lack Of sue
cess. Our warriors were happy, and began
to count the number Of scalps each would
get when the big Sioux left, but they were
too fast. The giants had held a talk and the
old chief had said the fighting must stop,
that too many braves were going to the
hunting grounds, and that the only way to
end US was to starve u.s. And soon after the
rising smoke from their fires wherever we
looked told us what they were doing.
1--WE laughed, as we thought they would
tire out, but as moon after moon went by
and they still stayed. and our meat grew
small, we trembled. After awhile we
couldn't stand it. Our wives bad nothing
for US to eat, our papooses were crying for
hunger, and our warriors and horses be-
came faint. We must try to get away,
even II the fierce Sioux killed us all, as We
couldn't live there without food We waited
for a night when the Sioux eye would be
closed, but found none. Then we got a
few Of US together, and by watching for
good chances we got few out at a
time until we were all out except the
worn-out bucks and the women, whom we
left to their terrible fate. The Sioux were
mad then when they saw our wisdom, and
chased us to the great river and got many
scalps, but they soon stopped and went back
to their lands, and slowly we returned to the
trails. But we feared the walls, thinking
of our troubles, and we left them to the
winds and the buffalo. Then the great
food (butfalo) were like birds In the forest,
and wherever they stamped was left a
hole. Often they used the walls as shelter
in storms, aud they got to going there at
night after their long tramps for feed to rest
themselves. 30 many were they that the