The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-07-21


pours its waters into the Mississippi
Just above Alton, stands the Piasa
rock. About this there clings the rem
bant of an Indian legend which tells
Of brave chief, WapatDgo, and how
he saved his people from monster.
There are people now alive who re-
member when the rock bore the rude
picture OF a buge bird which was slain
by Wapatogo painted there by his peo-
pie to mark his act of heroish. The
story was handed down in unwrftteu
tribal history and the early settlers
heard it from the chiefs of the tribe of
which Wapatogo was the foremost
chief.
At an early period in the history OF
this country, says the Chicago Tribune,
a tribe of Indians inha bited the terri
tory now embraced IL the state of Hi
nois. They were the Ulinis, from which
the state derived its name. For many
wears this tribe increased in power,
prosperity and numbers until their
tepees could be seen on its green
prairies and their canoes upon its
beautiful water courses from one end
of the state TO the other. After time
g change came over this happy nation.
Their hunting grounds were deserted
and their ranks decimated. Where
their people were the most numerous
and where their great chief had his
home there appeared a bird of enor-
nous size-more Of beast than fowl
which took uD its a bode on a rock over
looking the Mississippi. Its huge body
was covered with scales of every hue.
With one blow Of its mighty tail it
could make the earth tremble. Il hed
a head like AN OK, with the beak of an
eagle. Immense horns hung over eyes
that shone with the ferceness of light
ming and its four feet were armed with
powerful talons IN each Of which it
could carry buffalo When it tapped
its wings there was noise like thun-
der. and when it dived into the river
great waves rolled upon the shore.
To this animal the Illinis gave the
name Of ''Piasa Bird Of the Evil Spirit"
This bird toasted daily upon the Him
people whom il bore off in It's claws.
The influence Of the medicine men
stayed not its power. Day by day they
saw with terror their number diminish
ing to crafty the insatia bic appetite of
the Piasa. Village after village was
destroyed and CONSERVATION spread
throughout all their tribe. There
seemed nothing in the future for them
but entire humiliation.
At last Wapatogo, the brave young
chief Of the nation, beloved and es-
teeTnod as their greatest warrior,
whose fame extended beyond the rising
and the setting sun. called a council Of
the priests IN a secret cave, where,
after many days of prayer and fasting,
they slept. Presently the Great Spirit
appeared to Napatogo and told him
the only way TO rid his people of their
great destroyer was 70 offer himself as
q sacrifice. The young chief started up.
aroused the sleeping priests, informed
them of his vision from the Great Spir-
it and of his resolve to make the re-
quired sacrifice
Wapatogo dressed himself as becom-
ing "a great ehief-put on his war
paint, and with his tomahawk, bow and
arrows took his position on this promi-
nent point of rock TO await the coming
Of the bird OF death. the slayer Of his
people. As had been directed in his
vision, many Of his brave warriors
were concealed in the interstices of the
rocks, each to await with arrow
drawn the time when their beloved
chief should be attacked, TO wreall
their last vengeance on their dreaded
enemy. Erect and powerful stood the
undaunted Wapatogo calm and placid,
chanting his death song. Suddenly
there came a roar as OF thunder. and in
one instant the Piasa. with q wild
scream that shook the rocks, darted
down upon the chief. The brave ,
Wapatogo quailed rot, but when with 4
in reach he buried his tOmahawk deep 4
into the monsters head, every arrow /
went with lightning speed into its 4
body. and the Piasa. with a shrek that /
reSounded far over the opposite shore, /
fell dead.
Napatogo stood unharmed-not an I
arrow nor even the talons of the bird .
had touched him. The Great Spirit. in .
admiration of the noble sacrifice the
generous and brave Wapatogo Would .
have made for his people. held over
him an invisible shield. The tribe .
gave way to the widest JOY. held a .
great feast in honor Of the event, and .
to commemorate it painted the figure .
of the bird of the Piasa on the rock. by 4
the side of which their noble chieftain .
had stood IN his heroic defense. There .
the picture remained for aces-uutiI /
within the memory Of dvcllers of Al .
ton-a mark for the arrow or bullet Of
the red man as he assembled or de
seconded the great Father of Waters" .