The Saint Paul globe., 1900-06-03

amounting to some $50, met the Osages,
numbering some 1000 warriors. On the
very first fire scores OF the Osages were
slain Very soon after this victory a man
by the name of Tak-ah-to-kuh emigrat-
ed from the old nation. This man was
descended from the ancient priesthood
He had been a chief and a brave warrior.
He was Immediately regarded as the
highest authority by the Cherokees.
Having been told the situation he ap-
proved of their open declaration of war
The Cherokees, though greatly outnum-
bered by the Osages, were uniformly
victorious. In the western part of the
Cherokee Nation a dreadful and final bat
tie took place, in which Claremont, the
chief, was slain, with scores of his fol-
lowers. The remainder took refuge in an
inglorious fight. The signs of this bat.
tie are vet to be seen in the hecatombs of
the fallen braves known as the Clare
more mounds.
These mounds are a short distance from
the thriving town of Claremore, which
name is corruption of "Claremont" the
name of the adopted Usage chief, for
whom they were both called On one of
these mounds this famous Usage chief
was buried with all his possessions, but
his remains were afterward exhumed, and
every bone and personal belonging was
carried away by the Osages, thereby prov
Ing lI6lT dISCllOIl anu appreciation OI
him. These mounds are easily seen from
the passing trains, and are landmarks of
interest and curiosity, and to this day
people in quest of curios by diligent
search may find buried relics of the
Osages. Many of the adjacent farms are
Usage gravey9rds, where human skulls
and personal belongings are yet turned
up by the plow. Thus disappeared from
the land of the CherOkees the last of tksR
OcS king their abode In hot
ton of the country purchased by them
from the United States government
The battle has furnished the subject of
a pretty Indian legend, accounting for
the origin of the Salt Springs near the
Cherokee orphan asylum In a valley be-
tween the hills of Saline district, on the
shores of Grand river, in the center of
what appears to be an arid waste where
neither sprig of grass nor green shrub
is to be seen, so impregnated is the soil
with saline matter, boiling up to the
height of several feet are a number of
salt springs which are not only objects
of curiosity, but of usefulness as well, for
years ago they furnished the entire sup
ply of salt consumed by the Cherokees in
that part of the country. To the present
day the old iron kettles, portions of the
engine and pipes and other implements
used in the manufacture of salt may be
seen, now spoken of as the ancient salt
works Of the Cherokees. Beneficent ma
ture, who never does anything by halves,
has not belied her reputation in this in
stance. A few yards opposite the boiling
salt springs may be seen a number of
other springs, at whose fresh and spark
ling waters the Usage maidens had often
quenched their thirst
Years ago, so the story runs, near the
present site of this natural wonder dwelt
an Usage maiden, Palisha, a daughter
of one of the chiefs, whose ponies,
trinkets and gorgeous blankets were the
envy and admiration of every other young
squaw Of the tribe, and whose hand was
sought in marriage by many a stalwart
Usage brave; but Palisha, after the man
ner of all maidens since the days of Eden,
had smiles and glances for only one
Adam, a brave and youthful warrior in