The Plymouth Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1878-1901, 1901-08-01
Angus Corb|y's Captivity
Story of Early Indian Life and Adventure in the Territory
Northwest of the Ohio River
BY A WRITER OF MARSHALL COUNTY

! the top was as distant from nm as
when he started. SO he knew the
place was enchanted and FASTENED
back to his wigwam never to repeat
the attempt. Three young men heard
OF this adventure and agreed to try it
for themselves. Three days they climb
ed and then became strangely dis
! ordered with delirium and when they
recovered their faculties they found
themselves back at their starting
point, doubtless having been trans
ported thither in their sleep by some
powerful spirit of the mountain.
The mystery of the great hill SO
weighed upon the people living near
its base that they at length moved
far to the west and left the charming
bride with her spirit husband.
The Indians were very fond of COM
petitive sports and feats of arms and
! they encouraged the boys, even in
their earliest years, to engage in such
matters, according high praise and
distinguished consideration to the
winners, particularly to those who
won frequently. Our white lad en-
tered into all such affairs with high
enthusiasm and few there were who
could excel him in the contests that
were suitable to his age. 1t was hui
initiating TO the Indian youths to see
their rightful laurels so constantly
wrested from them by mere inter-
loper. a person whose blood was Ind
ian only by transparent fiction, and
he was compelled to withstand some
malevolent abuse on that account.
which he did with all patience but
ready to defend if attacked.
When the corn was in the milk the
harvest came on and the squaws and
boys were kept busy gathering and
drying it for the winters use. They
plucked the ears and husked them,
throwing them into kettles where
they were boiled until the grains were
quite hard, then they scraped it from
the cob with sharp shells found in the
river and spread it on sheets of bark
in the sun until it was thoroughly dry
and shriveled to the size of peas. In
this condition it was put in holes dug
in the ground and lined with thick
bark, where it would keep for years.
When boiled again it would swell up
full of juice and be sweeter than fresh
corn.
During the progress of this work
Angus was one day in the forest gath
ering dry wood to boil the kettles.
An ill-natured bully about
years old. who had caused him some
trouble before because of being beat
en- by him in some sport, came up and
seized him from behind. threw him
backward to the ground and declared
that he would kill him for an English
dog. saying which he began to cut
Angus across the breast with knife.
They were alone and Angus was at
his wits end TO keep the peace, so he
seized the young brute by the hair
and set himself to inflict punishment
that would be lasting lesson to this
and to other DULLES who might design
to modest him. The Scotch temper
wa sthoroughly aroused and so vigor-
ously was the task performed that
the big coward lay whimpering on TIE
ground and crying for mercy. Angus
told him to get up and not lie there
like dog and said that if he ever
again made SUI h an attempt the pun
ishment would be doubled. Expect
ing to be chastised for his presump-
ton in whipping an Indian the white
boy went Immediately to the village
and told the exact truth, but he was
commended for his spirit and told to
defend himself on every necessary oc-
|casion.
The corn season over little feast
ing was INDUCED in before beginning
preparations for the hunt. One of
the festive occasions was the wooing
dance. The young men stood in one
rank and the manageable women in
another, about five yards apart, all
bedecked with savage gewgaws and
attractive finery, one holding in his
hand rattle made Of a small dried
gourd containing small stones, he be-
ing the leader. When he raised the
song, timing it with his rattle, all
danced and sang, advancing and re-
treating. advancing again and stoop-
ing until their heads touched, re-
manning in that position for a time
with shouts and much laughing, then
retreating at the sound of the rattle
and forming the lines again in differ
ent order, and they kept it up
for several hours.
In singing the tunes they could use
M