Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-05-25
PRlMEvAL LAKE AND FOREST.
They Are in Macon County, Missouri
Indian Romance.

They Are in Macon County, Missouri
Indian Romance.
'"fhe chain of the lakes" is a eco
acre tract of land and water in south
west Macon County, that to-day is as
perfect "A representative of the primer
dial world as anything the most sill
yery-bearded old pioneer could. tell you
about of his day AS far as living
man can say no woodman's AK ever
cleaned in the dense forest s0litudes
bordering the lakes, and the funeral
eyed ''hooting" owl is the only thing
that seems to show any particular en-
thusiasm because there is such alplace.
A short distance TO the east, on
sort of tableland, can be found many
stone arrow heads. used by the Foxes.
and Sacs in the early part of the nine
teenth century in the last Indian fight
iii this section of Missouri. 1t was
more in the nature of a murder than
Il battle, because the Sacs largely out
numbered the Foxes, whom they had
waylaid for the purpose of robbery, as
the well-authenticated story goes. The
Foxes were a peaceable tribe and were
friends of the government In 1882
for some important service they were
paid about $4,000 in gold. The Foxes
were in the nortlle IN part of the State
Three intrepid braves were selected to
so to St Louis after the coin! The
Sacs learned of it. OF course the mes
sengers were not looking for a fight,
but when all their cunning was. out
witted and they found themaaiv YES sur
rounded by their rival clansmen near
the "chain of lakes they placed the
gold in an old tree and died lighting
for it,
Wears after, whom the Indians left
the State, an old Sac warrior told
Fox who had befriended him that the
Sacs had buried the greater part OF
the gold near the Charlton fishtrap, as.
a ford close to the chain of lakes was
called. He gave them a sort of dia-
gram. but refused to, go back to the,
State and assist in the search. Several
Fox tribesmen visited the scene of the.
massacre. and spent several days dig
cling around tr es and prYing up rocks,
but it is the belief Of the people in the
vicinity that no gold was found The
Foxes refused to discuss the object OF
their visit, or the result of it, Small
boys, have. emulated Tom Sawypr's
exertions, but have not been rewarded
by his, luck.
The lakes cover over 200 acres,
Around them are tail walnut. hickory,
oak and cottonwood trees. Close to the.
waters edge are cypress and weeping
willows. An alleged road circles around
and across the peninsulas, harlOors and
isthmuses, formed by the zigztg charac-
ter of the lakes, and if you try to fol
low 1t without a compass you VIII
make about as much progress on your
Journey as you would on a merry-gO-
round Bob Jackson. the negro cook st
the Charlton clubhouse, blames his
kinky head to his frequent association
with this road through the chain of
lakes.
The lakes are shallow, and springing
from them are large fields of wild rice.
dainty diet for the epicurean palate
of myriads of fowl. In the vernacular
oE the natives these birds are called
red heads, wooden bulls, pin tails, NAL.
lards and teals. All of them are fit to
grace the banquet board of kings. and
are not despised by the hermit hunters
whose winter provender has been corn.
bread and bacon.