The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1907-12-04
INDIAN CAPTIVE IN '62.
Narrowing Experiences of Mrs. TarbelI
as Captive of Little Grow.
CONTINUED from Last week.

CONTINUED from Last Week
Just then the storm came on with
a terrific volume of rain and hail
and the wind blew with the force of
cyclone. To the fury of that
storm | and my children owe our
lives. 1t prevented the Indian pur-
suit until / reached the timber along
the bluff on the south side of the
river. knew that as soon as the
storm abated they would follow on
my trail, but would naturally sup
pose that / would hurry away and
be as far off as possible, and so !
concluded to keep not far from the
camp for time. | went down the
bluff into the bottom and crawled
through the high grass to the head
of body of water called Tiger
Lake. Then | put down the chill
dren and returned over my trail to
the bluff, then, walking backwards,
| Strengthened up the grass after
me until | reached the children.
We spent the greater portion of
that night on the wet ground.
During the night | was startled at
hearing the Indians who were hunt
ing for me. | suffered with fear
lest one of the children would awake
and make noise. The mosquitoes
were terrible bad, but fortunately
both children slept soundly, although
/ had to take off my old skirt and
cover them with it to protect them
from the stings of the ravenous
little insects that attacked us in
great swarms and might cause the
little ones to cry and thus betray
our whereabouts to our savage pur-
suers. | now had scarcely any
clothing and themosquitoes swarmed
over me so that they stung me
countless times on every part of my
body; and yet | dared not move,
fearing that my enemies were near
and would hear the faintest noise I
might make.
| think it was about 3 o'clock in
the morning when the tortures in
f1icted by the mosquitoes became
uncomfortable. I knew Of but one
way of getting relief, and that was
to recross the river and get TO my
house, hoping to find there some
clothing to cover me. wanted a
pair of shoes badly, for my feet
were in a terrible condition from
bruises and thorns. When the In
dians made us women prisoners
change our costumes they stripped
us of all we had worn. The squaws
promised to give us moccasins and
leggings, but did not.
wandered up and down the
river bank looking for the ford,
going down the stream until | knew
| was too far in that direction, then
returning went up stream until |
was satisfied | was above the place
| was seeking. At last /. put down
the children and babe them not to
stir until returned. Then | went
to the edge Of the timber to be GER
tain where was, and found that |
was only short distance from the
Indian camp. / then returned to
the children and for two or three
days. cannot now remember the
exact length of time we trampled
about looking for the ford. When /
would become utterly tired out lay
down in the timber and slept. The
children slept great deal. They
cried but little. but constantly
begged for something to eat. All l
could give them was wild rice straw
to chew for the juice, a few plums
and berries, and some roots which /
dug. There was plenty of water
and | made a drinking cup by pin
ming two large leaves together with
thorns.
| became nearly wild at my failure
to find a fording place across the
river. When I came to place
where it seemed probable that l
could cross l would set down the
children in a safe place and wade
and wade into the stream until the
water reached my armpits: then re-
turn to the shore and try another
place. did this again and again.
Twice the little ones followed me to
the bank of the river as I was irving