Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-11-14


says. he started out at daybreak to
follow the river, and. II possible, To-
cate the Indians.
About o'clock that afternoon q
party Of Indians was discovered In a
hunting camp across the river. Vial
fired guns to attract their attention
The Indians Immediately crossed the
river and surrounded the three men.
viars journal tells the other events OF
that day in truly graphic style. lie
says:
Those who first met Us grasped us
cordially by the hand. asked them Of
what tribe they were and they told me
that they were Canoes. They imme-
diately took possession Of our horses
and Of all our possessions and cut the
clothes which we wore with knives,
thus leaving us totally naked. They
were Of mind to kill Us, whereupon
some Of them cried not to kill us with
guns or arrows. because Of the great
risk that would be run Of killing one
another, az they had surrounded us;
but that II they killed us It should be
by hatchet blows or spears.
"One highly esteemed among them
took up our defense. begging ell Of
them to leave US alive. Thereupon an
other highly respected one came and,
taking me by the hand. made me
mount his own horse with him. Then
another came up and hurled a spear at
me, but the one who had me on his
horse restrained him by laying hold Of
him. leaving me alone. on the horse. A
crowd Of them even coming to kill me
from behind, his brother mounted be-
hind me. Then one of them who had
been q servant In the village Of San
Luis de Witnesses and who talked ex-
cellent French, came up to me and
recognized me.
He began to cry out: DO not kill
him. We will ascertain whence he is
coming, for know him. Taking the
reins Of my horse. he took me to his
tent and said to me: Friend. now your
grace must hurry II you wish to save
your life, for among US Is the custom
that, after having eaten. no one is
killed. After having eaten hastily as
he charged me. they left me quiet and
the chiefs having assembled after a
moment came to me and asked me
whence was coming"
villanueva was not so lucky. His
horse was killed and he was stabbed
with a dagger Only prompt action BY
a friendly Indian prevented him from
dying. This Indian interceded and re-
ceived part of the blow on his arm.
Espinosa was uninjured All three
men, naked, were placed in tepee the
next day and held as prisoners. Until
August Is, the Indians remained In
that, camp, with the three white men
as captives. Vial had excellent oppor-
tuntty to make a careful study Of the
Kansas Indians, but, unfortunately, he
made no notation In his journal dur
ing that period. tg5o ;
August 16, the Indians left their
camp and travelled northeast. They
reached their home village on the Kaw
river about August as Vial believes.
That was his first sight Of the Kaw
river. He made inquiries and was told
that the 'Kances flows into the Mis-
soury."
All this time Vial and his compan-
ions had no clothing. September IL, a
French trader with a flatboat full OF
goods arrived at the village. and the
captives welcomed him joyously. He
gave the three men garments and
other articles which Vial notes as fol-
lows: --.,..
He gave us also one libra Of vermil-
lion, worth five pesos Of silver, four
pesos worth Of tobacco. four sheets
with one aune Of cloth, which was to
be settled for by the commandant on
his return, as well as two libras OF
powder and four balls and gun
worth 10 pesos.
A few days later, September 16. Vial
and his companions left the village OF
the Kansas Indians 'in a pirogue be-
longing to three traders who were re-
turning to the village Of San Luis de
Witnesses" Vial makes no mention
about when those traders arrived or
who they were. They drifted down
the Kaw to the Missouri, and October
reached st. Louis. Zenon Trudeau'
the commandant there, received them
and listened to their story with eager
interest. Vial told him that the trip
could be made in rs days favorable
travel The three men remained In
st. Louis all winter. They passed the
present site Of Kansas City some time
in September, but Vial makes no men
ton of the date they left the Kaw for
the Missouri.-Kansas City Star.
aftr q