Year: 1860

the employ of the Northwest Fur Coiapa-
nv, was one Frapcoise Germaine, voyager,
who had established notoriety for cour
age, and like many others of his class, he
was sometimes vain of his extraordinary
powers, and fond of exhibiting them to his
associates. He would load his brswny
shoulders with packs which his comrades
could scarcely lift from the ground, and
without evincing the smalles. degree of
fatigue, would march with them. day af
ter day, through the wilderness, often
leaving his lightly loaded companions far
in the rear. 1t vas no uncommon thing
for FRANCHISE to Iinger in the camp an
hour or two after his comrades had start
ed, take the Trail they were following and
after few hours pass them quietly, and
after till the middle of the afternoon, stop
at some convenient spot for encamping.-
He usually selected some water course,
which he judged his friends would reach
about nightfal, and striking camp would
surprise them with we'll prepared sup
per Of venison and other game, which he
had prepared against their arrival.


On certain occasion. when ascending
the Bois des Sioux river alone, in his canoe,
he was attacked by large party Of Sioux
Indians, who, after sinking his canoe by
perforating its bottom with their rifles
and making desperate fight Of It, sue
ceeded'in making him a prisoner. His
reputation for courage and strength had
reached them, and before putting him to
torture, they determined to test his pow
ers. Accordingly they took him to the
edge Of the cliff, some two hundred feet
high, beneath which ran the river, and
after preparing rope Of bark, and fasten-
ing one end of it to large stone at the
base of the cliff, they directed him to
raise 1t to where they were collected IN
group to witness the feat Germalne
whose judgment and self reliance never
tolsook him, rapidly consented to humor
the Indians but declared the thing was
impossible with so short rope. The In
dians, who had brought the free end OF
it to the top of the bank, insisted that 1t
was all sufficient, tesides being stlong
erough to raise a weight twice that of the
stone. Still Germaine persisted IN de-
clarng that the rope was not long enongh
by many feet, and refused to CRAFTY their
curiosity unless his command was con-
piled with, and the rope heightened to
suit him. Seeing tLat unless they iudug-
ed his caprice they would be deprived Of
that portion of their anticipated sport, the
Indians yielded, and collecting more bark.
apded the requisite number Of feet to the
rope. All being now right, the French
man was ordered 70 lift the stone. But
Francoise deliberately proceed to knot the
end lasso wise, and gathered it in a coil at
the eud of the cliff, after first cleaning the
ground of brush and broken limbs, which
might interfere with its free run.


Tie stone which was Of several hundred
weight, was a heavy lift for Germaine and
be exerted all his powers to start 1t from
its bed. But when once started the labor
Of raising it was mparativeIy lighter
After he had drawn it up for few feet,
he was ordered to lower it again. when
four Of the most stalwart warriors tried
their united strength upon it, but they
could not make it bulge an inch.


Again Germaine was orderded to hoist
it to the top of the bank. With the out
lay of all his muscular force he obeyed,
and as it moved across the face Of the
cliff, the Indians, III their excitement, gath
cred in knots upon the very verge, and
looking downward, watched the ascent
Hand over hand the Frenchman toiled at
his task, but with his keen gray eyes tax
ing in all about him. He had raised the
huge weight one-third of the distance,
when the stone, catching against Juttng
ledge of of superintendent shade, detied
all bis herculean strength to raise it high
err As he struggled to overcome this re-
sistarce, the Indians gathered closer upon
the verge of the cliff, and watched the ef
feci of the effort of the prisoner.


At this moment stopping the rope par
TALLY over the top Of d stunted cedar bush
and holding the strain upon his left hand,
he reached forward and gathered up the
coiled portion in his right, he gave it one
wide swing over his head, which opened
its wide running nose, and with skillfuI
cast let it drop over the largest knot OF
excited Indians as they were looking be-
low The fatal circle, true to the design
of the brave Francoise, eucompassed no
less than six Of his enemies, and letting 60
his hold, the rock with noise of thunder,
rushed headlong into the abyss, dragging,
with lightning speed, the six bowling In
dians after it.


So sudden and awful was the frightful
announcement, that the surviving Indians,
some thirty in number, were for many
minutes horror-struck, and regardless of all
else about them. During the excitement
and confuson the voyager, seeing the way
clear, made good his escape, flying with
the speed Of wild deer. The swiftest
runners were sent in pursuit, but they
soon gave up the chase as useless, and the
unfortunate Francolse returned in safety
to his comrades At Lake Travers. The
spot where the incident occurred is well
known to hunters and Indians of that re
gion, and still retains. the name OF fran
coise Cliff. Upon the smooth snrface of
the limestone, near the waters edge the
Sioux have commemorated the event by
rude carvings, representing six warriors in
the act of tumb'ing headIong from the
edge of the precipice to the river below.


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