USA > Indiana > Newton County > A standard history of Jasper and Newton counties, Indiana : an authentic narrative of the past, with an extended survey of modern developments in the progress of town and country, Volume I > Part 12
USA > Indiana > Jasper County > A standard history of Jasper and Newton counties, Indiana : an authentic narrative of the past, with an extended survey of modern developments in the progress of town and country, Volume I > Part 12
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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"Presently a man came in full view around a small quakeash grove and walked leisurely toward the ridge. He also carried a rifle and wore leather boots and fur cap, but unlike the trapper before introduced, he wore buckskin breeches and a hunting shirt made of the same material. A powder-horn and bullet-pouch hung under his arm and a large knife stuck in a scabbard which was attached to his belt. He was followed by a large yellow hound, with long pendulous ears-a noble looking fellow, measuring fully six feet from tip to tip.
"'Well, Ben,' said the first man, looking up from his rat-hide, 'I was just beginning to be uneasy about you, lest you might have found trouble. Did you see any Red-skins ?'
" 'None,' said Ben, as he threw down a pheasant with its head shot off, 'but I see their trail down at the sandy crossing a mile below here, where they have crossed the stream and gone south.'
" 'They must be camped over near the Baty marsh,' said George, whose surname was Malden. His friend's name was Ben Raymond. " 'Their wigwams are not far away, you may be sure,' said Ben, 'for I see the moccasin tracks every day along the marsh.'
"It may be well to explain here that there were no hostile or savage tribes of Indians in Jasper County in 1840, but there were many Indians along the Iroquois and Pinkamink rivers; the rem- nant of a tribe who professed to be friendly, and were in the main; yet they were easily angered and would, at the slightest provocation, seek secret revenge. Those in the immediate vicinity of the trap-
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pers' camp considered the whites intruders upon their trapping grounds.
"George had by this time finished his work and gathered up his green hides, carried them into the cave to keep them from the troublesome birds and coyotes, or prairie wolves. They would have cured much sooner in the sunshine, but George wished to be sure of their safety. The odor of musk given off by these skins would almost suffocate anyone not used to it, but these men had become so accustomed to the scent of muskrats, mink and even skunk, that they seemed to have no great dislike to it.
"When the trapper returned from the cave he brought the tinder and splits and proceeded to make a fire with dry limbs and sticks picked up on the hillside, while Ben dressed the pheasant. An iron pot was hanging on a pole, supported by two forks driven in to the ground. The bird was soon cleaned and ready for the pot, and then Ben brought some water from a hole dug in the flat at the foot of the hill. This well or spring had no curb or covering of any kind, consequently two or three dozen frogs were swimming about or diving to the bottom. But this is the case with all open wells in a new country, and the water is swallowed with impunity.
" 'By the way, Ben, let's have roast for supper in place of pheasant soup.'
" 'How will you roast without an oven? '
"'You make the tea and I'll show you.' The tea was made from red-root leaves gathered from the hillside, where it grew In profusion. Dried in the sun, it made a very good substitute for the Chinese article.
"George wrapped the bird in green leaves, and then covered it with a thick envelope of mud taken from the sides of the well and covering it with ashes and coals, allowed it to bake. When done it was served with tea, in wooden cups whittled out of the aspen which grew abundantly on the flats. Broken pieces of corn cake and some parched acorns were next set out, and a little salt was added to the bird, George having forgotten it before it was 'put to bake.'
"The weather being fine, as it usually is in autumn in this lati- tude, supper was taken in the open air under a large tree. The hun- ters chatted freely and seemed to enjoy their frugal meal. The sun had slipped down behind the ridge and out of sight, although not yet sunset, properly speaking. Two or three bald eagles were sailing about just above the trees, giving an occasional scream, as if to inquire what was meant by intruding upon their haunts.
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" 'I think I'll take a shot at that old eagle if she alights on one of these trees,' said George.
" 'They are not likely to come so near us, except in brooding time, when they will even attack a man in defense of their nest or their young,' observed Ben.
" 'These are the first bald eagles I have ever seen,' said George. 'What large, noble-looking birds they are. But are they really bald-headed, Ben? Their heads and neck appear as white as snow.'
"'No, they are not bald, but have been given this name from the appearance to baldness produced by the white feathers on the head and neck. They are also called the American eagle and adopted as the emblem of our country.'
"At that moment one of the birds wheeled suddenly in its flight, arched its wings and darted to the ground like a meteor. The wild grass being of a luxuriant growth in the flat, partially broke the swoop of the bird. A momentary struggle, a sharp scream, and away it flew over the hill with a full-grown rabbit in its talons.
"'Well, the wicked robber!' cried George. 'Do you think he intends to eat it?'
"'Oh, yes; the bald eagle is a bird of prey and kills his own game for food when he can find it, although he will even resort to carrion when pressed by hunger.'
"'See what large sticks in that nest, almost as large as a man's leg.'
"Yes, the nest is built large and strong, and then the same nest is used each year for many years in succession. The female lays two large white eggs about the first of February, and the young are hatched about the first of March.'
"Supper over and the few cooking utensils put away, after the backwoods fashion, George lit his pipe and the following dialogue took place : 'George, I think you would do well to take up your traps for a few days, lest the Indians steel them. The fur will not be first-class yet for a couple of weeks anyway.'
" 'You're right, Ben. But I'm anxious to be after 'em. Who can stand the sight of four hundred rat houses in one marsh and not get nervous? And such fine ones, too. They say if the rats build tall houses, it's a sign of high water.'
"'Such may be the fact,' said Ben, 'for all animals are endowed with special instinct for protection, in place of reason, which belongs to man alone.'
"'Well, if you think best I will take up the traps in the morning and we'll see what we can find with the rifles.'
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"Darkness had now gathered around them, and, with a few part- ing wiffs at his pipe, George started for the cave, followed by his companion. The hoot of an owl near by was answered by another half a mile away. Myriads of frogs in the surrounding marshes kept up a continual din, while a dozen brazen-throated bull-frogs in a deep pond near by did the bass for the other warblers of the night. A couple of wolves across the marsh set up such a babel of barks and howls as to sound like a pack of fifty curs. But our hunters were used to these things, and without giving them the least attention they lay down on their bed of leaves and slept the sleep of the weary."
A POTTAWATTAMIE VILLAGE
Also from Alter's "Hoosier Hunting Grounds:" "We will now follow Ben and leave the other two hunters to look after themselves for a while. Crossing the river at the sandy crossing, where a cloud of ducks arose from the water, with their deafen- ing roar of wings and their quack, quack, quack, he took a south- easterly direction through the woods, keeping his course by the sun, with its dusky, red face veiled by the smoke of Indian summer. There was no path to follow, but he knew the general direction he wished to go; therefore he had but little trouble in shaping his course. Bees still swarmed out in search of the few flowers that had not been nipped by the early frost of autumn. Frogs croaked, the mocking birds still sang their morning carols from the tops of the tallest trees, and robin red-breasts hopped about in quest of worms. Wild geese, cranes and brants passed constantly overhead or waded and paddled in the ponds at will. The geese darted their heads low in the water in quest of snails and bugs, while their feet paddled the thin water to maintain their equilibrium.
"Ben enjoyed all these things, for he was not only a student, but a lover of nature. Just before leaving the timber and entering upon the broad prairie he seated himself upon the limb of a fallen tree to rest and watch the gambols of half a dozen squirrels that were chasing each other from limb to limb, now to the very top of a tall hickory tree, then away again and down, down to the leafy ground, here scuffIng and rolling on a bed of moss. One of them in his haste slipped from a small log on which he was running into a pool of water, when, as if ashamed of his own awkward act, he dashed away with all speed, shaking the water from his hairy hide as he went and ran up an old snag and into a hole.
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"At this instant Ben was startled by the whistling of an arrow, which buried itself beyond the dart in the log within three inches of where he sat. It came with such force that the trembling shaft hummed like a top. Springing to his feet he cocked his rifle and peered into the bushes from which the arrow seemed to have sped. Seeing no one he nimbly stepped behind a tree and watched for some move on the part of his unseen adversary. He had but a minute to wait, when a Pottawattamie Indian stepped from behind a tree, dropped his bow on the ground, raised both hands above his head in token of surrender, and walked slowly toward the hunter.
"Ben, however, suspecting treachery, kept on his guard and watched the background for more enemies, as well as the advancing redskin.
"'Me no mad, me good friend. Me tink you sleep on log ; shoot arrow so you wake up.'
"Ben, now being assured that the Indian was alone, took the proffered hand of friendship; after which they seated themselves on the log and the following conversation took place :
"'Who are you and why did you shoot at me?' asked Ben.
"'Me Pottawattamie, name Bird-eye. Hunt pheasant for pap- poose and sick squaw. Me no shoot at white man, shoot at log ; no hit white man, hit log.'
" 'I see you hit the log, but it came uncomfortably near to me.'
" 'Ugh, me like see you jump.'
"Ben knew the Indian had not tried to kill him, or he would have shot near his breast, as is customary with most savages at short range.
" 'Where do you live?' -
" 'Live in wigwam on river, one hour away to sunrise.'
" 'How many of your people live near you?' In answer to this question the Indian raised both hands, with fingers and thumbs extended, repeating the action. 'Twenty,' said Ben, half aloud. ‘Do you raise any corn ?'
" 'Me got corn.'
"'Would you sell some of it?' The Indian grunted and gave a nod in the affirmative.
"After a moment's pause Ben thought it would be better to buy corn of these savages than risk getting corn or meal at Newton, and besides carrying it from so much greater distance; therefore he gave the savage to understand that he wished to accompany him home and purchase a little of his corn. Whereupon Bird-eye ad- justed his belt, which contained a brace of pheasants and a squirrel,
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walked to a tree, picked up his bow, and without further comment led the way to a little Indian village on the right bank of the Iro- quois, three or four miles east of the place where they had first met in the woods.
"The village consisted of about a dozen wigwams, placed in a row along the river bank, which at this point was ten or twelve feet above the marsh. The marsh was here about half a mile wide, through the middle of which slowly meandered the sluggish chan- nel. The whole marsh for miles, however, was nothing less than a deep lake, on the surface of which was forming a floating sod that, in places, would support the weight of a man ; gently sinking into the water, however, until a basinlike depression a rod wide was formed, into which the water would rise if the weight was not immediately removed; while in other places the sod formation was so thin that it would 'mire a duck.' At the moment they entered the clearing in front of the huts a loud noise came from the tim- ber south and west-yelling of Indians, barking of dogs and crack- ing of brush. Nearer and nearer came the din. Bird-eye bounded across the clearing and into the woods. Ben followed slowly, not knowing what the chase might be. He had walked a distance of about fifty paces south of the last wigwam in the row, when four deer came bounding out of the thicket in full sight and ran through an open glade toward the river. When at full broadside he fired at the near- est, which was a large doe. When the gun cracked she fell in her tracks. The other three ran down the steep bank and steered around below the camp, when suddenly the squaws rushed from the wigwams brandishing splint brooms, baskets, coonskins and clubs, shouting and screaming like demons. This checked the deer in their flight, and this second fright caused them to wheel suddenly and back-track with great speed; but when nearing the point where they had descended the bank, the Indians came yelling out of the bushes and commenced pouring the arrows into them. At the same time the squaws closed in from above, and Ben, bringing up the center, the deer were forced into the muck and the floating sod of the marsh. A few floundering jumps proved the uselessness of escape in that direction.
"The largest, a five-pronged buck, who was in the lead, took in the difficulty, and turning around struggled back until he had placed himself between the other two and their pursuers. Shaking his head of horns and blowing the mud and water from his muzzle, with a snort of defiance he stood at bay, with green, angry eyes staring at the mottled group on the bank.
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"At this juncture Ben, who had reloaded, stepped forward and raised his rifle; but a grunt of disapproval from two or three, and Bird-eye waving him to desist, he lowered his gun, uncocked it, dropped the breech to the ground, and waited the will of the crowd. After quite a great deal of debating in their own language, and much gesticulating with hands and heads, they seemed to arrive at a deci- sion. Two young fellows, seemingly about seventeen years of age, threw off their hunting shirts, breeches and moccasins, leaving nothing but a shirt, or rather a short skirt of some cheap material reaching from the waist to just above the knees ; grasping a knife in one hand and a tomahawk in the other, they commenced picking their way over the springing turf. The buck tossed his head wick- edly as they drew near. Separating, they came on to the attack, one from each side, and sprang upon him with all the boldness of their savage natures. As they struck, the buck maddened by the pain caused by two arrows still sticking in his side, together with the onslaught of his adversaries, gave a bleat of rage and thew his heavy horns, first backward and then to the right and left with so much force, as almost to blind the two young Indians, covering them with mud and water. The move was so unexpected that one missed the deer and lost his hatchet in the water, while the other, missing the head, struck a horn, knocking it off. They now beat a hasty retreat, scrambling back as best they could, while their friends cheered loudly to see the sport.
"A second attack was made immediately, one making for the head again with his tomahawk, while the other actually leaped upon the animal's back and endeavored to cut his throat. The buck paid but little attention to the one in the rear, as it was the other who had given him such a blow in the onset as to deprive him of one of his weapons. Keeping his eye on him he was ready for the attack, and rearing high as the youth came near he struck him with both front feet like a wild broncho.
"The savage dropped his weapon and fell back wounded. The buck was quick to follow up his advantage and, with the other youth on his back, he lunged forward again and, with half a dozen thrusts of his powerful forelegs he shoved the Indian far under the muck and water to rise no more. Instantly changing tactics, he now pulled for the bank, making short but rapid jumps.
"The greater portion of the Indians stood and watched him come out and run up the bank without making any resistance, being terrified by the scene of the drowning boy. Three or four, how- ever, had the presence of mind to shoot arrows into him as he passed.
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Nothing daunted, he rushed up the bank and away through the low jack-oak bushes at full speed, with the boy on his back, his arms around his neck.
"The old doe and her fawn, almost grown, now came leaping out of the marsh as best they could; but the Indians had rallied by this time, and arrows pierced the side of the doe in great numbers. She was still holding on her way, though wounded, when one fellow fired a shot from an old musket loaded with ball. This took effect in the shoulder, and she leaped high in the air and fell dead on her side. The fawn was caught and pulled down by the dogs as soon as he reached the solid ground.
"No time was lost in making search for the drowned boy, but though the search was continued for days the body was never found. It probably sank to the bottom of the deep lake after being stamped through the thin coat of sod which covered the water. [A foot-note here states that "the depth of water was tested in the Burk marsh on the Iroquois river in 1865, by L. A. Bostwick, C. E., and gas pipe was pushed through floating sod and muck to the depth of fifty feet."]
"Several of the party were sent after the old buck and his daring rider. Dogs were placed upon the trail, but they followed little faster than the men, who, with their swinging trot, kept the trail as well as the dogs. Once they had sight of him as he passed an open place in the timber. Like Diana of old, he seemed to be giving chase, mounted on the fleetest beast of the woods, his scalp- lock unbraided and flying loose to the wind. It was only for a second, when he was dashed into the jungle and out of sight.
"That night was one of mourning in the village. The squaws placed handfuls of sand on their heads, danced up and down, and groaned and screamed out like panthers. The men who were not engaged in the search for the body or in pursuit of the runaways, built three or four small fires along the foot of the ridge or river bank, and kept up a continuous trotting back and forth by the fires during the whole of that dark night, for the sky was overcast with clouds and the moon did not rise until near morning.
"Ben described it as a night long to be remembered. The crack- ing, snapping fires echoing from the overhanging trees along the bank of the river; the long-drawn humming in both guttural and nasal tones by the watchers as they trotted to and fro, in that cease- less, rhythmic pat, pat, pat of moccasined feet on the crisp leaves of the forest; the ever-changing wailing of the squaws in the wig- wams and the phantom-like forms, flitting here and there with
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torches searching for the dead. All this was truly awe-inspiring in the pitchy darkness.
"At intervals the baying of hounds gave proof that the chase was still on, whether the rider was or not. No sleep came to the eyes of our friend that night. At times his thoughts would revert to his friends back in the cave, then again to friends in other lands; but they never strayed far till brought back to the ceaseless tread of feet on the dead march and the funeral dirge of the mourning savages. But at last, like all other nights, this one, so full of mel- ancholy scenes and sounds, passed away.
"The sun rose clear, but was soon obscured by scudding clouds, which betokened rain. A few old Indians, including the father of the unfortunate boy, were still feeling for the body with poles; but most of the band were either preparing or partaking of the morning meal, which consisted of hominy, corn cakes and various wild meats.
"Bird-eye now came up to Ben, where he was seated on a stump in the center of the enclosure, and invited him into his rude tent for the first time. Ben arose and followed without a word. On entering the narrow, circular apartment he was struck by the tidy appearance and the systematic arrangement of the various articles in so small a place. On the north side of the tent or wigwam was hung all manner of peltries. Immediately under them was a rifle well poised in wooden davits; also a powder horn, bullet pouch, and two large knives in sheathes. Next below them rested three long bows, well wrapped and finished with deer sinews; also, three quivers of arrows, smooth and straight, with feathered shafts and iron darts firmly fixed in the heads. On the eastern curve were the cooking utensils, few in number but tastefully arranged.
"On either side of the doorway were bunches of steel-traps, grouped as to sizes ; a corn hoe, a dibble, and some other articles of minor importance. In the center of the apartment was a brisk little fire of dry fagots, from which the smoke ascended to the top of the wigwam, where it found egress through an opening at the junction of the tepee poles. On a hay bed covered with skins reclined an Indian squaw of about twenty-five years of age. Her emaciated form and pinched, haggard features, showed her to be suffering from some lingering disease. Near her, on a buffalo hide, sat two other females. One was an old crone with white locks and the other an Indian maiden of rare beauty, whose glossy black hair shone like ebony. Her eyes were bright and piercing, yet soft and kind as those of a dove.
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"Ben gave the girl a look of admiration; then turned to the af- flicted one with a glance of pity. Neither of the females spoke when the men entered the cabin. A skillet of meat was sitting near the fire, which the maid placed in a large oaken platter containing corn cakes and dried venison, while Bird-eye placed the only stool in the room at Ben's disposal. She then passed the food to the two men, who took pieces out with their fingers and 'did eat.' Water was next placed before them in a gourd, from which they quenched their thirst alternately. After the meal was finished, Bird-eye walked to the couch of the invalid and a low conversation took place in the Pot- tawattamie tongue.
"The sky had become more and more threatening during the time passed in the hut, and the wind was rising. The Indian stepped to the door to note the aspect of the weather. 'Big storm,' he said, as he moved quietly outside and ran quickly to each tent, informing the inmates of the impending storm, which was now fast breaking upon · them. In a few minutes he returned and began making things secure by fastening the corners of the skins with thongs of deer-hide and bracing the tent with extra pole braces. A great yellow bank of curvetting cloud came rolling down the heavens, which seemed to be followed and pushed ahead by an uneasy power which roared and bellowed like ten thousand maddened bulls. It was something ter- rific. Ben described it as being equal to a tropical tornado, a real Caribbean cyclone and an African hurricane combined. The trees bowed their tops to the earth in humble subjection to the powers that be, and many were snapped in twain with reports like heavy artillery. Wilder and wilder raged the tempest. The driving rain came down in blinding sheets. A flood of water rushed through the wigwam a foot deep.
"Ben and the Indian were using their utmost endeavors to hold the braces and thus keep the tent from going away with the blast. The maid sprang up and raised the sick woman to a sitting posture, so that her head might be out of the water; but the old crone still sat in the water almost to her waist, crooning sad strains of some sorrow song as she swayed her body back and forth, without paying the slightest attention to the warring of the elements.
"The lodge poles were bent like reeds in the marsh and the rain dashed through the holes and crevices in the skins in great bucket- fuls. Vivid flashes of zigzag and sheet lightning almost blinded them, and peal upon peal of thunder seemed to rend the heavens in a million seams, whereby the pent-up waters dashed and fell on the
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earth in oceans of waterspouts. One could not have stood on his feet a second out in the storm.
"In the course of half an hour, which seemed almost an age to those who had to stem the storm, the din ceased, and this cloudy cauldron of wind, water and electricity, each struggling for the mas- tery, passed away as quickly as it had come. The trees lifted their heads, except those whose hearts had been broken, and the water dripped from their leaves and branches. The wind ceased, the sun burst forth from behind a cloud, and nature seemed to smile upon the wreck and desolation everywhere visible. Broad streams, rivulets and rills were still gurgling down the sloping woodland and over the river bank into the marsh lake, with a roar like a Liliputian cataract.
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