USA > Missouri > Bates County > History of Bates County, Missouri > Part 8
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physique, and more regular featured than the other tribes in that sec- tion of the West. They were straight as an arrow and as graceful as the wild swans on the waters of the Marais des Cygnes, from which, by the way, the river takes its name, Marais des Cygnes, meaning in Span- ish, the river of swans or more literally a river of white swans. Unlike the Kaws and some of the other tribes who had dwelt upon the open, sun beat prairies for uncounted generations, their houses being in the dense forests along the rivers, the Osages were not so dark and swarthy in complexion, not so weather worn in appearance as the prairie tribe. And this characteristic of their appearance was much more marked in the "squaws" than in the "bucks" or male members of the tribe.
From Madame Papin, Auguste had learned that there were some half breeds among them, sons and daughters of French fur traders, and that half breed "squaws" were strangely beautiful, having inher- ited much of the complexion, character and sprightliness of their French fathers. For years past the young scions of old and respectable French families of St. Louis had visited the Osages to trade and buy furs. On one of these trips a handsome young Frenchman, with plenty of idle time, spent months at the Osage village hunting. This was in the autumn of 1805, soon after the Louisiana purchase from Napoleon, by which all the French and foreign settlements in that vast territory became a part of the United States of America. During his stay among the peaceful Osages he was attracted by a comely young squaw who had become the wife of an old "medicine man" of the Kaws only a short time before, and by the usages of the tribe she was accorded many liberties. The old medicine man had gone on a visit to his old tribe away out on the plains of Kansas, to arrest if he could some con- tagious disease that was decimating that tribe. In his absence his squaw or wife and the handsome young Frenchman had become great friends and often hunted and trapped together. The old medicine man did not return as soon as expected and it was learned in a few weeks thereafter from some young Kaw bucks camped near Rapid de Kaw on the Osage that the old medicine man had gone among the tribe. ministering unto the afflicted without fear, until at last he was stricken with the contagion, supposed to have been what we now know as small- pox, and he died and was buried according to the rites of his own people.
The friendship between the medicine man's squaw. now his widow. and the handsome young French gallant soon grew into attachment,
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and the devotion and the evident admiration of the young widowed squaw was pleasing to the young hunter. He came to love her, not as he would have loved one of his own beautiful dark eyed country women in St. Louis, but as a child of the forest-a product of Nature, and the longer he remained at the village the more her presence and admirable devotion seemed necessary to his life and happiness. So, with the approval of the chief, in lieu of that of a father long since departed to the "happy hunting grounds" and according to the simple cerc- monies of the tribe he took her "to be his squaw," and she promised "to work for him." For a few weeks they lived much as the rest of the tribe, and the squaw-wife's care of "her hunter" was constant and beautiful. Life to the exuberant young Frenchman was like a day dream in a forest, or a play day amidst the wild flowers on the sunny prairies. Like all good Frenchmen he was an enthusiast, and he had about made up his mind never to return to St. Louis, or the white man's civilization, so rapturous was his life among the Osages: and he had become so fond of his patient, devoted squaw.
But before his Indian "honeymoon" had passed, peremptory orders from his wealthy father, who had received an inkling of the young man's pranks among the Osages from a returned fur trader, caused him to suddenly change his mind. It awoke him from a long, sweet dream. It was a rude shock. He thought hard, and said nothing. It ripped up his charming life. To disobey meant disaster-of that he was sure. So the first opportunity he slipped away, promising and hop- ing to return, and was off down the Osage for St. Louis.
. He never returned.
No pen can picture adequately the distress of the squaw wife when she realized that her "handsome hunter" had abandoned her. Not by outward signs and lamentations did she show her unspeakable grief : for it was one of the peculiarities of the squaws not to complain. Their philosophy, if they can be said to have had a philosophy of sorrow. was of the Stoic order. But the quiet smile, which she was want to bestow upon "her hunter" when she accompanied him on his hunts, or with which she greeted him on his return at night-fall was no longer a light on her countenance, and the piercing, sparkling black eyes were careless and sad. She went in and out among her people doing good to the sick and the helpless old, and tenderly assisting mother squaws in the care of their little "pappooses." She hoped against hope: she longed in silence for the return of her hunter for weeks and months.
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She seemed specially kind to the little pappooses, and by and by, while fondling one new-born, the bright but quiet smile of other days would steal over her sorrowful face, and the gleam of an anticipated joy was visible in her eyes. The reason for all this became apparent a short time afterward when she lay upon a bed of skins beneath a covering of furs, in her solitary wigwam, and at her breast, so cozy and snug, she held a tiny squaw pappoose. She gazed into its wondrous eyes and fondled its little feet and hands; and the old light came back to her eyes, and a quiet, sweet smile played upon her face. Her long dream was over, but it was as if her handsome "hunter" had sent her a precious gift in memory of his promise, alas! never to be fulfilled.
The little pappoose was named Degninon (pronounced Danino) from some fancy of its mother, and it grew into girlhood under her devoted care much like the other pappooses did. But Degninon became a great favorite in the village both with the Indians and the French fur traders. Her father's handsome face, his carriage and poise, were striking in the child: indeed, so far had his personal characteristics been transmitted to the little one that the Osage features and complexion were quite absent. There was that about her that suggested a Medi- terranean origin.
She passed into womanhood strong, well developed, beautiful. She was fond of hunting, trapping and fishing. She and her mother provided for their wants by these methods ; and when the French fur traders would come, Degninon was always ready with her furs to drive an advan- tageous bargain with the stranger; and so by and by Degninon pos- sessed the rarest assortment of valuable jewelry, necklaces and other personal ornaments to be found in the village. She seemed to have inherited this characteristic of her tribe, but it was supplemented by an instinct that told her, of all the sundry offerings of the fur traders, which were really valuable.
Sne was an expert with the bow and arrow, and could handle an old-fashioned flintlock with skill and effect. But her chief delight was with the rod during the seasons for fishing on the Marais des Cygnes and the Osage. On pleasant days she would wander for miles up and down these rivers as fancy moved her, all alone, fearless of harm, exult- ing in the beauties of nature, and in the enjoyment of buoyant health. She had never known sickness ; care was a stranger ; she loved her mother and the big forests and the rivers, and she learned music of the wild song-birds about her.
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There is something fascinating about a mere glimpse of a pleas- ing object when a second glance is impossible. The impression is made, but no opportunity is permitted to scrutinize the object, the picture or "vision" which has momentarily arrested attention. Auguste Letier had experienced the exasperating effects of this principle when fishing that pleasant day in May opposite Halley's Bluffs. But in the inter- vening weeks, in his rambles about the country and among the Indians of the village, or the missionaries at "Harmony" he had been unable to see any female face and form that answered to his impression of the face and form of her who had so suddenly stood before him on the jutting ledge of rock on the opposite shore, and as suddenly disap- peared while he struggled with the fish. One evening Madame Papin in a careless sort of way had spoken about a "most beautiful squaw at the village whose father was an early French fur trader;" but Auguste said nothing about his adventure at Halley's Bluffs; nor had he seen any squaw about the village that answered to Madame's description or to his impressions of the face and form that confronted him that May day. Unwilling to permit such a trifle to annoy, yet he could not put it entirely away from himself; and he felt himself urged from within to revisit the Bluffs.
So one bright morning in June, shouldering his gun with which, perchance, to kill a mess of young squirrels for Madame Papin, and with rod in hand he started out, as he said, for a day of quiet sport. He concluded to cross the river and stroll up to the Bluffs along the opposite shore. It so happened, instinctively or by unconscious design, if that be not contradictory, that he followed a sort of natural path- way upon a ledge of stone near the water and beneath the over-hanging stones of the towering cliffs. He followed around the Bluffs some dis- tance before he came to a position from which he could see the big pecan log upon which he sat and fished some weeks before. As he strolled quietly along he became interested in the striking evidences of man's handiwork on the face and in the sides of the massive rocks. which seemed builded by the Creator as a fortress against the mad waters of the Osage. While momentarily studying one of the many pre-historic caricatures deftly chiseled into the face of the solid stone his reverie was dispelled and his attention arrested by the sudden swish of a line and splashing of a five pound bass, snatched from its play- bouts in the swift running waters of the Osage by the dextrous hands of a young squaw. She had risen to her feet in her effort to land this beautiful game fish, and at the same moment, she became conscious of
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the presence of the stranger. There stood the "vision" of Auguste, only a few feet from him and a little nearer the water's edge, smiling at her success and the frantic struggling of this gamey fish. He hesi- tated a moment, and then addressing his "vision" as "Mademoiselle" he stepped forward and offered to release the fine bass and "string" it for her. With a good natured smile Degninon accepted his polite overture, and Auguste realized that she was the "vision" made mani- fest on the former occasion. They stood face to face with but the cliffs, the waters, and the forests to witness their mutual "first impres- sions." Dressed in the skins of animals from waist to the ankles, with a red and yellow striped, loosely fitted woolen blouse making up the balance of her apparel-bare-footed and bare-headed, except a striking variety of wild flowers interwoven with her long, black, loosely flow- ing hair ; features as regular as those of the best bred women of France ; -flushed with native modesty, and her wondrous, speaking eyes look- ing him fairly and steadily in the face, is it any wonder that Auguste Letier, an enthusiastic child of southern France, the son and heir of a Marquis, should feel the spell of her presence and the enchantment of this "beautiful squaw" of Madame Papin's description, now stand- ing unembarrassed before him? In a perfectly natural manner Deg- ninon looked into his eyes, and then measured him from head to foot, as she would have done any object of nature of sudden interest to her. She had no sense of fear and was less abashed than Auguste by this sudden meeting. They were both pleased by first impressions and Auguste, addressing her in his native tongue, was delighted to discover that she could understand and speak French readily. He told her of his fondness for fishing and explained that that was the object of his com- ing to that place. She confessed her delight in the sport. So their acquaintance began, without. conventionalities, and under rather roman- tic circumstances and amidst pleasing scenes. It was plain from her manner that he was a welcome companion in the sport; and so he unwound his line, baited both hooks, and finding a comfortable seat near hers, they flung out their lines, and sat down to fish and chat. In the interims of disengaging the black bass from the hooks Degninon talked of her life and adventures along the rivers and in the forests. They had a great run of luck, and before the mid-day sun reached their position and made it uncomfortably warm on the bare and unshade rocks, they had "strung" all the fish they cared to carry to the village some three miles distant.
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Auguste, at the suggestion of Madame Papin, had taken with him a large lunch prepared according to French methods by the skilled hands of the good Madame.Y But as Degninon was used to fasting on her long jaunts from breakfast until supper she had nothing for a mid-day lunch ; and when Auguste insisted that she should share his she declined, but under his entreaties, and as she said, "to please Monsieur," she finally consented. It was a warm day and a drink of water with their lunch was desirable; but along the bluffs which extended up and down the river about a quarter of a mile in either direction from where they were there was no available water except the river. But Degninon was familiar with all the springs, as well as other interesting places for miles around, and she led the way to find water for their luncheon. Taking her course up the river they kept close to the water's edge until they had passed the base of the higher cliffs and there they came up into the timber on to a beautiful, level, moss-grown, flower-bedecked, park-like place. In the midst of this natural park a sparkling spring of refreshing mineral waters gurgled unceasingly; and here they found rude stone seats contrived by "bucks" and "squaws" who had visited this life-giving spring some time during the ages they had inhabited the surrounding forests and plains.
Here they lunched, and here they rested during the heated hours of the day beneath the protecting foliage of an unbroken forest. They talked, like children, of themselves: and unrestrained by any sense of impropriety Degninon told Auguste the story of her life to that moment as she had it from her mother, and as it has been told in these pages.
As the sun declined and the shadows lengthened a refreshing zephyr from off the prairies stirred the foliage, and made this real scene dream like and fairy.
They retraced their steps for the "string" of fish, their rods and Auguste's gun. He was not sure of the interest he hoped he had awakened in Degninon's heart; and lest she might disappear forever on reaching the village he asked her to return the next day and show him the many curious sights and ancient heiroglyphics about the Bluffs, of which she had told him; and to make sure of her return, in a bantering way, he suggested that they hide their rods beneath some obscuring rocks as a pledge to meet there on the morrow. She hesitated, but his eager eyes won and she agreed to do so. With a light heart Auguste arranged the string of bass so they could be carried and Degninon (7)
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shouldered his gun, like the experienced hunter she was, and they were soon drifting down the rapid Osage in her canoe.
The sun was setting in a clear sky, and no sylvan scene was ever more beautiful, soothing and seductive than that about them. Lang- uage can not give it even a pardonable picture to the mind; nor can any pen untouched by the divine spirit of love, peace and joy convey to the reader the tender emotions of their hearts, now thoroughly aflame with the restless passions of a holy first love. Soon they had reached the birch-bark canoe in which Auguste had crossed the river in the morning and rounding to he lightly leaped into it, loosened its mooring, and with a few deft strokes of the paddles he landed against the opposite shore where he could get it the next day; and by this time Degninon had come along side so that as soon as Auguste had secured his canoe he stepped into Degninon's and in an incredibly short time, by her strength and skill, against a vigorous current, she shot the canoe into a secluded haven a short distance below the "Bluffs," and having secured it to the shore, with fish and gun through a pathless forest, Degninon leading the way, they were off for the Osage village at "Harmony." It was a long, sweet walk in spite of the luxuriant grass, tangled vines and under-brush.
A short distance from her mother's wigwam Degninon exchanged the gun for the string of bass, hesitated a moment, and was off without a word of parting. All that Auguste could say, as he watched her retreating form, was -"Tomorrow!" and either Degninon or the echo- ing trees replied-"Tomorrow !"
It was now late. The full moon was up, and Auguste was soon at home with Monsieur and Madame Papin. A kindly welcome greeted him; but so full was Auguste's mind and heart of other emotions that he scarcely replied to the motherly solicitude of good Madame Papin. He dreamed in sleep and slept in dreams that night ; and Madame Papin noted an indefinable change in his eyes, an uneasy, inexpressible some- thing in his manner the next morning at breakfast when he told her that he had become interested in the scenes about Halley's Bluffs and so had forgotten his fishing rod and tackle, and that he must return and get them. But she said nothing about what she had noted to Monsieur Papin. So eager was Auguste to get off that he slipped away to the river before she could wrap him a mid-day lunch.
The distance from Degninon's wigwam to the river opposite the Bluffs was double the distance from the home of Melicourt Papin to
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the same point. But, Auguste was so eager and so fearful that Deg- ninon would not keep her promise that he was early at the haven in which they had left her canoe; there it rested just as they had left it, swaying to and fro upon the waters; but a dreadful hush pervaded the forest and seemed to rest even upon the waters; the sun was just ris- ing over the picturesque Bluffs; but, the scene did not appeal to Auguste as it once did. He could hear his heart throb. He had never experi- enced such emotions before; fear-that she would not come-hopeful expectancy,-alternated in his mind. In this condition of mental agony he stood motionless, peering through the forest in the direction he thought she must come, but oblivious to all about him, and mistaken in the "points of the compass," the sudden snap of a dry branch directly at his back so startled him that he felt for the moment a real terror. Turn- ing instantly, tremulous in every fiber of his being, he was face to face with Degninon, who smiled at his evident surprise. She suffered him to grasp her hands in both of his for the moments it required him to express in voluble French his extreme happiness and rapture. She had kept her pledge. He was in ecstacies. And she accepted his gal- lant care and assistance into the canoe with a graceful courtesy that was reassuring. It was a pleasant morning in the shadows of Halley's Bluffs and they at once began to look the curious old place over. They soon reached a height about one hundred feet above the water and above which the massive cliffs were perpendicular. At the point they had reached a great notch had been cut in the solid stone front as if by the ceaseless threshing of a fretful sea during prehistoric ages. This pas- sage way, some ten feet wide and easily traversible, ran the whole dis- tance around the Bluffs. Nature and the ancient waters, which had evidently spread out miles and miles beyond the confines of the river as it lay beneath them, and covered all the valley and low lands round about, had worn into the face of this stone fortress great rooms, some of them dark and uncanny.
All this must have happened long before human foot had trodden or human eye explored the country. And Degninon said the traditions of her tribe described the natural conditions of the Bluffs much as they were then and are now. They went into all the beautiful and curious places wrought out by the forces of nature. Auguste was often startled by the unsightly, weird and meaningless signs and figures of men and beasts cut into the sides of the stone. Many of these Degninon said. according to the ancient traditions of the Osages, were cut there by the
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servants of the "Great Spirit" in the ages long past. She said the tra- ditions of her people taught that the figures of men in sitting posture were intended to teach obedience and subjection to the will and power of the Great Spirit. The caricatures of animals everywhere visible were intended, she explained, to remind the tribes of the good times to come in the "happy hunting grounds" beyond this life.
This was the significance-this the philosophy of the prehistoric inhabitants of the country, and it had been handed down from genera- tion to generation and it was an accepted tradition of her people.
So they talked as they passed on and on, examining every curious nook and cranny, every grotto and cataract, and overhanging flower ; and suddenly, at the extreme point and bulge of the cliffs to the north- west where the "Bluff" stood out over them to its utmost, over the very river below, they came upon a series of wonderful pits or wells chiseled straight down into the solid stone. They were directly round, about five feet in diameter, and varied in depth from fifteen to thirty feet. They had evidently been cut with sharp tools of some kind, but tradi- tion failed, Degninon said, to tell how it was accomplished. These wells were only two or three feet apart, back so close to the cliffs and so far under the overhanging bluff that no drop of water ever found its way into them. They were blackened on the inside as if fires had some time been builded in them, and being pressed to account for these really wonderful achievements of a race apparently long since perished from the earth, Degninon said she had heard her mother say that the old people of the tribe believed that these wells were digged out, by those who did it, for the purpose of curing and preserving the meat of animals taken in the chase; that when the meat was dressed it was hung by stout thongs tied to heavy cross-poles down in these stone holes to prevent wolves, bear and other carnivorous wild animals from get- ting it. This, she said, explained why the wells were blackened, for it was often necessary to smoke and cure it for use when on a long jour- ney, or when fresh meat was unwholesome. This was all that tradition or story offered then, or has since offered. to account for these wonder- ful stone wells at Halley's Bluffs.
A pardonable digression may be indulged at this point. The writer recently visited Halley's Bluffs and examined those marvelous prehis- toric wells and found eight or ten of them just as described in the fore- going. Nothing has ever developed to the writer's knowledge, to show when, by whom, how or for what purpose they were digged. No student
ON THE SUMMIT OF HALLEY'S BLUFF.
THE MYSTERIOUS CACHES OR WELLS UNDER THE LEDGES AT HALLEY'S BLUFF.
These wells have never been explained by scientist nor historian. The Indians had no knowledge of how or by whom these holes were dug in the solid rock. The author counted twenty-five, including some surface indications of where wells had been, but much of the rock had been worn away by erosion.
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of ethnology has ever been able to advance a more plausible story than the tradition related by Degninon.
By the time Auguste and Degninon had visited all the curious places, admired the mosses, ferns and delicate wild flowers clinging here and there, as lovers have done many times since, and the stalactite forma- tions hanging from the roofs of the caves and grottoes it was high noon; but as Auguste had no lunch he said nothing. He had noticed a flat- like willow basket, evidently the work of her own hands, hanging from Degninon's shoulder, but he did not suspect it was a lunch basket. Such, in truth, it was. And it was well filled with some of the black bass they had carried home the evening before, together with other equally tempting things to a hungry man. Degninon's offer to share her lunch with him met with instant acceptance. Such is the fraility of man! So they clambered around and up a sort of natural stairway until they reached the very summit of the Bluffs. Here beneath a century-old white oak near the edge of the perpendicular cliffs where they could look out upon a beautiful scene as far as human vision could reach Deg- ninon unpacked her willow basket and spread its contents.
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