THE CAPTURE AND ESCAPE.
THE CAPTURE AND ESCAPE;
OR,
LIFE AMONG THE SIOUX,
BY
MRS. SARAH L. LARIMER.
I beheld the westward marchers
Of the unknown crowded nations.
All the road was full of people.
Restless, struggling, toiling, striving.
LONGFELLOW.
PHILADELPHIA:
CLAXTON, REMSEN & HAFFELFINGER,
819 & 821 MARKET STREET.
1870.
__________________________________________________________
Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by
CLAXTON, REMSEN & HAFFELFINGER,
in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the
Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
STEREOTYPED BY J. FAGAN & SON. PRINTED BY MOORE BROS.
TO
The People of the West,
THIS NARRATIVE IS INSCRIBED BY ONE WHO
COUNTS MANY FRIENDS AMONG THEM,
AND CLAIMS A HOME IN THEIR
PROSPEROUS LAND.
S. L. L.
PREFACE.
________
MORE than five years have elapsed since the great Indian War of the plains commenced, by the raid of a band of roving, hostile Indians upon a small company of emigrants that were en route to the gold regions of Idaho.
The attack was at Little Box-Elder Creek, in Idaho Territory. I was of that unfortunate com- pany; and, after this interval, which has brought desolation and death among the frontier people, I have endeavored to narrate briefly my experience with the Indians, and to record some observations of Indian life and character.
For want of room in this volume—which has already exceeded the limits originally contemplated— I am compelled to omit the highly interesting expe- rience of Mrs. Kelley, but issue it in a book entitled " Mrs. Kelley's Experience among the Indians.''
vii
CONTENTS.
_________
CHAPTER I.
PAGE
EARLY HISTORY—HOME IN KANSAS—JOURNEY TO THE
PLAINS—SCENERY BY THE WAY. . . . . . . . . . 7
CHAPTER II.
JULESBURG — THE EPHEMERAL EXISTENCE OF A CITY
—A STORY OF AN INDIAN CHIEF. . . . . . . . . 23
CHAPTER III.
JOURNEY TO FORT LARAMIE—COURT-HOUSE ROCK—
CHIMNEY ROCK—COLD CREEK—INDIAN VISITS—ABO-
RIGINAL ETIQUETTE— REFLECTIONS UPON INDIAN
CHARACTER—JOURNEY TO LITTLE BOX-ELDER CREEK 29
CHAPTER IV.
CROSSING OF LITTLE BOX-ELDER CREEK—SUDDEN AP-
PEARANCE OF INDIANS—PREPARATION FOR DEFENCE
—TOKITCHEY'S ASSURANCE OF FRIENDSHIP—THEIR
SINGULAR CONDUCT—THE ATTACK, AND PLUNDER OF
THE WAGONS . . . . . . . . . . 39
ix
X CONTENTS.
PAGE
CHAPTER V.
ESCAPE TO AN EMIGRANT TRAIN—BURIAL OF THE DEAD
— PRECAUTION OF EMIGRANTS — ARRIVAL AT FORT
DEER-CREEK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
CHAPTER VI.
JOURNEY IN CAPTIVITY—ESCAPE OF LITTLE MARY—
CROSSING OF THE NORTH PLATTE RIVER—FIRST EN-
CAMPMENT—INDIAN HILARITY . . . . . . . . 58
CHAPTER VII.
CONTINUATION OF THE JOURNEY—SECOND ENCAMP-
MENT—INDIAN COOKERY, AND CHAGRIN—SINGULAR
AND THREATENING CONDUCT OF THE CHIEF, AND HIS
EARLY HISTORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
CHAPTER VIII.
CONTINUATION OF THE JOURNEY—THIRD ENCAMPMENT
—FLIGHT WITH THE CHILD—EXTREME THIRST—DIS-
COVERY OF WATER—INDIANS—JOURNEY ALONE . 83
CHAPTER IX.
A SCANT MEAL—A DISCOVERY—BEAUTIFUL EFFECT OF
THE MIRAGE UPON THE SCENERY—ARRIVAL IN SIGHT
OF THE PLATTE—GRAND SCENERY—JOYFUL DISCOV-
ERY OF FRIENDS—BURIAL OF LITTLE MARY . . . 98
CHAPTER X.
RECROSSING THE PLATTE—MEETING WITH MY HUSBAND
—DEATH OF LIEUTENANT BROWN—A REFRACTORY
INDIAN WIFE—DEATH OF CAPTAIN RYNHEART—THE
CONTENTS. xi
PAGE
WHITE PRINCESS—NARRATIVE OF MRS. MORTON, MRS.
EWBANKS, AND MISS ROPER—EXECUTION OF INDIANS
—SUDDEN ATTACK—DEATH OF CAPTAIN FOUTS—
VARIOUS INCIDENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
CHAPTER XI.
NARRATIVE OF JAMES P. KIMBALL AND FAMILY—ELIZA-
BETH BLACKWELL—MORMON EXPERIENCE—INDIAN
KINDNESS—DESTRUCTION OF MR. FLETCHER AND FAM-
ILY — ABDUCTION OF MISS FLETCHER — NARRATIVE OF
MR. JONES AND FAMILY—THE MINNESOTA CAPTIVES
— HERMIT OF THE GILA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
CHAPTER XII.
THE PARTICULARS OF THE FORT PHILIP KEARNEY MAS-
SACRE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
CHAPTER XIII.
SIOUX HISTORY—INDIAN WOMEN AND CHILDREN—SIN-
GULAR SUPERSTITION—COPPER-RIVER INDIANS—IN-
DIAN BEAUTY AND DECORATIONS—INDIAN PAINTING