| | 12 | Author: | Kelly
Fanny
1845-1904 | Add | | | Title: | Narrative of My Captivity Among the Sioux Indians  | | | | Published: | 2003 | | | | Subjects: | University of Virginia Library, Modern English collection | UVA-LIB-Text | University of Virginia Library, Westward Exploration collection | UVA-LIB-WestwardExplor | | | | Description: | I Was born in Orillia, Canada, in 1845. Our home
was on the lake shore, and there amid pleasant surroundings
I passed the happy days of early childhood. "This Indian, after taking part in the present out-break
of the Indians against the white settlers and
missionaries, being sick, and not able to keep up with
his friends in their flight, we give you the offerings of
friendship, food and clothing. You are in our power,
but we won't harm you. Go to your people and gladden
their hearts. Lay down your weapons, and fight the
white men no more. We will do you good, and not
evil. Take this letter; in it we have spoken. Depart
in peace, and ever more be a friend to the white people,
and you will be more happy. "Whoever you may be, if you will only buy us from
the Indians with ponies or any thing, and let me come
and stay with you until I can get word to my friends,
they will pay you well; and I will work for you also,
and do all I can for you. "Makatunke says he will not fight wagons, for they
have been fighting two days. They had many killed
by the goods they brought into camp. They tell me
what to write. I do not understand them. I was
taken by them July 12. They say for the soldiers to
give forty head of cattle. "If you are really a white woman captive in the
hands of these Indians, I shall be glad to buy you and
restore you to your friends, and if a few unarmed Indians
will deliver you at the place where your letter
was received, I will send there for them three good
American horses, and take you to our camp. "I am truly a white woman, and now in sight of
your camp, but they will not let me go. They say
they will not fight, but don't trust them. They say,
'How d'ye do.' They say they want you to give them
sugar, coffee, flour, gunpowder, but give them nothing
till you can see me for yourself, but induce them, taking
me first. They want four wagons, and they will stop
fighting. They want forty cattle to eat; I have to write
what they tell me. They want you to come here—you
know better than that. His name Chatvanco and the
other's name Porcupine. Read to yourself, some of
them can talk English. They say this is their ground.
They, say, 'Go home and come back no more.' The
Fort Laramie soldiers have been after me, but they
(the Indians) run so; and they say they want knives
and axes and arrow-iron to shoot buffalo. Tell them
to wait and go to town, and they can get them. I
would give them any thing for liberty. Induce them
to show me before you give anything. They are very
anxious for you to move now. Do not, I implore you
for your life's sake. "Your second communication convinces me that you
are what you profess to be, a captive white woman,
and you may be assured that myself and my party
are eager for release, but for the present I can not
accede to the demands, or gratify the wants of your
captors. We are sent on an important trust and mission,
by order of the great War Chief at Washington,
westward to the mountain region, with a small party
of well-armed and determined men, feeling entirely
capable of defending ourselves; but we are not a war
party, and our train is not intended for war purposes.
Powder and shot we have, but no presents for the
hostile Indians. | | | Similar Items: | Find |
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