Willard Middle School - Target Yearbook (Berkeley, CA)

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Willard Intermediate High School, Berkeley VOL. VI. MAY, 1919 NO. 1 Chilsipee, the Rocky Mountain Maiden The clouds had passed by; the storm had ceased. It was after the fierce battle with the Blackfeet In- dians on the Yellowstone River, in 1834, that Kit Carson and his party of beaver trappers rejoiced and made merry over their victory. Meanwhile, some of the trappers proceeded to search among the bushes in order to discover how many In- dians were killed and if there were any living. Rose, one of the trap- pers, was aiding in the search. To his surprise and bewilderment he perceived, hidden in a clump of pine bushes, an Indian maiden. She had covered herself wit h branches and leaves, and had probably been left by the Indians in their retreat, as their village was not more than a hundred yards away from the battle- field. It was soon discovered that her leg was much swollen and that she was suffering with intense pain occasioned by a shot from a rifle ball; but she bore it with bravery and heroism peculiar to the Indian race. Her wounds were dressed as care- fully, if not as skilfully, as a phy- sician would have cared for them, and, although it was at first supposed that she would die, she began slowly to recover. She was soon the pet of these rough but tender-hearted trappers, who did all they could to amuse their little patient, whom they had saved from a terrible death. Her name was Chilsipee, meaning the Antelope, and the young girl, for she was only thirteen, became the favorite of the whole company. When the trappers started from this camping place to Snake River a litter was constructed for her use. The winter spent on the Snake River was a severe one, and the trap- pers had nothing to do but hunt oc- casionally and play at cards and dominoes. Their clothes were sadly worn and, as Chilsipee was very in- dustrious, she was kept busy mending and patching for the whole company. So this little maiden lived and thrived, helping the trappers in every way possible and more and more winning the hearts of every one of them. Just before leaving Snake River, Rose purchased a fine horse, the best one in the company, which Chilsipee chose as her favorite riding animal. When she wanted a horse to ride it was only necessary for her to express her desire and it was granted, for no one thought of refusing her. In the coming spring there was to be a rendezvous and all of the camp were making preparations for it. Chilsipee had been busy all winter preparing for this great occasion. Soon the day arrived. Chilsipee was in the height of her glory. She was using Rose ' s horse, which was beautifully ornamented. There was a broad leathern belt a foot wide stretching from the saddle across its breast, and this was covered with red cloth embroidered in stars and other emblems, the whole being

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BERKELEY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1913 01860 6704

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The Target fringed with girlews and small bells which jingled as she galloped along. Chilsipee was indeed a picture wor- thy to be seen, her long, black hair streaming behind her in the wind and the bells on her cap making a merry sound as she rode. She was small, and graceful as a fawn, and her eyes were large and brilliant. Chilsipee rode man-fashion, as all In- dian women do, which made the trappers quite proud of her. She would ride at the head of the column and then, when on rising ground, she would halt and allow the caval- cade to pass by her, like an army passing before the inspection of a general. Then, starting up with a gallop, she would run to the front at full speed amuf shouts of Bravo, Chilsipee! Go it, little one! A few days later, while out trap- ping, one of the men was shooting at what looked like an animal. It dodged the shot and started to run. The trapper then discovered that it was an Indian who was, probably, up to some mischief, being far away from an Indian camp. Not having any weapon, he had been obliged to retreat. For some time after this Chilsipee seemed excited and anxious. A few mornings later, Rose, on looking for his horse, found that it had dis- appeared. Thinking that Chilsipee had taken it to graze, he called, and, receiving no answer, called again and again, but did not find her. Chil- sipee had left the camp. It was sup- posed that she had been assisted in her flight by the mysterious Indian. The trappers did not think that it was ingratitude, for she had loved them all and had been grateful for their kind treatment. It was the In- dian maiden ' s natural longing for her own people, the call of the wild. EUGENIE BOLTON. SPANISH GOLD. How are we directed? cried the captain. No ' northwest, sir, said the pilot. Head her so ' southwest by the chart. Aye, aye, sir! Th£ captain walked around the starboard side of the ship to the mate ' s room. He entered the room and saw his companion, John Reeve, sitting leisurely in a crude chair smoking. Hello, Captain. I was just trying to figure how long it will take to get to our island. The captain secured a chair by the mate ' s table and sat down. John, he said, in our hurry to beat those villains, I forgot to tell you about the story of the chart showing where the box of Spanish gold is hidden. When Drake captured so much gold and jewelry and treasures from the Spaniards his ship became so overloaded that he stopped at this island and left one of his largest boxes of gold. When he returned to England in 1580, Queen Elizabeth knighted him and he gave her this chart, which was put in the treasury, and it wasn ' t touched until, in the Revolutionary War, it was given to my great-grandfather by the King for a brave deed. It has been handed down to my father, who gave it to me upon his death. One night, as y-ou know, Ned Starr broke into our home and copied the chart. It is up to us to beat him to the island. Captain! A ship! y-elled a sailor outside the door. They sprang to their feet and ran to the deck. John reached the deck first and was already adjusting his telescope before the stout sea-captain got there. Woodpeck! gasped John. We