ch succeeding
anniversary of her boy's loss drove the sharp grief still deeper into
her heart, until sixteen years after the loss, she tired of this
world, and the peaceful turf closed over her sorrows. In her last
thoughts the memory of the lost boy had a place. She died of a broken
heart.

Matthew Brayton was born April 7th, 1818, and was therefore seven
years, five months and thirteen days old at the time of his loss.

CHAPTER II.

MATTHEW BRAYTON'S NARRATIVE.

Stolen by Indians and traded from Tribe to Tribe -- Siouxs --
Sioux Dog Dance -- Sold to the Snakes -- Digger Indians --
Fight with the Diggers -- Utah -- Quarrels with the Blackfeet
-- Flat Heads -- Snakes join Utahs, Crees, and Flat Heads --
Join with Copper Heads.

The first seven or eight years of my captivity among the Indians were
so full of changes that I cannot distinctly remember the events that
occurred, and I am compelled to trust to the accounts given me by the
members of the various tribes who were cognizant of the circumstances.
From their statements I learn that I was taken from Ohio by a party of
Canadian Indians, and by them borne to their village in Canada. The
only motive alleged to me for the theft was that the party who stole
me had a difference with some white families in Ohio, and that I was
taken out of revenge. Among these Indians I remained secreted for some
time, the tribe fearing to let me be seen by white men lest I should
be taken away.

From all that I can learn, I remained some six or seven months with
this tribe, and was then sold to a party of Pottawottomies, who took
me across to Michigan. The compensation obtained for me by the
Canadian tribe consisted of three and a half gallons of whiskey. With
my new owners I remained about half a year, when the Pottawottomies
either being afraid to keep me any longer, or having an unappeasable
thirst for whiskey, traded me off to the Paw-Paws for five and a half
gallons of firewater. I could not say how long I remained in Michigan
with this tribe, but I was at length transferred to the Winnebagoes of
Illinois, my value having increased with my age to the amount of seven
and a half gallons of whiskey. I did not remain long with this tribe,
but was sold to the Wisconsin Chippewas for nine and a half gallons of
whiskey, and with them remained one year. From the Chippewas I passed
into the hands of the Siouxs in Minnesota, and remained with them
nearly th