ABOUT THE BOOK

In 1851 the Oatman family set out alone in covered wagons along the Santa Fe trail to California. Seventy miles from the California border they were attacked by Indians, who massacred the entire family, except a boy, Lorenzo and two girls, Ann and Olive. The girls were taken into captivity, soon to be sold to other Indians farther west. Lorenzo, though badly wounded, found his way back to civilization. As soon as he was able, he began to search for his sisters. The author narrative is based upon interviews with the Oatman's themselves. Olive Oatman's account of her captivity provided one of the earliest descriptions of life in Indian villages of the Southwest. For five years Lorenzo sought to locate his sisters and a subplot involves his efforts to rescue the girls. Olive Oatman was rescued from her captor in February 1856. Later married John B. Fairchild and spent the rest of her life in Sherman, Texas. Where she passed away in 1903.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Royal B. Stratton was a Methodist reverend. He lectured in California for eleven years before publishing his best selling story of the Oatman girls in 1857. He generously used the royalties earned from the book to pay for Lorenzo and Olive's college education. He lived in Yreka, California.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I 17
The first Encampment–The Oatman Family–Their checkered Allotment up to the Time of their Emigration–Mr. Oatman–His Ill–health–Proposes to join the Party organized to form an American Colony near the Gulf of California, in 1849–The 10th of August–Discord in Camp, owing to the religious Prejudices of a few– First Danger from Indians–The Camanche Band–Two Girls taken for “Injins”– The Grape Dumpling–Mexican Settlements–The Hunt for Antelopes, and its tragical End–Charles refuses to fight “Injins”’ with Prayer–Moro–Scarcity of Provisions–Discontent and Murmurings–Mr. Lane–His Death–Loss of Animals by the Apaches–Mrs. M. in the Well–Santa Cruz and Tukjon–Some of the Company remain here Pimole–The only traveling Companions of the Oatman Family resolve to remain–Mr. Oatman, in Perplexity, resolves to proceed.

CHAPTER II 36
Mr. and Mrs. Oatman in Perplexity–Interview with Dr. Lecount Advises them to proceed–They start alone–Teams begin to fail–The Roads are bad–The Country rough and mountainous–Compelled to carry the Baggage up the Hills by Hand– Overtaken by Dr. Lecount on his way to Fort Yuma–He promises them Assistance from the Fort–The next Night the Horses of Dr. Lecount are stolen by the Apaches– He posts a Card, warning Mr. Oatman of Danger, and starts on Foot for the Fort– Reach the Gila River–Camp on the Island late at Night–Their dreary Situation, and the Conversation of the Children–The Morning of the 29th’of March–Their Struggle to ascend the Hill on the 29th–Reach the Summit about Sunset–The Despondence and Presentiments of Mr. Oatman–Nineteen Apaches approach them Profess Friendliness–The Massacre–Lorenzo left for dead, but is preserved–The Capture of Olive and Mary Ann.

CHAPTER III 51
Lorenzo Oatman–Conscious of most of the Scenes of the Massacre–The next Day he finds himself at the Foot of a rocky Declivity, over which he had fallen– Makes an Effort to walk–Starts for I’imole–His Feelings and Sufferings–Is attacked by Wolves–Then by two Indians, who are about to shoot him down–Their subsequent Kindness–They go on to the Place of Massacre–He meets the Wilders and Kellys—They take him back to Pimole–In about one Month gets well, and starts for Fort Yuma–Visits the Place of Massacre–His Feelings–Burial of the Dead–Reflections–The two Girls–Their Thoughts of Home and Friends–Conduct of their Captors–Disposition of the Stock–Cruelty to the Girls to hurry them on– Girls resolve not to proceed–Meet eleven Indians, who seek to kill Olive–Reasons for–Apaches defend her–Their Habits of Fear for their own Safety–Their Reception at the Apache Village–One Year–The Mohaves–Their second coming among the Apaches–Conversation of Olive and Mary–Purchased by the Mohaves Avowed Reasons–Their Price–Danger during the Debate.

CHAPTER IV 84
The Journey of three hundred and fifty Miles to the Mohave Valley The Means of Subsistence during the Time–The Conduct of the Mo haves compared with the Apaches–Arrive at the Valley–The Vil lage–The Chief’s Residence–Their Joy at the Return of Topeka, their Daughter–The Greeting of the new Captives–One Year of Labor and Suffering–The Over-flowing of the Colorado–Their Dependence upon it–Their Habits–Cultivation of the Soil–Scarcity of Provisions–Starvation– Mary Ann–Her Decline–Olive’s Care, Grief, and Efforts to save her Life–Dies of Famine–Many of the Indian Children die–Burial of Mary Ann–The Sympathy and Sor row of the Chiefs Wife–The great Feast–The killing of the two Captives as a Sacrifice.

CHAPTER V 111
The Mohaves–Their Sports–An Expedition of Hostility against trne Cochopas– Its Design–Tradition concerning it–The Preparation–Their Custom of sacrificing a Prisoner on the Death in War of one of their own Number–The Anxiety of Olive–They depart–Their Re turn–The Fruit of the Expedition–The Five Cochopa Captives Nowereha–Her Attempt to escape–Her Recapture and horrid Death– The Physicians–Evil Spirits–The Mohave Mode of Doctoring–The Yumas– ”Francisco,” the Yuma Indian–Hopes of Escape.

CHAPTER VI 122
Lorenzo Oatman–His Stay at Fort Yuma–Goes with Dr. Hewit to San Francisco– His constant Misery on Account of his Sisters–Dark Thoughts–Cold Sympathy– Goes to the Mines–Resolves to go to Los Angeles to learn, if possible, of his Sisters–His earnest but fruit less Endeavors–The Lesson–Report brought by Mr. Roulit of two Captives among the Mohaves–The false Report of Mr. Black–Mr. Grinell–Petitions the Governor —Petitions Congress–The Report of the Rescue of Olive–Mr. Low.

CHAPTER VII 128
Francisco goes over the River, and spends the Night–Persuades some of the Sub– Chiefs to apply again for Permission to let Olive go free–His Threats–The Chiefs return with him–Secret Council–Anothei General Council–Danger of a Fight among themselves–Francisco has a Letter from the Whites–Olive present– Francisco gains Per mission to give her the Letter–Its Contents–Much alarmed Speeches of the Indians–Advice to kill their Captive–Determine to release her– Daughter of the Chief goes with them–Their Journey–At Fort Yuma.

CONCLUSION 143
Illustrations
PORTRAIT OF OLIVE OATMAN 1
MAP 15
FIRST NIGHT'S ENCAMPMENT 18
THE MASSACRE 47
LORENZO RETURNING TO THE PLACE OF MASSACRE 55
LORENZO ATTACKED BY COYOTES AND WOLVES 57
LORENZO RESCUED BY FRIENDLY INDIANS 58
THE CAPTIVES AT THE INDIAN CAMP–FIRE 65
ATTEMPT TO SHOOT OLIVE AND MARY ANN 69
INDIAN SKULKING TO HEAR THE CONVERSATION OF THE GIRLS 71
RECEPTION OF THE TWO GIRLS AT THE APACHE VILLAGE 82
DEATH OF MARY ANN AT THE INDIAN CAMP 100
HORRID DEATH OF THE INDIAN CAPTIVE 117
OLIVE AT THE INDIAN COUNCIL 131
ARRIVAL OF OLIVE AT FORT YUMA 139
LORENZO OATMAN 142