The Sun.
London, England, 1824-04-13 00:00:00

FOR THE SUN.

FORTITUDE OF THE INDIAN CHARACTER.
IFrom ADAIR'S Travels in America.]
A party of the Senekah Indians came to war
against the Katahba, bitter enemies to each other.
In the woods the former discovered a sprightly
warrior belonging to the latter, hunting in their
usual light dress : on his perceiving them he
sprung off for a hollow rock, four miles distant,
as they intercepted him from running homewards.
He. was so extremely swift and skilful with the
gun, as to kill seven of them in the running
fight, before they were able to surround and take
him. They carried him to their country in sad
triumph ; but though he had filled them with
uncommon grief and shame, for the loss of so
many of their kindred, yet the love of martial
virtue induced them to treat him during their
long journey with a great deal more civility than
if he had acted the part of a coward. The wo-
men and children, when they met him at the se-
veral turns, beat him, and whipped him in as
severe a manner as the occasion required, and at
last he was condemned to die by the fiery tor-
ture. It might be reasonably imagined, that
what he had for some time gone through, would
have so impaired his health and affected his ima--
gination, as to have sent him to his long sleep,
out of the way of any more sufferings. Proba-
bly this might have been the case with the major
part of white people under similar circumstances,
but I i
with any of the Indians;
and is cro brewol.ileti
warrior did not deviate
tiheve tdheids
from their rough lessons of martial virtue, but
acted his part so welt as to surprise and sorely
vex enemies,ies. For when they were
taking him unpinioned, in their wild parade, to
his numerous
tu
e 7iiihi near a river, he
tchhosleaywho stood in his
way, sprung off, nlid plunged into the water,
suddenlyte Pl
place
of
dashed to r
sw;n:ming underneath like an otter, only rising
to take breath, till he reached the opposite shore.
He now ascended the steep bank, but though he
had good reason to he in a hurry, as many of the
enemy were in the water, and others running like
bloodhounds in pursuit of him, and the bullets
flying around him, yet his heart did not allow him
to leave them abruptly, without taking leave in
a formal manner, in return for the extra-
ordinary favours they had done, and in-
tended to do him. After stripping a part of
his body, in defiance of them, he set up the
war-whoop, as his last salute, till some more fa-
vourable opportunity offered, and darted off in
the manner of a wild beast broke loose from its
torturing enemies.—He continued his speed, so
as to run by about midnight of the same day, as
far as his eager pursuers wero two days in reach-
ing. There he rested till he happily discovered
five of those Indians who had pursued him :—he
lay hid a little way off their camp till they were
sound aaleep. Every circumstance of his situa-
tion occurred to him, and inspired him with he-
roism. Ile was naked, torn,hungry, and his enrag-
ed enemies were come up with him ; but there was
now every thing to relieve his wants, and a fair
opportunity to save his life, and get great ho-
nour and sweet revenge by cutting them off. Reso-
lution, a convenient spot, and sudden surprize,
would effect the main object of all his fears and
hopes. He accordingly crept, took one of their
tomahawks and killed them all on the spot.—
Clothed himself, took a choice gun, and as much
ammunition as he could well carry, in a running
march. He set off afresh with a light heart, and
did not sleep for several successive nights. As
it were by instinct, when he found lie was free
from the pursuing enemy, he made directly for
the place where he had killed seven of his ene-
mies. He digged them up—burnt their bodies
to ashes, and went home in safety with singular
triumph !