The Litchfield County post., 1827-11-08

| then again three or four inches more. which
is cut into strips, as you cut paper to wrap
round and ornament a candle. All this is
made rich and deep fringe, whilst the same
kind of ornament, or trimming, continued down
| the seams of his leggings, which were of the
J same material, and which were occasionally
set off with blue beads; and on his feet he
wore mOccassins. A piece of scarlet cloth ~
I bout quarter ola yard wide, and half ward
long, by means of slit cut through its middle
so as to admit the passing through of his head
rested one half upon his breast, and the other
nn his hack. On one shoulder. and near his
! breast, was large and beautifully ornament
ed feather, nearly white; and on the other.
and opposite, was one nearly black, with two
| pieces ofwOod in the form of compasses when
a Httle open, each about six inches long, richly
wrapped round. with porcupines' quilts, dyed
! yellow. red, and blue; and on the tip of the
one shoulder was tuft fred horse hair, curl
ed in part,and mixed mp with other ornaments
Across his breast, in diagonal position, and
bound tight to it, was his war-pipe, at least.
three feet long, richly ornamented with feath-
ers and horse hair, dyed red. and the bills of
birds, sc; whilst in one hand he held the flag
and in the other the pipe ofpeace. TherG he
| stood-he moved not nerve, nor once chan
ged the expression of his face. They were
told to sit down. lie sat down with a grace
not less captivating than when he walked and
, stood. At this moment the band on our right
struck up and played Pleycl's Hymn. Every
thing was still. The Red Bird, looking to-
| wards the band, and eying it with an express
sion of interest; and sif those pensiVe notes
were falling softly and agreeably on his heart.
When the hymn was played, he took up his
pouch, and taking from it some kinnGkkdnnic
and tobacco, cut the latter after the Indian
fashion. then rubbed the two together, filed
the bowl of his beautiful peace pipe, struck
FIRE with his steel and flint. into a bit of spunk
and lighted it, and smoked All this was done
with grace no less captivating than that
which had characterized his other movements
lie sat with.his legs crossed.
If yon think there was any thing of affecta-
ton in all this you are mistaken. There was
Just the manner and appearance you would ex-
rect to see in noble man of the finest inte-
gence, who had been escorted by his armies
to a throne, where the diadem was to be pla-
ced on his head.
There is but one opinion of the man, and
that is snch as have formed myself, and at
tempted to impart to you. / could but spec
ulate a little on his dress. His white jacket
with but one piece of red upon it, appeared to
indicate the purity of his past life, stained with
but single crime; for all agree that the Red
Bird had never before sullied his fingers with
the blood of any man, or committed any bad
action. His war pipe bound close to his heart
appeared to indicate his love of war, which
was no longer to be gratifed' Perhaps the
red, or scarlet cloth, may have been indica-
tive of his name-the Red Bird.
All sat except their speakers, whose address
SEES took down, but have not time to insert
them here.
Twill now pass off and describe, as well as
can, -ka,C, the miserable, butcher-look-
ing being, who sat by his side. He is, in all
respects, the opposite Ofthe Red Bird; and
you will make out the points ofcomparison Ivy
this rule Never was there two individuals
brought together for the same crime, who
looked so totally unlike each other. Red Bird
looked like prince, fit to command and wor-
thy to he oheyed but Wee-kaw locked as il
born to be hanged. Meagre, old. dirty in his
person, and crooked in form like the starry
ed wolf gaunt and hungry, and blood thirsty
his whole appearance indicates the exist
encc of spirit wary, cruel. and treacherous;
and there is no room left for pity. This is the
man who could scalp child not more than
eleven months old, and cut it across the back of
its neck to the bone, and leave it, bearing off
its fine locks, to suffer and die upon the floor.
near its murdered father! But his hands, and
crooked and miserable looking fingers, hard
been wet, often with blood before.
The Red Bird does not appear to be over
thirty-yet he is said to be over forty. We
kaw looks to be forty-fve, and is perhaps
that old.
! | shall see, on my arrival at the Prairie, the
\ scene of these butcheries, and as may
write you upon all the points of my tour that
may have any interest. | will introduce you
to that. The child by the latest accounts,ye
lives,and promises to survive the wounds on
the head and neck. The widow of Gagnier
is also there and shall get the whole story
from her own mouth, aud then shall doubt
less, get it truly. You shall have it, and a
thousand other things besides. that when
left home never expected to- ,realise--but
once entered upon the scenes have passed.
and there was no giving back. see no dan
ger. confess, especially now, but my way is
onward. and shall go.
write 10 haste and have only time to add
the assurance Of my friendship.
Fl THO. L. MCKINNEY.
i A Fe,o tribe in the United States Re
! chGbite" informs the Editor of the New
Hampshire Repository, that at every store
in Newport, six in number. "the counter is
, cleared off, the decanter emptied and placed
unon the Sh.lc and the or Oor drinkpr morn nf