Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1836-07-21

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life TO considerable degree in them,
would live in the hands of white men after
they were dead, and make them seepless
and give them endless trouble. 1hos e
whom | had painted, though evidently
somewhat alarmed, were unwilling TO &C
knowledge 1t. and those whom had not
| painted, unwilling 10 be oul-done in cour-
age, allowed me the privilege, Drawing and
/ delylng the danger that they were evident.
| ly more or less in dread Of Feuds began
10 arise too among some of the chiefs Of
the different bands, who, (noi unlike some
instances amongst The chiefs and braves Of
our own country,) had looked upon their
rival chiefs with unsleeping jealousy, until
! 1t had grown into disrespect and enmity.
| An instance of this kind presented itself at
this critical luncture, in this assembly of
lnfiamable spirits, which changed in a mo.
ment its features, from the free and jocu.
lar garrulity of an Indian Levee, TO the
irigh0ul yeIls and agtated treads and
starts Of an Indian battle
had in progress at this time, portrait
of Mah-to- tchee-ga, (Little Bear, oil the
one papa band, noble, fine fellow, who
was sitting before me as | was painting.
was painting almost a side view OF his
head, and had it nearly finished. when
Shon-ka, dog, chief of the Gag a -zschee-
ia band,) an Ill natured and surley man,
despsed by the chiefs Of every other band
entered the room 10 suIen mood, and seat
ed himself on the floor, in front of my il
ter, where he could have full view of the
picture IN its operation. After sitting a
while with his arms folded up, and his lips
stfily arched with contempt, he snecring
ly addressed himself thus" Nah TO .tche-
"a is but half man" Dead silence ensu
ed for moment, and naught was in mo
ton save the eyes of The chiefs, who were
seated around the room, and darling their
glances about upon each other in stless
anxiety TO hear the sequal that was to fol
low During this interval, the eye of Nah
to-tchee ga had not moved-hIs lips be-
came slightly curved, and pleasantly asked
/ IN low and steady accent
Who says that?"
Shon-ka say. it," was the reply, "and
Shon-ka can prove It,"
At this, the eyes OF Nah -tchee- ga !,
which had not yet moved. began steadily
TO turn slow, as if upon plvots, and they
were rolled out of their sockets till they
fixed upon the object of their contempt.
4 dark and jutting brow was showing down
! in trembling contention with the blazing
ray that was actually burning with con-
tempt the object which was before it.
"Why does Shon ka say il ?'
Ask We chash-a wa kon, the painter)
he can tell you; he knows you are but half
a mamie has painted one half of your
| face, and knows the other half is good for
nothing"
Let the painter say it, and will be-
lieve it, but when the Dog says it let him
prove it,"
"Shon ka said It, and Shon-ka can
prove it; if Mah-totchee ga be a man and
wants to be honored by the white man, let
him not be ashamed, but let him do as
Shon ka does, give the white man horse,
ard then let him see the whole Of your
face, without being ashamed"
When Mahto-tch ga kills white
! man to steal his horses, he may be asha
med TO look at white man until he brings
him a horse. When Mah-to -tchee- ga way
LAYS aud murders an honorable Sioux, be
cause he is a coward and not brave
enough to meet him in far combat, then
| he may be ashamed TO look at white
man ill he has given him horse. Nah
to-tchee-ga can took at any one and he is
now looking at an old woman and a COW
ard"
This repartee which had lasted for a
few minutes, 10 the amusement and ex
citcment of the chiefs, being ended thus,
the Dog rose suddenly from the floor, and
wrapping himself in his robes, left the room
considerably agitated, having the laugh Of
all the chiefs upon him. The Little Bear
had followed him with bis piercing eyes
until he left the door. and then pleas antly
and unmoved resumed his position, where
he sat few minutes longer, until the por-
trait was completed. He then rose. and in
the II i graceful and gentlemany manner,
took of aud presented TO me very beau
uiul shirt of buckskIn, richly garnlshed
with quilts of the porcuplne, irnged with
scalps from his enemies heads, aud pant
ed with all his battles emblazoncd on II.
lie then left my room, and few steps
brought him TO the door Of his lodge,
where the Dog intercepted him, and asked
What meant Nah ITO tchee "a by the
last words that lie spoke TO Shon ka Pr
Mahto- tchee- "a SAID 1t, and Shon-ka
is not fool; that is enough"
AT this the Dog walked violently TO his
own lodge. and the Little Bear rctrea!ed
into his, both knowing from looks and ges
ture what was about TO be the consequence
of their alteration. The Little Bear in
stantIy threw a charge into bis gun. and
then las their custom is) threw himself
upon his face, in humble supplicaton TO
the Great Spirit, for his aid and protec-
ton His wife, in the mean time, seeing
him sgitated, and fearing some evil conse-
quences, secretly withdrew the bullet from
his gun, and told him not of it. The Dogs
| voice, at this moment, was heard and re
cognized at the door of Mah-to 'tchee- gas
lodge" If Nah to- tchee ga be whole
man, let him come out and prove ii: Ii is
Shon ka that calls him"
His wife screamed ; but il was too late ;
the gun was in his hand, and as he sprang
out Of the door, both drew and slmaltane.
ously fired. The Dog fed, uninjured but