Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1838-02-22
OR POWELL.

osCEoLA OR POWELL.
The New York Star cpntains n letter
from Mr.. G.. Catlin. dateIat Fort Moult,ic
Sullivan's Island, near Charleston, jan. "a.
He was adding TO his Indian Gallery, by
taking the portraits Of the Indian Chiefs.
who are confined there. There were $50
Seminole prisoners Of war, Chiefs, war
rions, women and children Mr.. Catlin
gives a brief account of Mi~ck-e-no-pah,
the first cirii Chicfof the na,ion-but most
Of his letters, is devoted TO the chief, whose
name heads this article. The following
are %exracts;
'There is one restless spiri, among them
Of u different cast QUO who sits and brOods
over his nations calamities with a broken
heart, and pines and sickens in an agony
which none but himself can know or feel
mean Osccola (Powell,) or, as he and all
tho other chiefs distinctly pronounce il, As
se-o-la. From the time l have spent with
this chief, and the familiar interviews |
rave had with him in conversation, ! have
been able to form IL pretty correct notion Of
the feelings and character as well as the
history of this extraordinary man. A Creek
by birth, he left his tribe whilst a boy. and
sought al asylum among the S%einin0les,
where he has been reared, IL where he has
flourished since. His father was a white
man by the name Of Powell, who abandon
cI him and sent him n vaerant upon the
world to cater for himself. He soon became
n favourite amongst the Serainoles and
from his force Of character and genius alone
he has risen to the highest honors Of the
nation"
From such facts, it appears that he is
entirely "a self made man, aud one of an
extraordinary character, which is conclu-
siveIy proved by the fact that he is acknowl-
edged and followed by all the chiefs. Tho
he is but a demi savage in blood, yet he
speaks not a word in English; aud in his
actions and feelings is us perfect an Indian
us | ever saw, =.
81 thought al first, like thousands of 9th
crs who have but a glance at him, that he
was effeminate aud womanisli. but OH a lit
lie acquaintance and familiarity with him,
became fully convinced that the true char
ac'er OF this man is not to DC learned by
he transient visitor, who sees him but a
moment and III that monlcn 4 prisoner,
witl;ering utirfets a S.rnken sririt, eadcavur-
ing 10 raise a smirk and n smile to meet the
gazing world, who are flocking to sec him
These smiles are soft and beautiful, and
arc many; hut those, who, like myself.
have heard him pour forth his grie(s in the
simrcrins tears of actual childness, and then
Instantly rally, and rouse himself into the
md NAM S;Lrnncss Of Il warrior and hero.
Will easily sec !ha. thusc SIniicS are based
upoh an agony that regularly rrcys upon
his substance. HIS face l., cert: iu!y one ,.f
IN" most expressive kind | have ever seen.
capable Of the most vivid and striking cx-
hihiIion of the human passions tina, can DOS
sibly be imagined bearing upon its front
the predominant characteristic impressed
will, sternness and reserve, and excessive
perseverance in the pursui: of life"
'He has a mind of wonderful cons,ruc.
ton, calculated to fortify and yet destroy,
itself-a lurking cunning, capable of gliding
with the warmth and glowing pleasantncss
of sunshine, the whirling tcmpest that's
raging in his soul, and even in his mir,h
and childishness destroying him. lie
smiles and lawns and laneuishcs before the
gazing world ; but in his solitude, or when
he tells in confidence his tales Of grief, tho
mild and solemn d%ew-drops moistcn his
eyes at one moment, yet the burning hero
rusi'cs through their sockets at the next
his brow jets over their balls of fre--bis
nOstrlls and his bosom swell with impaticnce
and his clench teeth are set in silen, ontbs
Of irretractable revenge Naturally of a
restless and impatient disposition-in his
captive interviews with the civilized world
tie smiles--hut in his solitude he grievcs and
pines with u broken heart. The world wbn
have barely seen him, shake the hand of
laughing tawn; but those who have listened
to his sriels as ] have done, will see the
slernness of n Roman, and in his agony q
beautiful statue Of Vengeance. A mind
thus organized and CENTRALIZED nv such cir
cumstances as have fallen to his lot mus,
soon destroy its tenement. There are Gle
Incnis III such a spirit that wage n deadly
war with the body then thwarted and
chained down TO n prison.
His physician strength is rapidly giving wav
and ! should he very nfach surprised if he
should survive many months or even weeks
III his present confinement, and under his
present agony of feeling"
MIR. Ca,iin's prediction was verified soon
or thaii he expected-for Osccola has al.
ready brcathcd his last.
The character of Joseph Wolff. tho Mis-
s'onary, as she,ched by the Reverend
Lewis Way, of Stansted, Park, Sussex.
lie appears to me to he a comet without
a Pefiheiium, and capable of setting a whole
system OF hre. When l should have adj
dressed MN IN Syria, heard of him NJ
Malta. and when l supposed he had gone
to England. he was riding like a ruling nm.
gel on the whirlwinds of Antioch. or stand
ing unappalIcd among tho crumblino I,,v-
ers Of Alcppo, A man who AT Rome c,Ils
the Pope "thc dust Of the earrh,. and ,elis
the Jews at Jerusalem, that 1.-THE Gcmara
is n lic."-wbo passed his days in disnut.
,ation, and his nights in digging the TaI-
mud, 10 WHOM a Qoor Of bricks is a feather