Maumee express. [volume] (Maumee City, Ohio) 1837-1838, 1838-06-23


their ancestors, to wander forth, stung with
the contrast of their former their with present
conditions.
When first visited this country, in the
year 1888, the laws ofthis little republic were
administered by chief the name of Sharlo.
Nature had stamped this prince as one of her
noblemen. He walked among his people like
a superior being. Degraded by none of their
vices, he was far above them in the possess
sion of commanding talents. Lofty and stri-
king in his person, above the ordinary stature
of his tribe, with figure and countenance that
would have gained him admiration among any
people, he possessed stirring eloquence of
word and gesture, that placed him high in the
estimation Of his own and neghboring tribes,
while the wisdom ofhis counsels, and his skill
in war had long made him tho safeguard ofthe
nation. All the virtues of the Indian he pos
sessed, and his lofty courtesy and humane
temper gained him the respect Of all who knew
his character.
But the pestilence that swept the land IN 18-
81 spared not the Indian. Dreadful were the
suferings of the sons of the forest. They fell
like grass before mower, and full half of
the people of the Indian village melted away
and went to their graves. Sharlo was among
the number. He saw his end approaching
and called his people to his side. He gave
them his last solemn injunctions,requested them
to take care of his wives, and to make his ne
phew whom he had adopted. Their chiefn his
their chief turned away from the medicine that
was presented to his lips, and died. He repo-
ses in shady nook in his little kingdom, and
the simple structure that guards his remains,
and marks his place of rest is the only monu-
ment to the Indian brave.
His people, while they were anxious to obey
his wishes in the appointment of a successor,
could not look upon the the person of the
young nomine with the same favor with
which he had been viewed by his uncle
A solemn assembly of the elders of the tribe
was holden around the council fire, and days
and nights were passed in grave deliberation
upon the weighty matter. The result was,
that the young chief was allowed to retain his
rank, but another young brave, who had given
evidence of talents and energy superior to his,
was elected to an equal standing with him.
This of course was far from agreeable to the
youag chief and was the cause of continual
quarrels between the rival chiefs and their par
tizans which created divisions in the tribe, and
finally ended in the destruction of both the
leaders. A payment bad taken place, which,
as all know, is season of uninterrupted dissi-
patton and debauchery to the Indian, and the
burning fire water, which awakens all the, pas
sions in his breast had flowed freely, bringing
its usual effects. Reckless and enraged, their
passions aroused to the highest pitch, and ha-
tired and jealousy burning in their hearts, the
rival chiefs rode homeward. Those short,
sharp taunts, which the Indian knows but to
we'll how to use, were banded between them,
butthe presence ofothers prevented any forcible
outbreak, till stopping at the door ofa whiskey
shop in the wilderness they came in contact.
Fire-al the fires of jealous and burning
hate flashed from their eyes, they drew their
knives in an instant-the struggle was short
but decisive. The hereditary chief passed his
murderous weapon through the heart of the
other, and he fell dead in an instant.
The young chief fled not, though he knew
his doom. Not a muscle Of his countenance
moved for the fear of death was not in him.
He wiped his reeking knife upon the grass at
bis feet, returned it to its sheath, and noun
ting his horse, slowly followed the procession
that conveyed the murdered to the quiet vii
lage. Arrived there, he returned to his lodge,
partook of his provisions as usual, and walked
silently forth among his tribe. The wailing
of women came from the lodge Of the departed,
mingled with exclamations of grief and cries
for vengeance, but he turned not asde-he
showed no fear.
1t was night. The council fire burned
brightly in the midst of the camp throwing its
light far into tbe forest. The hoary trees
seemed like SO many ghosts in their winding
sheets, advancing and reccding as the flames
flashed up or sunk down upon the glowing
embers. Aged men, and hoary, sat around
that fire which lit up their faces with strange
and unearthly light. Grave and collected,
cold and emotionless they sat, fit subjects for a
painter as they deliberated upon the doom of
the murderer. The sentence was spoken. "He
who sheddeth mans blood, by man shall his
blood be shed" is the simple maxim of ethics
of the Indian. The chief had forfeited his life,
the relations of the departed demanded the
sacrifice, and though he were chief, and