Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1839-07-23

she found herself borne upon hurdle
made from the branches of the dark pine,
by six tall Indians, while one whom she
recognized as the Chief of the Hurons led
the van. The horrid truth then burst upon
her. Her much loved parents were dead,
her friends and neighbors had been routed
or destroyed, their lovely village was a
smouldering mass of ashes and blood. For
several days she hung between life and
death. At length, as the band wound
round low woody hill. she heard the
war-whoop Of the Huron welcoming the
return Of the party, and in a few inmates
perceived theta form of Wankinco beside
her hurdle. The Indian village was at
hand. In few moments she was in
comfortable wigwam attended by an Indi-
an maiden, and as the evening shadows
gathered darker around the village of the
forest she fell asleep.
Morning dawned in glory upon the wi.
lage of the Hurons. Before it the broad
and beautiful Lake of Horizon spread out
its silver bosom, covered here and there
with light curls of vapor, so thin as not TO
obscure its surface, but sufficiently obiuse
to magnify the dead trees and the bluffs on
the other side of it into giant forms and
castle crowned mountains.
The shades of night were rapidly re-
treating from the wide valleys and bottoms,
from which the scream of the eagle aud
the song Of the redbreast came up in melo.
dious harmony, like the hoarse voice of the
Troubador mingIing with the soft notes of
the light guitar, as he sang and played be-
meath the lattice of his lady love, upon his
return from his wild crusade in the Holy
Land. The red deer belled as he came
out TO drink the chrystal flood, and the
fish hawk screamed as he looked eagerly
from his perch on the dying beech, while
the crow and the pigeon-hawk lowered
over the clear land, or swept with screams
and melancholy croakiGgs over the bosom
of the Lake.
A wild whoop suddenly arose from the
lodge of the chief. 1t was answered by a
thousand echoes, and in a few moments the
painted forms of numerous Indian warriors
were seen stealing from the glens and lod.
ges in the vicinity. Beautiful, indeed, was
f the sight, as through the light foliage Of
the young underwood, the feathers anc
shell work of the gaily dressed children o.
Nature flashed back the sunlight, or spark
led brighter with the few drops that show.
cred upon them, as they parted the obtru.
ding branches Of the maple and ash, the
. former covered with its crimson leaves
: and the latter assuming the faint tinge o
! Autumn. The scene was beautiful a
Eden, and man seemed to roam amid it
:, bowers in his primeval state.
! In few moments, the gentle Julia wa
: aroused from her couch of leaves by thu
same beautiful Indian girl who had 81
;. kin fly attended her the evening previous
= and dressing herself hastily, obeyed tn
: signal and followed her guide to the doc
! of the lodge, where she was received by
! young chief and conducted to the Counc
Tree of the tribe.
Beneath tall and wide spreading oal
!. in half circle, sat the mighty men of tn
: tribe in solemn silence; while in the cen
: tire, at the foot of the oak, upon the skin {
: a panther, rested the old chief; and besid
= him the quick eye Of the maiden discover
p" ed the form of Wankinco. The old chic
: pointed to a branch of sassafraS, and tt
: maiden seated herself in silence, for sh
e knew the customs Of the red man, an
q awaited her fate. For half hour not
=, : word was spoken.
Suddenly a savage, painted in a hideoi
manner, with an unstrung bow and a
- - empty culver, sprung from his seat, an
- advancing to the chief left the sad memer
> tos of a fallen brother at his feet; the
I. raising wild whoop, retreated as suddei
! ly to his seat. A CLEAN of helish ferocil
- swept across the countenances of the wa
y riors as the exclamation Ugh! burst fro
~ their lips. Many scalping knife W;
~ barred, and the arrows ratified in their qu
:" ers as they suddenly changed their pc:
= tons.
y, ~ The old chief now rose, and stretchir
- - out his hand towards the east, said: "Ch
rs dren of the Red Huron Our brother
~ bow is .unstrung, and his empty quiv
''' rests idly at the foot of the Council Tree
where IS our brother? Let the pale ia
20 answer.
'cr "My childreni The summer sun Sc
* our brother 90 forth on the war trail VI
ne strong hand and an eagle heart
D" flash of his eye was like the lightning, a
IN the twang OF his bow-string was as
IKE note of death-the autumn sun saw Q
OF brother stiffened in death, and his SCI
I'd dripping with blood in the cabin of the p
EN- face.
an my children! Our brothers. bic
ISL cries for revenge. Let the pale maid
rm die-thf Great Spirit is above us-hav
an spoken well? | have DONE"
der AS he resumed his seat, the whole tri
ed. with the exception of Wankinco, ute
the their Ugh Of assent, and partly rose
Inc carry the sentence into effect, when w
llso kinco, who had preserved a melanch
G: silence, raised his head from his bre'
AK and striding loftlly into the space bctw
av the chieftain and the tribe, stretched
tile his arm and said, .sChief of the Red t
ood rons, and Warriors of the tribe The +
out maiden shall not die. Is the Huron d
Tor Shall be be false to his word Let
'ros Sunny Eye bring forth the war plume
7 a The maiden arose, and while thous
nan wild and astonished eyes were fixed u
'un- her, she drew forth from her bosom
'.ds eagles feather, tipped with blood, and
ajor vancing to the old chieftaln, placed
the symbol Of triumph in his hand. The c
eyed it closely, and then handed it
who warrior, who, after scanning it in the $;
rds, manner, passed it TO his neighbor,
bv hrs II ,.,ee ,,St and scanned until II