The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1842-12-15
MISCELLANEOUS.
4 LEGEND OF LOUISIANA.
By KIT SOUTH.

Bl Mi SUITHs
About Two miles from Baton Rouae
there are two remarkable mounds which
attrsct the attention of every traveller "a
this part of this State. Many Gere The
copjectures entertained With regard TO their
orlgIn-and The lover Of fnysiery reveIled
IN dreams of the widest speculation, in At
tempting 10 account for their existence
10 me, they have always been subjects Of
interest. In contemplating them, reflect
ed that they belonged to 40 age long past,
to race rapidly disappearing from the face
of the earth. looked upon them as mono
ments commemorative Of some event mighty
IN its results al the time, TO the original pos.
SCISSORS OF the soil, and said in ny heart,
how vain since al traces Of that period had
passed away, like the f0rroGs made 10 the
ocean BY ship when the waters again close
slthou! leaving u mark.
Ii Is probable that | would never have
been obliged to regard the mounds with COP.
lecture and uncertainty, if an old Indian,
Who sat with me al a comfortable FIRE one
cold evening, when The rain and wind sound
ed dreamy without, had not IN his peculiar.
ly mild and coherent manner for a savage,
given me The substance OF the follow ing
legend
Two tribes had, for years, waged var,
in which each slroye TO ex,ermina,e the
other, by every means which Indian sub.
tlety can devise. Each inculca,ed 10 their
chttdran ba,rad &c tho lcst,I, -, ..J !,
tales Of bitter srongs and fearful vengeance
excited N them feelings that could take de.
ligh, in nothing more than shedding the
blood Of their foes.
During THIS deadly strife, a young var.
ror aho had wandered from his compan
ions, on hunting excursion, vas captured
by the nercless enemies of his tribe, aud
was led 10 the stake There ~lih heart
unsubdued, 10 prepared for his lournay 10
the land Of souls. His lIgh, and graceful
form was elevated to It's foil height-lhe
imperial plume Of the eagle waved over his
naughty brow, and was asunqualine as tina,
Of the bird Of heaven. Be, for the cords
which bound his hands, spectator would
have supposed that be was the monarch Of
the tribe, for not prouder, not a ohier
mind could be found in the band OF warriors
who surrounded him and we're painting with
anxiety tor the fiery torture to be applied,
that they might hear screams Of suffering
burst from hrs ogonzed bosom.
The suns have come and gone said the
captive, SINCE one Of your warriors was
prisoner IN the camps Of my breth.en.-
Did We bind nis hands No! lie was a
brave man, and we honor the brave. BIZ,
he was to die, for We had sworn it By the
great spirit, on the graves Of our fathers. -
We asked him bow he would leave the
world AS WARRIOR be said, Jet the
brayest Of you battle with him who is tiger
OF his tribe | me, HIN in the strife where
men struggle for life and glory. Hc fell
like the mighty oak beneath my tomahawk,
and his scalp is al my beI,.'
The dusky warriors groaned, for they
heard Of the death Of one of their greatest
chiefs, who had gone on mission and was
to have returned three days past.
A proud smile curved The lip of TIE cap
tive. Tie reJoeed, for he had succeeded IN
wrng:ng groan from his captors. els
there one among you he asked conlemp
tuousiy, who will hgh, with the eagle Of