Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1844-07-25
INTERESTING INDIAN
ANECDOTE.

i In the new novel of 'FThe Prairie
Bird the latest work by the Hon.
Charles A. Murry, ard faithfully de-
scrlptive Of the Indian inhabitants the
vast tracts of prairie and forest land,
/ now comprising the States of Ohio,
Indiana and Illinois, and of the scat
tered European settlers among them at
the close Of the last century-we find
the following anecdote Illustrative of
some of the peculiar and striking char
acteristics Of the Indian character:
] FThe Prairie Bird although pos
sesslng the fault of prolixity, is one of
the most entertaining productions we
have read for many months. With all
the amusement of fiction, its chief aim
is to afford correct information respec~
ting the habits, condition and charac-
ter of the North American Indians, and
those bordering on their territory. The
!! annexed anecdote, as we have said, IL
illustrates some prominent characteris~
tics: cit is not a feature in the char
acter of the Indians to do anything by
halves; their love and their hate, their
| patience and Impotence, their absti-
nence and self-ndulgence, all are apt
to run into extremes. Moderation is
essentially virtue of civilization; it is
I the result Of forethought, reasoning, and
a careful calculation of consequences,
whereas the qualities of the Indian are
rather the children of impulse, and are
less modified by conflicting motives;
hence the lights and shades Of charac-
ter are broader and more. distinct;
; and though it may be perhaps impos-
= sible that Indian yillainy should as
; sumo a deeper dye than that which
may unfortunately be met with among
5 civilized nations, it is net asserting too
; much to say that there are to be found
, among these savages instances of disin-
interested, self-devoted heroism, such
as are rarely heard of beyond the world
Of chNalry and romance; and those who,
are conyersant with the history of the
Indian nations can testify that parallel
f instances to that which follows haze
! frequently occurred among them.-
Some years ago, young married In.
dian residing on the Western Bank of
the Mississippi, quarelled with anoth-
er of,his tribe, and in the heat or pas
sion killed him with blow his toma-
hawk. After few moments refec-
ton, he walked direct to thevilage, and
: presenting himself before the Wigwam
of the murdered man, called together
, his relations and addressed them as
asfollows; "Your relative was my
friend; we were together--some. angry
words were between us-1 killed him
, on the. spot. j. My life is in your hands,
and have come to offer it UP to you;
, but the summer hunting season has
, now begun. l have wife and some.
young children; they have done; you
no wrong;I wish to go out in the
woods to give plentiful supply of
r meat such as may feed them during
the winter; and when have done that,
: l will return and give myself to YOU y
The. stern assembly of mourners. gave
! their assent, and the young man retir-
= ed. For many weeks he toiled indie
) fatigably in the chase his wife jerked
f and dried the meat as he daily brought
it in, until he saw the supply was am
for the ensuing winter; he then babe
| farewell to her and to his little ones, and
) once more presenting himself at the
wiowam of his late friend, he said, 81
n am come-my squaw has meat for the
winter, my life is now yours!" To
: these words the eldest male relative Of
the deceased replied, ''Itis well;" and
rising from the ground executed on
: the unresisting offender the summary
Justice of Indian reribution, by cleav-
Eiug his skull with tomahalk. Nei7
: Their the self devotion Of the one, MOI
the unrelenting severity of the other,
5 excited any peculiar sensation, each
having acted according to the strict
though barbarous usage of the tribe.'
-e9e-
i A gipsey woman promised to show
to two young ladies their husbands ia
ces in pail of water.-Ihey looked,
and exclaimed, "Why, we only see eNf
facesn' "Well," said the gipsey,
"those viii be your husbands when
you are married"
! .aaothsr Egihet The Nashville
r y, - Ii. d Ill. g IL