The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1845-04-25

great chase, and then, at certain signal,
TO fall upon them. This plan was adopt
ed, and, al subsequent council, tie head
of each tribe was furnished with bundle
of rods, each bundle being composed Of
an equal number. One of these was 10
be drawn forth each morning, and des-
troyed, till but one remained-lhe surest
plan savage ingenuity could devise for a
simultaneous rising. The chiefs separa-
ted, fully instructed, and bent upon the
scheme. In the meantime, the Nalchez.
most interested in its success, silently
drew their rods, and awaited the day of
vengeance.
The mother of the Grea, Sun of that
tribe was a woman of uncommon energy
and influence. She suspected the secret
of her son, and knowing the whites far
better than he did, forcsaw It's consequent
ces. Ond day she led him into a soiia-
ry spot, and addressed him:
MY son, open thy ears to me; ne
yer taught thee to lie, yet the truth is shut
to me Have | not fed thee with my
blood :! Could'st thou be a chief vert
thou not my son! Have | not told thee
-as tell thee again--ihat thou art no
less the son of Freedman -
This was fact, yet it took nothing
from the respect which was due TO the
Great Sun; the women, according TO NJ.
Bossu, gave nobility among the Nslchez;
and they cared little with regard TO
mans father, as long as they were assur-
ed of his mother. The old woman con-
linucd her reproaches:
"Why is thy mouth shut against me !
| walk by thy side unlocked upon. Spurn
me as thou dost thy bitch For the first
time do sons ms,rust their mothers in our
nation !"
The chief was touched, but urged the
solemn resolution Of the council; pleaded
that his wife was also kept in ignorance /;
reminded his mother that, although French
blood ran in his veins, his people doubted
his consistency; finally, however, charged
directly with the conspiracy, ne acknow-
lodged the justice of his mothers surmis-
es. No sooner was she aware of the
whole pain, than, pretending TO approve
it, she made use of some girls Of her tribe
who had French lovers, TO warn the
threatened post OF its danger. The young
officers, astonished, communicated TO the
commandant, Chpar, the information
they had received, but he, as blind as CO.
velous, and further deceived by the rcgu-
larlly and amount of the tribute paid 10
him by the beseeching savages, treated
their fears with scorn, and even put some
of the more clamorous inhabitants Of the
fort in irons 10 cure them Of their alarm.
The "Sfung firm" saw, with deep
grief, that her endeavors 10 warn the
French were useless yet she determined
TO serve them in spite Of lhemselves-she
could, at least save many. 10 lessen the
number of victims, she secretly entered
the sacred lodge or temple, and, unseen
by the priests, drew forth two rods from
the fatal bundle,-lhus Fastening the mas
sacrc by two days. The news of the
rising would, Of course, spread like light
ming, and the other posts be saved. Her
scheme was successful. The Natchez,
with mad delight, came TO their last rod
and, fully satisfied that their allies were
equally prepared, the moment was named
when the storm o! slaughter should be-
GIN.
On the 2sh Of December, 1929, at
in the morning, the Indians, in seeming
Joy at the prospect of the grand hunt
which they had prepared, spread them
selves among the whites. A discharge of
guns near the Governors house was the
signal, when the work of horror began at
hundred places in the same moment,
some factors of the West India Company
were killed first. The servants in the
house Of one NJ. he La Loire made gal
LIANT resistance, killing several savages.
The master himself, returning from his
ride, also defended himself bravely, kill
ing four ASSISTANTS, but here resistance
ceased. Blind despair and paralyzing
horror took possession Of all, and of near
ly two thousand souls, only some twenty
live negroes escaped TO carry 10 the
neighboring stations the terrible intelli.
gence. One hundred and fifty children,
fifty women, and as many negroes were
held as prisoners, in hope Of selling them
10 the English in Carolina.
During the carnage, the Great Sun was
quietly seated 10 receive the heads Of the
Frenchmen. That Of the governor was
brough, first, and it formed the centre Of
an increasing circle. ill the earth was co.
vered with the appalling trophies. The
bodies were unburied, and the foul bird
of the bluffs gathered in myriads 10 the