Washington telegraph., 1845-12-10

This sanguinary proposition was not al
all pleasing to the lroquois. They how
ever concluded to accept the challenge,
with a determination, should they be vic-
torious. not 10 execute the bloody part Of
the proposition. The champions were ac
cordingly chosen-a Seneca was the first
to step into the ring, and threw his ad-
versary amid the shouts of the multitude.
He stepped back and declined to execute
his victim who lay passive at bis feet.
As quick as though, the chief Of the Fries
seized the tomahawk, and at single blow
scattered the brains of his vanquished
warrior over the ground. His body was
dragged out of the way, and another cham
pion Of the Eries presented himself he
was as quickly thrown by his more pow.
erful antagonist of the iroqlois party, and
as quickly dispatched by the iniuriaied
chief A third met the same fate.
The chief of the Iroquois party seeing
the terrible excitement which agitaied
the multitude, gave a signal to retreat.
Every man obeycd the signal, and in an
instant they were out of sight.
In two hours they arrived in Tu subway,
gathered up the trophies Of their victories,
anu were On tuti4 dl
This visit of the hundred warriors Of the
live nations. and lis results, only served To
increase the jealousy Of ihe Er;es, and TO
convince ,hem that they had powerful rivals
TO contend with. !. was No part OF thcir
policy to cultivate friendship and strengthen
their own power by caltiva,ing peace with
other tribes.
They knew of no mode of securing peace
TO themselves but by exierminaiing all who
might oppose them, 5uI the combination
OF several powerful tribes, any one of whom
might be almost an equal match Tor them,
Of whose personal prowess they had seen
such an exhibition, inspired the Eries with
the most anxious forebodings. To cope
with them collectively they saw was i'm
possible. Their only hope therefore was
in being able, by vigorous and sudden
movement, to destroy them in detaii.-
With this view powerful war party was
Immediately organized to attack The Sane-
cas-, who resided AT the foot OF Seneca
Lake (thc present site Of Geneva) and
along the banks of the Seneca river. Il
happened that at this period there resided
among the Eries a Seneca woman who
( in early life had been taken prisoner, and
had married husband Of The Erie tribe.
I He died and leF. Ter widow without
children. a stranger amung strange s.
Seeing the terrible note OF preparation for
a bloody onslaught upon her kindred aud
friends, sac formed iae Fesu.utiun Of ap
prising them OF their dInger. As soon as
night set in, taking ;ae course # the
Niagara river. she Travelled all night, and
early next morning reached the shore Vi
Lake Ontario. She jumped into canoe
she i1GnI fastened to tree, and boldly
pushed into the open lake.
Coasling down the lake she arrived at
the mouth OF the OsvegI river in The night.
where a large settlement of the nation re-
sided.
She directed her steps TO the house OF
the head chief and disclosed the object of
her Journey. She was secreied by the
chief, and runners were dispatched 10 all
the tribes summoning them immediately TO
meet in Council, winch was held al On
ondaga Hollow. .. -.. ..
! When all were convened the chei arose,
| and in the most solemn manner rehearsed
a vision, in which he said a. beautiful bird had
I appeared to him and told him that great
war party of the Eries was preparing to
! make a secret anl sndden descent upon
them and destroy them: that nothing could
save them bat an immediate rally of all the
! warriors of the FIVE nations, to NEE; the
enemy before they could be able TO strike
the blow. These solemn announcements
were heard in GREATNESS silence. When
the Grief had finished AMI set down, there
nroso ono 1nfnpnSp veil of rIsrtlr iir mad
ness, and the earth shook when the mighty
mass brandished hi~h in air their war clubs
and stamped the grouiid like furious beasts.
No time was to be los.; a body of five
thousand warrio ors was organized, and "A
corps of reserve consisting of one Thousand
voting men. who had never been in battle.
The bravest chiefs from all the tribes were
put in command, and spies Immediately sent
out in search of the enemy, the whole body
taking I'D a line of march i'll the direction
from whence they expected an attack.
The advance of the war party was con
tinued for several days. passing through
s1cccss:vely the settlements of;heir friends
the Onoudagas, the CayGgas and the Sene-
cas-; bat they had scarcely passed The last
wigwam near the foot OF Canaan ia que
/ (Canandaigua) Lake, when their scout
\ brought in intelligence oi the advance ofihe
Eries who had already crossed the Gems.
Sc u-(Genesee) River in great force
The Eries had nc. the slightest intimation
of the approach of their enemies They
relied upon the secrecy and celeriiy of their
movements to surprise and subdue the Sc
Iecas almost without resistance. l.,.4
.1w.t tNrnsts l,l&