Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1846-05-14
LrrcHFiELD COMM THURSDAY, MAY IA, 1916

chief who hadthrown the belts upon the Ia
bic had taken his seat; then, with small
cane which hi held in hand, he reached; as
ifplayfully, towards the war belt, entangiing
the end Of the stick in it, drew it towards
him, and then with twitch of the cane
threw the belt n the midst of the Chiefs
The effect was electric. Every man in
council, of each party, sprang to their feet
the savages with loud exclamation of as
constituent, Hugh p the Americans in ex-
pectation of hopeless. conflict, against over
whelming numbers. Every hand grasped a
| weapon.
Clark alonewaS unawed. The EXPRESS
ion of his colntenance changed to fero-
cious sterneSs, ind his eyes flashed, but 9TH
erwiSe he was unmoved. A bitter smile
was slightly peceptible on his compressed
lips, as he gaze6 ON that savage band, whose
huE dred eyes were bent fercely in horrid ex-
ultation upon him, as they stood like a
pack of wolves at bay, thirsting for blood,
and ready to rush upon him, whenever one
holder than the est should commence the at
tack. 1t was one Of those moments of indie
cisioh, when theslightest weigh: thrown in
to either scale will make 1t preponderate;
moment in which bold man, conversant
with the secret spings of htman action, may
seize upon the minds of all round him, and
sway them at his will. Such man was
the intrepid Viginian. He spoke, and
there was no man bold enough TO gailisay
him-none that could return the fierce
glance of his soll.percing eye. Rails
ing his arm and waving his hand toward
the door, he exclaimed: "Dogs! you may
go" The indians hesltated for moment,
and then rushed tumultuously out Of the
counci-room. ..-.
The decision Of Clarke, on that occa.
sion, saved himself and comrades from
massacre. The plan Of the savages had
been artfully laid; he had read il in their
features and conduct, as plain asif it
had been writtenpn a scroll before them.
He met it in manner unexpected !; the
crisis was brought on sooner than it was
intended and on'a principle similar to
that, by which, when a line of battle is
broken, the dismayed troops fly before
order can be restored, thesnew and sud-
den turn given TO hese proceedings by
the energy..of Clarke, coufounded the
Indians, and before the broken thread IF
their scheme of trcachery could be re-
united, they were panic struck. They
had come prepared to brow-beat, to hum,
BILE. and then to destroy; they looked for
remonstrance and alteration; tor the
luxury of drawing the tolls gradually
around their victims; Of beholding their
agony and degradation, and bringing on
the final Catastrophe by an appointed sig
nal, when The scheme should he ripe.
They had expected to see on our part
great caution, a skillful playing of, and
an unwillingness to take offence, which
were gradually goaded into an alarm,
irritation and submission. The cool con-
tempt with which their first insult was
thrown back into their Tooth surprised
;hemI and they were toiled by M ,- &c
possession of onez man. They had no
Tecumseh among Thorn, no master.splrit
10 change their plan SO MS to adopt q new
exigency and those braves, who in many
battle had shown themselves to be men
of true valor. quaiIcd before the moral
superiority which assumed the vantage
ground of position they could not
comprehend, and therefore feared to as
sail, cd. ......