The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1847-08-31
A THRILLING SCENE.

The subjoined stirring sketch is from a
work by Judge Hall, entitled 'The Wilder
ness and the War PATH aud is descriptive
of,he GOODNESS and presence Of mind of Col.
George Clarke, at a council at the North
Bend:
can Indian council IS one of the most i'm
posing spectacles in savage life. tits one OF
the few occasions in which the warrior exer-
cises the right of suffrage, his influence and
his consequence and his talents, in civil
capacity, and the meeting is conducted with
all the cerilnonics and ostcntatlon, with
which il is possible 10 invest it. The mat
ter 10 be considered, as well as all the de-
tails, are well dgested before hand, so that
the utmost decorum must prevail, and the
decision be unanimous. The chiefs and
sages-,he leaders and oraiors-occupy the
most conspcious seats, behind them are ar
ranged the younger braves, and still fnrth-
er in the rear appear the women and the
Youths as spectators. All are equally atten-
i've. A dead silence reigns throughout the
assemblage. The grea, pipe, gaudily adorn-
ed with paint and feathers, is lighted, is pass
ed from mouth to mouth, commencing with
The chief of the highest rank, and proceeding
with regular gradaton 10 the interior order
of braves. If two or three nations be repre-
sented, the pipe is passed from one parry to
the other and salutalious are thus courteous
" exchanged, before the business Of the
council is opened by the respective speakers
Whatever jealously or party spirit may exis
in the tribe, it is carefully excluded from
this dignfed assemblage, whose orderly
conduct, and close attention to the proper
subject before them, might be initiated bJ
sonie Of the most enlighted bodies in Christ
endom.
Ii was an alarming evidence ofthe temper
now prevailing among them, aud OF the
breeding storm that filled their minds that nc
proprety of demeanor marked the entrance
of the savages in the council room. The
usual fermallies were (oreotton OF purposely
dispensed with, and the insulting levity sub
s,ituted in its place. Tho chiefs and braves
s,alked in with an appearance of slight re-
gard. and seated themselves rromscnously
upon the floor, in front ofihe commissioners.
An air of usoence marked all their move
ments. and showed an intention to dictate
terms or fix quarrel upon the Americans.
A dead silence rested over the group; it
was the silence Of dread dis,rust, and watch
fulness; not of respect. The eyes oi The
savage band gloated upon the banquet OF
blood that seemed already spread out before
them; the pillage of the fort and the bleeding
scalps of the Americans, were almost within
grasp; while that gallant little band saw the
notentous nature of The crisis and stood
ready to sell their lives as dearly as posi-
BILE. A.
The commissioners, without noticing the
disorderly conduct of the other party or ap.
nearing to have discovered their premedl'ated
ireachery, opened the council in due FORM
Tbey lighted the peace pipe, and afteI draw
ing a few whffs passed it TO the chiefs, who
received it. Col. Clarke then arose TO explain
The purpose for which the treaty was ordered:
With in unembarrassed air-w'th the tone OF
one accustomed to command and the easy
assurance of security and self possession, he
stated that the commissioners had been sent
20 offer peace to the Shawanees, and that
the President had no wish to continue the