Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1847-10-01
From the Howard Md District Press.
HOIaIe FlxicO; the Noble Hostage.


From the Howard Md District Press
HOIate FIxicO; the Noble Hostage.
ATALE OF FLORIDA.
CHAPTERI.
Be noble and the nobleness that lies
In other men, sleeping, but never dead,
Willrise in majesty TO meet thine own.-LowELL'
yenerate the pilgrims cause,
Yet for the red man dare to plead.
Freedom, the self same freedom we adore'
Bade him defend his violated shore SPRASVE'
Beneath the vertical rays Of tropical sun, the
VAST sandy plains Of the Peninsula oil floroa
were glowing with reflected heat and sPlendor'
Spots of teeming vegetation IN rank luxunance
were scattered at intervals, over It's arid surface
like oasis of the desert. The lime, the orange,
the olive, and the fig mingled their boughs and
their blushng fruit in many spot, veing 10 rich
ness of foliage and fragrance with earIh's prime
val garden. Ranging over the far stretching
bavous and Furnished sand banks, the eye would
be suddenly struck and enchanted with one oil
those coppices and parerres ct Wanscendent
loyeness. The wild grape had wound its ser.
pentne vine around the gigantic trunks oil the
oak and cypress, and mingled its large pendent
clusters with The golden orange, whilst from The
wide spreading bough hung the long moss in airy
fes,oons or sweeping fods,-a gorgeous draPery,
and Crowning all
"The rich magnolia blossoms
Floated snow-like on the sultry wind"
Around the zephyrs were waiting the aroma
on the breeze, as the senses reveed IN this temp
ting feast Of graceful beauty and luscious fruits.
Within one of these outrageous retreats was
gathered, at the period Of the opening Of our tale,
a group of singular wildness and interest. Upon
the deep green sward embossed with richest flow.
ers, and beneath the luxuriant shade, might have
been seen remnant Of the brave SemlnoIes,
long driven before the superior force of the white
man, vet even now crouching like the lordIy lion
within the impenetrabe morasses and still herce-
ly keeping their enemies at bay.
There is deep melancholy in the fate Of those
noble sons Of the forest; a sense of sadness at
their doom mingling with an awing admiration
of their wild heroism. The history OF their
wrongs stirs the fount Of generous sentiment and
thrills the chord of ingenious sympathy in eve-
ry breast, susceptible of the Purer and higher
feelings Of humanity. The brave, the dauntess
SeminoIeI How truly, how graphically, how
touchingy, has one of our poets sung:
ale saw his people withering by,
Beneath the invaders evil eye;
Strange feet were trampling on his fathers bones;
Al midnight hour he woke to gaze
Upon his happy cabins blaze
And listen to his chdren's dying groans
lie saw and maddening at the sight,
Gave his bold bosom to the fight"
In the foreground stood knot of dark war.
riors, of erect stature and noble mien, in anma-
ted conversation. The deep gutteral tones, that
escaped them, indicated topic oil soul absorbing
interest, whilst their violent gestlculatlons aud
lightning gances of soul, all told them Na'ure
orators, on subject Of no less momentous I'M
portance than life and death. Ihey wore me
scant costume Of their ace,-the short llght roDe
leaving bare their full sinewy limbs,-the waving
war.tult,-the tapering bow and gracefully hung
oulyer-wilh the flashing tomahawk,-all lnd-
Gated their warlike prowess-and the laced moe
casns, covered with dust and bearing The marks
of a long trail. Their whole aspect was that ol
noble souls, driven 10 the last extremity, and res
Olute even in despair
A little retired gathered round the temporary
wgwam and hastily kindled fire, or huffylng to
and fro, the wives Of the warriors were intent
upon preparing hasty meal, whilst some nall
score of papoose and young squaws were al play
amid the pendent branches, or rolling and tunl-
bling upon the soft ,-lorgetlul,-lo the
moment of their mirth,-of threatening danger.
The lovely grace and swift airy motions OF the
Indian girls, and the arrowy forms and athletic
proportions Of the youths; as they swept through
the mazy dance, or bounded in the mock chase,
formed, in unison with the gorgeous scenery, an
exhibition of The truly beautiful.
But his a deadly stiffness has fallen upon thai
group of noble warriorSl Like marble statues
their forms are motlonless but the heaVing
breast,-the disended nostril-the eye gazing up
ON vacancy, and the elevated ear-all betoker
intense attention. Their fears were too wei
founded. Sounds come upon the breeze;-they
are close at hand. Each warrior starts and in
stincuvely grasps his tomahawk A volIey o
musketry, as of thunder, breaks upon the repos
of Nature and starlles tho birds OF gaudy plu
mage from their boughs. To the lhlcke1 bolt
warrior! with your wives and helpless ones, 10
safety and for life! But instinct has aIread.
prompted fight, whilst the dauntless chiefs FOL
low in the rear, conlending for each Tree, as the
are forced gradually to retire before The regu!a
leaden discharges Of large body OF arme
troops. Yet, though SO fearful was the odds, thel
undying forlitude and indignant pariotlsm,a a lV
ing flame caught like vesal fire, from the burnIn
soul of the deathless Oceola, urged them on /
deeds of daring and Of prowess, whose submlt
awed even their relentless invaders. But untol
tunateIy, carried away by this unconquerablc he
roism, three warriors were surrounded, and wea
from their many wounds, fell into the hands {
the troops, and were taken as prisoners 10 tn
quarters of the commandant.
The morrow's sun rolled up into the heavens
notslowy and almost imperceptibly as in ou
northern cIime-bui, as if leapng from its ocea
bed, with gIoriousre relinue OF magnificent clouds
gladdoning and dazzling the eye with its respler
dent beams But TO the captives it brought n
attendant rays of hope to irradiate the gloom re;