The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-05-07
from the New York Sunday Times.l
SOUTHERN AND WESTERN LIFE.
TIE CHEROKEE BAII.-PLAY AND DUEL.

TIE CHEROKEE BALL-PLAY AND DUEL.
| The Cherokees, located Oh the western frontier
| OF Arkansas, can scarcely be called Indians,
much less savages. AT all events they are much
advanced III civilization as their American neigh
| bors. They have schools, churches, a constitl-
ton, laws, courts, and more wealth, according to
numbers, dhan any other body polite in the world.
| Many OF their and daughters are educated in
| the first semnaries in New England. Besides,
they are at present more than half white, owing
| long course of frequent inermarriage with our
| own people. They have adopted our names, copied
our dress, institutions, and manners and especially
the custom of dueling, prevalent on their Dor
ders. They still retain, however, some of their
ancient amusements, and among the rest the great
game OF which they immoderately iond-the
bail play, described in the sequel.
As eye-WItnesses of distant scenes, who We're
never five miles away from buok-IBaking Nassau
street, abound prodgiously at this era, we give as
A voucher for the truth Of narrative, The Hon.
Geo w. Paschal, of Van Buren,, Arkansas-a gem
leman well known to many in the com mercia
world OF New York. Mr.. Paschal was several
years Judge of the Supreme Court in his adopted
State. He is thoroughly acquainsed with the
Cherokees, having espoused sister of the famous
chief, John Ridge. He was present with the writer
at the ball-p play now to be noticed:
1t was 10 o'clock, the llh of May, 1888. The
hour previously fixed at the last general council
had arrived for the commencement of the great
national game-lmperlal paragon of all games the
sun OF heaven ever saW-the famous Cherokee
ball-play
Immediately the six marshals of the day, distin-
guished by long crimson scarfs flowing from their
shoulders began to move about with busting haste
arranging preliminaries and clearing the ground.
The site had been most admirably chosen, both
with view to the perilous sport of the performers
and convenient for the host of spectators. "1he
Looking glass Prairie, called on account Of It's
small size and exceeding beauty, is not more than
half mile in extent, and being environed by
lesiic forests resembles mirror, having its frame
wreathed with fantastic garlands. Near the centre
of this smooth plain is a circular line Of five con-
siderable mounds, enclosing depressed and per
fecty level space of from forty to fifty yards in d.
ameter. Here was the arena, altogether free from
grass and somewhat dusty, having been trOdden
for years by the feet OF strong contendlng for
victory in a sort of strife almost terrible real
battle. Surrounding the arena, large ropes at
tached to pillars of cedar set in the earth at the
base OF the cOnical mounds Were stretched to their
utmost tension, thus serving TO separate the crowd
of belIoders from the champions in the grand game
The mounds themselves, with sloping sides touch
Ing each other by their gentle ACTIVITY ard mode
rate elevation, formed fine raised amphitheatre
for the assembled multitude, who might be said,
almost without hyperbole, to comprise the whole
Cherokee nation--for both sexes, all ages, and
every condition of life. had gathered 10 the conf
mon point and stated period of annual reunion.
My glance was attracted from the aggregatlve
mass of human forms by vision of individual
beauty brighter than anything | had previously
seen or even conceived, save in the starlight dra
perry of dreams. Seated among several older per-
sons III carriage, on the summit of the mound
only few PAGES from where | stood, was a young
girl whose appearance realized to the all my
imagination had ever PARTED to itself In reVery as
the possible perfection of female lovellness. In adj
dition to the charms for the most part hereditary
TO the quadroons OF her tribe-grace of figure, har
mony in every feature, and melting sweetness of
smile--this beWitchng creature possessed a trans
parent and intellectual beauty circumference Pc
cular and irresistible, yet thoroughly indescrba-
ble have essayed thousand times since to pro-
file the face and daguerreotype the lustre of those
beamy black eyes, whose rays seemed 10 emanate
from some unknown and measureless distance III
The depths OF the soul, or, perclance, out OF the
heights of heaven, but always have been forced tn
cast down my powerless pen in despair
THAT is Emma Star, said my friend Paschal,
observing the direction Of my admiring gaze, the
most beautiful woman in the nation.'
In the world ] added, mentally.
And yet" continued he, 81 her six brothers are
the most notorious desperadoes and dueist west Of
the Mississippi, although she herself is tender
hearted and iano"ent child and, what is still
stranger, no contemplate devoiee to the muses.
'What pity" | remarked with Increasing in
terest, that such an angel could not be removed
from associations 50 uncongenial to a noble ma
ture.'
My friend replied with a piece of information
that dalkened to me, for ever, whole streaming
galaxy of nebuous hopes.
She 10 have been welded some SIX weeks
ago, to The eloquent young lawyer, Horace Jordan.
You have heard Of him. But her bold, bad broth
ers for what reason ain not apprsed. broke Oft the
match, and it is said, threatened her lovers life
But see him yonder."
And Judge Pachal pointed out with his finger
tall slender form, leaning against Of the pillars
near the arena.
Suddenly the herald's bugle peaed a clear, pierre
ing note, and every eye was fixed instantly on the
ring, into which fifty BRAY es might be eaping,
by single bounds over the ropes, high the waist.
pantaoons, fitting tightly the skin, and reaching
NOT more than half way down the thigh Such
their only garment the rest Of their bodies be-
ing completely bare, and shining from recent and
copious anontment of yellow-coored OIL Choicer
specimens of athletcism could not we'll be found, |
should you search the wide world over. Volumes |
of swelling muscle, and sharp ridges Of naked |
nerves, literally quivering with pure excess OF
strength and redundant vitality, all revealed ns-
tlnctly in the vivid light of cloudless May sum
beams, gave ample assurance how desperate must |
be the coming conflict.
Thousands of spectators on the natural amphI- |
theatre of mounds could see Them all, and COM |
menced betting furiousIy on their various favores |
All around me / could see heavy wagers pr0ffered
but mostly refused that some of the g Stars"
and especially 90 Big Jim,'' would win the hundred
scores which were to be counted before the termi- |
nation of the play.
Again the bugle sounded, and then the chief |
marshal advanced to one side of the arena, holding
in his hand ball covered with leather, and of Or
binary dimensions, but loaded with several bullets,