The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1850-09-09

flames oflving fire were curling and crawl
ing through the hall bursting veins I'm
front OF the yelling red men stood two forms
as 1t being presented, as indeed they were,
for exhibition. One was q beautiful maiden.
her delicate skin shining with a soft polish. be-
meath the luxuriant mass of waving tressed.
! and her eyes bent TO The earth in sorrow and
humilia ton. Thus with her hands tied be-
hind her stood the gentle and art.css Etak.-
At her side in horrible contrast scowled in tri-
umph the malignant face of the old Prophet.
With loud laugh of triumph lie applied
switch 10 the naked shoulder of the shrink
ing maiden. Then rose his shrill voice above
the yels OF The painted savages behind and
above
Nov chief Mokena-now dogs of Illinois
I-starve and rot where you stand. You
crushed the lroQuOs under your heels. but
an lroquois lives TO irample upon your bones.
Ay, die. and like squaws, and with sauaws.
not knife TO knife in the battle field-perlsh!
mid the cries OF children, the moaning of wo-
men, the laughs of your enemies. and the cur
ses oil the Prophet. Perish! and die I'M
wept for, with agonics such as the starved
can only feel. Ii was the ola Prophet who
ensnared you, led you rs little children into
The trap, there 10 torture you. The scalp OF
Oushelos son hangs in the wigwam Of an H.
linois, but the spirits OF the whole Illinois ma
ton shall wait upon that son in the hunting
grounds of the Good Spirit. The Great Spi-
rii lrOwns upon the lllir DIS ard now they are
perishing. See chief, this was the bride of
Mokena-now she is the slave of the Propher
till he gives her 10 some brave for his squaw."
Tie Prophet ceased, and raised the twig
again over the shoulders of the maiden But
at this moment an arrow from the bow of Mo-
kena cleft hIs ear and warned him of his pc
ril. He placed Etak before him as screen
and walked back to his companions But
loud rose the taunts and scorn OF the Illinois.
= and even The chief. with his heart bursting
with conflicting feelings, lent his voice TO
swell the general cry. The squaws, too.
made derlslve gestures, and the little chill
Oren threw pebbles among the Potowato-
mics.
The chet marking the ImpIacable hatred
of the Prophet, and knowing by bitter expe
: rience the cunning resources of his fertile
mind, and realizing how strong must be the
action when these were united with the
strength and hatred of young Neopo. ircm-
bled for his people. Yet the day wore away
and again night settled upon forest, and river
and red men. Oh, what night of suspense
and torture 10 the Illinois! There was no
sleep, except among the children, that night,
for a cloud deeper. darker than any yet that
had threatened the poor victims. however
above them. For scarcely had the stars bro
ken forth, when one of the squaws let down
the long bark rope and rude vessel for the
r usual supply of water. She pulled it up
How light 1t could not have tonched the
stream. Again she drops it, and pauses for
; the passing waters TO circle in the narrow
confines OF the vessel. Again she draws up
the rope. Still light and empty! A sicken-
ing thought fits through her old brain-bui
with il Pickering hope-the river has been
rapidly falling. A third time she drops the
vessel to the iuI length Of the rope, and
third time slowly gathers the coils of the
strand. Her eyed and dimmed eyes faslen
with halfagonized look upon her children.
|, while the slim hope and terrible conviction
, wrestle for the mastery. The rope is up
there is no ressel The children laugh loudly
in their elee at The old sqaw's disappoInt-
ment. and she. tremhled like a leaf exam
ines the end of the bark rope. 1t has been
cut. She says not word. but points fear
; fully the gathering warriors to the discovered
chord. A fear, which neither dares betray
to the other. seiZes upon their hearts, and
smothers with its grasp. But hope is strong
: and another vessel is quickly procured ard
lowered from different point into the flow
, ing flood. Cautiously and silently il de-
sends and they Ieel it touch the water
!, Hurriedly they pull up, but there is no weight.
Loud swell from the deep, deathly stiffness.
derisive shouts oilaugh,er from below. And
among and above those those shouts. rings the
shrill yet harsh voice OF the Prophet:
'Squaw Mokena. Oushelo has told his
: friends not 10 let the Illinois have water, and
:, they obey"
The warriors gaze into each others eyes,
and upon the women and children, but they
see no inar-they are yet unconquered-an
e loud rise their yells of defiance, and again
: even the cheren pitch down pebbles upon
: their enemies. The chiefs heart was sick
: yet his brow was light and confident, for his
people gazed into his eyes for hope But bit
ter was that night to the Illinois. The fever
! already seemed 10 have been started bv rack
: lug agony of thought, yet there was no wa.
8 ter.
!, = The chief lay alone. Midnight was long
!, passed and a disturbed fitting slumber has
, touched the eye-lds of his warriors, wher
:, silently he arose. and noiselessly let down
:, another vessel. II touched the surface of the
h stream without II murmur, but the next mo-
= ment the laugh of the Prophet startled every
:, Illinois warrior to his feet. The rope was
;, drawn up. and in the place of the vessel was
- a small ornamenred mocasn. 1t was a crue
taunt Of The old Prophets but the chief sez
ed the trife, and pressed it TO his heart. He
&c thanked the traitor for that mockery. Their
= gathered were the braves, as a grey streak o
Is light touched the tree tops in the East. The
u chief lit pipe, and taking Whit passed i
~ 10 a warrior Each took a Whit and it wa
&c returned 10 Mokena. Thus opened the Coun
IL Gil of the Rock. An old civil chief rose, ant
10 solemnly yet earnestly spoke in low tone o