The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1850-11-14


believe otherwise than that bis better day.
had been expended as Scottish student.
But what had brought him to these cav
ern wilds? what drove tho exile from biz
native land? While We were resolving
these questions over in our own mind, bis
seemed absorbed with the contemplation o
religious subjects, sweeping with biblica
research among the alIegorical gems Of the
prophets, cullieg flower hero and there,
and eut wining them witha gorgeous wreath
Of eternal life, and swinging II alolt by the
power Of bis eloqnence, as a Bethlehem
Star, to entice the footsteps Of The benight-
ed savage. Again he would burst Into the
wild laugh ofthe Maniac--pause and lis
ten for moment--and as the glistening
tear drops coufsed down his long beard, he
would murmur in piain,ive tone some
Scottish verse, again his mind would re.
sumo iis natural throne, enrolled in the
mantle Of its erudi,ion, which enabled him
to glide from language TO language az lis
expressions seemed best adapted te the clu-
cidating Of his ideas.
The swarthy savage although unable to
comprehend his lnngusge, evidently began
to manifest a feeling Of excitement, impart-
ed through the agency Of the expressive
gesture Of the maniac; leaning forward up
On bis elbow, with a quickened and audible
respiration, his eyes glared intently upon
the rapid movements Of the speaker, until
glistehing perspiration began to start up
on bis swar,hy Lrow.
Again the madjened preacher paused,
while far away among the cavern halls, his
maniac laugh, in nurmuring echoes ceased.
Then snatching from his breast the thong
bound cross, ard whir|ing il around bis
head, with fiendish convnlsive scream, he
hurst into the wild fsuralye language Of
the Indian, detailing with savage eloquence,
the history Of the Saviour, and as lie Pu,!r-
ed forth the descriptive scenes Of his suffer
ings and death, the quivering lip, and
twinkling eye Of the savage, as his hand
crept fnstinctively 10 Tire handle Of his
scalping knife, bespoke the excitement he
had wrough, upon their uncu!,ivated minds.
Continuing in the language of the Indian,
he exclaimed, 20 God, forbear! thy ex-
hausted servant sinks before the coward
| rcdman, who dare not be a warrior OF the
Cross" In an Instant the savage group
bounded 10 their feet, while the scream Of
the war wl,oop rnng through the distant
cavefns, as they fourished their scalping
knives above their heads, mud rushed to-
wards the Mnniac, nvowipg ,hemselses
avengers Of the Saviour's wrongs. Thea
came the distant report Of a rifle, husl,ing
to listening silence the tnmultuous group.
And in moment more, a painted savage.
begri,ned with blood, sprang into their
midst, waving from the top of a lance, a
freshly taken scalp, from which the life
blood had moi ceased to drip; pointing to IL
with . snvoee grin, and kissing between
his teeth the fearful war name ofihc Sauk.
At the announcement of which, the listen
ing Indians snntched their torches from the
blazing FIRE, and rushed towards the outlet
Of the cavern. Following the footsteps OF
our guide, We soon reached The open va1ley,
filed with disordered groups Of savages,
shouting the war-cry Of the several bands,
while the gong.like voice OF the Indian
drum, rolled its ,nono,onous notes along she
valley, aronsing the warriors mind to deeds
Of savage glory. From the summit Of she
hills that bound the valley on the west, the
signal fires Of the enemy blazed, flinging a
Iurid glare OF light over the Wiley beneath,
while round the blszing piles the warrior
foemah danced, and shouted his promised
deeds Of prowess.
Already the grey morn had begun to
creep along the eastern sky,as the enemy
rushed from his heighih Of ground into The
valley, shouting tho well'known war cry ol
the Saux, which was answered by the war
whoop ofthc Winnebagoesof tho valley, as
they closed in dreadful combat with rhcir
common enemy. And row tho con,mIng
led crack Of rifles, roared along the valley,
while the twnnging hum Of the bow string,
the crash ofthe battle axe, and the tesound-
ing blows Of the war-club, arose amidst the
groans of the dying, and the war-scream oi
ofthc contending bands. For q moment
victory seemed perched upon the arms Of
the war-bred Snux, as he Grove the Winnie
bngoes before him, stretching their liteless
bodies on the plain. Then came shout
from the upper part Of the valley, as o
horseman urged his wild steed n1ong It, in
the direction Of tho battle. brand'shlng q
bove h:s head ponderous sword, while the
spectral laugh that rang upon the air, an.
nounced the approach Of the Maniac oi the
Cavern, nt the sight Of whom, the retreat.
ing Winnie ebagoes, rail-, ing, turned upon his
foe, ss the Mad Preacher darted through
their ranks, piunging his steed against the
enemy's front, and Draining his sword with
lightning strokes on every side,- while the
fierce animal that bore him against the col.
umns of the foe, crushed through their ranks
a trail, besfrewed will msngled limbs,
wheeling upon their columns with shout
| again he reined his fret,cd stced for the
charge, and thundered down upon ,he''
ranks with sweeping sfeel, until the shout
Of triumph told that the ge'rea!'ng saus