Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1851-12-18

forty.one miles IN two hours, apparently without
fatigue.
The day at length arrived. Thousands of In
dians French, American, and others, had as
sembed to witness the scene. IN fact it was re-
garded as a gala day by all, except the ovenger
of his brother Sue. Lieut.. R. on the part of
the prisoner, and the celebrated war.chiefs
Warkon-shutes-kee and Pnctop, ond the part Of
the Winnebagoes, superntended the arrange
ment of the parties upon the ground. The point
agreed upon for starting was upon the prairie
little to The north of Prairie du Chen, and
few rods from the residence then occupied by
Judge Lockwood, while the race lay along the
Nine Mile Prarie, stretching to the north, and
skirting the shore Of the Mississippi. The
Sioux appeared upon the ground, accompanied
by a guard Of soldiers, who weys followed by
his twenty fonr sntagoniats nileshing in lndi-
an file, naked, with the exception IF the lndi-
an breechlet, Their ribs were panied white,
while their breasts were adorned with number
of hieroglyphical paintings. Across The face
alternate stripes Of white and black were paint
ed, in parallel lines extending from the chin to
the forehead.
The hair was plated into numerous thongs,
fringcd with bells, and tasseled with red or
white feather, while their mocaslns were corded
tightly around the hollow of the foot, as well as
around the ancle, with the sinews of the deer.
In the right hand each carried his tomahawk,
while the left grasped the sheath that contained
the scalping knife.
The prisoner was about twenty-three years of
age, little under six feet in height, of mus
cuar, well proportioned contour, and manifested
in the easy movements of his body wiry and
agile command of his muscular powers his
countenance presented wan and haggard ap-
pearance, as he stood upon the ground, owing
partly to the rigid discipline he had undergone
in training, and partly to his having painted his
face black, with the figure Of horseshoe, in
white, upon his forehead, which denoted that he
was condemned &c die, with the privilege Of ma
king an effort to save his life by feetness around
his neck he wore a narrow belt of wampum, tc
which was suspended the scalp lie had taken from
the Winnebago.
Soon after they had formed in line, Lieut.
R. came up and took off one of the mocasSins
of the Indian and showed the chief that he
thought it contained thin plate of steel, and
asked if they objected 10 it to which they re,
piled that he might wear as much iron as he
pleased
Lieut.. R. having noticed at the same time
that the countenance of the Indian, presented Q
downcast and melancholy appearance, requested
Dr. Eluise to come forward, who, after examining
his pulse, reported that he was puch excited
ana thar his nerves were ina rrotgsous condl
ton. Lieut.. r. Immediately toos him by the
arm and led him out some distance in front oftht
line, where he asked him through the inteprete
if he was afraid to run ; to which he replied tina
he was not afraid to run with any Winnebago OIL
| foot, but he was afraid he could not outrun al
the horses that were mounted by armed Indians
The Lieutenant saw at once the cause of hi
alarm, and informed him that they should no
interfere. He intended to ride the feeetes
horse upon the ground, and TO keep near him
and as he was well armed, would see tha. n
horseman approached with hostile intention.
At this announcement the Countenance of tb
Indian frightened up with smile his who'll
person seemed lifted from the ground, an he re
turned to his position in the line with a stalwar
stride.
The Chiefs and Lieutenant R. soon after tbi
mounted their horses, and took position direct
y in the rear of the prisoner Spectators wer
then removed from the front, when Lieutenap
R. gave the signal. The blow had scarcel
reached the drum when the prisoner darted fror
his antagonists with bound which placed hi,
: beyond the reach of their whilling tomahawk.
When the race was under way, many of his an
tagonists ran with great swillness for mile, the
then the distance between them and the Siou
: began to widen rapidly, showing the superic
bottom of the latter,acqured by the discipline {
the white man.
At the end of two miles, the last of the cor
= tending Wlnnebagos withdrew from the chase
there was not an Indian horse upon the groun
= that could keep up with him after he had gon
= the first half mile, and at the end Of the fourt
' mile, Lient. r., finding that his steed was muC
fatigued, and the prairie free from enemies, rel
e ed up. The Indian did not look behind, or speO
: as far as he was followed or could be seen, bl
t kept his eye steadily fixed upon the white fla
e that had been placed at the d7tance Of half
}, mile apart, in order that he nigh run upon
n straight line,
: 1t was soon after reported by the Winnebago
that he had been shot by one of their boys, W
d had been secreted by order of War-kon shutt
h kee, heneath the bank ofthe river near the upE
S end of the prairie. This, however, proved I
s to be true The boy had shot Wnneba
a through mistake, who, like himself, had be
treacherously secreted for the purpose of int
e cepting the Sioux, who, few years ago, "
e present ata treaty made by Gov. DOty with t
p Sioux nation.
He had then but recently acquired the rank
1t chief. He requested Gov. Doty to inform h
l. where Lieut.. R. and DR.. Eluise were at Il
a. time and was told that both had died in FlC
lie da. He Immediately withdrew from the C,
I'd vention, painted his face black, and departed
le the woods nor could he be prevailed upon
come into the convention until he had &C
ht through the usual ceremony OF fasting and mou
H. ing for the dead.
he OLDEST INHABITANrs.-The Oldest inht
,st tant in Vermont, us we learn by the census
i'm turns, is eluck man, native of MARITIME
lis and now a resident of Pomfret. His name
lis Peter Nassau, and his age l9O years. The
a. est inhabitaut In Massachusetts is also ne