Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1851-12-04
ABORIGINAL TRIAL BY BATTLE
A FEARFUL COMBAT.

| A FEARFUL COMBAT.
tor some months past, series of papers
written by John Mills. Esq. illustrative of rf
among some of :he Indian tribes of the west
have been published in the United Service Maya
zne. These papers occasionally embrace shor
! descriptive narrative, abounding in dramatic i'm
terest, information and general merit. Ole o.
! these we give below. NJ Mills accompanied ;
party OF Usage Indians on grand huntin. expe
diton, in the course of which they accidental,
| encountered about an elnal number of Pawnees
Between these two tribes deadly fead ex.
lstel: and every opportunity was sought TO settle
the difficulty by summary and sangunarv pro-
cess. Ol this occasion, the bnirarent parties i'm
medlaelt paced themselves in fighting posi-
ton, and all was ready for general melee, when
an occurrence of very singular character too,;
place, which we give in the words of the author.
We have rarely encountered more vivid and en-
tertaining description of wArlike m n,etng. II
rivals the accounts of the combats of the chilval
roas knights OF the dark ages:
Much to my surprise, a solitary war; or sing
led himself from his party, and with something
white fiyin. at the head of lance. approached
US at foot pace. The Osages instantly checked
their horses at the commlnd of their chief. and
unattended he rode forward TO meet the tnessen-
ger of peace.
The conference WI. href b t yeen the Pawnee
and Black Wolf, and the latter, riding back TO
where we stood watching their movements. with
an interest easier to be conceived than described
informed his brothers in arms that the Pawnee
chief was willing TO settle the fight in single com
bat and that he himself, wonlt meet either of
the Usage braves who nigh, be the chosen cham
pion of MS nation.
This pncky challenge created the widest com
motion among the aspiring warriors Of orr party;
and so numerous were the volunteers, and mr.
~ hair ,i,,r, A, E..-
them. that unless Black Wolf had settled the con-
tention by claiming it for himself, it is far from
improbable that new diversion might have aris-
Ell in mutnY against his orders There was no
disputing, however. the right Of the chief to take
precedence of all but the opinions of many veer-
ed to the opposite point, concerning the policy
of the measure, when they found that they were
to take no share in the glory. The greater num-
ber urged the expediency Of general fight. al
leging that we were stronger than the enemy and
should capture all their horses and skins with
which they Were laden like ourselves, in addition
to pretty haul of invaluable scalps.
Black Wolf, however, either from prudential
motives or a desire to crafty his own vanity, de-
cided to accept the challenge on the term, on
which il was sent. and agreed that the horse ard
accoutrements of the yanquished should become
the prize of the conq'erer, which he was to take
unmelested possession Of in the presence Of the
respective parties.
These preliminaries being adjusted, the arms of
Black Wolf were now carefully examined by his
companions, who threw aside all jealousy the
moment the question Vas settled. One took his
lance and tried the soundness OF the shaft bv
bending ii so that the two ends nearly met. An
other thrummad his bows'ring, while several
changed their best arrows for those in his uuiv-
er which appeared defective. The touch-hole of
his rifle was pricked AMI re-primed, and even his
knife and tomahawk underwent careful scrutiny.
The honor of the nation was at stake, and the
breast Of each individual present seemed TO bu n
with patriotic pride and solicituie for the event
which was to decide the fate of the Usage or Paw
nee c ief.
All being in readiness. Back Wolf dashed his
spurs into his horses sides, and bringing him up
on his launches bv way of start. gaopea in a
wide circle before us, for the combined purpose
of exhibiting himself and Announcing 10 his ene-
my that he was ready for the strife.
Nothing nobler can be pictured to the imagina-
ton than the appearance of the chief. as. nude
as at his birth. with the exception of his arms
slung across his shoulders, he satupon his plung-
ing and excited steed with grace, ease. and conf
dence. 4 tuft of the war eagles plumes sur
mounted his head. p:onily ra;sel and thrown
back, while his finely developed chest stood ou
like that of g!aa,ator's. with ti-ntened rein
he held his horses head close TO his chest. and
using the spur freely, rouspi the animals fiery
blood until large fakes of foam flew from his
jaws, his nosrils dilated. and his eyes looked
ready to spring from their sockets
After making the circnit, he suddenly reigneCt
in his horse. and the two stool motionless. as if
carved in granite, some hundred yards in advance
of where we remlined stationary to watch the re-
suit and see fair play. There was not. however.
as ! subsequently learned. the slightest appre-
henson Of treachery, as in these combats, which,
although rare between members of rival tribes.
are occasionally indulged in, the strictest faith
is kept with the terms on which they are fought.
The pebald horse with the bearer of the lance,
on which small red flag hlttere1, now darted
from the body Of horsemen drawn up closely in
the distance. and making corresponding circle
with Black Wolf, drew NJ in the same way op-
posite to him; and they appeared for few
brief seconds, to be eyein5 each other with intent
far from charitable.
As if moved by common impulse, both drove
the butt ends of their lances into the ground, a1l
then raising their ri1 IS from their thighs, dashed
forward and fred at the moment Of passing eich
other. some fifteen 10 twenty PAGES apart
Whether the bullets hAttencd. or were rendered.
harmless against the tough shields OF buffalo hides
which were suspended around their necks, or
whether they flew wide of their marks. cannot
tel: bnt, for anght could see, no harm was done
Dropping their rcins TO take aim. their horses
carried them unchecked 10 within few yards Of
Wnefe lne respective pdi titS VI o>d9ts anu ran =
nces were posted. Indeed. room had 10 be Civ
en- to the Pawncc chief, who came with such
rush towards lis 10 threaten to upset q handful
of the foremost of iae spectators, among whom.
as there was no danger 10 be apprehended, had
placed myself. Tlere was little opportunity to
examine him. but he was evidently of much less
stature thaa Black Wolf, and possessed none OF
the fire and noble bearing which characterized
the chief of The OSagcs. lie seemed equipped in
precisely the same way, and was eqIallv devoid
of the smrlleSt article of attire. If. however, MS
personal =ttractions fell short of those Of his
tagonist. his hoTsemanship and manner Of using
his weapons appeared in every way equal 10 him.
Snatching up his rcins, he checked the animal,
and brought him round as it turned upon pivot.
and then admstin. his rife with a rapll move
ment. he drew an arrow from his auIver, and
with benlel bow; swept towards Black Wolf
like eagle STOPPING upon his prey.
Bat the O;age, knowing the expertness Of the
enemy with whom he had 10 deal. wa prepared
in like manner; and as they met about midway be-
tween the planted lances, their barbn weapons
were drawn TO their heads, anil whiz they went
at the SINE moment with harely anozen feet in
tervenn- between them. At close quarters such
as these, and with marksman OF unriyaed skill,
it was barely possible that they should miss each
other: but their bucklers received the arrows and
both thc warriors as vet rem ,iuei unsca;hed.
The short bows being easier 10 marare than
the rifles round thev turned their horses as soon
as the arrows were DISCHARGED, and again they
swept in the same course. with their bows pre-
paired as If by mage for the bout. In this the
second turn the PaWnae chief was not so for
tunltc for as he came towards us | perceived a