Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1852-01-01
A RACE FOR LIFE.
AN INDIAN STORY.


ter the difficulties will, he Winnebaro
Indians had been amicabIy adjusted by
a ,isa of The chiefs 10 Washington. ac-
compinicd by Gov. C,lss. u Sioux Indian
willie out hua,lng near the mnut, of Root
River. shot aud scAlped Winnsbaga,
winch act he attempted to Justify by
>aying aat tie Nnnenaso had wrapped
Around his person he blanket Of an In.
dian who, u short time previous had mur.
dered his brother. The Winnrbagoes be-
Came indignant at the ct,sand about two
two thousand of them assembled at Fort
Crawford. and demanded Of Col. Taylor
the procurement and SURF ender Of the
murderer. The officers of the Fort, ap>
prehensive that new difficulties might
arise with this factious tribe, if their de>
mands were unattended to, concluded to
make an effort to obtain the murderer.
| Accordingly an officer was dispatched to
demand him of the Sioux Indian, who im>
mediately gave him mp. and was brought
down the River and confined ut Fort
Crawford. Soon af Ell h arrival III The
Fo t, the Winncoagoes assembled again.
and insisted on an unconditional sunsn
der III tie prisoner to them. whic,. Col.
Taylor refused to make, but dispatched
Lieut.. r. and Dr.. Eluse, the surgeon Of
the garrison, TO have y talk with them
on the subject. At the conference the
Wihncba.oes talked in II threatening and
overbearing manner. and insisted that
nothing would satisfy them but taking
the life of the Sioux in their way, and
by themselves. Al length Lieut. r. pro.
posed that the Indian should have il
chance for bis life in the following man
| ncr.
Two weeks from that time he was to
be led out upon the prai'ie. and in u line
with him, ten PAGES oft was 10 be placed
upon his tight ard left twelve Of the
/ most expert runners OF the Wmnehago
| nation. each armed with tomahawk aud
| scaiping knife
| Al the tap Of the drum the Sioux
should he free to start ioy the home of
his tribe. aud the Wnncba2oes free to
pursue, capture and scalp him il they
could
70 this proposal the Winnebagoes ac-
cedcd at once. and seemed much pleased
with the anticipation OF great sport, as
we'll as an easy conquest OF the prisoner.
whose confinement in the garrison during
the two weeks, they believed would pros
irate whatever running qualities he pos
sessed. Their best runners were imme-
diately brought in and trained every day
in full sight of the Fort. Lieut.. r. who
was something Of sportsman. and who
hand warmly enlisted in the cause Of the
Sioux, determined TO have his Indian in
the best possible trim Accordingly Dr..
Eni>c took him in charge. prescribing
his diet. regulating his hou,s Of ,-posr,
and directing the rubbing OF his bod,
with flesh brushes every day, immediate
ly before he went upon the parade ground
10 perform his evening and morning trains
lngs. In fact SO carefully was lie trained
and fitted for the race OF hfs and death.
that he was timed upon the parade ground
the fourth day before the race. and per
formed the astonishing feat Of forty. one
miles in two hours, apparently wi,lou,
fatigue.
The day at length arrived Thousands
If Indians, F,cnch. Amrric ans, and 9TH
"rs la! assembled /" witness the scene
In fact j, WAS II gala day by all except
III, avcn.e q" has broil'ef Sue. Lieut.
II. IN lbepait OF the prisoner. and tht
c.lr!sa,i,.si maf scHirls Nar- kun shules
! kee H,ad i'inciop ~ the part oi she VIM
! uabagoe. supr.late,dca Encouragement.
If the paitlvs oa he ground The point
/, il. ecd up4es for starting. was upon the
p,.irit.. 4 iistls nsrth Of Prairie du Chen
and a few rods from the residence OF
Judge Lockwood, while the race track
lay along the Nine biile Prairie--stretch.
ing to The north and skirting the shores
Of the Mississippi. The Sioux appeared
upon the ground. accompanied by his
guard of soldiers, who were followed by
his twenty antagonists, marching in In.
dian file. naked, with the exception OF
the Indian brecchlet. Their ribs were
painted white, while their breasts were
adorned with number Of hieroglyphi.
cal painting. Across the face alternate
slips Of white ard black were painted IN
parallel lines extending from the chin TO
| the forehead
The hair was plated into numerous
thongs, fiipged with bells. and iasselled
with red or white feather. while the
mocassins were corded tightly around
the hollow Of the foot a. we'll rs around
the ankle. with the snews OF the deer.
In the right hand each carried his to.na-
hawk, while the left gra<ped the sheath
that contained the scalping knife.
The prisoner was about twenty. three
years OF age. 4 little less than six fee, in
height, Of muscular well propottioned
contour. and manifested in the easy move
ments Of his body, wiry and agile COM
nand Of his muscular powers; his eoun
tcnance presented a wan and haggard
appearance as he stood upon the ground,
ewing partly to the ,isid discipline lie