New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1853-04-30

There seems no trace Of Time upon Thy brow;
Methinks thou meier hast been more fair than now
(Olive Branch.
AN EXTRAORDINARY NARRATIVE.
INDIAN DESPERATION.
The following letter, says the s. W. American.
is from gentleman connected with the govern
ment service on our frontiers. We have read of
similar instances Of self-immolation among the
American Indians, rather than fall into the
hands Of their enemies, but do not recollect any
other case in Texas All our late accounts con.
firm the fact, that since the Rangers were dis
banded the Indians are renewing their preda-
tory incursions with alarming frequency:
F0RT CRoGHAN, Texas, April Z, 1858.
MY DEAR -: have just returned from
one of the most arduous and exciting scouts
have ever made. We had been robbed here
twice by the Indians within four months The
last time on the night Of the 18th March, They
took down pannel of my stable lot and led out
nine of my finest horses Itnwas one of the
darkest and most clustering nights Of the sea-
son, and the robbery must have been committed
between nine and ten at night. The next morn
ing | started with seventeen men in pursuit
Failing to discover trail I proceeded at once
to the post ON the head of the clear Fork of the
Brazos, thence to the Indian agency half way
between Phantom Hill and Belknap. Up to this
point could hear nothing of the robbery, ex-
cept the opinion entertained by the agent, Mr.
Stem, and all the friendly Indians-which con-
CURED with my own-that the robbery had
been committed by Witchetas Whilst 1t the
agency party of that tribe, under their prin-
cipal war-chief, came in under the pretence of
surrendering some stolen horses they had pre-
viously promised to Stem they would do. The
horses. they brought in were 50 indifferent and
broken down that it was evident they were act
ing in bad faith, and that this was only intend
ed as a subterfuge.
Twas not disposed to be trified with in this
manner; the agent had also lost all patience
with them. 1t was accordingly agreed to de-
tain the chief and the principal portion Of his
party-consisting of nine warriors and severa
women, as hostages until the whole of the pro
perty recently stolen should be brought in
Mr.. Stem announced to them our determination
and told them in pretty plain terms r.e--.
| to carry them into Belknap and hold them a
prisoners, permitting two of their number to re
turn to their tribe and convey the stalk" We
| had given them Though l fully expected " a
break" on the announcement, which would re-
suit in the death of Mr.. Stem or myself, or both
indeed | would not have insured either of our
lives at 100 per cent--we were compelled to face
the danger with apparent Indifference. Any
| manifestation of fear or suspicion would have
increased the chances of their resorting to the
desperate alternative of ga rush for liberty,
plunging their knives into whomsoever inter
| rupted their passage. The sequel proves the
desperation with which they would have acted
As soon as l had told them they were prisoners
rose from the bear-skin upon which / had
| been sitting facing them, and mounted my horse,
| at the same time drawing my pistol, and mo-
tioning them to go to their camp. The chief
requested that should dismount, that he wished
to speak. did so, and took seat on stool
near by. He motioned me to sit in my former
position on the ground did so, at the same
drawing my knife under pretence of cutting to-
| bacco to smoke. He rose, addressed few re-
marks to me about the difficulty of restraining
his young men from stealing, etc., and suggest
ing that it would be better that he should re-
turn to his tribe. This l refused He then
seemingly yielded to his fate, approaching me
| and seizing my hand, lifted me from the ground
and embracing me, first pointing to Heaven and
to ourselves, to indicate that the Great Spirit
witnessed the proceeding. told them would
not hold them as close prisoner, but merely
guard against their escapes by placing sentinels
around their camp. Meantime i cncamped my
command near theirs, and took from them all
the arms could find. They retired quietly to
their tents at dark, manifesting not the slight
est intention of an attempt to escape.
The moon shone as bright as day. / had
posted two distinct guards over them Of six msd
EACH with our sentinels. had been up and
moving about camp until about twenty minutes
before IL. At II the sentinels were relieved
The sentinel posted more Immediately over theil
camp, had gone near one of their tents. Sud
denly one Of the Indians rushed forth from his
tent towards the sentinel, and presenting pis
tol, fired, shooting him through the heart. Thi
seemed to be the sequel for general '' break.
As the sentinel turned to retreat up the slop,
towards his companions, the chief Ko- o-we-ska
rushed from his tent like demon, threw him
self upon the back of retreating sentinel ant
with his reeking knife infected several wounds
before he was shot down by the old sentinel
The rest succeeded in ,effecting their escape
running in different directions and answerin,
the shots fred at them with yells of defiance
The chief as was discovered on searching th
tents, had purposely sacrificed himself, his wife
and boy seven years old, to secure the escape o
his companions. The wife and child whom h
had requested on the evening before to talk t
and give them assurance Of their safety, wer
found lying in their tent side by side, as If il
deep sleep, but stabbed to the heart, The wife
at least, had consented to her fate, as we wer
informed by two old women who had attempte
to escape.
She seemed to have received the fatal bio,
without a struggle-both were carefully cover
ed up to the breast, the child lying upon it
mothers arm The Chiefs moccassins wer
found near their heads, n sign, the Indians tol
|; u.s. that he did not mean to leave the spot aliy,
Nothing in romance or history that have eve
= read approximates to this act of devotion an
self sacrifice. Cooper never could have venture
to paint such a scene. The bright moon Ggh
, ing up the beautiful countenance Of the moth,
for she was beautiful and young-with h
innocent boy by her side, and the blood sti
J oozing from their CHASTITY wounds-the hu
$band, father and warrior, still stretched up
E the sod; the bloody knife still grasped in l
. hand, looking terrible even in death the SEN
mel not five feet from him, his cold blue Q
: looking to Heaven, while the figures of the 8,
diers hurrying hither and thither in search
they knew not what, with occasional but mi
: |: taken cries, indicating some discovery II
d whole seemed more like dream than sad rea
N ity, and made an enduring impression on n
: mind. / had witnessed every description
Q death and suffering on the battlefield, On. !
y combination like this, Of PRIDE courage seif-d
Of votion, self sacrifice and revenge 80.
What striking illustration OF the princip
jmbibed by these tribes from their mother
q p,ilk. nsfsr to yield thsmsalyss prisoner,
~ | tsa "A SHtfik tANA 6f