The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1853-03-22
FIRsT NIGHT AMONG sAvAGEs.

cal misadyentnro, that took stroll along the
shore Of my bay beyond. my former limits.
Collecting tho bivaIves and univalves into lit
tie heaps, as proceeded. il was my intention
to bag them on my return. and carry them to
headquarters The reader has rightly infer
ed that was alone. After having been out
aboht two hours, and just rs l was thinking
that il was time lshould return, my reyerie
was broken by an unearthly yell. started.
The hair rose upon my head,
| "Lke quills upon the fretfa porcupine:"
Seven naked savagcs stood before me, each
armed with spear. Ono wild glance reveal
ed tho utter hopelessness of my situation; for
an intervening point hid mo entirely from
my shpmates, and any attempt at escape only
promised to transform mo into the figure of the
old man my readers may havo seen in nn old
almanac. As did not offer to stir, they drew
close around me. still posing their deadly weap-
ons. as for an instantaneous despatch, in case
of tho slightest indications of resistance or
! fight.
Tho first words that relieved tho hideous
bockn coiif-w6o' src csIyscSanng ycang was as to come
come from" Then they told me-making
] signs BY way of explanatiOn--to pull oil my
clothes. To oil this demured and hestated,
as if it were unintelllgble. Buta red flannel
shirt was an object of Irresistible oudidity to
savage fancy, and they soon relieved me of
more than half the trouble of compliance with
their polite requirement. The transformation
was no less sudden than complete; leaving my
rerson rs native and nudo as any of theirs, ba-
ting only the grease and little paint.
The principal figure of the group was dis
tingushed by bunch of white cockato feath-
ers behind each ear together with pair Of
something like epaule,tes, formed of the plumes
of the cmu n largo native bird, tho congcner
of the ostrich. His long hair was tied up be-
hind somewhat after the common female
fashion. This was tho chief, and such the in
SIGMA of bis authority. The native notions
forbiding monopoly, the shirt, with the temp
ting red was no sooner in their hands, than it
was tern into as many parts as cquallcd the
number OF my captors, and appropriated by
each as his own fancy prompted.
) After amusing themselves at my expense
, somc time, with no other Inconvenience to me
than some petty annoynnces, they were ready
tn decamp, and made signs to mo accordingly.
, Up to this moment. had cherished tho hope
D that some of my shipmates would make their
t appearance; but in vain, 1t was in vain, also,
, tina, motioned my kidnappers to 90 toward
the wreck. They headed directly toward the
woods, which were distant only some f,rsy
5 rods. Two Of tho seven led tho van; naked
, and barefoot formed the centre, and tho re-
: maiLing five brought up the rear.
, In this order. our march continued for about
, ten miles. To me they were long ones; for
, even the most painful Of inward feelings could
. rot render me entirely insensible to the sutfe-
rings incident t. n journey, rapid, as this was,
! over a rough surface, and through a tangled
forest. and with feet and every part ofmy per-
son totally unprotected. This vainful scene
continued with little to disturb its sameness,
save that, ever and anon, a flock Of kangaroo
broko and Aed f,ona baG,ro ~s ., -a rio"s a-a~
tons, like frightened sheep, till, all at once, as
If by magic, two hundredi men, women. and
, chilhren-nude. gentle rcnder. all nude, rs
: Adam and Eve in tue g'r!cn-s'arted up be-
/. fore us. We we're close uron them befoae
,hcy saw u.s. At the sight Of me, they raised a
{ veil, sufficient to frighten youngster as was,
' out of years growth. At the same moment,
y tho women slung tho smaller children on their
!. hacks, and ran; the larger children squeald
= like so many guinea pigs. and ran also; the
: women vociferating: "Yenec Jon ack; Yenec
o ion ack-Ho is the devil: Hs is tho devil
$ On arriving a, tho huts. though We found
Y them minus the women and children, the men
v presently gathered around me, and appeared
i to he hugely inquisitive as to who was, and
! whence came. Ar lcnflth they mado signs
>. 10 me tc sit down by fire. in front OF one OF
h tho wigwams. These people, when travelling,
n are very wary of a large fire. This was scarce
n ly larger than q mans hat. The reason is
(, that fire, or even a smoke, would endangei
r. their discovery by an enemy; and even that, in
10 nc st cases, wonld provo equivalent to theil
10 massacre; for the tribes with few exceptions
arc in n state of unceasing war, in prosecuting
10 which. 1t is master stroke, by stealing upon
D. sleeping enemy. to put them to an indiscrlmi
II. nate slanchter-men. women. and children.
re After teasing mo with numbcrless questions
,r till they were satisfied that l was so utterl,
l. outre as not to understand the first syllable o
70 their elgant vernaculsr ther further tested M
10 pretensons TO polite society, by an offer OF food
is in buality aud shap, Of raw opossum. Alack
10 that II was so! but so it was. that was forcet
10 to decline it; where upon they broke into
10 loud laugh, doubtless wondering how my edu
a. cation could have been so sadly neglecsed.
I'd But night was drawing on, and differen
n hunting paroles. with more orless evidences
nv success, continued coming in. till all were as
,r- sernblod. The whole tribe, including wome
a and children, numbered about fifteen hundred
in, By snnse. | found myselfsurrounded by severa
10 hundred men, who remained in deep and an
gry consultation till nine o'clock. Nor had
any reason tn doubt, that the question OF th
protracrd and exciting debate, W. the life Q
death of their prisoner, nor that the chance
s'ood strongly in favor ofthe latter ALTERNATIVE
So fixed, indeed, wcre my spprehensions
death. at that time, that hope and fear wer
mainly busy with tho mere question OF Il
mode Dying was not so much tho object
dread, as that knew not what roasting prt
g.. cess would 60 before it. On tho other hah'
,as sI hoped-and il was about all l could hope
~, that the wre,ches would be kind enough to
''y tho killing first, and bo quick about II, an
roast and eat thcir supper afterward.
at Whom this grim court, however, adjonrne
4 a and dispersed, know the question was settle
viii otherwise. at least for the present. Indeed,
of was not without hope that tho chief who O
,es. viously claimed me RS his property. was prod
ar. tcrmned to turn me to some better accou
tbnn that of feasting his leige subjects. N
nal WIS this hope unstrcnpthunhd; when, to NAL
ect safer place for me, tha, dgna,ary sent aw'
be- his wives-there wcre only seven of the'