True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-04-17
SKETCH FROM. THE TROPICS,
BY MRS. NJ. A. DENIsON.
THE, LONE. CARIB sQUAw.

THE, LONE. CAR1B sQUAw.
I wish you could have seen her as 7 did,
bending down from the tall rock. The
river-altar (for it seemed like an altar was
of itself sight for the curious, broken by
deep fssures-plastercd with rich sea
green, red and gray-covcrcd at the base
with tiny vari-colored she'll fsh--encrust-
ed with kind of hard, glittering weed,
that in some places shone with the clear
ness and brightness of silver. She was a
tall, yet not gaunt figure, though very
thin; her movements were rapid, her ca
gle eyes flashing and darting from cloud
to shore, and from shore to the calm deep
river. Her arms were slight, yet we'll
rounded-her long, thick, black hair hung
in heavy masses over her naked breast and
shoulders. Her features were European,
but her hue was that of the copper-color-
ed tribes on the Essequibo. There she
stood, her arrow high-fragments of her
red mantle floating in the wanton, breeze
One foot lightly poised, the other firm
and strongly planted, while the body,
thrown into graceful curve, swayed with
the undulating motion of the arrow-hand.
In their soft language, the Carabeese
called her "the lone Carib squaw." 1t
was supposed that she was the offspring of
white man-but since the sorrow that
had widowed her heart, she had never
spoken to them. She had wandered away
from the remnant of her tribe-sometimes
appearing at one place, sometimes at anoth-.
er-never living in cabin or lodge-Gsh-
ing and hunting for herself. The arrow,
the blow-pipe, the gun, were all familiar
weapons to her. The Indians were afraid
of her, and some thought her an evil spir-
it. Twenty years ago she lost the hus-
band to whom she had just been welded
by Christian missionaries But few moons
before, the young brave had accidentally
killed the son of chief. As it was well
known to have been entirely unpremedita-
ted-for the two youths were firm friends
blood for blood seemed not required
and but for the jealousy of an Indian of
the family, who loved Kaiweewi--all feuds
might have slumbered forever. But on
the day succeeding the bridal, the poor
young bridegroom was found murdered
near his cabin.
Kaiweewi's grief was akin to madness
She raved and tore the hair by handfuls
from her head, She vowed vengeance
equipped herself with the husbands pois.
oned arrows, and prepared to fly on heI
awful mission. But as she neared the en-.
trance of her lodge, she met the body,
borne by friendly hands, and she fell be-
side it, in an agony of grief, threw hel
arms about. the cold form, buried her face
in her dishevelled locks, on the bosom Of
the dead.
Hour after hour, thus she lay-no sol
heaved her frame-tearless and terribl,
was her anguish-until, as. lifting her darl
eyes, in which the fire of vengeance blazed
shessprang. again towards the weapons o
destruction-but suddenly recoiled, as sh,
saw rude cross placed above them-om
Dlem Of love and forgiveness.
christian child," said low voice. an,
the good old priest, with his white, flow
ing locks, stood beside her.
Her frame. shook convulsively,T.1as sh
bent her body nearlyito. the floor, resistin
the strong desire to dash the sacred en-
blem from the spot-and her groans, tn
hroes of her wild sorrow, were terrible
hear