Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1857-05-16
A Second PocahontAS.

which is SO familiar to every one as the
story of Capt. Smith and Pncal,"ntas
Thoroughly imbued with the romance
Of which the Elizabethan period WAS so
repIete. it has furnished a subject for the
ease! of the artist. the pen Of the poet
and the page of history, unit! it had be,
come alm"s. eo'um"nplace. The life Of
Smith, from its opening to its close was
continuous romance, and it is probable
/ that had Pncahontas magnanimlty been
/ exhibited in behalf Of ne of Smiths men
| IN place Of himself, her name would nev.
/ ct have flied the niche it now occupies.
. This deduction is drawn from the fact
. ,iiat Il similar incident, # more recent
! but private soldier, had only local
reputation, and will probably he new to
( most out readers. 1t furnishes tie
material for a lengthy romance. equal in
polut of interest TO any of Cooper's o.
lrving's. and IT is somewhat surprising
that It has net been used But to the
story.
II seems that AT the famous defeat and
route Of St. Glars army, there were two
Young men belonging to the militia reg
llnrnt which first sustained the shock oi
battle, named Howard and Ftz Giblon.
They were both wounded on the retrea,
If the regiment Il the main BODY. How
ard bad received ball on the instep
which had disabled him from running,
and Fitz Ghbon had been struck by
tomatawk, which, although it did not
saroust J injure hun, yet had the effect
to stun hIIu. and when be recovered his
senses, he found himself bound and
prisoner with inany Others, among whom
was Howard. Ia this situation they
were compelled to be eyewitness of the
orgies Of the savageS on their return
from the pursuit. Of the retreatiug army. !
and they could readily imagine the hor>
rid fate to which they had been reserved !
They had ben captured by the warriors
OF the Missa'ira tribe, and when tue |
battle was over, and the indians returned |
TO their homes. they were taken 10 their
village, where they We're obliged to pass
the ordeal ot rnnni z the gauntlet, ans!
received the brutal reatuen, usual up
on sn h occasions. They were then con
Quoted to a cabin adjoining the council
house, where they wre left to darkness
and their own sad for.bodings.
The Council met Oh tue eve Of their
return to deliberate upon the fate Of their
NOUS that they must Gle at the stake
The tribe had lost many braves, whose
spirits could not enter the happy hunt
ug grounds unless accompanied hy The
ghosts 0! white meu, sIaiu to avenge
them ; aud when Ssh te-, ong>tah, their
chief asked-"What say the MiSsauya
braves shall the whit. men die T. there
VAS an universal "Uy !" aud their fate
.aS sealed.
On the following morning prepara
ions were made to carry out the lecis
on OF the Council, and al All early hour
he entire population Of the town might I
,e seen coming tr,n all directions, and I
about the foot Of a gigantic {
,ine oak, which had been cleared Of its
over branches, and otherwise prepared ,
or the part 1t was 10 perform IN the 7
omlng ceremony. There was old men s
ind lnaidens, young men and matronly {
quAws, incipent warriors III their gaulv !
,asnt, aud old men with wh,tened locks =
nd lettering limbs, all gathered about :,
i,e fatal tree to take part in the sacrifice ;
D the names Of their friends. A, c
4ngth the prisoners were brought forth t,
two sturdy, brave and fearless youths, r
whose span Of life had not reached!
wenty summers. They " re prepared :
,r death by being stripped Of al! their '
lothng except a cloth about theii loins. a
nd were conducted bv two warriors, r
lille others formed circle about item, g
nth arms in their hands. ready t., strike O
hem down in case of All at,empt to es- v
ape. +"
As they entered the circle which sur {
,unded the tree, the human wall CLOSED d
, and slut off every chance and hope Of t
light and rescue, and the victims looked a
round upon that assemblage III vain to T.
i-cov-r tile least spark Of feeling or \
y,np thy tor their tltes. Howard was C
le first selected for the ordeal. FEELING I,
IA, no effort OF his own could save his q
te. anu tn t the only way 10 shorten his 1t
wn suh'erings was to submi, in silence G
, his fate, he allowed no sigh to escape
in, no useless pleading or vain repiuing a
, add to his enemies triumph bu, II
'i'h stocism which would have done h
redit to an older ard more experienced {,