The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-08-29
LOCAL NEWS.

Navy Departments in this city has extraordinary his
tory II brought from the banks of the river Onion
agon, Lake Superior and has il is said been known
over two hundred years The Jesus who irst visited
that part of the country heard Of il from the Indian
priests, Who however refused conduct the missionA-
ries to the spot where it lay account OF supersous
belief among the Indians that when the white man had
seen il the Indians would be destroyed and the
control of the country pass out of their possession
They called this rock Manitou and believed that II
had been sent to their ancestors by the morning star
to be their mediator when they should stand in need
OF any particular favor In order to propitiate the
spirit Of tho Manitou they accustomed TO cover the
rock with the smoke of the calumet They also imagined
that 1t frequently spoke them in voice Of thunder
and demanded human sacrifice; and in accordance with
this belief they accustomed important occasions
TO immediate at its shrine prisoner of war On one occ
sion when anmporant and hazardous expedition bad been
resolved upon, they sacrificed beautiful maiden fifteen
age who had been taken psonern one OF their
tile excursions among the neghborng tribes The follow
ing tragic account OF this sacrifice by Father chareyox
one Of the Jesus above spoken Of in letter his supe
ror, we could only be prevailed insert in our coll
umns by disposition to correct morbid notion that
exists with many that the American Indians are naturally
very superior race and show the benefits resulting to
them and the country from Caucasian civilization and
Christian missions
ittf HuSlnE Ip1ge appointed Tor her attend
ants to meet every wish and her neck arms and ANGLES
covered with bracelets OF silver and copper she led to
believe that she TO be the bride OF the son of the
head chief The time appointed the end Of winter
and she felt reoiced the time rolled waiting for the
of her happiness The day fixed upon for the sac
rce having dawned she passed through all the propar-
atory ceremonies, and dressed in her best Yate
being covered with all the the settlement could
command, after which she placed in the midst OF a
circle of warriors dressed in their suits who seemed
to escort her for the purpose Of showing her Difference
Besides their usual arms each carried several pieces
of wood which he had received from the gill She had
carried wood to the rock on the preceding day which
she had helped gather IN the forest Believing
she to be elevated to high rank her ideas being OF
the most pleasing character the poor girl advanced the
altar with raptous feelings Of Joy and timidity which
would naturally be raised in the bosom of young female
of her age AS the procession proceeded which occupied
some time, savage music accompanied them and chants
invoking the intervention Of their Manitou that the
Great Spirit would prosper their enterprise SO that be-
ing excited BY so music and dancing the ecetful de-
fusion under which she had been kept remained until
the last moment But as they had reached the
place of sacrifice, where nothing to be seen but
fires torches and instruments of torture her ewes were
opened her fate revealed to her. and she became
Of her horrible destiny as she had often heard
of the mysterious sacrifices Of the Copper Rock What
must have been her feelings how great her sur
prise how terrible the change when she 40 longer had
any doubt of their intentions Who could describe the
terrible horror of the moment Her cries Iesounded
through the ores neither tears nor entreaties nr
vaea She coDjured the stern warriors who surrounded
her to have pity her youth and her innocence but all
in vain the Indian priests cooy proceeded with the
horrid ceremonies Nothing could prevail against their
superstition and the horid demands of the conner mon
ster. which called for human sacrifice She was tied
with wts to the top Of the rock. The fire was ssaeu
ally applied to her with torches made of the wood Wbn
she had with her hands distributed tho warriors
When exhausted with her cries and about expiring her
tormeDtors opened Inc circle that had surrounded her
and the gteat chief shot into her heart which
was followed by the spears and arrows of his followers
and the blood poured down the gistenng sides Of the
rock in streams. Their weapons were s,rin-
killed. with her blood to make them invncble and oil re-
tired to their cabins cheered and encouraged with the
hope of a glorious victory"
In the year ISL Mr. y Edred purchased this copper
rock Of the chief OF the Ontonagon tribe for The sum Of
hundred and fifty dollars with the intention Of ex
hbitng it great natural and historical curiosity in
this country and Europe After great deal OF trouble
he succeeded in Si4 in removing it to the shore Of lake
Superior, where il claimed by Gen Cunningham as
the property Of the United States Happeas that in 1919
the Secretary of War had written to Gen Cunningham to
take possession OF the copper rock and have it shipped to
the Suit thence TO he taken board the revenue cutter
Lake Ee It was finally agreed between Cunningham
and Eel that the latter should the rock to De-
trot and deliver it up to the government officers when
he should be paid for all his trouble This was accordingly
done and the celebrated copper rock of ontonagon the
idol Manitou of the Ontonagon Indians finally removed
by government to this city and deposited where ii now
lies Mr. Eldred, by order Of Congress, was paid the
sum of IS, 654 IS for his services.
Domestic SUPPLIES other cities there has been a
decline in the price of market and store supplies but
with the exception Of few cents of abatement on perish
able garden stus the tariff here continues at high
figure There seems 80 be remedy; for a1ng as we
all know, cannot be diminished enough of food must be
procured to satisfy the tsinner man" The harvests
have been than ordinarily abundant notwithstanding
the language Of the frogs esoakers, the burden of
whose song is trust tho army worm and the other
of injury 10 the crops 1t is useless to complain
Considering that there many geniuses IN the coun
try they could turn their wit to good by invent
ing something to relieve the gastronomc expressions
and thereby She love and thanks Of man and
woman
TIE PCBLIo ScmooIsIhe public schools will be re-
opened on Monday, the eth of September All pupils
whose returned by the teachers on the July
rolls pupils Of the schools at that time will be received
without tickets Of admission
1t is to be regretted that corporate gu shorties have
not provided suitable accommodations for the pupils In
nearly all cases have to be rented or the purpose
and but little regard is paid the proper ventilation of
the premises Children crowded together much to
the detrment Of health and to the progress Of their
studies II Is time that system were adopted with
regard to suitable schoolhouse to be owned by the cor
portion.