Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1859-09-15

anu humanity, between IN 0Olng az we
would 1oish to be done by, aud doing as
we. too frequently are done by. And |
could not help thinking that the pleasure
| then enjoyed was more gratifying than
that of my neighbor Flint, who had re
fused the poor savage even morsel of
food. Although nv neighbor had accu-
INFLATED wealth faster than I by means
of his righteousness, yet did not envy
| him; clear heart and good conscience
Is greater blessing than them all. What
little | have is source of comfort to me
and not of regret, as it would be had |
come by it dishonesty.
We will now pass over a period of
four years, during which time serious diff
ieutes arose between the border settlers
and the Indians; in which many of the
former lost their property as we'll as their
lives. Nor did | escape the common
fury of the savages. but with all my effects
was hurried away to the hostile camp
Here | met my unfortunate neighbor
Flint and others who had fallen victims
to the common rage; poor fellows! living
about upon the ground, closely fettered
hand and foot, and lashcd fast to trees to
keep them still. Theirs was indeed
most pitable condition. But l was not
left great while to pity the miseries of
others, ere | was fettered and left in the
same uncomfortable condition. All, too
feeble is the pen Of the writer to even at
tempt a description of the tortures of
such confinement. The air resounded
with the cries of the poor wretches. AS
for the comfort Of my situation, the read
er can imagine how he would feel wi a
rope around his ankles, the ether end Of
which was tied to the branch of tree
over head in such way as to elevate his
feet far above his head The fancy can
hardly paint more uncomfortable stu.
alton than this; and in this predicament
we were left for the night | had moth
ing to eat for twenty four hours, and the
keen demands ofappetite almost rendered
me frantic. The Indians then retired TO
their camp, not however without holding
grand pow-wOw or conversation re-
speeding the fate of the prisoners on the
morrow. 1t was all quite Incompetent,
slble to me, for did not understand their
language; but not so with all the priso
ners, tor as soon as they were gone, one
of them cried out, There, comrades, did
you hear that?" al heard it," said one,
out could not understand it; what does
it all mean ?" 1t means" continued
the first, that we are all to be burned at
the stake in the morning" Sure 2"
asked the other. +" es, am quite sure
that such is the decision OF the council. |
understand their Sioux as we'll as do
the English, and such is our inevitable
DOOM" The groan which my poor close
listed rieighbor Flint gave was truly
touching,
Is that so ?" he asked, excitedly.-
. my God, and is there no escape ?"
None but roast" replied the ether,
" unless you can break your letters du,
the night, and escape by that means. =
" But that is impossible" continued poor
Flint, hopelessly. Then better recon
clle yourself to it, my friend" said the
other, and suffer yourself not to be
excited; resistance may come yet. was
once nearer than this to the stake, and
still escaped to meet this danger, and |
CFusb LO OutllF6 IL also.
How vain such hopes! The night
wore away tediously, and not ono, dare
saysot all those prisoners, slept wink
at least did not, and cries and com
plants were heard from all around
But those complaints were to be hushed
and those fears all quoted in the grave
The inauspicious morning began to
dawn in the east, but no looked out,for
friepds, no assistance came. The cries
OF discontinue among the captites be
came heart rending as they began to
despair. But as for me, had endured
and was still enduring all that it was pos
slble for human nature to bear and
cared butlitte how soon the tragedy was
brought to close | had been guilty of
nothing worthy of punishment, had a
clear heart and approving conscience,
consequently the future appeared bright
before me.
Presently the Indians made their APP
pearance in considerable numbers, and
unfetterlng the feet of the captives, we
were all marched off to the banks of the
Platte, where bright fire was already
seen blazing, and large assemblage Of
Indians were gathered around it. Some
of the captives were greatly effected at
the sight Of what they rightly supposed
to be their approaching dissolution while
my poor unfortunate neighbor Flint was
quite overcome, and had 10 be carried.
Never mind" said one Of the sava-
ges, in broken English, who had to assist
in the task, you feel better by and by"
Soon on the boarder Of a beautiful
prairie, the party came to halt. On
one hand was the river, skirted with
trees, and on the other vast extent of
prairie reaching as far as the eye could
see; with the dim outlines of timber away
III the distance. here another pow.vow
was held at the conclusion of which we
were all unceremoniously dashed to trees
generally four III a place. with our hand: