Shreveport daily news., 1861-04-23

possible, utterly Impossible, cOulG
ever extricate myself! What, then
might be my own fate? To perish ir
these woods, perhaps, by the slow tor
ture of famine, or fall a prey to some
savage animal or noxious reptile.
We arrived at small stage on
which lay the body Of the Indians
mother. Here he stopped-ascended
it, laid down his gun and hatchet,
took from me the buffalo hide, spread
it carefully by his mother, and placed
on the other side the earthern vessel
containing the bones of his father,
and the handful Of ashes with whibh
was mingled the dust of his wife and
children. He next seated himself be-
tween them on the buffalo skin; and
surely, whatever else l may forget
in this world, while l remember
any thing, / can never forget either
the sublime expression of his coun-
tenance at that moment, or the horror
of his appearance, with the scalps
round his neck! For, now, by the
light which fell upon them, as l stood
beneath, l could distinguish the black
clottcd blood that stiffened the hair at
the roots. Longer silence became
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS; that which
had hitherto kept me silent-,ny own
safety-now with an equally irresisti-
Die impulse stirring me to speech.
"Itis not yourown death, :" Iexclaim-
cd, "that you call your last sacrifcew
He smiled; but made no answer.
"In mercy, them" l added, half
, lrantically, "destroy me first; for
here in this wilderness, must perish
when you are dead''
He shook his head and pointed up
wards. "No" said he. Watch
the green leaves, and walk with the
wind. Speak no more. But when l
am in the spirit World, cover me with
the buffalo robe and go"
l stood aghast, motionless. and
scarcely able to breathe, while the In
dian was as calm and tluperturbed as
if he Were only laying down to sleep.
He now began again his funeral chant
or death song, III a low wailing tone,
so full OF mourntul expression, that
though there was something monoton-
ous in its character, it brought tears
into my eyes; But, as it grew louder
and boIdcr, from the animating theme
the deeds of prowess he had per-
formed, and the white men be had
sIain,-ti!l at last, it swelled into "A
terrific yell, as he recounted the death
Of his fathers murderer, which echoed
through the surrounin@ solitude like
trighttul howlings, my blood seemed
to chilli and c,mdle. Hitherto he had
spoken in a language unknown to me,
and l only judged Of import from the
expressive sympathy Of his features.
Bnt suddenly he stopped; and then,
in a gentle, lnurmuring voice, resumed
his dirge in English.
81 anu the last OF my race! | am
the last Of my race! The litc-stream
that fills my veins is like the river
that goes to the ocean and is lost |
had father, ! had a mother; | had
a wite, [ had children. | have no
father, | have no mother; | have no
wife | have no chrildren. [ am the
last Of my race. | have no kindred.
The white man came, who slew nv
father, and the fathers of my father.
The white man came, he burned my
cabin on the Lake Of the Thousand
Islands! l brought the wild deer
home from the chase but my wife and
children could be gathered in the
palm of my hand. l had no tear to
ningle with those of my mother which
fell upon their ashes! l fled to the
wilderness, and carried with me the
bones and dust of those that werc.-
Ny fathers blood was on my lips
when | came from the womb: the
white mans blood is on my hatcher
which goes with me to the grave. l
bavu 5nnn waII. f,r tho G-n,t S,;r;@