The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-03-12
THE
BRIDE OF DACOTAA
TALE OF THE DELAWARES.

he raftsman had guessed rightly. The
hunters who we're with Dacotsh. becoming
anxious for his safety, had broken their way
to the river through the tangled underwood
which skirtsd it, and we're overcome with
grief to find him lying on the tmbers face
downwards, and evidently hfeess. In the
first impulse Of grief aud rage the hated
pale face was marked for q victim, and one
of the party had unhesitatingiy fred at him,
and 1t WAS to that shot that the poor elk
owed bis life.
The Delawares lost not moment in bear
ing the body of their chief to land, and the
stag was afterwards made to swim ashore,
supported by q man on horseback on each
side of it. As for the poor fellow belong
ing to the raft, whose fancied good fortune
had nearly cost him his life, he explained to
the Indians by signs as we'll Is he could in
what manner he had rescued the body from
the water, and considered himself very
fortunate when they departed without mol
esring him.
The Indians laid the silent, solemn form
of their chief upon the grass by the river
side, and with eager, anxious faces inquired
of one another if he was really dead. He
was indeed to all appearances hfeless, and
the conclusion to which the raf,sman had
come was doubtless q true one. But there
were among the hunters present some who
were veteran trappers and warriors, and who
had seen not a few adventures, and escap-
ed not few perils by field and food. Re
mem oering that the i'm mersion of the chief
had been but short, they determined to leave
no effort untried to restore animation.
Placing his ear to the broad chest of the
chief, one Of the Oldest hunters listened
amid the breathless suspense of his sur
rounding comrades, for the least sound OF
pulsation in the heart of the drowned man.
Sorrowfully he shook his head. There was
none. The Indians looked graver and
more anxious. but they would not aban
don the attempt. Patience and perseverance
were the attributes of these savages, who In
their constant warfare with the elements, and
with foes equally untiring and relentless, had
learned those splendid virtues. What are
talent, genius, and determination, without
the perseverance, which secures, and the
patience which conten tedly awaits success
Grsvely, then, and sorrowfully, but with
not whit the less Alacrity, the Delawares
proceeded to put in practice q system of
restoration which some of them had seen
successfully tried in cases Of drowning. Di-
vesting the body of its clothes, wi.b gentle
hands they turned it with its lace downwards
upon the grass, laying the right arm under
the forehead to support the head little.
This they did that the tongue might fall
forward and that the air might find a free
passage to the lungs. Then two of them
taking off his moccasins, rubbed his limbs
smartly with them, while others pressed in
his sides heavily TO initiate the motion Of
respiration. After minute or two they
again listened but the beating of the heart
cpul Id no hoord Sill tbar
they only looked 8 little grsver and sadder,
but their efforts were redoubled. They we're
clearly believers in the creed that while
there is life there is hope" Laying the |
body now upon its back, two Indians seized |
each an arm, and worked it slowly up and
down to its full extent, by this means en-
larging and diminishing the cavity of the
chest Another tsking some of the fine,
dry dust from the bottom Of his tobacco
pouch, threw it into the nostrils of the chief |
and with q fine pointed feather, taken from |
his head gear, he tickled the throat and |
palate, How eager they were in this labor |
Of love how they labored upon the hope |
which the one word possible" gave them.
Were there none there who envied Dacotah |
tn" possession Of the sweet, beautiful Rosy |
Nor ?-none jealous of his renown-none !
wishing to be chief instead of him Perhaps !
there were /; but the noble hearts loved their |
chief for his bravery and wisdom, and al
that moment all was forgotten as with might |
and main they worked tor his recovery-aud
not in vain The silence of their sorrow was
suddenly broken by q deep sigh from the
objeyt OF their sollctude, and, with low
moan, the eyes of Dacotah opened vide for
al instant. They closed again Immediately,
it Is true; but that look-the momentsry
lighting up of the beloved fAce-hlled the
hearts OF the Delawares with JOY They
feared no longer the spark was there, and
they doubted not that the will they had
would be strong enough to kindle q perma
nent fame. With renewed and cheerful
energy they continued their task, and warmth
soon began to difuse Itself through the re-
suscitated system. Then they lost not
moment in clothing Dacotah with dry gar
ments, taken from themselves; and one OF
their nun Der having flask filled with rum,
poured little of it into his mouth. The
chief now revived rapidly, and they soon had
abe Inc pressible pleasure OF hearing him
thank them for all their kindness, and tell
ing them how grateful would his bride be to
them on their return to the camp; and this.
III spite Of his exhaustion, he hurried as
much possible
foor fellow he had but escaped death TO
be caught IN the shadow of a terrible grief.
would ne have been 30 DESTROYS of returning
to the camp had he known the truth? Had
he seen his betrothed in the grasp of the
sinewy paletace. being borne far away from
him had he witnessed the agony of the be-
reaved mother as she brooded over the .pen,
embers Of the fire had he seen, had he
known these things, would not his heart
have sunk forever? Could he have lived,
feeble as he was, under the weight Of such
. woe? But he knew not, dreamed not of
any evil. His cheek gathered its roees
again as he was carried along, thinking of
his greeting with Rosy Morn, and INDUCING
sweet visions of the loving sympathy she
would lavish upon him.
Unde- the influence of the fresh. morning
air. aud all the tesming beauties of the for.
est, Dacotah's strength soon returned, and
after time, rising from the litter on which
they carried him. he begged one Of the war
riors to take him before him, upon his Sad