Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1871-08-12

| Quently acted as interpreter between
parties of the two races. Walter
could scarcely believe that she was
of Indian blood; yet she declared
that she had no reason to think 9TH
/. erwise, save that ofa dim, underlined
dream of an early life within civiliz-
alton.
Her jet hair, her black eyes,
= though rather full and round for an
Indian, her cheek bones and bTOGz-
: ed complexion, seemed to denote an
Indiad!Origin; yet her elastic, spring
ing gather intelligence, her quick
; perceptions, and the play of her fea-
, | lures, which exhibited the various
j emotions of the mind, indicated 9TH
erwise. Walter was puZZlC-he be-
came abstraced, save when in her
presence. Her rather winning way
and smile, her gentle nature and af-
fectionate heart, pulled strongly
on his sensibilities. a vague desire
took possession of him TO return to
civilization with the maiden, and to
educate her to become his wife.
The sachem, between whom and
the girl there existed q strong at
tachment, remained with her. On
his departure with her and the few
attendants, he presented Walter
with belt of wampum to be worn
by him as a badge of good fellow
ship with the Senecas, and as a to-
ken of bravery.
a year passed away. With a
foresight creditablc to his years,
Walter had purchased for small
sum three hundred acres of land on
the shores of the Genesee river. lie
was becoming weared with his wild
sport and pursuits, and strengthen
ed and inyigOrated, was about to re-
turn to the centers of civilization,
and embark in the business OF life.
But an Irresistible desire to see
again the Indian maiden induced
him to change his purpose for a.
while. Accordingly, depending on
his rifle for support, he made his
way through tangled woods and
swamps, until at length, at the close
of day, weary and footstOre, he
found himself on the bank of Buffa-
10 creek, and but few miles south
of the still smoking ruins of the vii
| lage of Buffalo.
While reposing himself at the foot
of q large tree, he was startled by
| the report of a rifle; the next mo-
ment an American panther lay
dead at his side. Starting to his
| feet he gaZed around-'twas but
for the mOment-a cracking of the
! bushes-and "Welcome Wallyw
from the old sachem, greeted his
| ears.
Walter, fortunately had come
upon the grounds and near the wig
wan of his Indian friend, and had
by him been saved from a terrible
conflict, if not death, as the beast |
was at the point of springing when
the bullet pierced his heart.
Great was the joy and satisfaction
| of Fawn, which she was too unso- |
phisticated to conceal on the arrival |
| of Walter. The absence from him |
had been the means of manifesting |
| to herself her attachment to him. |
Time, since their parting, had de- |
veloped inmate feelings which con- |
vinced her that the Indian Charac- !
ter was not in sympathy with; hers |
and that Walter was her real hero. |
She, therefore, in confident sImpH- |
city, told Walter that young In |
dian, called Wild Cat, so named on |
account of his more than usua& fero- |
cious instincts, sought her hand in |
marriage; that she despised him, and
that her father, the sachem, had for
bade him the wigwam. And furth-
ermore, that Walters association
with her would arouse his jealousy |
and wrath, and Wild Cat would
surely seek his life. The belt of
wampum, desinged as a.pass OF safe
ty, would be the mark for the bull
let.
Fawn's apprehension were well
founded. a deadly ammosity was
~ -
ward Walter. Yet Walter took no
pains to avoid him. His heroic ma
ture spurned any betrayal of fear
Several weeks elapsed when the two
abruptly met in the forest. Instant
iv. the Indians gun was aimed at
Walter; it missed fire; and ere the
Indian could re-prime, he was in
the tiger grasp of Walter, thrown,
disarmed, and bound.
A council of warriors was held,
and Wild Cat was condemned to
death by the hand of Walter. But
at his intercession, the sentence was
commuted to running the gauntlet
"a punishment of the deepest dis
grace, and equivalent with us, to
being drummed out a the regiment.
The punishment was Immediately
carried into effect. On the banks
of the creek, near its mouth and
junction with Lake Erie, two rows
of men and squaws facing each 9TH
wereIformed. As Wild Cat passed |
down between them, as he was o.
bliged to do to save instant death,
each person as he or she felt dis
posed, gave him a cuff, blow, or a
kick. Then, running swiftly TO his
canoe, he darted across the foot of
the lake to the opposite side, six
miles distant.
On the Canada side, near where
Wild Cat'landed, the remnants ofthe
PaWnuck tribe of Indians were set
tied. Though their dialect was
similar to that of the Senecas, yet
they possessed the least intelligence,
and were the most borbarous of any
tribe on the frontier. To this tribe,
Wild Cat Immediately E attched
himself, and related to thema glow
ingly false account of his wrongs
and insults.
A short time subsequent to Wild
Cats punishment. the old sachem
was taken seriously i'll, which de-
layed Walters return to the east, as
he had intended. All of Walters
entreatise and persuasions to induce
the old chief to allow him to place
Fawn within the pale of civilization
were unavailing. Only death
should separate the warrior and his
daughter.
AS Walter was attending the
couch of the sick chief one evening,
during the temporary absence of
Fawn, a band of six Indians, headed
by Wild Cat, suddenly burst into
the room, Walter was quickly |
bound, and, beforethe alarm could
be given, he was thrust into the
bottom of canoe; and the party,
with swift moving paddles, made
their way rapidly and safely across
the foot of the lake.
Great was the eXultation of Wild
Cat over the capture of his hated ri
val, who, when the party landed,
was unbound; and while his enemy
flourished a tomahawk around, and
in close proximity to his head, he
was tainted with jeers, jibes, and
derisive laughter by the party
Walter was too well acquainted with
the Indian nature TO offer any re-
monstrance. He maintained IN his
looks a stolid Indifference to their
proceedings. Wild Cat would have
cleaYed his skull on the spot, but
his savage companions desired TO
share together the pleasure o. tor
menting him to death.
1t was determined that the victim
should be burnt on the ensuing af-
ternoon. An opening, or cleared
spot in the woods, near the shore.
of several hundred feet in diameter,