Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1882-12-02

The evening before old Winnemucca
died about one hundred Indians took
his young squaw to large spring,
where she had been ordered to battle.
Other squaws stripped her and washed
her from head TO foot and then sprinkled
her with fine ashes. They then started
for range of hills a few miles from
Coppersmith Station, leaving the squaw
naked and barefoot. Upon arriving at
a chosen spot they built circle oil hres,
which lighted up space OF ground
about one hundred feet in diameter.
In the centre of this was stump eight
or ten inches high, to which the tren-
bling squaw was securely bound by one
foot with raw,hide strap. She still
held Der chile, bright little pappoose
about two years old. When she had
been secured each buck sought for a
certain number of stones about the size
of mans fist and laid them in a pile
within the circle of fires. When all was
ready for the sacrifice the Indians joined
hands and began monotonous chant,
which lasted for few minutes, when
one OF them stepped within the ring and
began TO harrangue them. As he con-
tinucd to speak the poor, agonized squaw
gave vent to piercing shrieks, crouching
upon the ground and pressing her babe
to her breast. This lasted for some
moments.
Then, at a signal. there was silence,
except the walls OF the intended victim.
Suddenly the speaker sprang toward
her and grasped the child. She strug-
gled frantically but uuavailingly to re-
tain it ard was compelled by force to
let 1t 60. The Gend Immediately swung
the infant around his head, holding 1t
by the ankles, bowling like demon
aud echoed by the red devils about him;
but the squaw did not raise her head
nor emit a single sound. Suddenly he
dashed the child upon rock and killed
it instantly. Then he resumed his place
in the circle, which swung around again,
chanting as before, till the one who
killed the babe came opposite thepi of
stones he had collected, when the move
ment stopped. Stepping forward be
picked up stone, and going to within
ten feet of the crouching victim he
hurled it at her with all the strength
possessed by his brawny red arm. The
missile struck her on the side and was
answered by a shrek of anguish. lie
returned TO his place and the circle re-
volved again until another Indian was
entitled TO a murderous fling. The
wretched creature at the stake was
crouching in such an attitude that only
her side and back were exposed. 1t was
forbidden to hit her upon the head, and
The second savage, choosing the most
available target, launched rock at her
with the projectile force of a catapuit,
striking her between the shoulders and
cutting fearful cash, from which the
blood flowed DOVE her back in a small
rivuet. lie then retired TO his place
and the circle moved on rs before.
Thus they continued the murde-ous
pastime until the poor, pititul object lay
upon the ground, bleeding, senseless
mass OF mangled flesh, As she lay upon
her back the savage who had harangucd
the band at first raised large rock over
his head with both hands and inflicted
the coup de grace by smashing her
skull. Then there was pandemonum
for few minutes, alter which they dis.
persed and collected wood for pile,
upon which the remains Of the luckless
squaw and her babe were burned. a
few were LETT TO keep up the sacrfclal
fire, while the others returned TO old
Winnemucca TO comfort his dying mo-
ments with the assurance that his young
squaw had preceded him to the Indian S
happy land.