Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1882-12-09

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Reno 6szette.
The evening before old Winnemucca
died about one hundred Indians took
his Young squaw to a large spring,
where she had been ordered to battle.
Other suuaws 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. leav-
| ING the sauaw naked and barefoot. Up
on arriving at q chosen spot they built
| a circle of fires, which lighted up q space
of ground about one hundred feet in
diameter, In the centre of this was q
stump eight or ten inches high, to which
the trembling squaw was securely
bound by one foot with q raWhide strap.
She still held her child, bright little
pappoose about two years old. When
she had been secured each buck sought
| for a certain humber Of stones about
the size of mans fist and laid them in
\ a pile within the circle Of fires. When
ali was ready for the sacrifice the In
dians Joined hands and begun Q mOnOt-
lOnOus chant, which lasted for q few
poor, agonlzed squzw gafefem d PRGnS
ing shrieks, crouching upon the ground
and pressing her babe to her breast.
This lasted for some moments.
Then, at q 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 unavailin4ly to re-
tain it, and was compelled by force to
let it 90. The fiend Immediately sw lng
the infant around his head, holding It
qy the ankles, bowling like q demon
and being echoed by the red devils about
him; but the squaw did not raise her
head nor emit single sound. Suddenly
he dashed the child upon a rock and
killed it instantly. Then he resumed
his place in the circle, which swun
around again, chanting as before, til
the one who killed the babe came op-
posite the pile Of stones he had collect
ed, when the movement stopped. Step
ping forward he picked up stone, and
going to within ten feet Of the crouch
ing 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 shrek Of
anguish. He Eetprned to his place and
the circle regolved again pntil another
Indian was entitled to . murderous
fling. The Wretehed creature at the
stake was erouchlng in such an attitude
THAT only her side and back were ex-
posed. It was forbidden to hit her upon
the head, and the second savage, choOs-
ing the most available target, launched
Q rock at her with the projectile force Of
catapult, striking her between the
shoulders and cutting . fearful cash,
from which the blood flowed down her
back in Q small TiVulst. He then retired
to his place and the eircle moved on a.
before.
Thus they continued the murderous
pastime until the poor. pitiful object
lay prone upon the ground, . bleeding,
senseless mass Of mAngled flesh. AZ
she lay upon her back the savage who
had harangued the band at first raised
q large rock over his head with both
hands and inflicted the coup de grace
BY smashing her skull. Then there was
pandemoninm for Q few minutes, after
which they dispersed and collected |
wood for . pile. upon which the re-
mains Of the luckless squaw and her
babe were burned. A few were left to |
keep up the sacrificial fire, while the
others returned to old Winnemucca to |
comfort his dying moments with the
assurance that his young squaw had |
preceded him to the Indians happy
land.