The Grenada gazette., 1888-03-31

before we came In sight Of it. Il
sound Of tom-.oms ard savage yeI
reached our ears.
The scout here stopped and urg,
our going back. saying IT was all o,
lives were worth to enter the camp
such 3 time. but / told him III
mus, obey my orders and go ahea.
but IL be % desired he could 90 bae
and tell his comrades that he W,
afraid TO follow the white chief an
had run away. can see the fello
ret. as he straightened up on bis pom!
and replied:
Spotted Dog would lie il be sal
that he was afraid He only wante
to save the white chiefs scalp an
will follow him wherever he dares +
lead
For few moments We rode alon,
in silence. until upon coming sudden
ly around the base of low hill. ou
eyes fell upon a sight tina, / shall re
member as long as I live II on
could look straight down into the low
est compartment Of the literal hell.
am sure that the scene would be
quiet landscape compared to what wt
saw that night On the side Of the
camp toward US huge fire had beer
built. nesr which q post was plan ed
IN the ground. Dancing aroupd both
was horde Of yelling bowling, half.
naked demons their barbarous arms
and orn rnaments shining. and the hide.
ons outlines of their painted faces
showing clearly in the ruddy fire.
light They we're having their famous
war dance, and going through the
ceremony Of striking the post, in
which each warrior able to bear arms
and willing to 60 on the warpath
strikes his 'omahawk against the post
to Illustrate the manner in which he
will cieave the skulls Of his unfortu-
nate enemies.
''As soon as We were discovered by
them. we were surrounded by the
bowling savages, pulled from our
horses, and in less time than it takes
TO tell it were landed within the living
circla The Indians danced around us,
brandishing their tomahawks and
spears, and seeing how near they
could come 10 us with them without In.
jurng us In vain l made the peace
sign. and in vain my interpret er pro-
tested that our object was simply to
pay friendly visit A grand council |
was at once ordered to decide il ii |
would not be an appropriate and fit.
ting course Of procedure to inangurate
their campaign and show their con.
tempt for the military by burning
white officer at the stake and turning
he war dance into n scalp dance In
honor Of the occasion.
1T was decidedly case Of packed
ury, aud. although one or two feeble
'oices were raised in our behalf the
,opular verdict was against us, and il
vas decided to hold the scout PRISON.
r and to torture me on the spot
The scouts Interpretation Of the words
md the busy preparations OF the In.
ians informed mo of the verdict at
he same time. and spent the few
moments that remained in ins.ruc,inp
he scnut 10 escape as soon as possible
nd report at the post all that had
appeaed.
my recollectio Of my sensations
that time is very vague. was
tunned at the snddenness OF the
llamity that was about to overwheim
Ie. and ! remember feeling OF anger /
the order on account Of the provi.
ons OF which was to die horrible !
cath for no other reason than that Of
aving done my duty.
"But ! didn't have long TO think ,
zen Of that. for as soon rs all was
ady. tho two bucks acting as my .
lard caught hold Of me- and half led.
III dragged me toward the stake. =
he yelling savages closed in around u
e with every evidence Of pleased an. y
As they were about to :,
nd me to the stake. and the last ray ',
hope seemed gone, a powerful form u
ade for itself an opening through -
C crowd. and in moment I saw
anding beside me Black Kettle, the
ad chief Of The Kiowas Al his back
ire thirty or forty Of the most influ.
tial members # his tribe. ! had a r,
ort time before performed an act of ia
ndness for this powerful chief. and i.
low waited in breathless suspense II,
see how he would return it. The HI
manches paused for moment, and Ii,
,n. maddcned at the interruption of Ii,
sir gentle paslime. their yclls be- +,
me more and more blood -curdling. r..
ile tomahawks and spears fairly II,
ned abou, me. NJ
Black Kettle said nothing, but, tax. r.
, up one corner Of his blanket he IN
ID it out to me. The grip with which IN
proverbial drowning man grasps nm
a straw ISN'T a circumstance com. n,
red to the way in which clung to II,
} dirty edge Of that Indians greasy ri
nket. As long as Black X ,ale per. NJ
tied me to thus protect mysel. un. ,L
the shadow of his wing knew ",
It was safe, for the Comanches IN
uld not dare TO harm the protege, In