The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1888-06-02

silence, until, upon coming suddenly
around the base of a low hill, our eyes
fell upon a sight that shall remo2acr
| as long as live. Ga the side of the
camp towards us huge fire had been
Luilt. near which post was planted in
the ground. Dancing around both was
a horde of yelling, howiing demons,
| their barbarous arms and ornaments
shining, and the hideous outlines Of their
painted faces showing clearly in the
ruddy freight. They were having their
famous war dance, and gong through
the ceremony of striking the post in
| which each warrior able to bear arms
and willing to 90 on the warpath strikes
his tomahawk against the post to Illus
trate the manner in which he will cleavc
the skulls of his unfortunate enemies.
"As soon as we were discovered by
them, we were surrounded by the howl
ing savagcs, pulled from our horses, and
in less time than it takes to tell it were
landed within the living circle. The
Indians danced around US, brandish-
ing their tomahawks and spears, and
seeing how near they could come to us
without injuring US. In vain l made
the peace sign and in vain my inter
prefer protested that our object was
simply to pay friendly visit. A grand
council was at once ordered to decide it
it would not be an appropriate and fit
ting course of procedure to inaugurate
their campaign and show their contempt
for the military by burning a white
officer at the stake and turning the war
dance into scalp dance in honor of the
occasion.
at was decidedly case of packed
jury and, although one or two feeble
voices were raised in our behalf, the
popular verdict was against US, and it
was decided to hold the scout prison er
and to torture me on the spot. Tho
scouts Interpretation of the words and
the busy preparations of the Indians in
formed me of the verdict at the same
time, and l spent the few moments that
remained in instructiag the scout to
escape as soon as possible and report at
the post all that had happened.
my recollection of my sensations at
that time is very vague. was stunned
at the suddenness of the calamity that
was about to overwhelm me, and re-
member feeling of anger at the order
on account of the provisions of which l
was to die horrible death for no other
reason than that of having done my
duty.
"But didn't have long to think even
of that, for as soon as all was ready. the
two bucks acting as my guard caught
hold of me, and half led, half dragged
me toward the stake. The yelling
savages closed in around me with every
evidence of pleased anticipation. As
they were about to bind me to the stake,
and the last ray of hope seemed gone, q
powerful form made for itself an open
ing through the crowd, and in a mo-
mcnt saw standing beside me Black
Kettle, the head chief of the Kiowas.
At his back were 80 or 40 of the most
influential members of his tribe. / had
o short time before performed an act of
kindness for this powerful chief, and l
now waited in breathless suspense to see
how he would return it. The Co.
manches paused for a moment, and then,
maddened at the interruption of their
gentle pastime, their yells became more
and more blood curdling, while toma-
hawks and spears fairly rained about
me.
"Black Kettle said nothing, but. TAX
ing up one corner of his blanket, he
held it out to me. The grip with which
the proverbial drowning man grasps at
straw isn't circumstance compared to
the way in which clung to the dirty
edge of that Indians greasy blanket.
As long as Black Kettle permitted me
to thus protect myself under the shadow
of his wing l knew that was safe, for
the Conan ches would not dare to harm
the protese, and thereby secure the en-
nifty Of the great chief, whose tribe they
were exerting every effort to secure as
allies.
"Strong words and arguments fol-