The Opelousas courier., 1889-06-29

without a drop of water, during that
long afternoon. After dusk we were
both conducted to an open place near
the center of the village, where d
huge fire had been kindled. Just
what the fates had in store for us we
could not tell; something horrible, we
knew.
'Just back of the fire O rude cross
had been erected, so that the ruddy
glare fully illuminated it's rough sur
face. The Usage was at once bound
to the cross, his arms extending along
the horizontal piece, the hands open
and the fingers extended.
1.-The whole population of the viii
lage, including the women and chill
dren, had assembled to witness the
sport. When all was ready twelve
bucks stepped forward, decked out in
savage ornaments, and with faces and
bodies painted holpiant colors. Ten
carried in their hands gayly orna-
mented tomahawks, while the two on
the end were armed with rifles. The
word was given, and one after another
the tomahawks were thrown with
merciless accuracy, each n cutting
off a finger or q thumb. The two
bucks on the end then raised their
rifles, and simultaneously sent two
bullets through the already mutilated
hands.
During all this time nj expression
of pain escaped the Usage. He re-
viled his tormentors in the most
scathing language, and when ON.
tomahawk carried away only half .
a finger he tainted the marksmaD
with his lack of skill; and after the
double shot he glanced at the remnant
of one of his bleeding hands, and, in a
disguised tone, grunted.
Poor shot. Not near the center
An Usage woman could do better
You a imagine my feelings dur
ing this brutal exhibition, knowing al
I did that l would be the next to suf-
fer. But the poor scouts torments
were not to end here. The squaws
now advanced and scared his wounds
with hot Goals to prevent his bleeding
to death. A great quantity of cedar
slivers were then produced and di.
vided into two piles, one for Sly Fox
and one, as I shuddered to realize, fol
me. The squaws went industriously
to work sticking the slivers into the
scouts q%uivering flesh, he meantime
reviling them, and, if they came nea
enough, tried to bite them. In fact,
he did succeed. by a sudden movement
Of his head, in biting quite through an
old hag's ear.
when the preparatory work was
finished. a brand was brought, the
slivers lighted, and the whole party,
with the exception of the two bucks
guarding me-, formed a circle around
the blazing column. Sly Fox still
bore his horrible sufferings without
complaint, and to show his disregard
for the torture, sang a weird Indian
song. But his voice grew weaker and
weaker; his horribly-burned head
dropped forward. and the brave
fellows sufferings over. With
yells of exultation the demons still
danced around him, until a squaw
dashed a bucket of water over him to
extinguish the fire which was injur-
ing the cross.
Then all attention was attracted to
me. The scouts burned remains were
removed, and my guards cut my thongs
to put me in his place. A horribly
sickening feeling stole over me
at the prospecSof the fate in tore, ane
the guards had to almost drag ffqe to,
ward the cross. +"
"They had taken hardly a step whe1
the attention of all was transfixed by
the clear notes of cavalry bugle
sounding the charge. In a moment
there was the greatest confusion; bucks
running for their arms and squaws
seeking places of concealment. My
guards left me and hurried away with
the rest, and I sprang into the nearest
tepee and awaited developments.
'.In a moment the troopers were In
the village, their revolyers barking Oh
every side, and it was moi long before
the village was in their Epssess53n.
When all was over, I stepped out into
the open space only to fall fainting
INTO the nearest troopers arms. Whel
[ fegained consciousness, / was safe in
my quarters at Fort Supply, and just
recovering from a severe case of brain
ever. I found, then, that when Sly
Fox and / did not return, my first lieu
had mounted the company and
zone in search of US. Finding our
rail, they had grasped the situation,
and hurried after us, arriving just in
,he nick of time for me, but too late for
,he poor scout. n-Lieutenant E. M.
in N. 7. Ledger.
RELIC or CROMWELL.