The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-02-04

them. Nothing more was wanted to set
the camp astir.
In no time all the warriors were assem-
bled aronnd their chief.
| Meantime the woman's parents and
| friends were waiting impatiently, but
without anxiety.
The Blackfeet glided along, like snakes
| in the grass, and soon surrounded the
wood where the Crows wereuhidden. At
/ the given signal they were TO lump up
and run in the direction of the WOO d,
while uttering their war-whoops.
| At the first cry uttered by the Black
| feet chief circle of men seemed to start
| up out of the ground and it was i'm
| possible for the Crows to leave
their hiding place. They perceived
that. they were betrayed, and that
nothing more remained for them than to
sell their lives dearly. They made heroic
| efforts to open path through the ranks
| of their enemies, but the Blackfeet, six
| times more numerous, killed them all,
with the exception of the chief, whom
| they succeeded in taking alive, as his
wife had directed. Him they tied to
post to await whatever torture the council
decided to infict upon him the following
day,
His wife, to insult him in his misfor-
| tune. sat down in front of him.
Although it is the custom of the In
dams to suffer stoically and preserve
silence when condemned to death, this
one could not resist reproaching his wife
for her base treachery.
''Whatl' said he, ''do yon still dare to
look at me, monster in human shape,
when you have just caused all your fam
lily to be massacredl Your brothers and
mine have exposed their lives to come
and deliver you from captivity, and you
have treacherously betrayed them. You
shall not long enjoy your vengeance. The
Great Shirt shall fall n
the punishment your crime merits.'
The chief of the Blackfeet, not under
standing the language of the Crows, asked
the woman what the prisoner was saying
to her.
He demands that you cause him to
age to the proof before all the camp, and
for that purpose he wishes you to pour
boiling water over his head
The Blackfoot was somewhat aston
ished at such a request; however, he
FASTENED to carry out the supposed de-
sire of the prisoner believing that this
boasting was done with the design of in
sulting him, so he took kettle of boiling
water and poured it slowly on the head Of
his victim.
He is satisfied" the prisoners wife
said to the Blackfoot; continue to water
him; he says that you do him good"
When she thought the scalding which
he had received would inevitably cause
death she said 10 the chief ofuthe Black
feet: ''Now he desires that you leave him
tied to this post to die of hungern
''As he wishes it," replied the chief
1--WE are going to move the camp for fear
that your people may come to search for
those whom we have masSacred, so we
will leave the prisoner at this post to die
of hunger, according to his desire"
At the same time he ordered his tribe
to go on the march.
There was an old woman in the camp of
the Blackfeet that was rejected by the
others. She had small lodge all to her
self, and when the others stopped at any
place she pitched her tent at some dis
lance from the camp. She took pity on
the prisoner, and when she saw the camp
set out she herself folded up her little
tent of hide and went forth slowly behind
the rest AS they did not appear to
trouble themselves about her she retraced
her steps. Without being observed by
any of her people she cut the bands which
bound the prisoner to the post. She also
gave him a knife, a little food, and a
piece Of linen to cover his head. So soon
as the prisoner saw himself free he set
| out, Notwithstanding his scalding burns,
to regain the dwellings Of his own people.
Weakened by suffering, it took him three
days to reach the camp of the Crows,
where they were anxiouSly awaiting the
return of their warrior
To make deep impression on his people
he did not enter their camp Immediately,
but remained at some distance uttering
groans Then, seating himself on the
ground, he tearfully related the sad fate
OF his warriors, brought about by the in
famous treaChery of his wife.
At this news cry of rage escaped the
tribe, and the entire camp swore to take
signal vengeance on the woman who had
| thus betrayed them.
Early the following day all the men
among the Crows capable of fighting were
en- route to overtake the Blackfeet
The latter had prudently pitched camp
| three days distance from where they had
left their prisoner, so it was only after
six days march that the Crows reached
them. They halted at sufficient distance,
not to be discovered by their enemies,
and concealed themselves in a large, dry
ravine.
The Grow chief warned his people to do
their best to preserve the life of the old
| Indian woman who had taken pity on
him. In regard to his wife, they were
ordered to take her alive if it were pos
sible.
Before going to the assault one of the
chiefs of the expedition desired to visit
the camp IN order to discover these two
| personages.
At 10 o'clock at night, when the fires
were burning low and the men had gone
into their lodges for the night, he enve-
loped himself in blanket and boldly en-
tered the camp of the Blackfeet. He had
no difficulty in recognizing the chiefs
lodge. 1t was there that he discovered
her whom he was ordered to take alive.
He soon found also the lodge of the good
old woman at the extremity of the camp.
She was seated before little fire, wrap
PED In her blanket. He approached her
and said: 81 take pity on you, you who
have had commiseratiOn on one of our
! people. You saved him; well, / intend
likewise to save you. In some minutes
all my people will be here to massacre
this camp. None can escape, for we are
too numerous. If you desire to avoid
death follow me, and will place you in
safety. Come quickly, for my warrors
are advancing"
The old Indian woman did not need him
to repeat the invitation.
The Crow chief assisted her to carry
away her little lodge as far as the ravine.
AS soon as she was sheltered from dan
ger the Grow chief gave the signal for
the attack. The Blackfeet, buried In
sleep, had not time to seize any arms to
defend themselves. The Grows, relying
upon their numbers, had dispersed them
selves in all parts of the camp so as to fall
| upon each lodge simultaneously. The