The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1903-04-23
CuAprER YIY

At an early hour the Great Sun and
Stung Serpent were astir, and when the
first rays of the morning sun darted into
the beautiful vale, they rested upon all
the warriors of the Natchez there as
sembled. Such as had pistols carefully
loaded them, and hid them away with
their hunting knives in their bosoms.
Their tomahawks were sharpened and
slnng to their belts, and all took their
runs. Then each man Of the common
class went and got his bag of corn, and
having set 1t down, they commenced their
war dance. But they made not such hide
ous noise as usual-only enough to pro-
pitiate the Great Spirit, and make him
acquainted with their intent.
It was we'll in the morning when they
set out, and by the middle Of the forenoon
they reached Natchez. They entered the
place dancing and singing, and straight
way carried their corn to the fort. Then
the red men began to separate-some this
way and some that. Every house had
one or more visitors, according to the
number Of people In 1t. Some begged for
milk, some asked to buy powder and shot
for which they promised to pay in corn
at some future day. A richly stored
barge lay at the nier. which had come up
the day before, and on board this a num-
ber of Indians crowded. Into the fort
they crept by different ways, presenting
themselves wherever there was a white
man, until at length they were distrlbut-
ed wherever there was blow to be
struck.
At length a sort Of solemn stiffness
reigned over the devoted town, as though
the death-angel had hushed all hearts.
But bark! What is that horrid yell that
comes from the fort-a yell that makes
the very blood freeze, and causes the
hair to stand on end? What are those
fearful cries-those maniac shouts-and
those despairing groans?
The general assassination Of the
French took so little time that the execu-
tion of the deed and the preceding signals
were almost one and the same thing, One
single discharge closed the whole Affair.
1t cost the Natchez only twelve men to
destroy two hundred and fifty, through
the fault Of the commanding officer, who
alone deserved the fate which was shar-
| ed by his unfortunate companions.
Some half dozen Frenchmen escaped,
as by miracle, this general massacre,
and made their way to New Orleans In
safety. The women and children of the
whites were mostly saved to be kept as
prisoners.
OF course the Natchez supposed that
| all the whites In the country were now
dead. Not one of them dreamed that
they had been deceived into. striking a
week too early. So they caroused in the
town all night, and on the next morning
they started for their village. They had
spared two men whom they retained as
prisoners, and who escaped from them
after having served them some weeks.
| One was a WAGNER, named Mayeux. who
was kept to transport the goods of the
French to the Indian village; and the 9TH
er was a tailor named Lebeau, whose SER
vices they wanted in fashioning the
French garments to their own use.
On the next morning, White Hand was
startled by the return Of the Natchez.
He went out, but his heart siekened at
the scene he was destined to witness.
Two hundred and fifty human heads
But those who know the Indian charac-
ter can imagine the horrid orgies they
might hold when fred with revenge and
flushed with victory. Even the historian,
who deals only with stubborn facts, lays
down his pen In silent horror when he
finds himself in the midst Of Leheau's
narrative Of what he saw in the Indian
village, and bids his readers spare him
the recital.
White Hand crept back to his lolge
and Coqualla found him there pale and
faint. She bathed his temples and brow,
and after = while he revived. but he dar'
ed not venture out.
"Alas. my companionw murmured the
princess. they make horrid pomp ovei
their victory. but Ii has cost them dear
though they realize It not now. Ny peO
pie are now blind. but they shall awake
to sense and sight and know that the
best man Of them al Is goneF'
'CoQuallaT uttered the youth, starting
up. II was Il mere interrogstive.
''My father Is wounded. even untc
death" And as the maiden thus spoke
she bowed her head and the big tear:
trickled down between her fingers.
"Wheni HOwf' asked White Hand
forgetting for the moment the deep terroI