Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1904-05-26
CHAPTER Xxi
TIE FAIL OF PENSACOLA.

slipped down the anchor chain
without noise into the throbbing sea-
and swan ashore to a point some three
of four cable lengths away Guided by
the single voice which still sang of war;
of glory and of death. l pushed easily /!
into the ring of hideously painted saw
ages who surrounded the singer. To
unaccustomed eyes this would have
been fearful sight.
Two hundred warriors sat motionless
as bronze idols about their chief; two
hundred naked bodies glinted back the
pine knots f1tful glow. In the center
of this threatening circle moved Tusk-
kahoma, two great crimson blotchcs
upon his cheeks, treading that weird
suggestive measure the Indians knew
so we'll. Round and round little pine
tree, shorn of it's branches. and striped
with red, he crept, danced and sang.
His words came wild and irregular,
sort of Rhythmic medley, now soft and
low as the murmur of the summer
ocean, now thrilling every ear by their
sudden ferocity and fearful energy. /
Now it was the gentle lullaby, the
mothers grooming, the laughter of n
child; again, the bursting of the tenn
pest the lightning's flash, the thunder's
rumbling roar.
His arms raised to heaven like some
gaunt priest of butchery, he invoked
the mighty Manitou of his tribe. then
dropping prone upon the ground he
era wled, a sinuous serpent, among the
trees.
For awhile his listeners wandered
away upon their chieftan's words To
the waiting ones at home. TO hunting
grounds of peace and plenty; melodi
Gus as a maidens sigh that song
brcatiled of love and lovers hopes. III
walled for departed friends extolled
their virtues, and called down heaven
curses upon the coward of tomorroM's
fight. Then the fierce gleam of shin
ing steel, one wild warwhoop and all
again was still. His words faded away
in the echoless night till a holy hush
brooded DER the beach.
| Then the solitary dancer wound
about the ring as the crouching par
Their steals upon her prey, while peal
after peal came the frightful cries +
| barbaric conflict, the shrieks of the
wounded "a Wild, victorious shout
blended with a hopeless dying scream.
With IL masters touch he played
upon their vibrant feelings; not 4 key
of human emotion he left unsounded
fame, pride, hate, love and death-his
song expressed them all.
Thoroughly frcnzied, warrior after
warrior now began to join him in the
1 ring voice after voice caught up the
dread refrain which terrorized the
trained soldiery of Europe and filed
their imaginations with the nameless
/ HoTTOTS Oh uHTeleIllnB WIZ
High above the din Tuskahoma lift
| ed now his ferocious battle cry; add
vancing upon the bazed sapling he
sank his tomahawk deep into the soft
| white wood, then moved swiftly out of
the circle to his own fire. This was
the act by which he announced his as
sumption of supreme authority.
Frantic with excitement the Unbiased
throng rushed upon his fancied enemy,
\ "a md hI1 he lf.Dt =.
and the roots marked where 1t had
stood.
| And the forest slumbered and the
| sentry paced his lonely path.
1t is not my purpose to speak in
detail of those matters of history which
| have been SO much better described
| by men of learning. l would merely
| mention in passing such smaller at
fairs as relate directly to my own mar
1 rative.
Short and sharp was the conflict
which, under Cod. gave our arms the
victory at Pensacola Swarming over
the palisades or bodily tearing them
down, the Choctaws, led by Tuska
| homa, swept the Spaniards from their
works. 1t so happened that Tuska-
homa and mounted the fortflcations
together. AS / essayed TO drop down
upon the inside my sword belt caught
upon the top of picket, leaving me
| Dangling IN mldatr an easy prey 10
those below had they only noticed my
plight. Tuskahoma paused to sever the
/ belt with his knife, and by this acci-
dent was first within the Spanish
works, sword and pistol in hand. Soon
a hundred were by my side.
The Spanish troops, Injured to civil
| lied warfare, could not stand before
these yelling demons. springing here
| and there elusive as phantoms, WELD
ing torch and tomahawk with deadly
| effect
| In the very forefront, shoulder to
shoulder. with a laugh and a parry, a
lunge and jest, fought the Chevaiier
de la Mora. Merry as n lad at play,
resolute and quick, | could but stop
betimes to wonder at the fellow. Gall
liant, gay and debonnair, he sang a rip
| ping little air from soft Provence, and
| wf.irled his blade with such dainty
| skill that even the stoical Indians gaZed
| in awe upon the laughing cavalier.
Fighting through bystreet, he met.
steel to steel. Spanish gentleman,
| within the sweep Of whose sword lay
] half dozen of our good fellows.
De la Mora glanced at this silent
tribute to the Spaniard's prowess; his
face lighted up with soldiers joy. He
4 planted one foot staunchly across a
PROSTATE corpse. and right jauntily
rang out the kissing music of their
steel. Instinctively paused to watch,
and as instinctively understood that
| though pressed to his best, de la Nora
| desired to be left alone Verify 1t was
| a gentlemans fight, and no odds. for
love and glory'a sake. though the Span
lard might have had q whit the better.