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impression, the savage approached within reach of the captive's arm,
while his own mind was intent on the words that he hoped would make
the prisoner quail. The corporal kept his eye on that of the
speaker, charming him, as it were, into a riveted gaze, in return.
Watching his opportunity, he caught the tomahawk from The Weasel's
belt, and by a single blow, felled him dead at his feet. Not content
with this, the old soldier now bounded forward, striking right and
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left, inflicting six or eight wounds on others, before he could be
again arrested, disarmed, and bound. While the last was doing, Peter
withdrew, unobserved.
Many were the "hughs" and other exclamations of admiration that
succeeded this display of desperate manhood! The body of The Weasel
was removed, and interred, while the wounded withdrew to attend to
their hurts; leaving the arena to the rest assembled there. As for
the corporal, he was pretty well blown, and, in addition to being
now bound hand and foot, his recent exertions, which were terrific
while they lasted, effectually incapacitated him from making any
move, so long as he was thus exhausted and confined.
A council was now held by the principal chiefs. Ungque had few
friends. In this, he shared the fate of most demagogues, who are
commonly despised even by those they lead and deceive. No one
regretted him much, and some were actually glad of his fate. But the
dignity of the conquerors must be vindicated. It would never do to
allow a pale-face to obtain so great an advantage, and not take a
signal vengeance for his deeds. After a long consultation, it was
determined to subject the captive to the trial by saplings, and thus
see if he could bear the torture without complaining.
As some of our readers may not understand what this fell mode of
tormenting is, it may be necessary to explain.
There is scarcely a method of inflicting pain, that comes within,
the compass of their means, that the North American Indians have not
essayed on their enemies. When the infernal ingenuity that is
exercised on these occasions fails of its effect, the captives
themselves have been heard to suggest other means of torturing that
THEY have known practised successfully by their own people. There is
often a strange strife between the tormentors and the tormented; the
one to manifest skill in inflicting pain, and the other to manifest
fortitude in enduring it. As has just been said, quite as much
renown is often acquired by the warrior, in setting all the devices
of his conquerors at defiance, while subject to their hellish
attempts, as in deeds of arms. It might be more true to say that
such WAS the practice among the Indians, than to say, at the present
time, that such IS; for it is certain that civilization in its
approaches, while it has in many particulars even degraded the red
man, has had a silent effect in changing and mitigating many of his
fiercer customs--this, perhaps, among the rest. It is probable that
the more distant tribes still resort to all these ancient usages;
but it is both hoped and believed that those nearer to the whites do
not.
The "torture by saplings" is one of those modes of inflicting pain
that would naturally suggest themselves to savages. Young trees that
do not stand far apart are trimmed of their branches, and brought
nearer to each other by bending their bodies; the victim is then
attached to both trunks, sometimes by his extended arms, at others
by his legs, or by whatever part of the frame cruelty can suggest,
when the saplings are released, and permitted to resume their
upright positions. Of course, the sufferer is lifted from the earth,
and hangs suspended by his limbs, with a strain on them that soon
produces the most intense anguish. The celebrated punishment of the
"knout" partakes a good deal of this same character of suffering.
Bough of the Oak now approached the corporal, to let him know how
high an honor was in reserve for him.
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"Brother," said this ambitious orator, "you are a brave warrior. You
have done well. Not only have you killed one of our chiefs, but you
have wounded several of our young men. No one but a brave could have [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]