Graham's Magazine, Vol. XXXVII, No. 5, November 1850Various
General
Graham's Magazine, Vol. XXXVII, No. 5, November 1850
Various
Literature -- Periodicals; Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals
Summoning all his remaining strength—for life was fast ebbing away—the
Indian now stretched himself to the utmost tension of his body, and,
shouting out the war-cry of his tribe, drew his knife and plunged it
into his heart—then fell back and expired.
For some moments the Sunflower lay as one unconscious on the bleeding
body of the ill fated Wawandah; then raising herself up, she revealed
her face, the extreme paleness of which was visible even beneath the
dark hue of her skin. She asked the Chippewa to come near her, that she
might communicate to him a message for the White Bear, offering her
silver arm bands as the price of his service.
The cupidity of the Chippewa, more than any remorse he felt, or desire
to assist the Sunflower, induced him to approach and receive the
trinkets and the message; but while he was busily engaged in securing
that which was on her left arm, the Sunflower suddenly drew the knife
from the body of her husband and plunged it into the heart of the
Chippewa, to whom she owed all the bitterness of her fate. He fell dead
at the feet of Wawandah, and before Captain Hughes, or any of his party,
had time to prevent her, or even to understand her intention, she raised
herself to her feet with the reeking knife in her hand, and killed
herself with a single and unfaltering blow.
Deeply shocked and pained by this lamentable catastrophe, Captain Hughes
caused his men to cut litters with their axes and carry the bodies to
the fort. No one felt regret for the just punishment of the Chippewa;
but the fate of the unhappy lovers created a deep sympathy in the hearts
of all—the more so from the surpassing personal beauty of both. Two
graves were dug—one inside and the other on the outside of the
stockade. In the first was placed a rude coffin, lined with a buffalo
skin, which Captain Hughes had substituted for that of the grizzly bear,
were placed the bodies of Wawandah and the Sunflower. A sort of mound
was then raised over it, and at the head was stuck a short pole, the top
of which, for about twelve inches, was painted red. The Chippewa was
thrown unceremoniously, and without coffin, into the grave that had been
dug for him outside.
Some time afterward Captain Hughes, having occasion to visit the
encampment of the Shawnees, on a subject connected with the differences
then existing between them and the North-West Company, took the
opportunity of communicating to the White Bear all that he knew relating
to the flight and death of the unfortunate Sunflower and Wawandah;
adding to the detail the account of the sepulchral rites he had caused
to be accorded to them.
The chief, a good deal emaciated and of much sterner look than when last
introduced to the reader, at first heard him with grave and
imperturbable silence. But when he came to that part of his narrative
which described the remorse of Wawandah for the injury he had done him,
a tear, vainly sought to be hidden by a sudden motion of the head, stole
down his cheek.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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