The boys' book of Indian battles and adventures, with anecdotes about them
History
The boys' book of Indian battles and adventures, with anecdotes about them
Indians of North America -- Anecdotes
Having performed this ceremony, he desired men, women and children to
arrange themselves in separate bodies. To the men he gave hatchets, to
the women beads, and to the children rings. He then ordered his drums
and trumpets to sound, which highly pleased the company and set them to
dancing.
Being desirous of ascending the hill, under which the town was built, the
natives conducted them to the summit; where they were entertained with a
most extensive and beautiful prospect of mountains, woods, islands and
waters. They observed the course of the river above, and some falls of
water in it; and the natives informed them that they might sail on it for
three months; that it ran through two or three great lakes, beyond which
was a sea of fresh water, to which they knew of no bounds; and that on
the other side of the mountains there was another river which ran in a
contrary direction to the south-west, through a country full of delicious
fruits and free from snow and ice; that there was found such metal as
the Captain’s _silver_ whistle and the haft of a dagger belonging to one
of the company which was gilt with _gold_. Being shown some copper, they
pointed to the northward, and said it came from Saguenay. To this hill
Cartier gave the name of _Montreal_, which it has ever since retained.
[Illustration]
MILLY FRANCIS.
Duncan M’Krimmon, (a resident of Milledgeville, a Georgia militia man,
stationed at Fort Gadsden,) being out one morning on a fishing excursion,
in attempting to return, missed his way, and was several days lost in
the surrounding wilderness. After wandering about in various directions
he was espied and captured by a party of hostile Indians, headed by the
well known prophet Francis. The Indians having obtained the satisfaction
they wanted respecting the determination of government, the position of
the American army, &c. they began to prepare for the intended sacrifice.
M’Krimmon was bound to a stake, and the ruthless savages having shaved
his head and reduced his body to a state of nudity, formed themselves
into a circle and danced round him some hours, yelling most horribly. The
youngest daughter of the prophet, about fifteen years of age, remained
sad and silent the whole time. She participated not in the general joy,
but was evidently, even to the affrighted prisoner, much pained at the
savage scene she was compelled to witness. When the burning torches were
about to be applied to the fagots which encompassed the prisoner, and
the fatal tomahawk was raised to terminate forever his mortal existence,
Milly Francis, (for that was her name,) like an angel of mercy, placed
herself between it and death, resolutely bidding the astonished
executioner, if he thirsted for human blood, to shed hers; being
determined, she said, not to survive the prisoner’s death. A momentary
pause was produced by this unexpected occurrence, and she took advantage
of the circumstance to implore upon her knees the pity of the ferocious
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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