The Irish Penny Journal, Vol. 1 No. 07, August 15, 1840Various
History
The Irish Penny Journal, Vol. 1 No. 07, August 15, 1840
Various
Ireland -- Periodicals
We could relate many instances of the gratitude with which Indians repay a
kindness, and of their firmness in friendship, but our limits restrain us.
We must besides admit, that they are equally resentful of injury as
mindful of favours, and persecute an enemy with as much constancy as they
cherish a friend. Mr Catlin has preserved the portrait of a Mandan chief,
named Mah-to-tôh-pa, or the Four Bears, whose life affords many singular
illustrations of the above truths. We have room for one only. His brother
had been surprised while asleep by a Riccaree, who left the spear with
which he had murdered the sleeping man in the wound, and boasted of what
he had done. The Four Bears took possession of the spear, preserved it
carefully, with the blood of his brother encrusted on its point, and swore
to cover that stain with the heart’s blood of the Riccaree. Many moons
elapsed, many snows even went by, and the Four Bears had not yet found the
much desired opportunity of revenge. At length the _culpability_ of his
enforced delay became too heavy a reproach, and he resolved on seeking the
Riccaree in his distant home, to do which he had to steal his way through
his enemy’s country for hundreds of miles; a task, the difficulty of which
can be appreciated only by those who know the watchfulness of Indian
habits, and the vigilance of those whom he had to circumvent. But “when
Greek meets Greek,” we all know what “comes;” in this case, however,
“diamond-cut-diamond” were perhaps the more appropriate metaphor: let our
readers settle that point. The Four Bears accomplished his task; he had
traversed many a weary plain, had threaded many a tangled forest, swam
many a river; but at length he stood, famished and outworn, before the
village of his enemy. This was surrounded by a stockade, but he overcame
that with little difficulty. It was night, but the dwelling of the
offender was known to him, and entering it, he sat down before the fire,
over which hung a pot containing food, which the provident squaw had set
to simmer through the night. The family were in their beds, which consist
of skins stretched on low frames, and ranged around the walls of the hut.
The Riccaree, the object of the Mandan’s visit, was also on his couch,
with his arms close beside him, as is the custom. But he was not asleep;
the flame as it rose fitfully was reflected from his glittering eyes,
which rested, but with no particular interest, on his visitor. The latter,
conscious that his then exhausted strength was not equal to the _duty_ he
became to perform, sat collected within himself for a certain time; he
then took part of the food that filled the pot, and ate in such measure as
he thought advisable. This done, he lighted his pipe, and sat to smoke it.
The squaw meanwhile had asked her husband what man it was who was reposing
at their hearth. “He is a hungry man, for thou seest he is eating; what
matter for the rest?” was her husband’s reply, and the uninvited guest
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