University of Virginia Library

13. CHAPTER XIII.
THE STAKE.

FOR perhaps an hour after Dundenah left me, no particular
notice was taken of me, although the savages passed
in and out, and appeared to consult together in small
groups. At last a fierce, hideous-looking warrior approached
me, and made signs that I should rise and follow
him—for though feeling had returned to my limbs, and I
was at liberty to walk about, I was in reality so much exhausted
for want of rest and food, that I had only used
my freedom to raise myself to a sitting posture.

I obeyed the Indian, and he led me out of the Council
House.

The first sight that greeted my eyes, as I passed through
the doorway, was a large crowd of both sexes—consisting
of warriors, squaws, children, and pappooses—grouped
around a stake driven firmly into the earth, some twenty
paces in front of Kenneloo's lodge, and about central way
of the area formed by the encircling huts.

The moment this motley assemblage caught sight of me,
they all left the stake, and at once surrounding me, set up
such a series of frightful yells, that I have only to think of
them now to fancy they are still sounding in my ears like
the orgies of demons.

Mingling in this crowd were the Soolepcooms, already
mentioned as being the female drudges of the tribe, generally
selected for this purpose from their intellectual inferiority,
and consequently the lowest order in the savage

scale of savages. On the execution of a prisoner, these
she wolves are permitted to join their superiors and exercise
their hellish invention in the way of insulting and torturing
the victim; and as this is a rare holiday for the
unbridled license of their passions, they fail not to make
the most of it in a way becoming to their degraded and
brutal condition.

If, as has been asserted, there is a connecting link between
man and beast—between human beings and angels
—then may we also look for a connecting link between
flesh and blood and demons; and I can conceive of
nothing more nearly approaching this last than the Squaw-workers
of the Wepecoolahs.

They were the first to press upon me; and being abandoned
to them by my conductor, they immediately formed
a close circle around me, and began a wild dance, which I
can liken to nothing earthly—while their still wilder
screeches and yells made my very blood run cold. I
looked beyond them, to the crowd outside, in the hope of
catching the eye of Dundenah, or of beholding one face
having the least expression of sympathy for my fate; but
I was disappointed; for the Leaping Fawn was not among
them—and every look directed toward me was savage and
revengeful.

All appeared to regard me as the victim on whom they
were to vent their rage for the loss the tribe had sustained
in their vindictive expedition against my countrymen, and
also for the death of the warrior slain by Langee. Even
the children took deep interest in the hellish sport already
begun, and laughed, and clapped their little hands with
savage delight, or glared upon me with eyes scarcely less
fierce in expression than those of their older companions.

For a few minutes the Soolepcooms danced around me
in the manner related—thrusting their filthy and hideous

faces, with their blood-shot eyes, close to mine—and then
they began to inflict the first degrees of those tortures
which the Council of the Wepecoolahs had sentenced me
to undergo.

They commenced their personal inflictions by pinching
me, biting me, and striking me in the face and on the
body with their hands, fists, and sticks.

I bore this for some time, with what patience I could,
knowing that resistance were in vain; but at last, stung to
madness, and my limbs being free, I determined to make
what use of them I could, hoping that, out of impulsive
revenge, some one would put me out of my misery, by
dispatching me at once.

I therefore struck a posture of defence, and commenced
knocking down all who got within the reach of my arm;
but this so far from producing the consequence I desired
and expected, only added to the amusement; and my
pugilistic display was greeted with screams and yells of
laughter by the greater portion of the crowd, who kept at
a safe distance from my blows, and seemed to urge the
Soolepcooms (who, as I said before, formed the inner
circle) to retaliate in a becoming manner.

These latter—several of whom had already felt the
weight of my clenched hands, and showed it in bruised
and bloody faces—now fairly screeched with rage; and,
drawing their knives, they at once pressed upon me, and
began to prick and cut me on all sides—ever taking care,
though, not to inflict a mortal wound—well knowing that
to kill me was the very poorest revenge they could have.

Finding I could effect nothing with my blows, I now
endeavored to rush through the crowd—not with any
expectation of escape—but merely because I knew not
what better to do with myself; but every where I turned,
these she-wolves, as if anticipating my design, gathered

thickest; and a dozen sharp blades were continually lace
rating my legs, hands, arms, breast and face, till I was
literally covered with blood from head to foot; while the
spectators laughed loudly, and cheered on my inhuman
tormentors.

At last, goaded to desperation, like a wild beast at bay,
I watched my opportunity, and suddenly pouncing upon
an old hag, I wrenched the weapon from her grasp, drove
it up to the haft in her naked breast, and hurled her back
upon her diabolical companions, greatly to their astonishment,
rage, and dismay. I was now armed as well as themselves;
and fiercely brandishing my knife, I caused them
to fall back, till I had cleared a circle around me beyond
the reach of my arm, within which the old hag I had
struck down lay weltering in her gore, whether living or
dead I neither knew nor cared.

Finding that I was now sufficiently armed and desperate
to keep the Squaw-workers at bay—and fearful, I
suppose, that I might either kill myself or some of their
number—several of the warriors, who had been looking on
and enjoying the sport, now thought it time to interfere.

As I saw them approaching to overpower and disarm
me, and thought of the dreadful fate to which I was
doomed, I raised my arm, with the intention of burying
the knife in my heart; but I remembered the words of the
Holy Book, which denounce eternal woe upon the self-murderer,
and reflected that it might be better for me hereafter
to bear more worldly pain, and go into the presence
of my God and Judge by other hands than my own. I
therefore uttered a mental prayer to the Almighty for
mercy, and aid to sustain me through my awful trials, and
lowered my arm, resolved to be taken without further
struggle.

The warriors consequently came up, took the knife from

my unresisting hand, and, to prevent a repetition of my
daring act, bound my arms behind my back. I was now,
of course, completely at their mercy, and expected the
cowardly attack of the Soolepcooms to be renewed; but
the men held a short consultation among themselves; and
coming to the conclusion, probably, that the preliminary
sport had lasted long enough, they led me away to the
stake.

Encircling this stake, at a distance of several feet from
it, was a pile of fagots; and attached to the stake was a
rope of skin, which, when fastened to the ligature that
bound my arms behind me, would allow me to approach
within two feet of the fuel—but no nearer. I now comprehended
the diabolical design—which was to set fire
to the combustibles, and cause me to literally roast alive
by degrees—for I could not approach near enough to the
flame to terminate my sufferings speedily.

When arrived within the circle of fagots, the warriors
loosened my cords, stripped all of my upper garments
from my lacerated body, and then rebinding my arms as
before, fastened the rope of the stake to the ligature,
leaving me just so much play as I have mentioned.

All now being ready for the last horrible proceeding,
which was to pass me from time to eternity, the spectators
formed themselves into a large circle, so that all could get
a view of their victim, and set up a series of demoniacal
yells, which, as they continued them for some time, without
any action on their part toward firing the combustibles,
I took to be the signal for the chief to make his
appearance.

This idea was confirmed, when, a short time after, I
saw Kenneloo come stalking from his cabin, his repulsive
features wearing a look of savage triumph and satisfaction.

I had all along believed, that when the chief appeared,

he would be accompanied by Dundenah; but the latter
was no where to be seen; and under the impression that
her design of saving me—if, in fact, she had seriously entertained
one—had failed, and that she did not wish to see
me die, I now resigned the last faint hope that had lingered,
like a flickering, dying flame in my breast, and employed
my moments in silently commending my soul to
its Maker.

The chief of the Wepecoolahs came within the circle of
spectators, drew close to the circle of fagots, deliberately
folded his arms on his brawny chest, fixed his black eyes
upon me, and regarded me for some moments with a grim
smile of satisfaction. Then stepping slowly backward to
the others, he waved his arm, as a signal to fire the combustibles.

An old, withered, toothless, filthy crone—who, from her
diabolical appearance, seemed fit to serve Satan as executioner,
should the arch-fiend ever need one—now entered
the circle of spectators from without, bearing in one long,
skinny hand a burning brand. Instead of placing this at
once to the fagots, however, as I had expected to see her
do, she stepped over them, came close up to me, fixed her
hollow, bleared eyes upon mine, and, with a grin, which
the devil himself might have envied, suddenly thrust the
brand against my naked body.

I of course started back, and involuntarily uttered a
sharp cry of pain.

At this the spectators set up a shout of laughter; and
the old hag chuckled and cackled in concert, till she was
seized with a violent fit of coughing, which I hoped and
prayed might terminate her existence.

As soon as this was over, she straightened herself up as
well as she could, and again approached me, with the
intention of repeating the brutal act and creating fresh

mirth; but now I at least knew her design, and determined
to punish her with a severity that would at once put
a check to her own merriment, and give her cause to
remember me for the rest of her life. Retreating a pace
or two, therefore, as she advanced upon me, I suddenly
raised one foot, and striking her full in the breast with it,
hurled her back upon the fagots, over which she fell; and
her head striking upon the hard earth, she lay motionless,
like one dead.

This second daring act of mine was greeted with yells
of every description—but whether of mirth or rage I was
unable to tell—though I think it not improbable there was
a mingling of both. Some of the women stepped forward,
picked up the old hag, and bore her away in a senseless
condition; while another of their number seized the brand,
which had fallen from her hand hard by, and at once
thrust it among the combustibles.

These combustibles, many of which were resinous pine,
splintered fine, and dry as tinder, quickly ignited; and as
the flame rose, it spread away to the right and left along
the encircling pile. This was the signal for the renewal
of savage yells; but unmindful of these now, I fixed my
eyes upon the fire, and my thoughts upon that dread eternity
to which I was fast hastening.

It was a beautiful day, and the sun shone brightly down
through a clear, cloudless atmosphere; but it shone not for
me, who had bidden a mental adieu to all I had ever seen
or known, and was now preparing my spirit, by silent
prayer, for its eternal flight.

Suddenly I was startled from my meditations by a
shrill, piercing scream; and as I looked around, a female
burst through the ring of spectators, who seemed as much
astonished as myself, rushed straight toward me, leaped

over the fagots, threw her arms about my neck, and
exclaimed:

“Henry! dear, dear Henry! we meet again to part no
more—I have come to die with you.”

How shall I convey to the reader the unbounded astonishment
I felt, as these words, in thrilling tones, fell upon
my ear from the lips of the lovely Clara Moreland? It
was like the voice of one from the dead—it was like the
apparition of one from the grave—so suddenly were my
senses of hearing, seeing, and feeling, greeted by one I
never thought to meet again on earth—never thought to
look upon again with mortal eyes; and but for the weight
pressing against me, as she hung, half-fainting, around my
neck, I might still have been tempted to believe that all
was unreal, the fantasy of a feverish brain.

Till Clara spoke I had not recognized her; and no wonder;
for her own habiliments had been taken from her,
and she was now costumed much like Dundenah, with her
long sunny hair braided in the same Gipsey style. I at
once comprehended that she had been adopted into the
tribe—but for some moments my emotions were too great
for utterance.

“Whence come you, dear Clara, at this awful moment?”
I at length articulated.

“From the lodge of the chief, to die with you,” she
said, hurriedly. “They have kept me a close prisoner;
they would not let me see you; but I heard their awful
yells, and caught a glimpse of your person as they
dragged you away; and with superhuman strength I tried
my bonds; and here I am, to die with you.”

At this moment Kenneloo and two or three of his warriors
came up to separate us. Seizing Clara roughly by
the arm, the chief made angry signs to her to begone.

“No! no! no!” cried Clara, wildly, clinging to my

neck: “you shall not part us! you shall not part us! I
have come to die with him!”

I could do nothing to assist the poor girl, for my hands
were bound behind my back; and the next moment her
arms were violently torn from around my neck, and, with
a buffet in the face, from the hand of the chief, she staggered
and fell to the ground.

Oh! in that awful moment, had the arch fiend of hell
appeared to offer me vengeance upon the inhuman monster
before me, I fear, in my excited state of mind, I should
have purchased it at any price. What were the physical
sufferings and tortures I had undergone, and was to
undergo, compared to the mental torture of seeing her I
loved, beyond self or every thing earthly, struck down in
that unfeeling, brutal manner? But I was powerless—I
could do nothing—and I fairly gnashed my teeth in impotent
rage, and invoked the curse of Heaven upon the diabolical
chief and his infernal followers.

Perceiving that any pain inflicted upon Clara would
cause me to suffer more than if done to myself, Kenneloo
assisted her to rise; and then turning upon me a grim,
malignant smile, he grasped her arm in such a way as
to force from her a piercing scream; and then another,
and another—till I was so overcome with conflicting emotions,
that I felt as if my brain were on fire, and fancied
that my reason was leaving me.

How long this might have continued, I know not; but
suddenly Dundenah made her appearance, accompanied by
a squaw of rather better appearance than the generality
of the females of the tribe. She advanced straight to her
father, and, with fierce gestures and flashing eyes, addressed
him in his native tongue. Instantly he released
his hold on Clara; when, turning to her, Dundenah exclaimed,
in English:

“How is it that Dundenah finds the Blue-Eye here,
when she bade her remain in the lodge of the chief?”

“I came to die with my companion in captivity,” replied
Clara, bursting into tears.

This seemed to touch the feelings of Dundenah—for she
said, in a milder tone:

“The Blue-Eye is as a child, and knows not what is
for her own good. Return to the lodge, and await my
coming.”

“No, no, Dundenah—since he must die, rather let me
suffer with him—for I have no desire to live any longer.”

“Away!” cried Dundenah, fiercely, stamping her foot:
“Begone! and do my bidding! or, by the spirits of the
slain! the Dark-Eye shall suffer tenfold for this disobedience!”

“Oh, God! have mercy on me and on him, and soften
the hearts of his tormentors!” cried Clara, wringing her
hands. “Farewell, Henry,” she continued, turning to me
with streaming eyes: “I shall soon follow you, and we may
meet in Heaven. Farewell! farewell!” and with a burst
of anguish, she clasped her temples with her hands, and
darted away, as if she feared to trust herself longer in my
presence.

As soon as Clara was out of sight, Dundenah addressed
a few words to the chief, and pointed to the female who
had accompanied her. Kenneloo started, and instantly
his face grew still more hideous with rage; and fairly
gnashing his teeth in fury, he drew a knife from his belt,
and raised it as if to strike his daughter.

Dundenah returned him a look of stern, haughty defiance;
and throwing back her body, pointed to her heart,
and seemed to dare him to strike.

Kenneloo paused; but for some moments kept his hand
raised, as if undetermined whether to take her life or not;

while the spectators, crowding forward, regarded the two
in breathless silence, none caring to interfere in a quarrel
between the chief and his child.

Suddenly Kenneloo lowered his arm; and stamping his
foot, and uttering a fierce ejaculation, he turned on his
heel and strode away, all eyes following him.

Meantime the fire had kept upon its devouring course,
and had already reached half-way round the circle—though
by retreating the length of my rope, to the other side of
the stake, I had thus far avoided any suffering from the
heat. The scene I have described between Kenneloo and
Dundenah, had taken place within a few feet of me;
and as the former disappeared, the latter turned to me,
and for several moments regarded me with an expression
so peculiar, that I knew not how to interpret it. Then,
methought, as her eyes ran slowly over my person,
lacerated and bloody, her look softened to something like
compassion.

“The Dark-Eye has been roughly handled,” she said.

“I have suffered indignities almost unbearable,” I
replied, in a dejected tone.

“And did the Dark-Eye think Dundenah had deserted
him?”

“I thought that, being unable to save my life, and not
wishing to see me suffer, she had intentionally kept out of
sight,” I rejoined.

“And why should the Dark-Eye think that the
Leaping Fawn had no wish to see him undergo the tortures?”

“Because she seems more like one of my race—has
intelligence and refinement far beyond those of her companions—and
there have, at times, at least I have fancied
so, been kindness and sympathy expressed in her looks,
tones, words, and manner.”

“But, withal, the Dark-Eye thought Dundenah powerless
to save him?”

“Even so.”

“And does he still think so?”

“I know not your power, Dundenah,” I replied; “but
I know that unless I am rescued soon, I shall soon be
beyond the help of any thing mortal. See! it is fast
doing its work;” and I pointed to the fire.

“But will not do it so fast as the Dark-Eye thinks,”
she rejoined. “It is true, the heat may become oppressive,
and blister the flesh; but it would take hours to
deprive the Dark-Eye of life, or even to put him beyond
feeling pain. No, no—the Indian knows too well what
his victim can bear; and in a case like the present, he is
ever careful about putting him too suddenly beyond his
reach.”

“The invention is worthy of such a race,” I said,
bitterly.

Dundenah frowned, bit her lips, and seemed about to
make an angry retort; but apparently checked herself,
and substituted:

“The Dark-Eye has seen his companion in captivity?”

“Yes,” I sighed; “but I would she were dead.”

“How?” cried the Indian maiden, eagerly.

“Yes, I repeat, I would she were dead! since I know in
what vile manner she is treated.”

The dark features of Dundenah flushed with passion,
and her eyes gleamed like fire, as, drawing herself up with
a haughtiness I have never seen equalled, she rejoined:

“Has the pale-face maiden then made such bitter plaints
to the Dark-Eye?”

“No need,” I said; “my own eyes were witnesses of
the brutality.”

“And what did the eyes of the Dark-Eye behold?”

“I saw her struck down by the hands of the chief, and
afterward so roughly handled that she was forced to
scream for pain.”

“But had she obeyed Dundenah, this had not happened,”
was the quick reply.

“And were she dead, it would not be repeated,” said I.

“If the Dark-Eye would have her dead, it is but a
moment's work,” rejoined Dundenah; and her features
bore such a strange, wild expression, as the words slowly
passed from her lips, that I fairly shrunk from her gaze.
“Would the Dark-Eye have her dead, and live himself?”
she continued, after a long pause, her eyes still rivetted
upon me.

“No! no! Dundenah: if I were to live, I would have
her live also.”

“Then is the Dark-Eye selfish,” she said; “he would
either have her with him here or in the Spirit-Land.”

“It is even so, I acknowledge—self governs us all, in
a greater or less degree.”

“But if the Blue-Eye must live, would the Dark-Eye
live also?”

“Yes—for life is sweet, and nature shrinks from
death.”

“Would the Dark-Eye consent to become an Indian,
even as those he sees around him?”

“Yes, I would accept life even on such conditions,” I
replied, “provided I could be allowed to meet my companion
occasionally, and cheer her drooping spirits.”

“It sounds strange in the ears of Dundenah to hear a
prisoner fix the terms on which he will accept his own
life,” rejoined the maiden, with something like irony.
“But Dundenah led the Dark-Eye to hope that she would
make an effort to save him, if he followed her counsel; and
she is here to make her word good, even at the peril of

her life. By a law of the Wepecoolahs, a mother, who has
lost an only son, can replace him by adopting a prisoner
who has been condemned by Council, and around whom
the torture-fire is already kindled; but her own life and
another's must stand pledged for his good behaviour; and
if he prove false, one or both of his liberators must
undergo the sentence from which they rescue him. This
woman, (pointing to the one who had accompanied her) is
the mother of a brave who lost his life in the last expedition
of the Wepecoolahs against your race; and though
revenge is sweet to an Indian mother, yet the great
Wandewah has so softened her heart, that the words of the
Leaping Fawn have prevailed upon her to save the life of
the Dark-Eye, by substituting him for the slain; and she
whose life stands pledged with hers for the good faith of
him they liberate, is the daughter of Kenneloo.”

“Noble Dundenah!” cried I, as she ceased speaking:
“how have I wronged you in thought!—but if I live, and
it is ever in my power, I will convince you of my gratitude
for this unselfish act, by something more than idle words.”

“Let the Dark-Eye then show his gratitude, by never
seeking to escape from those who will henceforth call him
brother and son,” she said. “Remember!” she continued,
as she marked the change in my countenance, produced by
these words—for in truth the idea of becoming an Indian,
and remaining so, was so revolting to my feelings, that, but
for the thought that I might be able to protect Clara from
insult and abuse, I think I should have preferred death to
life on such conditions: “Remember!” pursued Dundenah
—“should the Dark-Eye abuse the confidence reposed in
him, we must suffer in his place!”

“Enough!” I rejoined: “may the curse of Wandewah
be upon me, when I prove so base a wretch as treacherously

to cause my generous deliverers to take my place at
the torture!”

“When the fire encircles the stake, the Dark-Eye shall
be free, or Dundenah and he shall together seek the Spirit
Land!” returned the maiden, in a tone of much solemnity.

“What mean you?” I inquired, in surprise.

“As yet the Wepecoolahs know not that they are about
to have their victim snatched from them,” she replied;
“and there is no saying what they may do in their first
burst of fury. Let the Dark-Eye be firm and composed,
and trust in Wandewah!”

Saying this, she withdrew from the circle of fagots, and,
drawing her form up to its full height, began to address the
spectators, who, during her conversation with me, had been
looking on, with an air of eager curiosity, but evidently
without comprehending a sentence that had passed
between us.

I of course understood nothing that she said now; but I
watched the faces of the crowd, to gain from their looks an
index of what would be the result of her communication.
The first prevailing expression was that of surprise, which
was succeeded by anger, and finally by rage of the most
diabolical kind, during which the voice of Dundenah was
drowned by yells of fury, while knives and tomahawks
were fiercely brandished with menacing gestures. Dundenah,
proud and imperious as a queen on her throne,
calmly withstood the storm of passion; and so soon as she
could make her voice heard, again proceeded. Gradually
the loud tumult subsided to low, deep mutterings; and the
warriors, collecting together, seemed to hold a consultation;
while I caught many an eye turned upon me, with
an expression that boded any thing but safety to myself.

Meantime the fire had completed its circuit; and the
flames now roared and crackled around me; while the

heat, from being almost suffocating, now began to burn
and blister my flesh, rendering my position at the stake, to
which I had withdrawn as the point farthest from the
blaze, one of torture almost unbearable.

Suddenly the light, graceful form of Dundenah burst
into the burning circle, and the next moment her knife had
freed me from my bonds.

“Follow me!” she said; “but be composed—be prudent—for
even now the life of the Dark-Eye hangs in the
balance.”

It may readily be supposed that I did not wait for a
second invitation to quit my place of torture, even though
I rushed into the midst of an assemblage of beings all
thirsting for my heart's blood, or a punishment still more
terrible.

Dundenah kept close to my side; and as the crowd
pressed around us, with looks of savage ferocity and baffled
revenge, she waved her hand, and commanded them
back, with an air of such calm, lofty dignity, such proud
superiority, that none upon whom her dark eye fell, with
its piercing glance of intellectual fire, seemed willing to
brave her displeasure.

Still the press continued; for though the crowd drew
back from my companion, wherever she turned, yet no
sooner was her eye off of them, than they came up behind,
with menacing looks and gestures. The most ferocious of
the assemblage, were, as before, the Soolepcooms, who
glared upon me like so many wild beasts, and seemed
terribly eager to revenge themselves upon me, both for the
disappointment of their hellish gratification, and for the
loss of their fiendish companion, who had fallen by my
hand.

I kept my eye upon them as much as possible, well
knowing that they only sought an opportunity to take me

unawares, and obtain some revenge by killing me on the
spot, since there was no longer a prospect of my undergoing
the torture.

Suddenly I felt a sharp pain in my side; and uttering a
groan, I told Dundenah I had received my death-wound.
Never shall I forget the look of agonised horror which she
turned upon me—nor the expression of fiendish rage which
the next moment distorted her beautiful features, as her
eye fell upon an old hag close by, who was in the act of
brandishing a bloody knife.

With a yell of concentrated fury, which I can liken to
nothing earthly, and which still seems to be ringing in my
ear, she fairly bounded upon the aggressor; and in less
time than it has taken me to record the fact, she buried
her own knife a dozen times in the breast of the assassin.

I saw this, but no more. My brain reeled—the earth
turned dark—all objects disappeared—and I fell to the
ground in a senseless condition.