Red Belt, the Tuscarora — page 62: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

64 RED BELT, TL& TUSCARORA, ing bow to the chiefs. .Then in a moment he raised himself to his fullest hight, and gazed proudly around him. “ Many moons have waxed and waned,’ he began, in a full, sonorous. tone, speaking likewise in the Mingo dialect ; “ many snows have whitened the valleys and mountains; many times have the leaves fallen, and many times. have the. prairies been bare of grass since old Man-e-wa-wa stood in the council of the tribes and lifted his voice in speech. Man-c-wa-wa greets you, mighty Nin-neet-lah, and. chiefs—he greets you as one meeting old friends and brothers—as one whose rifle has rung for you—whose tomahawk and scalping-knife have decked his lodge. with battle-trophies! , Man-e-wa-wa has listened, my brothers, to the words which have been, spoken—has listened well to those spoken by the young but mighty Oo-lum-lah, the Wild Hawk of the Mingoes, The brave speaks from an old head,.and his words should find high lodgment in your hearts. Cherish, and treat well, sucha brave as the Wild Hawk, my brothers, for he has even now the strength of youth and the wisdom of gray hairs. Heed.,what he says, my brothers ! Stain not your hands in the blood of the pale-face. But, as we can not be true to ourselves, and let the Leaping Deer go at once, order it. to be done as the Wild Hawk says, that he run the gantlet.” , There was certainly a change in the sentiments of the as- sembly ; for a loud murmur, evidently of approval, followed the speech of the old Tuscarora, _ Even Wild Hawk, whose bloed leaped along in. a torrent of exultation at the words of praise bestowed upon him, fol- lowed the. old chief. closely, and drank in every word. For several moments there was a silence, and then it was ; gradually succeeded by a deepening murmur. The old chief who presided leaned down and conferred with some of his wise men who sat near him. Then he suddenly rose to his feet, and waving his hand, commanded silence, instantly the tent-room was still. The old chief turned to the prisoner, and asked him a question in Mingo, The young man shook his head, signifying that he did not understand the language. Old Nin-neet-lah spoke to him again—this time using the Tuscarora dialect. The prisoner bowed, and answered the conmcbdooks.com