To give force to
their threat, a pyre of logs and fagots was heaped up and kindled into a
blaze.
The parley continued; the Arickaras released one horse and then another,
in earnest of their proposition; finding, however, that nothing short of
the relinquishment of all their spoils would purchase the lives of
the captives, they abandoned them to their fate, moving off with many
parting words and lamentable howlings. The prisoners seeing them depart,
and knowing the horrible fate that awaited them, made a desperate effort
to escape. They partially succeeded, but were severely wounded and
retaken; then dragged to the blazing pyre, and burnt to death in the
sight of their retreating comrades.
Such are the savage cruelties that white men learn to practise, who
mingle in savage life; and such are the acts that lead to terrible
recrimination on the part of the Indians. Should we hear of any
atrocities committed by the Arickaras upon captive white men, let this
signal and recent provocation be borne in mind. Individual cases of the
kind dwell in the recollections of whole tribes; and it is a point of
honor and conscience to revenge them.
The loss of his horses completed the ruin of the unlucky partisan. It
was out of his power to prosecute his hunting, or to maintain his party;
the only thought now was how to get back to civilized life. At the first
water-course, his men built canoes, and committed themselves to the
stream.
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