OCR Text |
Show j: Little Journeys in j: Americana i o "i j; By LESTER B. COLBY Indians Adopt James Smith JAMES SMITH was eighteen years old In 1755. The French and Indian In-dian war was Just getting under way. Some time that spring the boy joined a road-bulldlng outfit In Pennsylvania. Braddock's army was to use that road In lute June on Its march westward to Fort Duquesne and to defeat One bright morning In early summer sum-mer young Smith and a companion were traveling along this road when three Indians ambashed them. Smith was captured and his comrade killed. Greatly to bis surprise Smith was neither burned to death nor tortured, beyond being compelled to "run the gauntlet" He was forced to travel with the Indians through forests and over mountains. Finally, some weeks later, la-ter, he was adopted Into an Indian family. He lived with the Indians six years. After his escape be wrote the story of his remarkable adventures. I will quote from that story briefly: "The day after my arrival at the town called Tulllhas, Inhabited by Delawares, Caughnewagas and Mohicans, Mohi-cans, a number of Indians collected about me and one of them began to pull the hair out of my head. Ue had some ashes on a piece of bark, In .which be frequently dipped his Angers, An-gers, In order to take a firmer hold. "So be went on as If he were plucking pluck-ing a turkey until he had all the hair out of my head except a small spot three or four Inches square on my crown; this they cut off with a pair of scissors, except three locks, which they dressed up In their own mode. "Two of these they wrapped around with a narrow, beaded garter made by themselves for that purpose. The other they plaited at full length and then stuck It full of silver brooches. After that they bored my nose and ears snd fixed me off with earrings and nose jewels. "Then they ordered me to strip off my clothes and put on a breech-clout which I did; they then painted my bead, face and body In various colors. "They pot a large belt of wampum on my neck and silver bonds on my hands and right arm; and so an old chief led me out In the street and gave the alarm halloo, coo-wlgh, several times, repeated quick ; and on this all that were In the town came running and stood around the old chief who beld me by the hand in the midst "As I st that time knew nothing of their mode of adoption, and bad seen them put to death all they bad taken, and as 1 never learned that they saved a man alive at Braddock's defeat I made no doubt but that they were about to put me to death In some cruel manner. "The old chief, holding me by the hand, made a long speech, very loud, and when he bad done, be banded me to three young squaws who led me by the band down the bank Into the river until the water was up to our middle. "The squaws then made signs to me to plunge luto the water but I did not understand them; I thought that the result of the council was that I should be drowned and these three young ladies were to be the executioners. execution-ers. They all three luld violent bold of me, and I for some time opposed them with all my might which occasioned occa-sioned loud laughter by the multitude that were on the bonk of the river. "At length one of the squaws made out to speak a little English, for I believe be-lieve they began to be afraid of me, and said, 'No hurt you.' On this I gave myself up to their ladyships who were as good as their word; for though they plunged me under water, and washed and scrubbed me severely, yet I could not say they hurt me much." Smith tells In detail how he was next conducted to the council, bow bis body was painted, how he was given giv-en new clothes, a pipe, tomahawk and a pouch made out of a polecat skin. After smoking In silence for a time a chief arose and made a speech. This speech, translated to Smith by an In terpreler, was about like this: "My son, you are now flesh 'of our flesh, and bone of our bone. By the ceremony which was performed this day. every drop of white blood was washed out of your veins; you are taken into the Caughnewago nation, and Initiated Into a warlike tribe; you are adopted Into a great family, and now received with great seriousness and solemnity In the room and place of a great man. "After what hns passed this day yon are now one of us by an old, strong law and custom. My son, you have now nothing to fear we are now under un-der the same obligations to love, support sup-port and defend you that we are to love and defend one another; therefore, there-fore, you are to consider yourself one of our people." From that day on, Smith wrote, he never knew them to make any distinction dis-tinction between him and any of the red-skinned tribesmen among whom he Uved. & I'll. Lester B. Colby. |