Touching Incidents of Indian Generosity.

739

hunting and.met some Indians on the retreat, who told him they had been badly whipped. Many of the Delawares were killed and wounded. Among the former was the Indian who captured May, and who was much missed, as he was the only gunsmith among the Indians. The Indians now had a terrible time. The British did not half support them. All their dogs and cattle died, and they were nearly starved, and very bitter against the British, who had goaded them on to hostilities. They then went and made peace with the Americans, and had an exchange of prisoners, but as there wis no Indian to give up for Brickell, he continued, and in the Spring all went to Fort Defiance; and now follows a scene very creditable to the Indian character.   We quote:

"On the same day Big Cat told me I must go over to the fort. The children hung around me crying, and asked me if I was going to leave them. I told them I did not know. When we got over, and were seated with the officers, Big Cat told me to stand up, which I did. He then rose and addressed me in about these words: ' My son, there are men the same color as yourself. There may be some of your kin there, or your kin may be a great way off from you. You have lived a long time with us. I call on you to say if I have not been a father to you.' I said, 'You have used me as well as a father could a son.' He said, ' I am glad you say so. You have lived long with me; you have hunted for me, but our treaty says you must be free. If you choose to go with the people of your own color, I have no right to say a word; but if you choose to stay with me, your people have no right to speak. Now reflect on it and take your choice, and tell us as soon as you make up your mind.'

" I was silent a few minutes, in which time it seemed as if I thought of almost everything. I thought of the children I had just left crying; I thought of the Indians I was attached to, and I thought of my own people, and this latter thought predominated, and I said, 'I will go with my kin.' The old man then said, 'I have raised you; I have taught you to hunt; you are a good hunter; you have been better to me than my own sons. I am now getting old and cannot hunt. I thought you-would be a support to my age. I leaned on you as a staff; now it is broken. You are going to leave me and I have no right to say a word, but I am ruined.' He then sank back, in tears, to his seat. I heartily joined him in his tears; parted with him, and have never seen nor heard of him since."