HOW WE CONQUERED HALLECK TUSTENUGGEE. 229 



gone we can see clear. Tustenuggee will not promise what he 

 cannot perform; Tustenuggee is too great a chief to lie. His 

 tongue is straight. When peace comes he will see clear. Then 

 he will read the white chief what is written in the hearts of his 

 people about moving. Tustenuggee has spoken." 



The Indian stepped back, and wrapped his blanket around him. 



The colonel arose, and said : " Halleck Tustenuggee, I read your 

 thoughts. You have wanted a truce to buy ammunition and 

 provisions. You would then do as you have done before — take to 

 the swamps and renew the war. This stratagem is now to be 

 ended. At Warm Springs, to-day, all your warriors have been 

 taken prisoners, with their wives and children, and will be sent 

 forthwith to Arkansas. You and your chief are also prisoners, and 

 will accompany them." 



Tustenuggee looked around him with a quick gesture. The 

 gate in the palisade fence was drawn, and the soldiers were under 

 arms. His eye flashed, his breast heaved, and, as his young chief 

 made a desperate but unavailing attempt to escape by scaling the 

 palisades, he quietly drew his blanket over his head and sat on the 

 ground. 



No word was said by the bystanders. The intense interest of 

 the scene chained every tongue. The sentinel stopped on his 

 round. The soldiers gathered from their avocations. The orders 

 given by the colonel for the security of his prisoners was delivered 

 in a low tone, and as they moved away to the guard-house our 

 hearts seemed to beat again as if after the spectacle of some great 

 tragedy. 



Thus ended the career of this great chief. The woods knew 

 him no more. His race lost his fiery valour, his vindictive 

 vengeance, his far-sighted policy, and the influence of his name. 

 He was one of the most uncompromising foes the white man ever 

 had, and was only taken by the same means that Osceola had been 

 before him. 



That night, while most of the camp had retired, or were sitting 

 by the fires that lighted the enclosure, a savage scene was enacted 

 in the guard-room where the prisoners were confined under a guard 

 of soldiers. A large fire was lighted and the captives sat around 



