358 Expedition to the 



from the deceased, with which they greased their hoes; but 

 this was denied by another who had been present at one of 

 these sacrifices. However this may be, the ceremony was 

 believed to have called down a blessing upon their labours 

 of the field, and they proceeded to planting without delay. 



The present mild and humane chief of the nation, Late- 

 lesha, or Knife-chief, had long regarded this sacrifice as an 

 unnecessary and cruel exhibition of power, exercised upon 

 unfortunate and defenceless individuals, whom they were 

 bound to protect, and he vainly endeavoured to abolish it by 

 philantrophic admonitions. 



An Ietan woman who was brought captive into the vil- 

 lage, was doomed to the Great Star by the warrior, whose 

 property she had become by the fate of war. She underwent 

 the usual preparations, and, on the appointed day, was led 

 to the cross, amidst a great concourse of people, as eager, 

 perhaps, as their civilized fellow men, to witness the hor- 

 rors of an execution. The victim was bound to the cross 

 with thongs of skin, and the usual ceremonies being per- 

 formed, her dread of a more terrible death was about to be 

 terminated by the tomahawk and the arrow. At this critical 

 juncture, Petalesharoo (son of the Knife-chief) stepped 

 forward into the area, and in a hurried but firm manner de- 

 clared that it was his father's wish to abolish this sacrifice; 

 that for himself, he had presented himself before them, for 

 the purpose of laying down his life upon the spot, or of re- 

 leasing the victim. He then cut the cords which bound her 

 to the cross, carried her swiftly through the crowd to a 

 horse, which he presented to her, and having mounted ano- 

 ther himself, he conveyed her beyond the reach of imme- 

 diate pursuit; when, after having supplied her with food, 

 and admonishing her to make the best of her way to her own 

 nation, which was at the distance of at least four hundred 

 miles, he was constrained to return to his village. The 

 emancipated Ietan had, however, the good fortune, on her 



