White Sulphur papers; or, Life at the springs of Western Virginia

^'^ WHirj-. SULPHUR P A P E K &c
murder the whites at Prairie du ChieiL
There was
a great gathering of the tribes, for a peace talk : the
Winnebagoes alone, came into counod with their
faces painted black, a sign of hostility.
Keokuk, in an animated speech, wherein he declared
himself the friend of the whites, turned to the
Winnebagoes and addressed them after this manner
:
„ Winnebagoes, I hear that you threaten to make
war on the whites—if so, when you promised them
friendship last year, you spoke with a forked tongue
—and your hearts were as black then, as your faces
are now—Winnebagoes !"
continued he, plucking a
hair from his head, and holding it up—" you see this
hair
!
If you lay the weight of your hand on a single
white man, I will sweep you from the face of the
earth, as I blow this hair." The speech had its
desired effect.
The road passing by the White Sulphur, is the
great route to the west by Guyandotte, and for many
weeks, hundreds of wagons, and other conveyances,
have been going by, filled with emigrants, in search
ofnew homes. Men, women and children, of all ages,
sizes and conditions. There is much character tj
be met with among them occasionally; and it afforded
the writer of these pages much pleasure, and
interest at times, to hear their original remarks, as