terrible infliction being given--the arms of the
victim are pinioned, and he is disengaged from the pole, and a grapevine
passed round his neck, allowing him a circle of about fifteen yards in
circumference, in which he can he made to march round his pole. They
knead tough clay on his head to secure the cranium from the effects of
the blaze, that it may not inflict immediate death. Under the excitement
of ineffable and horrid joy, they whip him round the circle, that he may
expose each part of his body to the flame, while the other part is
fanned by the cool air, that he may thus undergo the literal operation
of slow roasting. During this abhorrent process, the children fill the
circle in convulsions of laughter; and the women begin to thrust their
burning torches into his body, lacerating the quick of the flesh, that
the flame may inflict more exquisite anguish. The warrior, in these
cases; goaded to fury, sweeps round the extent of his circle, kicking,
biting, and stamping with inconceivable fury. The throng of women and
children laugh, and fly from the circle, and fresh tormentors fill it
again. At other times the humor takes him to show them, that he can bear
all this, without a grimace, a spasm, or indication of suffering. In
this case, as we have seen, he smokes, derides, menaces, sings, and
shows his contempt, by calling them by the most reproachful of all
epithets--_old women_. When he falls insensible, they scalp and
dismember him, and the remainder of his body is consumed.

We have omitted many of these revolting details, many of the atrocious
features of this spectacle, as witnessed by Boone. While we read with
indignation and horror, let us not forget that savages have not alone
inflicted these detestable cruelties. Let us not forget that the
professed followers of Jesus Christ have given examples of a barbarity
equally unrelenting and horrible, in the form of religious persecution,
and avowedly to glorify God.

During Boone's captivity among the Shawnese, they took prisoner a noted
warrior of a western tribe, with which they were then at war. He was
condemned to the stake with the usual solemnities. Having endured the
preliminary tortures with the most fearless unconcern, he told them,
when preparing to commence a new series, with a countenance of scorn, he
could teach them how to make an enemy eat fire to some purpose; and
begged that they would give him an opportunity, together with a pipe and
tobacco. I