 the son of the sachem, but as the spouse of a beautiful
squaw, to whom his predecessor had been betrothed; but in passing through the
different whigwhams or villages of the Miamis, poor Murphy was so mangled by the
women and children, who have the privilege of torturing all prisoners in their
passage, that, by the time they arrived at the place of the sachem's residence,
he was rendered altogether unfit for the purposes of marriage: it was
determined, therefore, in the assembly of the warriors, that ensign Murphy
should be brought to the stake, and that the lady should be given to lieutenant
Lismahago, who had likewise received his share of torments, though they had not
produced emasculation. - A joint of one finger had been cut, or rather sawed off
with a rusty knife; one of his great toes was crushed into a mash betwixt two
stones; some of his teeth were drawn, or dug out with a crooked nail; splintered
reeds had been thrust up his nostrils and other tender parts; and the calves of
his legs had been blown up with mines of gunpowder dug in the flesh with the
sharp point of the tomahawk.
    The Indians themselves allowed that Murphy died with great heroism, singing,
as his death song, the Drimmendoo, in concert with Mr. Lismahago, who was
present at the solemnity. After the warriors and the matrons had made a hearty
meal upon the muscular flesh which they pared from the victim, and had applied a
great variety of tortures, which he bore without flinching, an old lady, with a
sharp knife, scooped out one of his eyes, and put a burning coal in the socket.
The pain of this operation was so exquisite that he could not help bellowing,
upon which the audience raised a shout of exultation, and one of the warriors
stealing behind him, gave him the coup de grace with a hatchet.
    Lismahago's bride, the squaw Squinkinacoosta, distinguished herself on this
occasion. - She shewed a great superiority of genius in the tortures which she
contrived and executed with her own hands. - She vied with the stoutest warrior
in eating the flesh of the sacrifice; and after all the other females were
fuddled with dram-drinking, she was not so intoxicated but that she was able to
play the game of the platter with the conjuring sachem, and afterwards go
through the ceremony of her own wedding, which was consummated that same
evening. The captain had lived very happily with this accomplished squaw for two
years, during which she bore him a son, who is now the representative of his
mother'
