bodily strength and courage. Before the war
broke out between the Seminoles, Oseola was kind and generous; but
when once the war-cry had rung through the woods, and his tomahawk
had been raised, he became stern and implacable. He was the champion
of his nation, and the terror of the pale faces opposed to him.

_Brian._ He must have made terrible work with his tomahawk!

_Hunter._ No doubt he did, for he was bold, and had never been taught
to control his passions. The command of the Saviour had never reached
his ears: "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to
them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and
persecute you." The red man of the forest and the prairie has had much
to embitter his spirit against his enemies; but I will proceed. It was
in the year 1835, that between two and three hundred red warriors
assembled at Camp King, to hold a "talk," or council. They were met by
a battalion of white soldiers, who had two generals with them. At this
council, it was proposed by the whites that a contract should be made
between the two parties, wherein the Seminoles should give up their
lands in Florida in exchange for other lands at a great distance from
the place. Some of the red warriors were induced to make a cross on
the contract as their signature, showing that they agreed therewith;
but Oseola saw that such a course was bartering away his country, and
sealing the ruin of his nation.

_Austin._ I hope he did not put his sign to it.

_Brian._ So do I, and I hope he persuaded all the rest of the red
warriors not to sign it.

_Hunter._ When they asked him in his turn to sign the contract, his
lip began to curl with contempt, and his eye to flash with fiery
indignation. "Yes!" said he, drawing a poniard from his bosom, with a
haughty frown on his brow. "Yes!" said he, advancing and dashing his
dagger while he spoke, not only through the contract, but also through
the table on which it lay; "there is my mark!"

_Austin._ Well done, brave Oseola!

_Brian._ That is just the way that he ought to have acted.

_Basil._ He was a very bold fellow. But what did the generals say to
him?

_Hunter._ His enemies, the whites, (for they were enemies,) directly
seized him, and bound him to a tree. This was done in a cruel manner,
for the cords cut deep into his flesh. After this, he was manacled and
kept as a prisoner in solitary confinement. When it was thought that
his spirit was suffic