of the north, but also the states of the south, are united in the declaration of the old ordinance of 1787, and now are willing to say that the confederacy of the United States of America shall last forever.

THE WYANDOT CHIEF, LEATHER LIPS.

HIS TRIAL AND EXECUTION.

BY WM. L. CURRY.

Away back in the thirties of the 19th century, a literary magazine of high order called "The Hesperian of the West" was published in Columbus, Ohio. In fact, it is the only literary periodical that ever was published in the Capital City of Ohio.

In the publication of this magazine, William D. Gallagher and Otway Curry, both men of high literary attainments were associated together as editors. Poems from the pens of both of these writers have been published largely throughout the west, with the writings of Geo. D. Prentice, Phoebe and Alice Cary, Piatt, Mrs. Sigourney and other distinguished authors, in a book published somewhere in the fifties under the caption "Poets and Poetry of the West." I have in my MONUMENT TO LEATHER LIPS. Possession, two volumes of the "The Hesperian" in which are published several articles which are of historical interest to the citizens of Columbus and Franklin County. Almost within sight of the capitol building on the west bank of the Scioto River, ten miles north of Columbus, where the "Wyandot Club" has erected a monument to mark the spot where the noted Indian Chief, Leather Lips* was executed was enacted a thrilling tragedy in the summer of 1810.

While some of the pioneers residing along the Scioto can relate incidents connected with the execution of this Indian Chief, handed down by their ancestors, the Sells' Davis' Currys' and others, still these stories are largely traditional.

*His Indian name was Shateyaronyah.

When a young boy, I remember distinctly hearing my father and my Uncle Captain James Curry who served in the war of 1812 with Asa Davis and who was also an intimate friend of Captain Samuel Davis a famous Indian fighter with Simon Kenton and Lewis Whetzel, relate in every detail the story of Leather Lips, as told to them by these old pioneers. In a volume of the Hesperian, published in 1838, is an article written by Otway Curry which gives the full particulars of the execution as related to the writer by Mr. Benjamin Sells and other witnesses to the execution who were living at the time the article was written and so far as can be ascertained, it is the only authentic history ever published. The article written by Mr. Curry is prefaced by a brief history of the Wyandot tribe to which Leather Lips belonged, as follows:

THE DOOMED WYANDOT.

The great northern family of Indian tribes which seem to have been originally embraced in the generic term Iroquois, consisted, according to some writers, of two grand divisions, the eastern and the western. In the eastern division were included the five nations or Maquas, (Mingos) as they were commonly called by the Algonkin tribes and in the western the Yendots or Wyandots, (nick-named Hurons by the French) and three or four other nations, of whom a large proportion are now entirely extinct. The Yendots, after a long and deadly warfare, were nearly exterminated by the Five Nations, about the middle of the seventeenth century. Of the survivors, part sought refuge in Canada, where their descendents still remain; a few were incorporated among the different tribes of the conquerors, and the remainder, consisting chiefly of the Tionontates retired to Lake Superior. In consequence of the disastrious wars in which they afterwards became involved with other powerful nations of the northwestern region, they again repaired to the vicinity of their old hunting grounds. With this remnant of the original Huron or Wyandot nation, were united some scattered fragments of other broken-up tribes of the same stock, and though comparatively few in number they continued for a long period, to assert successfully the right of sovereignty over the whole extent of country between the Ohio River and the Lakes, as far west as

the territory of the Piankishaws or Miamies, whose eastern boundary was probably an irregular line, drawn through the valley of the Great Miami, (Shimeamee) and the Ottawah-se-pee or Maumee, river of Lake Erie. The Shawanese and the Delawares, it is believed, were occupants of a part of the fore-mentioned country, merely by sufferance of the Wyandots, whose right of dominion seemed never to have been called in question, excepting by the Mingoes or Five Nations. The Shawanese were originally powerful and always war-like. Kentucky received its name from them, in the course of their migrations between their former place of residence on the Suwanee river, adjacent to the southern sea-coast, and the territory of the Yendots in the North. The name (Kantuckee) is compounded from the Shawanese, and signifies a "land or place at the head of a river."

The chosen residence of the Wyandots, was at an early period, as it is now, on the waters of the Saun-dus-tee or Sandusky. Though greatly reduced in numbers, they have, perhaps, attained a higher degree of civilization, than any other tribe in the vicinity of the north-western Lakes. For the following specimen of the Wyandot language and for the greater part of the statements given above, we were indebted to the Archæologia Americana.

One, Scat.
Two, Tin-dee.
Three, Shaight.
Four, An-daght.
Five, Wee-ish.
Six Wau-shau.
Seven, Soo-tare.
Eight, Aultarai.
Nine, Ain-tru.

Ten, Augh-sagh.

Twenty, Ten-deit-a-waugh-sa.
Thirty, Shaigh-ka-waugh-sa.
Forty, An-daugh-ka-waugh-sa.
Fifty, Wee-ish-a-waugh-sa.
Sixty, Wau-shau-waugh-sa.

Seventy, Soo-tare-waugh-sa.

Eighty, Au-tarai-waugh-sa.

Ninetv, Ain-tru-waugh-sa.

One Hundred, Scute-main-gar-we.

It rains, Ina-un-du-se.

Thunder, Heno.

Lightning, Tim-men-di-quas...
Earth, Umaitsagh.

Deer, Ough-scan-oto.

Bear, Anu-e.

Raccoon, Ha-in-te-roh.

Fox, The-na-in-ton-to.
Beaver, Soo-taie.
Mink, So-hoh-main-dia.
Turkey, Daigh-ton-tah.
Squirrel, Ogh-ta-eh.
Otter, Ta-wen-deh.
Dog, Yun-ye-noh.
Cow, Kni-ton-squa,ront.
Horse, Ugh-shut te.

Goose. Yah-hounk.

Duck, Yu-in-geh.

Man, Ain-ga-hon.

God, Ta-main-de-zue.
Devil, Degh-shu-re-noh.
Heaven, Ya-roh-nia.
Good, Ye-waugh-ste.
Bad, Waugh-she.

Hell, Degh-shunt.

Sun, Ya-an-des-hra.

Moon, Waugh, sunt-yu-an-des-ra.

Stars, Tegh-shu.

Sky, Cagh-ro-niate.

Clouds, Oght-se-rah.

Wind, Izu,quas.

Woman, Uteh-ke.

Girl, Ya-weet-sen-tho.

Boy, Oma-int-sent-e-hah.
Child, Che-ah-hah.

Old Man, Ha-o-tong.

Old Woman, Ut-sin-dag-sa.
My wife, Uzut-tun-oh-oh.
Corn, Nay-hah.

Beans, Yah-re-sah.

Potatoes, Da-ween-dah.

Melons, Oh-nugh-sa.

Grass, E-ru-ta.

The foregoing sketch of the history and language of the Wyandots, though certainly not strictly necessary, will, it is hoped, be deemed not altogether inappropriate as an introduction to the following narrative of the circumstances attending the death of a chief of that nation. The particulars have been recently communicated by persons who were eye-witnesses to the execution, and may be relied upon as perfectly accurate.

In the evening of the first day of June in the year 1810, there came six Wyandot warriors to the house of Mr. Benjamin Sells on the Scioto River, about twelve miles above the spot where now stands the City of Columbus. They were equipped in the most war-like manner and exhibited during their stay, an unusual degree of agitation. Having ascertained that an old Wyandot Chief, for whom they had been making diligent inquiry was then encamped at a distance of about two miles farther up on the bank of the river, they expressed a determination to put him to death and immediately went off, in the direction of the lodge.

These facts were communicated early in the ensuing morning, to Mr. John Sells, who now resides in the City of Dublin on the Scioto about two miles from the place where the doomed Wyandot met his fate. Mr. Sells immediately proceeded up the river on horse-back in quest of the Indians. He soon arrived at the lodge which he found situated in a grove of sugar trees, close to the bend of the river. The six warriors were seated, in consultation at a distance of a few rods from the lodge. The old chief was with them, evidently in the character of a prisoner. 3 Vol. XII.