WHO ARE THE SAVAGES?

Elaine's daughter and son-in-law presented me with a book that they thought I might like.

Covered With Night by Nicole Eustace is a true story about a murder that took place in 1722, and as a "history buff" it is of great interest to me.

The book is quite long and has many hundreds of footnotes and references to historical records.  (This author must have spent a lot of time searching archived Government documents and news sheets from the dates involved.)

Before I give my views on the book, let me tell you that it is slow going as you try to keep the Indian names sorted out. Names of people, tribes and conditions, such as:

Ataqua

Sawantaeny

Weenepeeweytah

Haudenosaunee

Algonquian

Tagetolessa

Satcheehoe

Taquatarensaly

The title refers to what some native tribes call death - "Covered with night."

The story, "in a nutshell."

Two drunken colonial fur traders assaulted a Seneca Indian and left him for dead. Caught and jailed in Pennsylvania, disposition of the murderers involved colonists, the Governor of the Colony and the representatives of over one dozen different  Indian tribes.  

The disposition of these prisoners was in contention.  The Governor wanted them to suffer immediate hanging, which was mandated by British law.  The Indians wanted a different disposition.

Indian representatives pushed for immediate release, apologies by the guilty parties, restitution and acceptance back into society without bad feelings. They felt that a death sentence would serve no purpose.

Members of the British Parliament liked to refer to the Indians of the "New World" as "savages."

But, who really were the "savages" 

Oh, if you want to find out the disposition of this case, join me in finishing this interesting book.

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