Democratic Underground Latest Greatest Lobby Journals Search Options Help Login
Google

"Hunting Polecats" A new twist on the paintball game

Printer-friendly format Printer-friendly format
Printer-friendly format Email this thread to a friend
Printer-friendly format Bookmark this thread
This topic is archived.
Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (Through 2005) Donate to DU
 
Generic Other Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-17-03 10:30 AM
Original message
"Hunting Polecats" A new twist on the paintball game
I was reading DeWitt Peters' Kit Carson’s Life and Adventures the other day and found an interesting passage. Wouldn't it be great if our own politicians could be tested by their gods in such fashion? Let those that prove themselves worthy of trust be invested with power. Whaddya think?

“One of their ancient customs, well authenticated, was to honor the virtuous women of their tribe with sacred titles, investing them, in their blind belief, with power to call down the favor of the Great Spirit. But every woman who aspired to this honor was required upon a certain day in the year, to run the gauntlet of braves. This was sometimes a terrible scene. All the warriors of the tribe, arrayed in their fiercest war costume and armed at every point with lance, bow and arrow, knife, tomahawk, etc., were drawn up under the command of the principal chief, in single line. At the head of this line was placed a kind of chaplet, or crown, the possession of which for any woman was supposed to confer the power of necromancy or magic, rendering her able to heal diseases and foretell events. The line having been formed, all of the young maidens of the tribe were drawn up in a body at the further extremity, and any of them who aspired to the possession of the chaplet, was at liberty, having first uncovered her back and breast as far as her waist, to march before the line of warriors, within ten paces of their front, and, if she lived to reach it, take possession of the crown. On the other hand, it was the duty of any warrior, who knew of aught by word or deed against the virtue of the advancing maiden, to kill her upon the spot. If one arrow was shot at her, the whole band instantly poured a flight of arrows into her bare and defenceless bosom until life was extinct. Again, it was the belief of the untutored savage that whatever warrior failed to make his knowledge apparent, if he possessed any, by sending his arrow to the aspirant, would always be an object of revenge by the Great Spirit, both here and hereafter; and, that he would always live in the hereafter, in the sight of the Happy Hunting Grounds, but never be allowed to enter them. This latter belief made it a rare thing for young girls to brave the attempt; but, sometimes, the candidates were numerous, and the horrible butchery of the young girls which took place formed a terrible expose' of their lewdness” (Peters 177-78).



Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
Generic Other Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-17-03 10:39 AM
Response to Original message
1. I want to see Rummy test his virtue!
Let the 3rd Infantry Division form the gauntlet.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
DU AdBot (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view 
this author's profile Click to add 
this author to your buddy list Click to add 
this author to your Ignore list Wed May 08th 2024, 05:36 PM
Response to Original message
Advertisements [?]
 Top

Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (Through 2005) Donate to DU

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators


Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.

Home  |  Discussion Forums  |  Journals |  Store  |  Donate

About DU  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy

Got a message for Democratic Underground? Click here to send us a message.

© 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, LLC