His hearers were amid the heavings of the
earthquake,--the blackness of the storms,--the wild and irresistible sweep
of the tornado. The heavens, the earth, the elements, seemed to be
careering under the rapid and startling flights of his fancy.
He next adverted with much feeling, and with evident sadness, to the
transactions of the past year, by which they had become dispossessed of
the largest part of their ancient inheritance: and then he drew, with a
prophetic hand, a picture of their probable future, that brought sorrow to
their hearts, and tears to their eyes.--He closed his harangue by
pronouncing a most withering phillipic against the whites.--The effect of
his speech was wonderful.--Mr. Parrish declared that it exceeded, in its
brilliancy and force, all his former utterances, of which he had any
knowledge; and he never heard from him afterward, anything that could
compare with it. His auditors were mainly those of his own people. His
flow of thought was not interrupted by the slow, and embarrassing process
of interpretation. The full grief of his heart, in view of the
transactions of the previous year, was poured forth, and came like the
irresistible sweep of a whirlwind. [Footnote: Conversation of the author
with Samuel J. Mills, Esq., formerly of Mt. Morris, N. Y., later of
Nevada, Iowa. Mr. Mills heard Mr. Parrish give this description of Red
Jacket and of his speech, while sitting at one time on the porch of one of
the hotels at Avon Springs.
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