Birch bark legends of Niagara, founded on traditions among the Iroquois; (1884) (14782775292)

Identifier: birchbarklegends00owah (find matches)
Title: Birch bark legends of Niagara, founded on traditions among the Iroquois;
Year: 1884 (1880s)
Authors: Owahyah
Subjects: Iroquois Indians Wolves Legends Indians of North America
Publisher: (St. Catharines, Ont. : Journal Print. Co.)
Contributing Library: Fisher - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Toronto



Text Appearing Before Image:
wisest Sachems, and runners had been sentwith wampum to call together distant Chiefs, who,with braves and warriors, as became the dignity of thewampum, answered by their presence quickly and insilence. Near the brink of the Falls, beneath an aged pine,reclined a well-guarded, sorrowful, but haughty band.Their fine symmetry, noble height, and free carriage,were especially attractive. They were all young war-riors, whose white paint presented emblems of peace ;their plumes were from the beautiful white crane of thesunny forest, which designated the southern land fromwhence they came. A gleam of pride flashed across their dark faces,while their attitudes bespoke both defiance and de-spair. A tall, stately looking youth appeared to com-mand from these few the deference due a Chief. Hewas leaning against the old tree, looking for the firsttime on the great sheet of falling waters, where soonhimself and followers would probably end their tor-tures by a welcome leap. Their noble bearing had
Text Appearing After Image:
! BIRCH BAKK LEGENDS OF ISIAGAKA. 0 j ^ ^ ^ ^ I attracted the eye of the Sachems daughter, the Gentle !Fawn , she, with a few young Indian girls, half hid !among the whortleberry bushes growing luxuriantly jaround the smaller wigwams of the camp, were divid- ;ing their attention between the stately captives and ;weaving the gaudy w^ampums to be bestowed, with theshy little weavers themselves, upon such young bravesas should be deemed worthy by the great council.Their stolen glances of admiration and pity, however,were intercepted by the young brave who broughthome and so suspiciously guarded the prisoners. Hewas a fierce, wicked savage, with repulsive, glisteningeyes, evincing a cunning, revengeful disposition. At the side of this savage hung a string of freshscalps, and a gleam of exultation shot across hisswarthy visage as he Dointed to the gory trophies athis belt, saying: The Black Snake s scalps are fresh from his en-emies, the fingers of the Gentle Fawn cannot numberthem. The Fabirchbarklegends00owah