The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1822-03-13
POETRY.
IFrOm the New-YOrk Statesman
ONTWA

tA44tNA wealth, jul GoSc VIII
along with them the Iehnements of taste and
fancy, It may occasion some surprise to hear
Of new Poem, written in the desert and
Kinder the hnisof the savases," on the shores
of Huron and Michigan. Yet such is the
srigin of " ONrwA, THE SoS OF EAE FoR-
EsT'-a Poem recently published by Messrs.
Wiley & Halsteads of this city. We are per-
nitted only to say, that its author is an officer
OF the American army. who Is fond OF solten-
ing the rigohrs Of the camp by the cultivation
Of elegant letters, and who appears, to be am
bilious of uniting he bay OF the scholar with
the laurel of the soldier,
OF the illustrations Of the Poem, which are
copious aud written with a degree OF chasle-
ness and elegance that we have seldom seen
tequalled, General Cas-, Goyernour of Mich
igan Territory, IS the avowed author. This
gentleman, residing in comparatively new
and uncultivated section OF the country,
WHICH has a. yet but sparce population, and
& enjoys few Of the literary advantages OF the
more favoured portions oil the. United States,
has carried with him genius, science, philos-
Ophy, and taste and to his exertions we are
indebted for much Of our knowledge of those
extensive regions, which border on the great
western Lakes liz has drawn around him
= eircle OF scientitck &:ld literary gentlemen,
who have traversed the wilderness, and en-
dured the greatest priyations, in prosecuting
their tayourite pursuits.
But to return to the Poem. The stoEy of
Ontwa is at once simple, natural, and inter-
esting. 1t is founded on a historical fact re-
: corded Ia vague terms by sons of the early
historians OF his couatTy-that about the mid
die of the 18th century, the tribe of indiana
called the Eries, inhabiting the country
around Lake Erie, were subdued and exter-
minated by the lTo1uois, another tribe from the
borders oil Lake Champlain. This account
was sufficiently auihenticlS to render the Incl
dents Of the Poem probable, and sufficiently
indefinite and obscure to leave scope Tor the
invention and imagination of the poet The
outlines Of the story, as embellshed by our au-
thor, are these :--One Of those holy and phi
lanthropick men, who, soon after this county
was discovered, came to our shores, for the
purpose Notwithstanding the aborigines, pass
es up the chain of lakes, on the northern
frontier Of the Cnited States-enters Puan or
Green Bay-and thence by the assistance of
an Indian guide, aud aEailing himself Of Fox
and Ouisconsln rivers, crosses over TO the
Mississippi, and arrives at the falls Of st. An
thony. They find ULtwa sitting motionless
on rock, gazing upon the cataract. who.
after being acccs,ed by the guide in a friendly
lates his own pathetick tale, which IS en-
phatically one OF . love and murdera'
Ontwa, the last OF his race. was the
son Of kaskaskia, chief of the Erie tribe. who
resided on the northern shore Of the Lake of
that name. His father, warned by dreams
ana omens Of the approach Of TIE enemy
from the east, and OF impending ruin,- des-
patched Ontwa, as messenger to bid def
aisce to the Toe. He meets Saranack, chief
OF the lroqnois, with an immense army, on,
the. south shore of hake Ontario-teforc
reaching the camp of the chief, finds Oney6a.
daughter OF SaIanack, asleep, in a paradise
o, woods-falis in love with hers discover
ed near hers wounded and dragged before
the chief as a spy--is released ami returns TO
his own tribe. kaskaskia rallies his forces and
marches to Niagara, where he meets the lro-
guois, and destructive battle is,fought. in
watch the Eries are cxterminated, with the
exception o. Gntwa, who is taken captive
and dc stined as a sacrifice. OIleyda annIinis-
tiers the Intoxicating draugh to the warriors
Of her tribe, bursts the chains of Ontwa. and
escapes with him, but is overtaken by an. en-
ragged chief to whom she was espoused, and
Is murdered IA the presence OF her lover, who
being left an outeast in the werld, had wan
dercd to the place where lie was met by the
missionary duu Sulu6.
The story is web tDld, and the incidents are
natural and interesting. There is nothing ex-
trayagant OK 0utTe either in the plan or execu-
tioR. The sentiments are often remarkably
delicate, but have none OF that artificial re-
fne.nent and polish, which would lie incon-
slstcnt with the feelings and manners OF the
simple and unsophIsticated children of the
forest. b. throwing the narration into the
month Of Ontwa, the author limited the range
Z, of thought, excluded his own reflections. aud
prevented any aliusion to those interesting
events. which have occased on the great west
ern Lakes and their 1orJers, subsequently,
to the period at which the battle between tina
Eries and lroquois is supposed to have taken
place. In point Of style, the Poem is not re-
inarkably eIes ased !; but may, perhaps, be
considered sufficiently so for the subject, and
for that species of Y-rsifcatioD, which was
selected by the author. His language is al
ways pcrslicaous, and generally easy. There
are some lad rhymes, and some inaccuracies
in. diction bat as our remarks have already
been protIacted beyond what was intended,
we shall Conclude with giving few specimens
-ef the work.
The first view of Ontwa, seated upon a.
rock, and musing on the cataract Of St. An
thcny, is thus described -
AWHILE thus we paus'd, bent DER a rock.
~ hose tTenours own'd the gen'ral shock.
The wand'rng vision chancad to meet
Fix'd like a sta.ue on its seat
OF jutting fragment, whittier flew
The torrent spray in silvery dew
An Indian form. No motion told
That twas not Undertaking. mould,