The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1834-11-19
how can his young sleep in it? 2" The Indian boy,
ali lnconscions Of the forbodeings which stirred bis

face with mingled expression OF iOVe ana iehT'
| The heart of the generous savage was full, even
to bursting. His hand trembled he placed it on
the sleek, black hair of his only " The great
spii bless thee the Great Spirit bless thee and give
1.-The back the hunting ground Of the Mohawk !" he
exclaimed. Then folding him, for an instant in an
almost crushing embrace, he gave him to his mother,
and darcd from the wigwam.
Two hours he remained in the open air, but the
clear breath of heaven brought 10 relief his noble
and suffering soul. Wherever he looked abroad,
the rayages of the civilized destroyer met his eye.
Where were the trees under which he had frocked
in infancy, sported in boyhood, and rested after the
faGgues Of battle They formed the English boat,
or lined the English dwelling. Where were the
holy sacrifice heaps of his people The stones
taken fence in the land, which the intruder dared
to call his Where was his fathers grave! The
strangers road passed over it, and his cattle trampled
on the ground where the mighty Mohawk slumbcred
Where was his once powerful tribe ! Alas in the
white mans wars they had joiued with the British
in the vain hope Of recovering their lost privileges
Hundreds had gone to cirlasthOme others had oin
cd distant tribes, and some pltliul wrcches, whom
he scorned to call brothers, consented to live on the
white mans bounty These were conoding rcfec-
tons and well might fierce thoughts of vengeance
pass through the mind of the deserted prince; but
he was poweress now, and the English svarmcd,
like vultures around the diving. II is the work of
the Great Spirit said he. The Engshmans God
make the Indians heart afraid, and now he is like
a wounded buffalo, when hungry wolves his
trail
When Powontonamo returned to his hut, his
countcnancc, though severe was composed. He
spoke to the Sunny-eye with more kindness than
the savage generally addresses the wife of his youth,
but his look told her that she ask the grief
which had put Il womans heart within the breast of
the far famed Mohawk Eagle.
The next daV when tLe yOuuO CllIcliaIu went
on hunting expedition, he accosted by rough,
squarc-built farmer. Powow,' said he, your squaw
has been stripping dozen of my trees, and
don't like it over much Ii was moment when
the Indian could i'll brook the white mans insolence.
Listen, Builalo-headn y shouedhc; and as he spoke
he seized the shaggy pate of the unconscious often
der, and eyed him with the concentrated venom of
an ambushed rauesnakc. Listen to the chief ofthc
ATohawks These broad lands are all his own.
When the white man first left his cursed Footprint
in the forest, the Great Bear looked down upon the
big tribes OF IroquOis and Abnaqus. The wigwams
of the noble Dclawarcs thick, where the soft winds
dwell The rising glanced OF the fierce Pcquods,
and the Illinois, the Miamies, and warIikc tribes
like the hairs of your head, marked his going down.
Had the red man struck yc then, your tribe would
have been as dry grass to the lightning! Go-shall
the Sunny-eye Of Oneida ask the pale face for bas
<etP He breathed out n quick, convulsivc laugh,
and his white teeth showed through his parted lips,
as he shook the farmer from hm,,wlth the strength
and fury of a raging panther
After that, his path unmolested, for no one
dared to awaken his wrath but II smile never again
visited the dark councnance Of the degraded chief
The wild beasts had fed so far from the Settlements
tlat lac would hunt days without success. Soonsee-
ah sometimes begged him to join the remnant of
the Onedas, and persuade them to go far off, tow
ards the setting sun PowOntonamo replied, This
is the burial place of my fathers, and the Sunny
dared say no more.
At last, their boy sickcned and died, of fever he
had taken among the English. They buried him
beneath spreading oak on the banks OF the Mo-
hawk, and heaped stones upon his grave without a
tear He must lie near the water said the desoae
chief, else The white naus horses will tread on him..
The young mother did not weep, but her heart
had received its death wound. The fever seized
her, and she grew paler and weaker every day. One
morning, Powontonamo returned with deli
;alc food he had been seeking for her. VIII Soon
scetah catr said he. lie spoke in tone of sudden
cndcrness, but She answered not The foot which
was wont to bound forward 10 meet him, lay mo-
lionlcss and cold.
He raised the blanket which partly concealed her
face, and that the sunnyeye closed in death.
One hand was pressed against her heart as if her
last moments had been painful. The Other grasped
the heads which the young Eagle had given her in
the happy days of Courtship. One heart-rendmg
shrek was wrung from the bosom of the agonised
savage lie tossed his arms wildly above his head
and threw himself beside the body of her he had
10, cd 50 iondiy, deeply and paSsonatcly, as ever
white man loved After the first burst of grief had
subsidized he carefully united the necklace from her
full beautiful bosom, crossed her hands over the sa-
cred relic, and put back the shining hair from her
smooth forehead. For hours he watched the corpse
in silence; then he and carried it from the wig
wan. lie dug grave by the side of his lost boy ::
laid the head of Soonsectah toward the rising sun
heaped the earth upon it, and covered with stones,
according to the custom of his people.
Night was closing in, and still the bcrcavcd Mo-
hawk stood at the grave of Sunny-eyc, as motion-
less as its cold inmate. A white man, as he passed
paused, and looked in pity on him. Are you sick 2
asked he. Yes, me sick. Me very sick here an
swered Powononamo, laying his hand upon his