Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1846-04-02
MISCELLANEOUS.
From the Michigan Wing.
LEGENDS OF LENAWEE.

The Tragedy Of Deril'SLake-a Far
Traders Tale Of the last century.
Ii has often been remarked by those
who have had the best opportunities OF
becoming acquaints ed with Indian char
acter, that in domestic virtues, espeei-
ally that Of chastity, those rude chill
dren of nature far exceed their more
civilized brethren of the human family,
who look upon them with contempt.
The following incident, related by a
person that had long resided among
the indians Of Southern Michigan. will
in some degree establish my remarks,
and disclose melancholy instance OF
savage yindictiveness.
Maouna, the orphan daughter of a
Pouawattalny chief, was not favored by
heaven with parents care. While
she was vet an infant, the small pox,
that destroying angel Of the Indians,
deprived her of both her parents, and
thecare of her early years devolved u
pom AlooEa, the aged widow of her ia
theirs brother. Maouna was from her
earliest years OF childhood Of fascina-
ting manners. While too young to
take any share III the tolls of savage
life, her little elf.like form might be
seen sporting on the rude lawn in front
of the wigwams of her tribe. Her
dark black hair fell gracefully on her
tapering shoulders, her eye had pecu-
liar brightness and conpIacency Of ex-
preston, which at once told that they
beamed forth from heart overAowing
with all the gentler virtues of humani-
ty, and her graceful form was borne a.
long in her childish sports with a de-
gree of lightness and buoyancy that
. seemed, as it were, to glide over the
surface with orly gentle touch. Of
ten would her delighted foster. mother
gaze on her with ecstacy, and as she
observed the graceful ease and lovely
footsteps Of her little ward, exclaim, -
"Thou precious scion Of the blighted
tree-how dear thou art to me in the
lone and dleary winter Of my life.'-
Aloofa was blessed in the gift of a
creature so beautiful, so gentle, so kind
and afectionate. When in the eve
ming twilight she led her by the hand
along the margin of the crystal lake
on the shore Of which their wigwanl
was placed, and pointed GU, to her The
inverted shadows Of the lofty oaks OF
the opposite shore, as they presented
themselves in the still smooth mirror o
the gentle bosom of the waters, shs
would say to her, "Thy mothers fac,
beams thus into my soul when lool
at thy features--thou art shadow O
foliage now clothed with the brigh
yerdure Of the spirit land. May tn,
great spirit give thee TO me as the sta,
and support Of my. blanched hairs il
the frost of life s chill evening"
NY trading visit having been com
.pleted, Ileft the encampment, and af
~ short land traverse, reached tn
ters Of the Maumee,by which l ono
more returned to the scenes of civil
ICED life; the busy hustle, the pc is
and reservedness Of man in that stat
ofsociety which is commonly digni
fed with the highest rank in huma
existence. How much our views, an
our selfishness, disqualify it for the dis
tinction it has obtained, ! will leav
for others to determine. Strange in
deed it must appear TO any candi
mind, that tits right TO call that stat
ofsthc human society the best, who's
gyicts have destroyed so many thou
sands of our Indian brethren, who's
mades Of life had not prepared thel
to guard against thei, ravages, or I
weigh TIE consequences of unrestrain
ed indulgence. sesFl af.i
sdi Twelve ears elapsed before I re