Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1846-04-02

turned to the Indian encampment OF
Aloofa anI her kinsmen: on a calm
summer evening just as the sun was
( approaching the apparent earthly goal
of his diurnal career, ! came in sight
ofthe wigwams. They were at dis
tance of about mile, on a rising
/ ground, on the verge of those beautiful
oak openings near the head of the
Lake Manetaw, or as tits called in the
coarscr language Of modern nomencla-
ture, Devils Lake. Between them
and me lay place Of marshy ground,
waving beneath the gentle evening
gale in all the richness of a western
prairie. Often had | wandered 10 my
present position in former years, and
rested myself on a fallen tree, to enjoy
the calmness Of evening stiffness, in
the perusal Of pocket volume or
newspaper sent from some distant
friend, to soothe the solitude of saw
age life by informing me Of the SAY
ings and ioirgs' Of civilized man, and
when have raised my eye from the
lettered page and marked the activity
of the children at their sports on the
lawn, and the gravity of the older IN
habitants of the village, seated on the
ground in front of their wigwams, the
deepening hues of the reflected yerdure
| on the CLASSY surface of the lake, the
frightening shadows of the tall oaks
tina, stand on its margin, and listened
to the cheerful whip poor will, sending
forth his delightful notes from spot
in the adjoining forest, so secluded as
but i'll to accord with his enchanting
song, have broken out in .raptures at
the scene before NE, and exclaimed,
-"Tiow great had been my bliss,
Had heaven but assigned me si M
To live and die in scenes like this,
/ With one I'ye left behind me-"
| stood few moments to enjoy the
scene before me, and then hurried on
ward. / could not perceive the usual
hustle of summer evenings pas.imes
a, the wigwams. All was still, and
solemn. approached, but no spright-
ly voice pronounced the inhabitants to
be in their usua! happy and contented
state. | was soon before the humble
home of Aloofa and the lovely Maouna.
| entered hastily and found the aged
matron seated on the floor, her face
bent to the earth, her snow-white hair
hanging dissheyelled and scanty over
her shoulders, and her hands clasped
in convulsive frnness. l read the
deep affection of her soul at the first
glance, and seated myself beside her.
But all attempts to bring her into con-
ye,sation were vain. Her only reply
to my inquiries was, ",he lightning
has riven the fairest tree" The in
habitants soon gathered around to bid
me welcome, and from them | learned
the melancholy tale Of Maouna's fate.
An aged chief narrated the particulars
in the following language:
Sour delight is gone-the fair flow
er-tree of the Prairie is b!ighted-she
has fled to the land of spirlts--slx
moons have shown on our homes, since
Maria the proud young chief Of the
Chippewa came here-he brought the
Calument in his hand; but the tooth OF
the rattiesnake was in his mouth: lie
saw Maouna-he told her Of his love
-ofthe proud pines ofnorthern woods
! and of his kinsmen and his warriors
1-shc delighted him-her heart bonn-
ded to his bosom as the painting fawn
to the cooling waters--but he was de-
ceitful--and rihed the charms of her
rose bud. When Maouna hoped to
become his bride, he fed, and came
not here until yesterday-the guilty
|t.emble--he came moi alone--the war
riors Of his tribe were by his side-Ma-
ouna, now poor despoiled daughter
of affection, gave him the look of grief
pierced by the arrows OF love; ne heed
ed her not-then was her sorrow big
as the swelling stream of the Mama,
and she exclaimed, the rose is torn by
the despoiler, it withers and dies,
but its prickle shall pierce the heart
; Maouna Shall not be the mother of Mar
fa's chiId-spirit of my father give thy
daughter courage to avenge her despoi-
ler-then let her flee to thy arms-she
fled like the deer ofthe forest; but re-
turned calm as the evening. for bel
hand was now prepared; she approached
the hut ofAloofa and em braced her
the tears bound over her cheeks as the
rain drops on the leaves-then she
rushed into the midst Of the eChlppew wa
warriors-her dagger drank the hearts
blood Of her seducer-she fed 10 hei
: canoe and bound over the lake, but the
Chippewas pursued, and escape be-
came hopeless-shen she raised hsrse'