Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-10-14
and smiling in the sunbeams. before

of that mighty mass of waters. that leav-
ing the wilderness Of beauty where they
lived undisturbed and unknown, wound
their way through many desolate prai-
rie. and fercely laShed the time-worn
bluffs, whose sides were as walls to the
great city where lived and died the toiling
multitude. The lake was as some fair
and pure maiden in early youth,-So
beautiful, so full CT repoSc and truth. that
it was impossible to look and not to love.
But send her from the protecting walls of
home: let her wander, unwarncd and
unguardcd. through the unknown passes
of the great world: she will be as the
waters that the wearied ones gazed upon,
slowly but certainly losing their fresh
ness and beauty, as they pursued their
way, and, in time, wandering in strange
lands, and at last, lost-the one, in the
noisy and restless waves of the sea, the
! other, in the less mcrciful mazeS of
relentless world.
There was but one landing 10 the lake,
our travellers found 1t WAS on small
island that they called Schoolcraft's
Island. On a tall spruce tree they raised
the American flag.
Tn, re was enough in the novelty of the
scenery and of the event, to interest the
minds of the white men of the party
There was solemnity mingled with their
pleased emotions for who had made this
grand picture, stretching out in its beauty
and majesty before them? What were
they in comparison with the great and
good Being upon whose works they were
| gazing!
A different feeling agitated the minds
Of the red men, who stood silently, and
admired too. Their souls were inspired
with reverence for the myth which is con-
nectod with their religion. They thought
of their powerful gods, of the Great Spirit,
of the terrible giants, and of the souls of
their great warriors, who for ages had
wandered over the regions Of the dead.
Evening came on, casting her shadowy
mantle OH the beings, who far away from
the sympathies and assistance of the rest
of their race, were gazing mysteriouly on
! the crimson waters and on the eternal
hills. The glow was fading from the
lake, and the pines looked solemnly from
the hills, which were pressing against each
other in defined shadows.
Needing rest, the travellers still linger-
ed: and night, with slow and solemn
steps, was advancing, when the Chippewa
guide arose, and pointing to a hill that
was near them,- r-
Behold" he said: "yonder is the
burial mound of Manabozho's daughter
She sleeps forever, hearing not the storm,
and needing not the cries OF the night
| birds that hover around her."
"White man! Mana bozho is all pow
erful He can will and it is done. This
river will turn its course if he command
it. Yet sometimes his strength forSakeS
him, and he is like child before the
| gods of the red man."
Time was when the beautiful daugh-
ter of Manabozho sat in her lodge, and
Chebiabo, the keeper of the souls of
the dead, loved her. He loved her, and
was all-powerfnl. But the daughter of
Manabozho would not 60 with him, to be
| his bride for she feared him, and she
knew that if she consented to 60 to his
lodge, her face would become pale, her
blood would cease to flow, and her soul
would travel far away from the country
where were all she loved. So she said to
! Chebiabo, will not leav, the Spirit-god,
my father, to 60 with you to your lodge
" "There was time when the gods were
met together on the Carth,-the gods of
the sea. the tempeStS, the thunder, and of
the great lakes. The god of the ocean
would say to the distant sea, Gomez and
the waters rushed, tearing down rocks
and forest trees, and leaping like giants,
crashing and dashing towards him. Then
would the storms pass away, and the
gods, assembling in the pleasant, quiet
time, would light their pipes, and take
counsel together.
'Itasca, the daughter of Manabozho,
was sleeping in her lodge. Suddenly,
the storln-spirits assembled, the earth
rocked to and fro, large trees uprooted,
and Chebiabo, the terrible master cf the
land of the dead, stood before her.
"Chebiabo stood and eazed on the young
maiden. lie held lightning in his hands
| He gazcd long on the beautiful maiden;
fer he loved her. He wanted to bear her
away to the gloomy regions of the dead.
There was his lodge, and there should
she sit by his side.
Manabozho saw him from afar, as he
stood by his daughters lodge. He has
tened to save her from her powerful lover,
but he was too late. Chcbiabo held the
forked lightning in his hands; and he
hurled it. in his wrath, over the hills and
the prairies The great sea burst from
It's ancient sides. the waters rushing to
and fro. The thunder roared over the
tottering earth; and so mighty and fear
full WAS the storm, that the lodge of the
spirit-God was crushed, and the daughter
OF Manabozho was buried under the hills
Of sand.