The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1854-05-06
The Origin OF the Ni,sis.ippi.
Az INDIAN LEGEND.

! Az INnIAN LEGEND
Those Of our rcaG,rs who have travelled
up the Miss sSippi, must have noticed tea-
/ turc pr, syntci IL The scenery above the
mouth ofthc Ohio Here the dun monotony
caused by long d,nse for, It Of cotton wood
/ and low muddy banks, is relieved by open
/ groves and lofty rock cliffs The bluffs are
not continuous but present series Of hills
or cliffs with intervening ravine along hich
! little riyulrts flow pouring their limpid wa
/ ters into the muddy stream.
| The river here docs not, as we might cx-
| pcct, follow the course of those hOOws and
ravincs but runs at night angles with them
crossing in the same manner the bold and el.
cvatrd hils-iorming in is passage through
! them oay and Ovcrhanging clits. The APP
( pearancc, 50 different from what might be
expected, ifthe river had gradually worn It's
| bed through the rocks, seem to give crcdcnce
to the Indian legend, which is as follows:
| Far back in the vista Of time before the
white man iutrudcd upon the hunting
grounds Of the Indian, the country above the
/ Ohio, was undivided, except by small
( streams, and occupied by two powerful and
! friendly tribes The chief Of each tribe had
son, alike the pride Of tie parents and Of
the tribes. These young ohi,fs had grown
up as friends; and had often met with their
warriors upon Tho borders Of the hunting
grounds to smoke together the pipe ofp-acr,
4 and miuglc together in the wild dance Of the
( savage.
/ They were both noted warriors and each
/ had already d,cicd his brow with the scalps
| OF many a foe But though in this respect
alike, in many others they differed. Yatoba
/ was Of hugh and rough mould with course
/ and brutal cast features. His nature, two,
I was yiudiCtivc and rCvcngctul and his man
nor was rough and savage.
Ilavakiath, upon the contrary, was indeed
prime" Of the forest viii! tai erect figure
. beautifully moulded limbs, and easy and az lc
1 steps--whilc his face marked by the passions
! Of the savage revealed faithful aud g,n,I-
| Gus heart
| Bu, the friendship that hadtxist,l between
! them from childhood was soon to be severed
/ The influence of love was felt by the sons of
tue forest They looked around upon nature
n learned its lesson The wolf, saw they,
N this dark glen had his fellow; the PROUD
eagle in the pride Of his heart watched over
the acrir of hi, companion, and the cooing
dove with plaiutiyc melody mourncd the alb
sencc Of bis mate.
lhey read tlc iessoh ~ nature anu "ie,'
ooSoms burneu 'or "ir one !" siiofc WIN
iheh thehuits o' 'he chaoc, ana 'Ae hoh'is
@! war
There lived IN ono Of the tribes q brave
warrior, who had a daughter fair as the
morning star Her eyes were bright as the
.azc,l's-hcr voice a, sweet as the waIbling
Of the moyking bird. and her movement g.
right ~ thcmorhlns ~, ~.
l4pp1 soon aware ~ hls 3elvai, ana TOO
"lf! To tr' t'rr-zt0Im oi passion ar9Hs,l III
ua bp,'m tr tNhiJ'iyh ~ an! ita'ure ana
to- Vtuai i've to let II 90 unieV,hgeu nee
tHued hs professions o' iF'nastIp nut III MS
neaTt he secretly sJ.F.d, that II She c"n.d
not he L', sac sHolti not Dc ahothei -
Noon passed by, ana SIN tAty smoked Ia,
Wpe u pract--at,sl together pu'sucd thr
p.ntng deer, and I,d me lnHian maiden
/ through the gTote.4Ha hGGF' OF the dance.
AAMakiall and ycnoA were hal ~, nor
dreamed OF the dark revenge that lurNcd b.
n IN The la'se smie that p''!tu upon ms
VA, now ready log the nup,iAl nour. Upon
o,,,. ,f th,., Iy., hills at In. base or which
now flow. the dcrp .o!l-u tide If the Missis.
.i.,p. were collect. many Of the air anu
l,rsyo of both tribes to witness the nup'a
r,r,rrouv. The moon il c,ouGics. majesty,
,,.g-.d ,I.oa tD, lil and dale and tree ana
'n.y.r n,r-Hy.r uylt and the grass with
tl..,y.,..l.. DIV .ya.A.,I With a thousand
gems.
It was Wild and beautiful sccno. b.
meath a prou,! oak which had dghcd tn,
storm. Of a,,, stood V yona and her grey
/ nair, d sire. waiting tho approach Of iawa.