Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-06-17

the skill of manufacture, and the cunning of a
most successful warfare beings fashioned after
His own image, roaming wild and free as the
beasts, yet possessing instincts fit for stratagem
or gods. And yet, with them, at least, was g-
norance bliss for with knowledge came dissen-
slons, intemperance, strife, and, we fear, their
annihilation. Had no enemy of blissful disre-
gard came among them, they @uld still have
possessed these shores, and the woods would
have still rang with the war-whoop. This was
their land, their rightful possessions, and when
they exchanged it for home far beyond the
setting sun, where In beautiful hunting grounds
they meet their kindred ,rnay thel4 be one cter-
nal chase of happiness.
Cunning, deceit and stratagem were parts of
their nature but brother never betrayed broth
er, nor friend murdered friend. They possessed
lasting regard for kindness and an affection as
true, and enjoyed "A degree of happiness akin to
what they expected in life to come. War was
as natural relation between nations as was
peace between the different tribes of nation.
Their religion was all supreme, and was revered
with an earnest conscientousness. They lived
amid hardships and died amid terrors, with
fortitude almost bordering on stolid indifference,
in the expectation of better times, or of meeting
their kindred and friends in the fair hunting
grounds of the great home land Prejudice
ranking in the bosom of fear has done them
t.. I II....
homes was defence of conscientious right, love
and protection of those homes and their in
mates and however cruel or novel their modes
Of warfare, it is wrong to believe that any ma
tion would not have done as much and if posi-
bic more; and we know that what is termed
as cruel, savage and barbarous, was but the best
| and natural fruits of their understanding, and
$ the rccult of long experience and practice in q
} defence and warfare made difficult from the OBJ
stacles of forest life, and ignorance and want of
: means Standing behind the curtained forest,
S where the ambush and giant tree is our only
S protection, and the prospect has Il far different
s complexion, than when taken into the forest and
u
t ened civilization. Their character has been
poorly comprehended, and justice has less friends
than malgnity and detraction in reference to
e them but in future, when the Red Man shall
: have passed away, their traditions lost, and the
gauze-like covering of an unfortunate people
c drawn aside by the impartiality of returning
e faith, then will song and history dwell with he
3 roic measure and flowing eloquenee upon the
e characteristics Of the Red Men Of thes forest
y Then will the almost fabulous and mysterious
being of the race become the foundation of Il
; mythology as extensive as that of ancient
Greece.
s. But we have taken advantage of the dark
ness and wandered from the characters of our
"o'er true tale
y =, One party, making their way with all haste
down swift-glding stream, with to them a
> doubtful prospect of success and the other,
disappointed and revengoful, blinded in their
pursuit, and awaiting the dawn of the sunlight
y that they may again discover the direction Of
- their escape.
Often upon the chase Mowegan had passed
the hills and valleys between the Mohawk vii
:, lage and the Oneidas, and believing that Ma
gowa would take the most direct trail, which
NJ led by the cool springs, he had approached th
spot as the surest place to discover the trail
But the cause of Nagowa being so near dis
covered, was not from his following the usua
trail over the big hills, but from having acci
: dentally landed 50 near it for the night, as t.
W fall in the way of Mowegan's party. ThC
y cunning eye of the Indian is never at a loss tt
10 follow a trail 50 long as the imprint of foot
NJ steps exist; but when the pursusd takes high
by the gliding canoe, which parts the wave fo
ID a time, and although it may not close bacl
p. just as before, no eye can read the unwrittel
20 page of its ripples.
20 Morning came, and Mowcgan passed and re
We passed the burned hillside, yet smoking in tn
dry, messy earth, but with no trace of tn
"a course taken by his flying Dove. They range
beyond the devastated path of the flames, Lac
VOC gon anxious to discern that his sister had no
no perished in their fury, and thus with still
IN seeming more anxiety than Mowegan himse
who was impelled by one motive only-revengt
he No discovery made, a council was called ius
as the sun threw the shadows due North, an
W. Mowegan addressed his comrades:
* Mowegan is a great Chief; his nation hi
i'd many mighty warriors; the smile of the Goo
ro- Spirit has prospered their arrows, and sent 10
is to their wigwams. But Mache Monedo, II
Bad Spirit, has put out his star, he has disco,
let cred my trail and my medicine men must tai
him by stratagem, and destroy him or drive hi
of from my path Leelecwin is swift Of foot Q
d tell the maidens of my royal lodge to prepare
M great feast, and call the Bad Spirit into the
lodges that he may not follow me. MowegJ
va, has tasted, and the Good Spirit gave him goC
,ut dreams; but last night he dreamed and IL
ON good angel Mawento bore the Dove, Mamea
lee away from his lodge, and gave her to Nagow
zen the young Chief of Mowegan's enemies, {
,ve tho lakes toward the Northwind But ii
age ear of the Wolf sleeps not, nor the foot
Mowegdn, until he spies the Dove of his wi
" wam."
,od Grding on his CULVER he continued
the "Tho brave warriors will enter the lodge Il
on of Nagowa, and he shall not see them com
of nor know of their going, but death shall cor
ly to the inmate of his wgwam, and to his n
tion."
len Laogan sees not the trail of the Bad Spiri
M he has searched the burning forest, and no bo
yer Of the Dove of his fathers old age is in it,.
) in Mameah is with the young Chief of the On,
= das, and is safe from harm. Mowegan h