Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-03-15

other Indian dainties. From a rather terri
| fed expression Of countcnancc which she
had on first joining the tribe, in consequence
Of the dismal massacre Of her people, she was
called the Startled Fawn.
have said that the two young warriors
loved the timid beauty Of the Onondagas.
They had been Indifferent 10 the handomest
Of all the young squaws Of their own tribe :
but the charms of the lovely stranger pene-
trated their hearts. They We'd with each
other IN bringing to the tent Of the family
in which she was an adopted daughter, pres
ents Of game and birds and fish. Her smile
was to them a sunshine her sorrow as a
cloud at noon but they were no longer
friends. The past was thing which had
not been. They lived in separate wigwams,
nor was the grass between them ever worn
by the tread of each others mocassins. They
hunted apart and alone. When they chanccd
to meet, IL was with lowering and avested
looks, and soon with glances of jealousy,
hatred and defiance. Only in irony could
they be mentioned by their former name Of
The Brothers
OF her two suitors. the Startled Fawn pre-
ferred the tall and handsome Three Bears
before the stemer and more redoubtable
Agile Panther; he had not the fluent tongue
which, even in savage life, wins the favor Of
woman. lie was battle-scarred warrior
eloquent only at the council-fre. The Three
Bears, on the other hand, needed but the in-
spiration of the most humanizing passions
TO become all that an Indian maiden could
desire Very pleasant to her was the sound
of bis voice but the fervid regards of the
Agile Panther frightened her Wherefore,
he became savagely, terribly jealous and re-
volved evil thoughts in his mind against his
late friend and companion.
There would, undoubtedly, have occurred
some bloody struggle between them, il cir
cumstances had not induced another catas-
trophe. During the rivalry of the two war
riors, and even before, various misfortunes
had befallen the Niagara Iroquois. Their
scanty crops Of maize were devourcd by To-
Gusts and grasshoppers; the summer also,
brought fever and ague and winters were
of Unprecedented length and severity, put
ting a stop to hunting. With the custom
ary improvidence of savage life, they had
neglected to secure supply OF fish, albeit
the waters of the lake so teemed with them
at certain seasons that they could be ladled
out with bowls; it was too much trouble to
salt or smoke them. In consequence, the
people were half-starved, aud compelled TO
live on berries before the long-looked for adj
vent of spring. Added to these calamites, the
tribe were defeated again and again on the
war-path against their neighbors and enc
mics, the Senecas, who lived on the other
shore of the great cataract
Such msfortunes could not happen with
out supernatural origin, in the opinion Of
the Niagara lroquois. II was evident to all
of them, and especially to the medcine-men,
magicians and the prophets, that the Thun-
der-Ciod and his seven giant sons, who dwelt
in the vast cavens under the falls, and
whose awful voices sweled and deepened
their roar, were angry. No human victim
had propitated them by an involuntary
death for at least three years. Darkly the
old braves discoursed together, suspecting
there must be a doomed man in the tribe,
and proposing to cast lots until he should be
discovered, and then given to appease the
Just wrath of the spirits of the cataract. All
eyes were fixed on the Black Clond, all ears
were open to listen to his counsel.
lie was very old warrior who had out
lived four generations and become the great
est magician, prophet and medicine-man
among the Niagara lroquois. What hair lie
had was white as the snow-drift or the foam
Of the cataract, and his eyes burned like
these OF haunted wolf in dark cavern.
His people held him in the utmost dread aud
reverence. 1t was believed that he knew the
language of the animals, and had the power
Of transforming himself into the shape of
any beast or bird or fish, and that under
such metamorphoses he had visited the
island which divides the two falls, explored
its mysterious woods and gloomy recesses,
and discovered wondrous cave, the birth
place Of the winds, and the home of the rain
bows. where he had conversed with the nee
ba-naw-baigs, or water spirits, If not with
the Thunder-God and his seven giant sons.
II was known that he had joumeyed far to
the north to the land OF the White Rabbit,
and sailed on the Big Sea Water, or Lake
Superior and beheld all the marvels of that
region-the striped rocks, painted in beauti-
ful vertical colors, 10y the long.haired Memo
govissioos or marine-men, who haunt those
intricate wave-wom caves and translucent
waters-the Thunder Cape, and the island
where dwelt the great serpent, the cast-oii
skin of which would render any warrior In
vulnerable. lie lived in a solitary wigwam,
some little distance above the Horseshoe
Fall, and had bewitched the water, so that
fire would flash out Of it whenever he chose.
) The spot retains that popularity to this day,
aud is known as the Burning Springs.
The Black Cloud was also the great-great
= uncle of the Agile Panther, his only surviy'
necessity for sacrificing victim to the
spirits OF the cataract, he summoned all the
other magicans, medicine-men and prophets
TO great pow-wow, or council, at a sacred
; lodge built especially for the purpose in the
depth of the forest. There they performed
I their ncantations, beat their drums, anc
shook their rattles and medicine pouches
danced aud chanted, and called upon thei
: familiar spirits, and at the end of three day'
announced the result. The Thunder-tioo
demanded the immoation Of one of the best
and bravest warriors Of the tribe. They
had practiced their arts of dyination TO de
+ eide whom and the choice fell upon tn,
! Three Bears.
It was difficult not TO believe that the re
e lationship of the Agile Panther to his for
? midable uncle, twice removed, had saved
I him from the fatal selection, TO which, a'
G the most renowned brave among the Mag
4 ara lroquois, he was obviously liable, instead
! Of his late friend. II was as impossible moi
+ TO suspect that the crafty Black Cloud had
e controlled the choice for he loved nothing
/ human but his young kinsmau and notori
, ously shared his emnity towards his success
= ful rival. That warrior, too, had once per
G sonally offended him. But whatever nigh
y be thought or whispered, there was no gain
saying hufU u utclsltus lt upluthi MuI
+ riors shrank from disputing the sentence, anc
r incurring the wrath of the Thunder-God ant
| of the exponents Of his will, headed by th'
$ yindctiye Black Cloud.
!, We may fancy the grief, the despairof tn
/ Startled Fawn, and how utterly unavaiinl
I all she could say or do would prove in sucl
T. an emergency. Women are but of small ac
e count IN savage life, and girl, an orphan
o and adopted stranger--what was she tina
r she should bias the judgment of warrior
and hoary sages Let her forget her love
e and take another-folow the Agile Panthe
g to his wgwam, and become the mother of a
n brave children. For the Three Bears, In
g dian forttude, and his pride as a warrior
e forbade complaint or remonstrance Tn
Q selection was honorable TO him, above al
n others, as the most precious Offering to sat
i isfy their grim requirements and he was
y so 10 speak, both the sxpiatory aud propitia
e tory sacrifice of his tribe. His death woul'
r exonerate others, and reverse the ill-fortun
b Of the people. There was nothing for i
y but to meet his fate like warrior and al
d Iroquois.
e Tradition tells us but little of the Agil
l. Panther at this crisis, except that, after Al
IS interview with the Startled Fawn, he sough
Il the woods, and Stunned all company. WIZ
?. shall say what was passing in his mind
q what struggles he underwent between tn