Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-03-15
A Legend Of Niagara.
.ronr Oh lspAx loye Asp .AemrIer

A sronr uf tNptAN LOVE ANp sAcuiFict.
Over three hundred years ago, ami for
ages mnemorial before the white man had
ever set his fatal foot in this country all the
inland region. from what is now Canada to
North Carolina, and westward from central
Pennsylvania 20 Michigan, was peopled by
the Iroquois nation while the Algonquins, or
Oiibways, occupied the coast of the Atlantic,
and the extreme north and west, from Lab
rador even TO the remote bounds of Oregon.
These were the two great aboriginal races
all the minor tribes being included therein.
OF their feuds aud hereditary hatred there
are innumerable traditions; but it is not
my purpose TO speak of such Mine is only
a story of individual passion, rivalry, and
sef-sacrifce, illustrative Of the great human
iziug fact, that even in savage life there
may occur deeds which equal in their invol-
untary heroisln some of the most admired
achievements of classic antiquity
The lroquois were by far the more war
like aud powerful of the two nations; their
courage, ferocity aud cruelty rendered them
victorious over all native antagonists
Among those who lived on the banks Of the
great Thunder Water, Niagara, We're promi
nent above all their fellow-braves, two young
warriors, known respectively as the Agile
1
virtue of the strict friendship which united
them, as The Brothers, albeit no blood rela-
tionship existed. The first owed his name
to his extraordinary bodily activity and
proves on the war-path lac could rum row,
swim, leap, aud fight beyond all rivalry-bet-
ter even than his sworn friend, the Three
Bears who had earned his designation by
| the honorable achievement OF killing that
number of formidable grizzlies, the mon
strous claws Of which formed triple collar
round his neck. The Agile Panther could
boast of no such decoration, but when his
| friend had been captured by the Mohawks,
and was in imminent danger OF torture and
death, he alone had made a secret expedition
| for the purpose of rescuing him. and accom-
plished 1t by staying five of the hostile tribe
ia single combat. His wigwam had mora
scalps in it than that of any other warrior
of the Niagara lroquois,
Great was the friendship between The
Brothers. Together they traversed the dense
forest covering all the western or Canadian
banks Of the Thunder Water, hunting the
elk, the bear, and the bison, the roe and the
reindeer; together they trapped the fox, the
rabbit and the beaver; together they fished in
the sah-sah- je-wun, or rapids or the great
lakes Erie and Ontario side by side they
lay in winter, on the frozen surface Of the
water, their heads covered with skins, spear
ing the salmon through the air-holes with
their barbed aisnkuns. And together they
bound snowshoes on their feet, and danced
or ran races, emuating the flight OF the
shaw-shaw, or swallow, in swiitness, or en-
gagged in play-ball ou the ice. Their words
were the same at the council fire they lived
in the same wigwain, and were inseparabe,
What could occasion division and estrange-
ment-nay, strife aud hatred-between such
friends The old old cause of contention
a woman. They loved the same maiden, and
henceforth were rivals and enemies.
There came from the lodges Of the Onon-
dagas a young squaw, all of whose relations
had been killed by the Algonquins, who had
spared not even the women aud children.
No drop Of her blood ran in the veins of any
living creature. She was slender and shapely
as the willow, with great dark eyes, and
black, flowing hair, fine and silky as the
golden tresses of the maize, or Indian corn.
She had a sweet, low voice, musical as a
birds singing, or the ripping OF the stream,
let in the nights Of summer, or the moon Of
Strawberries She was also gentle and help
fnl. swift of foot aud nimble of fingers, and
skilled in all the accomplishments OF women.
She could weave mats of flags and rushes !;
dress and whiten skins for tents and raj
ment string in the most beautiful patterns