The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1880-07-08

It was many months since the floating
island had first appeared near the silent
strand of the Epoi. Windaru strobe
into camp long after the moon had
risen. He threw from his weary
shoulders his days spoil. Far and fast
he had toiled for it, and his soul was
troubled to find the game retreating
still farther inland day by day.
He passed on to the mia-mia OF Wo-
rangou. The old warrior lay on his
back. with face upturned to the sky.
The opossum rug was cast from his
brawny chest. His flowing silver beard
shone in the moonlight. His lips
moved; his heaving breast showed that
his sleep was troubled.
Oondilla, ever watchful, with we'll
heated oven-stones prepared the even
ing meal. Together they partook of it.
Then they sat silently watching the
sleep of their father-of the father of
Epoi. As the moon lowered over the
center of the earth, Worangou awoke
and sang loud and long the death song
of an Epoi.
Mournfully rose and fell the monoto-
nous cadence of fate fulfilled. An avail
anche of woe seemed to pour from the
heart of a lost race. In that death
song the blood of the black mans fu-
ture was offered up as holocaust for
the mighty requirements of the white
mans rule. The last tones of the song
sank lower and lower. till borne away
by the wind as it sighed through the
swaying forest trees.
The eyes of the old chief fell on the
listening countenances and intent forms
of his son and daughter. He beckoned
to them. They approached and sat at
his feet. Windaru knew well that he
was about to listen to the last words of
his chief and father. Patient and dumb
as a young Indian warrior, he made q
gesture of attention.
Windaru, o my son, and Oondilla,
my daughterv' said the gray chieftain,
solemnly, "the only ones, Of so many,
who have not cast the traditions of the
Epoi behind you, listen: My soul will
linger but little while in the land of
my love and Of my birth. Last night
my soul was in spirit land. 1 have
looked upon the future Of our race.
II saw the tribe of Epoi, with his
mia-lnias scattered over many hills.
The hunters spread over the plains and
thread The forest. Kangaroo and emu
fell before the swift-hyingspear. The
bees rendered up their treasure of yell
low honey. The rivers and lakes Offer
ed their fish, the earth its roots and
herbs. The women Of the tribe were
busy all through the long days trim
M md hn Oh ~ m
animals slain by the hunters, fashioning
them into warm rugs for the cold Of
winter. The children were many, and
rolled with the dogs on the grassy
slopes, or played with the 'witchie-
witchie' among the mia-mias. The
ovens were gaping with fiery teeth of
red-hOt glowing stones for the ever
ready feast. Peace and plenty filled
the land. The Epoi were free and
happy.
Suddenly, from the east, arose a
cloud on the sea, with three !eafless
pine trees upreared to heaven. Swiftly
the cloud travelled till it rested in the
air over the hunting ground of the
Epoi. In the center Of the cloud stood
a form white as TIE down of the black
swan, but with a cold and cruel coun-
tenance.
"He looked on the lands of the Epoi.
He saw that they were good. He
stretched forth his hands over the hills
and valleys, and there flew from him
two white owls. These darted into the
plains and multiplied into myriads.
The air was full of them. They killed
and devoured all the ground game
bandicoots and water rats, iguanas,
field mice and opossums-they left not
one alive. When there were no more,
the owls disappeared, save two. which
returned to the cloud.
1.-The Cloud Form again raised his
hand. Fishing nets descended and
raked the fish from every river and
lake, leaving them to rot in tho sun.
The nets were again drawn back to the
cloud.
1.-THE hand was again uplifted. The
kangaroo and emu were seized with a
pestilence. They went blind-they
killed themselves against trees and
were drowned in the rivers and lakes,
until none were left.
"Then the hand of the Cloud Form
was again stretched forth to sprinkle
the wide land with liquid fire. The
Blackmen. as it touched them: went
mad. They fought they slew one an
other. There were no animals for food
no fish-no skins to make coverings
from the cold.
"My soul gazed far and near over the
beautiful land of Epoi. There was
nothing living to be seen. such as have
seen in my youth. my manhood, my old
age.
"Again the Form spread his hands
forth above the land. It became COW
cred with sheep in countless numbers.
Droves of cattle and horses fed on the
plains. White men built great camps
on the hills and in the valleys. Every
where there was Life; but everywhere
that Life was sChite. Then voice said
unto my soul, 'Worangou! return uu-
to the earth and sing the last song of
thy race-a race without future, with
out history This, my children. is
the vision which l saw in the Spirit
Land"
When the sun rose, the mia-mias of
Worangou and Windaru were empty.
The tribe of Epoi never more set eyes
upon their chief or upon his son and his
sons wife.