Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1884-04-26

threatening black.
Uncas moved with aslow and dig
nified tread towards the post, which
he commenced encircling with
measured step, not unlike an ancient
dance, raising his voice, at the same
time, in the irregular chant of his
war-song. The notes were in the ex-
tremes of human sounds being some
times melancholy and plaintive, even
rivalling the melody of birds-and
then, by startling transitions, causing
the auditors to tremble by their
energy. The words were few and
often repeated, proceeding from a sort
of invocation, to All intimation of the
warriors objects, and terminating
with an acknowledgment Of his own
dependence on the Great Spirit. If
it were possible to translate the me-
lodious language in which he spoke,
the ode might read something like the
following
"Manitto Manitto! Manitto!
Thou art great, thou art good, thou art wise
Manitto! Manitto!
Thou art just
"In the heavens, in the Clouds oh see
Many spots-many dark, many red:
In the heavens oh! / see
Many clouds.
''In the woods, in the air, oh! I hear
The whoop, the long YELL and the cry:
In the woods, oh! hear
The loud whoop.
"Manitto! Manitto! Manitto!
am weak-thou art strong; am slow
aManitto! Manitto
& Giiye me aid
! At the end of what might be call
ed each verse, he made pause, by
raising q note louder and longer than
common, that was peculiarly suited
to the sentiment just expressed.
At the close ofthe first turn, grave
and highly esteemed chief Of the
Lenape followed his example, sing
ing words of his own, however, to
music of a similar character. War;
rior after warrior enlisted in the dance,
until all of any renown and authority
were numbered in its mazes. Uncas
struck his tomahawk deep into the
post, and raised his voice in shout,
which might be termed his own bat
tle-cry. The act announced that he
had assumed the chief authority in
the intended expedition.
1t was signal that awakened all
the slumbering passions of the
nation.
The instant Uncas had struck the
blow, he moved sout of the circle, and
cast his eyes up to the sun, which was
just gaining the point when the truce
with Magua was to end. The fact
was soon announced by significant
gesture, accompanied by a CORES
ponding cry; and the whole of the ex-
cited multitude abandoned their
mimic warfare, with shrill yells of
pleasure, to prepare for the more
hazardous experiment of the reality.
The whole face of the encampment
was instantly changed. The war
riors, who were already armed and
painted, became as still as if they were
incapable of any uncommon burst of
emotion.
Hawk-eye was too much accustom-
ed to the war-song and the enlist
ments of the natives to betray any in
terest in the passing scene. He
merely cast an occasional look at the
number and quality of the warriors,
who, from time to time, signitied their
readiness to accompany Uncas to the
field. He dispatched an Indian boy
in quest of ''Kill-deer" and the rifle
of Uncas, to the place where they
had deposited the weapons on APP
preaching the camp of the Delawares.
The boy, who had been we'll in
structed, proceeded, with a bosom
that was swelling with the pride of
such confidence, and all the hopes
of young ambition, carelessly across
the clearing to the wood, which he en-
tered at point at some little distance
from the place where the guns were
secreted. The instant, however, he
was concealed by the foliage of the
bushes, his dusky form was to be seen
gliding, like that of a serpent, to-
wards the desired treasure. He was
successful; and in another moment
he appeared flying across the narrow
opening that skirted the base Of the
terrace ON which the village stood,
with the velocity of an arrow, and
bearing prize in each hand. He