Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-19
ON THE MARCH.


Then he took from the notched poles Of
his wigwam his tufted bow and sheaf of
arrows tipped with brilliant feathers; and
he thrust the stone az through his belt OF
wampum, and shook. once more, the slender
spear staff with its ponderous head Of
pointed flint. Then he passed beyond the
wigwams of his tribe. Twice the moon rose
and he saw the maize fields Of the Algon-
quins. Later and later, she glittered over
his solitary way. He saw lodges of hostile
tribes without number, and other maize
fields, and at night the campfres of a great
people.
Then he came to shallow river dotted
with canoes; then before him was gently
sloping upland, and just as the moon and
the dawn were shining together. he stood
under the shadows of the tall trees on the
summit of the high banks, and at his feet
was the broad, bare rock, and below him the
waters of the sparkling river. He looked
around, then walking across the rock to its
farthest extremity, he laid upon its surface
his tufted bow and sheaf of arrows, loosened
his belt of wampum, cast down his terrible
stone ak and pointed spear. Then he took
from the bag the pigments and painting i'm
plements, and before midday he had
sketched upon the rock the outlines of his
grand achievements as q brave, and as an
Iroquois warrior in the land of his fathers.
1t was the moment when he had COM
pleted the totem of his tribe, when he was
farthest from his weapons, that a fawn
darted to the platform, gathered up Its af-
frighted form at sight of him, and sprang,
sheer over the brink. The next instant an
Algonquin warrior leaped upon the ledge.
A 1oaE af he
uous glance at the pictured rock, two
panther bounds and the hereditary foes were
struggling upon the edge of the precipice.
A DESPERATE BATTLE.
They were equally matched. Sometimes
in their struggles they leaned far over the
yawning depths below, and then unitedly
bent back, like twin oak trees overbloWn.
Both were unarmed. for the Algonquin had
not suspected an enemy where the foot of an
Iroquois had never trod. So, with terrible
strength, and zeal and skill, each sought to
overthrow the other upon the high floor of
the battle ground. But it was vain, and at
last exhausted, with tremendous throes and
throbs of anger, they lay in each others
embrace, until the shadows of the cliff had
stretched far over the bosom of the spark
ling river.
LET US arise, at length said the Algon-
quin.
The warriors arose to their feet, and stood
looking into each others faces. Then they
stood upon the brink of the precipice. The
touch OF a hand would have precipitated
either to the death below.
''Let us not perish" said the Algonquin,
'flike the raccoon and the fox starving in
the deathloek, but rather let US die like
braves"
The Iroquois listened. "Do you let me
60" continued the Algonquin, "and tell
the warriors of my tribe, that they may wit
ness it, and will leap with you from this
life to the one beyond"
The Iroquois smiled.
'Stay,Y added the Algonquin, 'T am a
child; do not know the fate of an Iroquois
who would venture within the domain of
my people? But remain you until my re-
turn, that the history of my deed may be in
scribed with that OF yours upon the rock"
The Iroquois smiled again and said, 81
wait" Then the Algonquin bounded
away to the camp of his people.
THE LEAP TO DEATH.
Left to himself, the Iroquois collected to-
gether his painting implements and filed
with brilliant color the outlines he had
sketched upon the rock. Then he cast his
spear into the sparkling river, and sent the
stone ak circling through the air until it
splashed far out into the stream; and he
broke the tufted bow with his powerful
arms and snapped his feathered arrows, one
by one. Then he girded on his gorgeous
belt of wampum and waited, OF whom was