Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-01-23
AN INDIAN LEGEND.

%.
~ csnada, far beyond the limit Of
~ n nv former explorations. In tho
sic,ni,y Of Braccbridgc ] engaged rs
,Sasic philosopher and friend" nm old
.,ois Indian who knew every inch Of
- - territory over which. II his own nc
-, ,yas 10 be believed. he had roamcd
e. nearly eighty years.
oa. aav as We sat smoking on the
~ 81 river, which my guide said was
~. ~ Asbl,e- Muls, the old Indian pointed
~ spot about twenty feet up tho face
Of precipicc aud saidi
syou see that cavei Wonderful thing
,.rrsn there once; mo tell you about IT,"
Looked closely at the place indicated
"a aw. through tangled maze OF Wild
~. what appeared to 10 a dark
81 s,me three feet wide and five feet
IN John said this was the entrance to
is-ye cavern, tho existence Of which
al been quite unknown 20 his tribe,
s ~ inhabiting the fertile plain,
rr,il revealed TO them by tho occurrence
=, vents which he proceeded TO relate.
Iw,ll no, attempt 10 follow the old mans
.,,yaeular, but give the legend In his
ovn simple words as nearly as l can.
"a long, lone ting ago." said he,
.vben was a very small boy. my pco-
,le a largo band " tho great lroquois
Ill dwclt upon the good land, where
81 sioupcd last night. Game was plen.
Nal HI those days, both winter and sum.
,r,r The river, then much bigger than
NV. was full Of fsh. Ny people raised
much corn and were contentod and
Lsppv. Whore are thoy nowf Comet
0dnel Al gone but poor old joint The
vbl,e mans rum and smallpox. the
White mans ways havo swept them
nom the earth.
"Our head chief. Maiehcdash. was a
rrc,t warrior and ruled his people wise-
II and well lie had no sons and but
one daughter, Minnckoma- beautiful a.
me- morning sun. fleet Of foot as n wild
der with eyes like stars, and hair
glossy "a tho ravens wing. All the
,pung mon Of the tribe laid their gifts
4, her fcct ouly 10 bc rejected. But
oae brave, Oje,ka, would not DO repulscd.
lar aud near no sought for tho choicest
,n,l, OF tho chnsc and brought them 10
her wigwam. yet still shc turned coldly
away.
"ojetl,a was crafty. cunning war
nor. and with rich presents bought tho
old chief over TO cspouso his cause. All
wa In vain. Mnnokomas face was
hard toward him and she would not lis
Zen. Matchedash wnA much angercd.
bat sho was his only child and had great
Influence In tho tribe. and ho would not
give her away against her will. None
coall tell why tho maiden refused To
marry. unless IL might DO that tho had
given her heart TO Huron lover; for
fdnc iimo before Thycndaga, noted
warrior Of that tribe, with which tho
lfoQuois wcrc then nj peace, Ind asked
bet In marriage and had offered her IN.
ihcr great wealth In gifts; but tho old
chief spurned him away, saying that his
must wed only an Iroquois.
and nom VI our tribe had sen tl,c Hu.
non since. Ojctka hid his grief and put
on car,losa air 10 throw Mlnnekomn on
her guard. hut all tho time he was on
the watch. and ono evening when tho
suE was low he kaw her leave the Lodge
and wander slowly away into the forest.
"Eyen Ojetka dared not DO seen TO fol.
low or spy upon Minnckon,A's move
ment1. 40 no went of. ut first another
way. 10 the woods and then made wide
sweep to strikc hcrtrail. Boon he found
this and erept nlong Il. sure. slow and
rlent as panther. In little while he
came 20 a clear spot. whcro had been an
an old camp, and saw Minnckoma stand.
ing there with bowed head, listening.
Pptty soon no heard tho low call OF a
pigeon, aud then Thycndagn stepped out
from the other ado and claspcd the
young squaw In his arms. Oietkl's heart
burned with rage. and softly he drew an
Nrow 10 la head. but dared not shoot
While tho two stood together. Blme.
By, they turned and came straight to-
ward him. and now he lot his arrow fly;
but the starry eyes Of Minnekoma had
Been him! Quick as tho lightnings flash
tho bent the Huron down, and the arrow
passed over his head. Then out from his
.o'tr fprang Ojetka, and, whirling his
Dmahawk In the air. sent II hcrccly at
hn nyal's breast.
But Thyendaga, tall and sprlngy "a q
collar, strong "a an oak, VS. now ready.
and tho bright blade whistled by with
out hurt, and with his own tomahawk
npraiscd IN three great leaps no was
upon his foo. His fipt blow struck the
inilo from Ojotka's hand and tho next
buried the ax In his brain. Down like
log he iell deadl Thycndaga shouted n
cry OF victory and stopped down 10 tear
on tho scalp, but at that momont was
seized on all sides ut once by six lro-
suols, who were returning from hunt
thl had come TO the place OF the fight
Just ~ Oletka foll. Now they bound tho
prisoner between two warriors, and talk.
ING up tho dead body SGT OF TO camp,
snsiilg the song OF mourning ~ they
went Soon tlo council was called, aud,
htheash u was clearly shown that the
haron had killed In his oyn dorcrse, no
wa eondenned 10 do by running the
sAlue'' That night he was tied TO a
We and guarded by three warriors; hut
DC was wen fed. and his legs were left
sheoahd, 10 that ho might be strong
came. "" $50 ''''''
AN night long Minnekoma watched
10y chance TO free him, but tho guards
.sp' not and tho morning came. Then,
when tho sun was high, all'tho warriors
-. ~ sllawa and children went out to
", ,no plain TO SEQ the ruco fsr life. Two
s ss. We're formed, six feet apart, with
Ivy !. braves face to face. In each line.
~ INC top, where the prisoner was TO
,.art We're young mon armed only with
t'veh rods and blunted spears; then
.aine those armed with knives; and at
w. ~, Iaf ond OF tho line stood old warriors
' ",'h 'omahawss and war clubs. The
p''noher was TO run between the lines,
.''Iy man giving him blow, and II he
.sAgheu so far without falling. tho war
TO-