Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1891-12-29
AN INDIAN LEGEND.

devoted my leisure to trout fishing, and
for this purpose pushed away up into the
wild, rocky region OF northeastern Mus
koka, Canada, far beyond the limit Of
any Of my former explorations. In the
vicinity Of Bracebridgc | engaged rs
aguide, philosopher and friend" an old
| Iroquois Indian who knew every inch Of
the territory over which, II tis own ac-
count was TO be believed. he had roamed
Tor nearly eighty years.
| One day as we sat smoking on the
bank Of river, which my guide said was
the Ashke- Muk, the old Indian pointed
10 = spot about twenty feet up the face
of precipice and said:
"You see that cave7 Wonderful thing
happen there once; me tell you about it.
looked closely at the place indicated
and saw, through tangled maze of wild
creepers. what appeared TO be dark
hole, some three feet wide and five feet
high. John said this was the entrance to
large cavern, the existence of which
had been quite unknown TO his tribe,
formerly inhabiting the fertile plain,
until revealed to them by the occurrence
OF events which he proceeded to relate.
will not attempt to follow the old mans
vernacular, but give the legend in his
own simple words as nearly as can.
"A long. lone ting ago." said he,
"when was very small boy, my peo-
pie, large band Of the great Iroquois
tribe, dwelt upon the good land, where
we stopped last night. Game was plen-
tifnl In those days, both winter and sum-
mer. The river, then much bigger than
now, was full Of fish. Ny people raised
much corn and were contented and
happy. Where are they now? Gonel
Gonei All gone but poor old John! The
| white mans rum and smallpox, the
white mans ways have swept them
from the earth
| "Our head chief, Matchedash. was a
great warrior and ruled his people wise
| ly and well He had no sons and but
one daughter. Minnekoma, beautiful as
the morning sun, fleet OF foot as wild
deer, with eyes like stars, and hair
glossy as the ravens wing. All the
young men Of the tribe laid their gifts
at her feet only to be rejected. But
one brave, Ojetka, would not be repulsed
Far and near he sought for the choicest
spoils of the chase and brought them to
her wigwam: yet still she turned coldly
away.
| "Ojetka was q crafty. cunning war
rior, and with rich presents bought the
old chief over to espouse his cause. All
was in vain. Minnekoma's face was
hard toward him and she would not lis
ten. Matchedash was much angered;
but she was his only child and had great
influence in the tribe, and he would not
give her away against her will. None
could tell why the maiden refused to
marry, unless it might be that she had
given her heart to a Huron lover; foI
some time before Thyondaga, noted
warrior of that tribe, with which the
Iroquois were then at peace, had asked
her in marriage and had offered her ia.
Their great wealth in gifts; but the old
chief spurned him away, saying that his
daughter must wed only an lroquois
and none of our tribe had seen the HUI.
ron since. Ojetki hid his grief and put
ON careless air to throw Minnekoma of
her guard, but all the time he was OF
the watch, and one evening when the
sun was low he saw her leave the lodge
and wander slowly away into the forest
Even Ojetka dared not be seen to fol
low or spy upon Mnnekoma's move
ments, so he went off, at first another
way, TO the woods and then made a wild,
sweep to strike her trail. Soon he found
this and crept along it, sure, slow ant
silent rs panther. In little while b,
came to a clear spot, where had been al
an old camp, and saw Minnekoma stand
ing there with bowed head, listening
Pretty soon he heard the low call of
. pigeon, and then Thyendaga stepped GU
from the other side and clasped tn,
young squaw in his arms. Ojetka's hear
burned with rage, and softly he drew al
arrow to its head, but dared not shoe
while the two stood together. Bime
by, they turned and came straight to
ward him, and now he let his arrow fly
but the starry eyes of MinnelSoma ha,
!, seen himl Quick rs the lightning's hasl
she bent the Huron down, and the arrow
passed over his head. Then out from hi
cover sprang Oietka, and, whirling hi
|, tomahawk in the mir, sent it fiercely a
/, his rlyais breast
"But Thyendaga, tall and springy as
cedar, strong as an oak. was now ready
and the bright blade whistled by with
out hurt, and with his own tomahawl
, appraised in three great leaps he wa
! upon his foe. His first blow struck tn
knife from Ojetka's hand and the mex
/ buried the ax in his brain. Down like
4 log he fell deadl Thyendaga shouted
. cry of victory and stopped down to tea
off the scalp, but at that moment wa
{ seized on all sides ut once by six Ire
. quois, who We're returning from hun
3 and had come to the place of the figh
just Is Ojetka fell. Now they bound tn
prisoner between two warriors, and tab
ing up the dead body set off to camp
singing the song Of mourning as the
. went. Soon the council was called, and
although it was clearly shown that til
Huron had killed in his own defense. be
was condemned TO die by running the
Eantlet. That night he was tied TO 4
tree and guarded by three warriors; bu
|. be was well fed, and his legs were lief
J. unbound, 90 that he might be strong
and make much sport when the tim,
= came.
IAN night long Minnekoma watches
ION chance to free him. but the guard
slept not and the morning came. Then
when the sun was high, all the warrior
and sqnaws and children went out I,
the plain to zee the race for life Tw'
hines wero formed, six feet apart, wit
atty braves, fsce to fAce. In each linz