The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1891-01-08
LEGEND OF ASH-KE-MUK.
A Story of Indian Life in Musko.
ka, Canada.

KID, Odudud.
During the summer vacation of 1878,
! devoted my leisure time to trout-fish-
ing, and for this purpose pushed away
up into the wild, rocky region Of north
eastern Muskoka, Canada, far beyond
the limit of any of my former explora-
tons. In the vicinity of Bracebridge
engaged as guido, philosopher and
FRIEND" an old Iroquois Indian, who
knew every inch Of the terri tory over
which, if his own account was to be be-
lieved, he had roamed for nearly
eighty years.
One day as we sat smoking on the
bank of a river which my guide said
was the Ash-ke-Muk, the old Indian
pointed to spot about twenty feet up
the face of a precipice, and said:
"You see that cave? Wonderful
thing happen there once; me tell you
about it.
l looked closely at the place indi-
Gated, and saw, through tangled maze
of wild creepers, what appeared to be a
dark hole, some three feet wide and five
feet high. John said this was the en-
trance to large cavern. the existence
of which had been quite unknown to
his tribe, formerly habiting the
fertile plain, until revealed to them by
the occurrence of events which he pro-
ceedcd to relate. will not attempt to
follow the old mans vernacular but
give the legend in his own simple
words as nearly as I can.
"A long, long time ago. said he,
"when l was very small boy, my
people, large band of the great Iro-
quois tribe dwelt upon the good land,
where we stopped last night. Game
was plentiful in those days, both win
ter and summer. The river, then much
bigger than now, was full of fish. My
people raised much corn, and wero con-
tented and happy. Where are they
now? Gone. Gone! 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
great warrior and ruled his people
wisely and well. He had no sons, and
but one daughter, Minneko,ra, beauti-
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 re-
pulsed. 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 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
listen. 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
Smarry, unless it might be that she had
given her heart to a Huron lover; for
some time before, Thyendaga, a noted
warrior of that tribe, with which the
lroquois were then at peace, had asked
her in marriage and had offered her
father great wealth in gifts But the
old chief spurned him away, saying
that his daughter must wed only an Iro-
Quois; and none of our tribe had seen
the Huron since. Ojetka hid his grief
and put on careless air to throw Min
nekoma off her guard, but all the time
he was on 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
follow or spy upon Minnekomas move
ments, so he went off, at first another
way, to the woods and then made wide
sweep to strike her trail. Soon he
found this and crept along it, sure, slow
and silent as a panther. In a little
/ while he came to clear spot, where
had been an old camp, and saw Mime
koma standing there with bowed head,
listening. Pretty soon he heard the
low call of a pigeon, and then Thyen-
daga stepped out from the other side,
and clasped the young squaw in his
arms. Oiet1a's heart burned with rage,
and softly he drew an arrow to it's head,
but dared not shoot while the two stood
together. Bime-bye, they turned and
came straight toward him, and now he
let his arrow fly; but the starry eyes of
Minnekoma had seen him! Quick as
the lightning's flash she bent the
|. Huron down, and the arrow passed over
. his head. Then, out from his cover
sprang Ojetka, and, whirling his toma-
hawk in the air, sent it fercely at his
rivals breast.
/ but Thyendaga, tall and springy as
cedar, strong as an oak, was now
ready, and the bright blade whistlcd by
without hurt, and, with his own toma a.
hawk appraised, in three great leaps he
was upon his foe. His first blow struck
the knife from Ojetka's hand, and the
next buried the axe in his brain. Down
like a log he fell dead. Thyendaga
shouted cry of victory and stopped
down to tear Oft the scalp, but at that
moment was seized On all sides at once
by six 1roquois who were returning
from hunt and had come to the place
of the fight just as Ojetka fell. Now
they bound the prisoner between two
warriors, and taking up the dead body,
set off to camp. singing the song of
mourning as they went. Soon the coun-
Gil was called, and, although it was
clearly shown that the Huron had
killed in his own defense. he was con-
demned to die by running the gauntlet
! That nj sht he was tied to tree and
guarded by three warriors; but he was
well fed, and his legs were left I'M
bound, so that he might be strong and
make much sport when the time came.
Cali night long Minnekoma watched
for chance to free him, but the guards
slept not, and the morning came. Then,
when the sun was high, all the warriors
and squaws and children went out to the
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