New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-09-30

ends Of the civilized world was his The
rest is a version Of Indian legends. some belong
ing 10 HiaWatha's people. but the majority TO the
Indians who live in the locality which the poet
chose as the theatre of the incidents described by
him. The veritable Hiawatha was an onondaga
chief who lived in what is now Central Newly ork
(the State, not the city,, and who, II not the
actual founder OF the Iroquos League was at least
largely instrumental in bringing IT about. In fact.
conclusions Of the late Horatio Hale philolo-
eist are correct II was Hiawatha who conceived
that remarkable political organization for a puT-
pose as lofty any that ever inspired the soul OF
statesman phanthropist his aim, Mr. Hale
thought being 10 introduce universal peace among
mankind. The Hiawatha of Longfellow is super
natural being of the Ojibways, a sort of Indian
Osiris and the stories are those which relate
chiefly 70 the Ofbway Nanabozho and his COM
rades. Thus SAYS Mr. Hale in his "Iroquois
Book OF Rites" by an extraordinary fortune
grave Iroquois awgver Of the fifteenth century has
become. in modern literature an Ojibway dem-
god son OF the West Wind and companion of the
tricky Paupukkeewis, the boastful Iagoo, and
the strong Kwasind. II a Chinese traveller dur
ing the Middle Ages. inquring into the history and
religion Of the Western nations. had COMPOUNDED
King Alfred with King Arthur, and both with
Odin, he would not have made more preposterous
confusion OF names and characters than that
which has hitherto disguised the genuine per-
sonalty Of the great onondaga reformer-"
AS the Iroquois of to-day. the farmer Indians who
acuse in New-York State. and the Six Nations
Reserve. Brantford, in Canada, tell the story
Of Hiawatha il has got so much mixed up with so
much NEUROLOGICAL material that II is extremely
difficult separate the historical elements from the
legendary Deeds which simple and BILE
enough when stripped Of the adornments with which
the affectionate admiration Of his people has in
vested them IN the progress Of centuries have been
magnifed until there seems be no room for them
outside the realm OF the miraculous, whose edge
the historian needs halt AS a result Hia-
watha has been COMPOUNDED with ancient Indian
deties and possibly also with Christ. A likeness
between his name and that Of IroQuoian deity
called Taronwiahagon. seems to have been largely
responsible for the admxture of supernaturalism in
the story told by the Iroquois; but no one would
need look so curously for a cause who will reflect
for z moment how natural II is for peoples in an
early of civilization invest their historical
heroes with supernatural traits and eventually pre-
them gods who dwelt among them for a
space. taught them the things which made them
strong and united and then returned mysteriously
10 their celestial homes.
II would have been a contribution to a study OF
this subject II Of the reporters present at the
Ogbway performance of "Hiawatha" had recorded
how the Indians pronounced the hero's name Sine,
the name does not belong TO them. it IS probabl,
that they, like the rest Of the world adopted Long
fellows pronunciation The Iroquois in New-Yorl
State and Canada speak it out yariously Ha-yen
wat-ha, Avon hwat-ha and Ta-oung-wat-ha. A
tie writer heard II fall from the lips of the Chic
Councillor Head Firekeeper and Wampum Keepe
OF tho Iroquois the Six Nations Reserve Fl
Canada. while chanting the list Of cheftains VIII
formed the first Iroquoian senate. it sounded a
fol!owr.