The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-11
EARLY INDIAN
 TRAGEDY RETOLD Legend Of Lake Pontoosuc In
 The BerkShires LOVE ENDED IN DEATH Tribal Law Prevented Marriage Be- tween cousins-Brousht Suffer- ing to Shoon-keek and Moon
 keek-What 5efell Them.

In the Berkshires-that beautiful region which constitutes the western portion of observation-disclosures is charmed by the numerous lakes which lie among the hills. Pontoosuc andOnota, at Pittsheld; Stockbridge; Laurel Lake. at Lee: Rich- 1nond Lake, in the town of that name. hills. Pontoosuc and Onota, at Pittsfield; ington, and the source of Pittslelds wa
 ter supply; Cheshire and Ashmere Ponds. l lying respectively in the towns of Che
 shire and Hinsdale; Lake Garfield at Monterey, and the chain of lakes at Otis these are among the more notable of the many small bodies Of water which reflect the hills and groves
 Pontoosuc and Onota are the two larr- est and perhaps the most beautiful and
 famous. onota is. for the most part sur rounded by large estates and beautiful
 homes- Pontoosuc, on the other hand is
 the playground of the people of Pittsfleld
 and surrounding territory. On it's shores
 are the fine buildings of the Pittsfleld
 Boat Club and the Young Mems Christ
 ian Association Boat and Canoe Club headquarters for aquatic diversions dur 1 Ing the summer. These clubs conduct
 evening carnivals, boat and canoe pa rades, and similar entertainments and such affairs are among the most popular
 of all the attractions which Berkshirs
 offers Scores of cottages cluster around the lake, and the summer colony is of l large proportion, including people from all sections of the country.
 Along the east shore runs the trolley line connecting Pittsneld and North Adams, while the south, west, and north borders hold beautiful groves. To the north the hills rise gradually to Consti- tuition Hill, a famous landmark, and thence to the northern boundary of the county where Mount Graylock, the high est point in the state towers at an alti- tude of 3,so0 feet. dominating the terri tory of five states.
 From it's sumit one may look upon the Litchfield hills of Connecticut, the Green mountains of Vermont, the White mountains of New Hampshire, and the Catskills of New York. Under favorable weather conditions one may view the Hudson river, ribbon of silver fifty miles or more to the west.
 Ancient Indian Tales.
 From its summit one may look upon and recreation in the Berlzshires have any idea of the wierd tales which the waters might whisper were speech vouch- safed them, tales of the days when the Indians dwelt near by and glided swiftly in their birch canoes. It is difficult to realize that Pontoosuc was favorite camping ground of the Indians a few centuries ago, but such was the case
 The people of the Mohegan tribe loved
 this lake we'll They named 1t "Pontoo- l suck" meaning "a field for the winter
 deer" and the present name is corup-
 ton of the Indian term. They also called 1 -Jaal -lraa nd fha nrf-
 gin of this name is found in an Indian l legend.
 l The valleys permanent population was
 exceedingly small 300 years ago, but at 1 certain seasons of the year the region
 was alive with Indian hunters and trap l pers of the Mohegan nation. In this com
 munity of aborigines two brothers were
 prominent, although not so conspicuous l in Mohegan annals that any record was l left of their names It happened on one
 bright June day that to one of these
 brothers was born a son and to the other
 A daughter. The boy was called Shoon- keek. and the girl Moon-keek. There | WAS of course significance in the names, l but it is impossible to give translation ]! of them.
 Through the heroic processes of training l followed by the children of the woods, the cousins came safely and tradition en- dows them with rare physical beauty and mental capacity. From infancy they were playmates, and reveled in the joys Of childhoodl they gathered together, or for oh other, the arbutus fin the springtime. the laurel in the summer, and the blue sentians in the early autumn days To- pether they gathered the berries of the wood studied the birds and beasts Of field and forest, and, when older, hshed in the clear water of the lake from the same birch canoe.
 Like Brother and Sister.
 They were like brother and sister, and the whole village rejoiced in their com panionship no less than In their physl- cal attractiyeness As they grew to man. hood and womanhood the budding charms of the beautiful Moon-keek be- gan to attract the notice of the other young men of the tribe, and they sought to win favor in her eyes. She had no thought, however, for any but the play mate of her early years and her indiner- ence to others caused jealousy and heart burning, and eventually brought upon herself and her cousin the sad fate which gave the lake its ancient name
 It was not until other eyes looked upon the girl with longing that these play mates were brought to a realization or their own love. Flying to Shoon-keeK for sympathy and protection from the attentions of other admirers the dalnty Moon -keek came to know her own heart and the two confessed their love. The love of cousins violated the stern nor ality of the tribes, but to the couple there could be naught that was unholy in an alliance of hearts which had grown so naturally and so innocently.
 So pure was their affection that 1t was never even suspected by their fathers un- til jealousy discovered it and pointed it out Shocked by the realization of the peril into which their offspring had so unwittingly strayed the fathers were prompt in forbidding the meetings of the lovers but the mischief was done Drawn even closer together by the first trouble which had clouded their lives, Shoon- keelS and Moon-keek refused to forego each other In the thick woods there were hidden recesses, and on the lake, with none but the stars to watch, they met and planned to defy their par ents and to win happiness, even at the cost of desertifg to another tribe. whose views were not of so stern a nature. In the inlets of the shores, about the is- lands, and close under the boughs of overhanging trees the light canoes would lie silently side by side while the lovers communed in the way that lovers have. Watched by Jealous Rivals. Jealous eyes were upon them, how ever and the crafty young rivals of the favored Shoon-keek watched as they lshed at night and took note when an- other canoe dipped it's torch suddenly in the wave and darted into some narrow bidino nlece Among the keenest of fhe