YONNONDIO.

CANTO SEVENTH.

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THE REVELATION.

They bound him to the fatal stake, and high Destruction's fagots round the warrior piled: There was unwonted moisture in his eye,

For prayed he, in that moment, for his child; A torch was thrown, by hand with blood defiled, On the dark death-pyre :—whence, oh whence the shriek

That, rising shrill above the tumult wild,

Tinged with a wanner shade the victim's cheek,

While parted his blanched lips in vain essay to speak!

I.

Retreating from the fatal spot

Where Valor died but yielded not,

Thickly the Senecas o'erspread,

With hiding brush and leaves, their dead :—
For sorrowing would warrior go,
Dishonored by the knife of foe,

To lands the setting sun below.

When reached the river's willowed side
Pirogues they launched upon the tide,
And, landing on the western shore,
A moment looked the landscape o'er.
The matted forest-depths were mute;
Heard was no larum on the gale,
Announcing Frank in close pursuit,
Or hated Huron on the trail.

Checked by the Romans of the West,
Invader paused, with drooping crest,

To

scoop for brethren where they fell
In earth a rude receptacle :
Knowing that scream of carrion-bird
Another day would there be heard,

While snarling monster of the wold

Snuffed tainted air, and pawed the mould.

II.

Thou phantom, Military Fame!

How long will Genius laud thy name,
And curtain features from the sight
More foul than those Khorassen's seer
Hid behind veil of silver bright,
Tempting his victim to draw near!

How long will thy misleading lamp,
Through regions wrapped in smoke and fire,
To slaughter's cavern, red and damp,
Guide beardless boy and gray-haired sire?
Up, fearless battlers for the right,
And flood old groaning earth with light!
Bid nations ponder well and pause

When blade corrupt ambition draws—
Oh! teach the world that conquest wears
A darker brand than felon bears ;
Prolific fount, from earliest time,

Of murder, orphanage and crime!

III.

Obtained, at last, returning band
A view of fortress, rudely plann'd,
Fenced by huge palisadoes round,
And wanting bastion, trench and mound.
Its anxious inmates, wild of face,
Rushed in a body from the place,

While rose, from forest edge, a cry,

Now plaintive, low-now shrill and high

Each repetition of the call

Announcing an invader's fall.

News thus, to children of the shade,

By marked, expressive sound conveyed,

Telling of victory achieved,

All, with a frantic joy, received;

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And hurried on to meet, the while,

Plumed martial forms in Indian file,
Advancing-slow and dignified
Their march across the clearing wide,

IV.

Red pole in front a savage bore,

On which hung scalps begrimmed with gore; Behind him came the captive knight, Wounded, and stripped of armor brightHis figure of heroic mould

Fixing regard of young and old,

Who augured, from his dauntless air,

That torture he would bravely bear,

And, as beseemed a warrior, die
Giving no groan of agony.

V.

Changed was wild ecstacy to grief,
When, looking vainly for their chief,
Ran glances of the troubled throng,
From man to man, the line along.
A melancholy wail and low
Told of a leader's overthrow;

To hollow dirge notes for the dead
The long procession timed its tread,
For lord had Can-ne-wa-gus lost,

And mourning tribe, from child to seer,

Deemed triumph bought at fearful cost
Marred by the fall of one so dear.

VI.

Passed was the middle hour of day,
Down poured the sun a milder ray,
When elders of the tribe convened,

To fix the doom of captive brave,
Beneath old oaks whose umbrage screened
Partly from sight the council grave.
From long-stemmed pipes rose fragrant fumes,
And curled around their eagle plumes;
Awhile impressive silence reigned,
And sitting posture each maintained,
Men of inferior renown

Formed outer ring of faces brown,
And near, life giving to the scene,
Dark beldame of malignant mien,
And stripling, armed with tiny bow,
On noiseless feet moved to and fro,
A better view of Frank to gain
Who mighty Can-ne-hoot had slain,

VII.

At length a man of many snows,
A forest patriarch, arose ;
Bright medal on his bosom shone,

And richly broidered was his zone;