Frontenac: Or, The Atotarho of the Iroquois ; a Metrical Romance

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Baker and Scribner, 1849 - American poetry - 324 pages
This poetic work seeks to shed light on some European experiences with the Iroquois, their culture and interactions.
 

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Page 299 - the most mysterious thing in the world. The sceptres of our kings are not so much respected; for the savages have such a deference for this pipe, that one may call it the god of peace and war, and the arbiter of life and death.
Page 167 - Pause, white man! check thy onward stride! Cease o'er the flood thy prow to guide! Until is given one sigh sincere For those who once were monarchs here, And prayer is made beseeching God To spare us his avenging rod For all the wrongs upon the head Of the poor helpless savage shed ; Who, strong when we were weak...
Page 303 - There is a Rock in this Lake, on which the Waves dash and fly up to a great Height; when the Wind blows hard, the Indians believe, that an old Indian lives under this Rock, who has the Power of the Winds; and therefore, as they pass it in their Voyages over, they always throw a Pipe, or some other small Present to this old Indian, and pray a favourable Wind.
Page 166 - Whilst the red lightnings, fierce and fast, Shot from the wild and scowling sky, And burst in dark and mighty train A tumbling cataract, the rain. I saw within the driving mist Dim writhing stooping shapes, — the trees That the last eve so softly kissed, And birds so filled with melodies. Still swept the wind with keener shriek, The tossing waters higher rolled, Still fiercer flashed the lightning's streak, Still gloomier frowned the tempest's fold. Ah, such, ah, such is life, I sighed, That lovely...
Page 5 - ... narrow grassy glade, Where thickets stood in grouping shade, The light streaked down in golden mist, Kindled the shrubs, the greensward kissed, Until the clover-blossoms white Flashed out like spangles large and bright. This green and sun-streaked glade was rife With sights and sounds of forest life. A robin in a bush was singing, A flicker * rattled on a tree ; In liquid, fife-like tones round ringing, A thrasher...
Page 27 - With plumes were tipped the beechen sprays ; The birch, long dangling tassels showed ; The oak still bare, but in a blaze Of gorgeous red the maple glowed; With clusters of the purest white Cherry and shadbush charmed the sight Like spots of snow the boughs among ; And showers of strawberry blossoms made Rich carpets in each field and glade Where day its kindliest glances flung. And air, too, hailed spring's joyous sway ; The bluebird warbled clear and sweet ; Then came the wren with carols gay,...
Page 288 - Mississipi, over a vast Country, which extends twelve hundred Miles in Length, from North to South, and about six hundred Miles in breadth ; where they intirely destroyed many Nations, of whom there are now no Accounts remaining among the English.
Page 290 - Those given to Sir William Johnson, of immortal Indian memory, were in several rows, black on each side, and white in the middle: the white being placed in the centre, was to express peace, and that the path between them was fair and open.
Page 24 - Made women, bent low at their conquerors' will. By the far Mississippi the Illini shrank When the trail of the Tortoise was seen on the bank. On the hills of New England the Pequod turned pale When the howl of the Wolf swelled at night on the gale, And the Cherokee shook, in his green smiling bowers, When the foot of the Bear stamped his carpet of flowers.
Page 167 - Cease o'er the wave thy prow to guide ! Until is given one sigh sincere For those who once were monarchs here; And prayer is made, beseeching God To spare us his avenging rod For all the wrongs upon the head Of the poor, helpless savage shed; Who, strong when we were weak, did not Trample us down upon the spot, But, weak when we were strong, were cast Like leaves upon the rushing blast.

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