The league of the Iroquois and other legends : from the Indian muse

THE COUNCIL. 151
Then rising, brief he spoke ;
he said :
"
Whom the Great Spirit hath bereft,
Again
Before you stands.
nor all uncornforted
Of blessings left
Than of the lost, he that is wise
Takes more account ;
the ills of Fate
Blest are to him whose heart relies
On love of Oway-ueo great.
1 '
And
" What ye spake, braves, I have heard.
Haste is not meet ;
whoso is wise
Weighs all, and finds the fitting word ;
Nor yet too late. To just appraise
What in our need may profit, seek
Ye counsel of to-morrow's sun ;
Again will Hayo-went-ha speak.
He that has said it, he is done."
The slow-departing day has fled,
The shadows deepen on the land
Where, all unvexed of coward dread,
Hope-girded waits that noble band
Of warrior braves ;
their faces lit
Fierce, like the flames that pale and glow,
As watching late, they wary sit
Around the camp-fire, blazing low.