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

ORIGIN OF THE SENECA NATION. 255
And lie, whose place is high above, *
Them lent his fostering love and care ;
Nor knew they idle wisli to rove
From land so passing good and fair ;
And where the plain in beauty showed,
Sloped greening to the rippled wave,
Content the infant tribe abode,
Each tawny maid and dusky brave.
The manly arms so brown and bare
From far the poles of cedar brought ;
And many a flaggy mat and fair
The damsels' lighter fingers wrought ;
Still to the brake and to the wood
The willing footsteps came and went,
Till new, in home-like comfort, stood
The lowly Indian's barky tent.
And in the years that onward drew
He marked the Seasons come and go ;
Taught of each varied need, he knew
To shape the arrow, string the bow,
Swift-speed the pointed shaft, to slay
Skan-o-do, to unerring pierce
The Mosa on the hills away,
The shaggy Yek-wai, prowling fierce.