The league of the Iroquois and other legends : from the Indian muse
The league of the Iroquois and other legends : from the Indian muse
The league of the Iroquois and other legends : from the Indian muse
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310 NOTES.<br />
Note 40. "Of Kne-ha Fa<strong>the</strong>r, fare-<strong>the</strong>e-well." Page 121.<br />
" <strong>The</strong> corpse is laid in public, where all can ga<strong>the</strong>r around it, when an address<br />
is made, partly to <strong>the</strong> spectators, describing <strong>the</strong> character <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> deceased, <strong>and</strong><br />
partly to <strong>the</strong> deceased himself, speaking to him as though <strong>the</strong> Och^ich-ag or soul<br />
was still present, <strong>and</strong> giving directions as to <strong>the</strong> path he is supposed to be about<br />
to tread in a future state."<br />
Ibid-<br />
" My son, listen once more to <strong>the</strong> words <strong>of</strong> thy mo<strong>the</strong>r. Thou wert brought<br />
into life with her pains. Thou wert nourished with her life. She has attempted<br />
to be faithful in raising <strong>the</strong>e up. When thou wert young she loved <strong>the</strong>e as her<br />
life. * * Thy friends <strong>and</strong> relations have ga<strong>the</strong>red about thy body to look upon<br />
<strong>the</strong>e for <strong>the</strong> last time. * * We part now, <strong>and</strong> you are conveyed <strong>from</strong> my sight<br />
But we shall soon meet again.<br />
* * <strong>The</strong>n we shall part no more. Our Maker<br />
has called you to his home. Thi<strong>the</strong>r we follow. Na-ho!" Speech <strong>of</strong> a Mo<strong>the</strong>r<br />
over her dead son. League <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Iroquois</strong>, p. 175.<br />
Note 41. "Endurance in <strong>the</strong> mo<strong>the</strong>r-breast Page 122.<br />
Wrought courage in <strong>the</strong> newly born."<br />
While it is true that it was held a weakness for a mo<strong>the</strong>r to give way to an/<br />
signs <strong>of</strong> pain during <strong>the</strong> trying ordeal <strong>of</strong> child-birth, it must also be remembered<br />
that women in <strong>the</strong> savage state are comparatively free <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> danger <strong>and</strong> suffering<br />
incident to civilized life.<br />
" Parturition, with <strong>the</strong> <strong>Indian</strong> female, is seldom attended with severe or longcontinued<br />
* * suffering. A wife has been known to sally into <strong>the</strong> adjoining<br />
forest in quest <strong>of</strong> dry limbs for fire-wood, <strong>and</strong> to return to <strong>the</strong> wigwam with her<br />
new-born child, placed carefully on <strong>the</strong> back-load. * * <strong>The</strong>ir exemption <strong>from</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> iisual sufferings <strong>of</strong> child-birth may be said to be <strong>the</strong> general condition <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
hunter state, <strong>and</strong> one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> few advantages <strong>of</strong> it which <strong>the</strong> woman enjoys over<br />
her civilized sister." H. K. SCHOOLCHAFT, Vol. II. p. 65.<br />
Note 42.<br />
" What is <strong>the</strong>re more than home <strong>and</strong> love?" Page 123.<br />
" I have witnessed scenes <strong>of</strong> conjugal <strong>and</strong> parental love in <strong>the</strong> <strong>Indian</strong>'s wigwam<br />
<strong>from</strong> which I have <strong>of</strong>ten, <strong>of</strong>ten, thought <strong>the</strong> educated white man, proud <strong>of</strong> his<br />
superior civilization, might learn a useful lesson. When he returns <strong>from</strong> hunting,<br />
worn out with fatigue, having tasted nothing since dawn, his wife, if she be<br />
a good wife, will take <strong>of</strong>f his moccasins <strong>and</strong> replace <strong>the</strong>m with dry ones, <strong>and</strong> will<br />
prepare his game for <strong>the</strong>ir repast ; while his children will climb upon him, <strong>and</strong><br />
he will caress <strong>the</strong>m with all <strong>the</strong> tenderness <strong>of</strong> a woman.<br />
"And in <strong>the</strong> evening <strong>the</strong> <strong>Indian</strong>'s wigwam is <strong>the</strong> scene <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> purest domestic<br />
pleasures. <strong>The</strong> fa<strong>the</strong>r will relate for <strong>the</strong> a<strong>muse</strong>ment <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> wife, <strong>and</strong> for <strong>the</strong> instruction<br />
<strong>of</strong> his children, <strong>the</strong> events <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> day's hunt, while <strong>the</strong>y will treasure up<br />
every word that falls, <strong>and</strong> which furnishes <strong>the</strong>m with <strong>the</strong> <strong>the</strong>ory <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> art, tho<br />
practice <strong>of</strong> which is to become <strong>the</strong> occupation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir lives."<br />
MKS. SCHOOLCRAFT, From Unpublished Notes.