LXXI.

Then blended pity with his wonder grew,
Here was the victim of that evil one,
Who from the demon's angry servants flew,
To seek a shelter in the forests lone.

'Brother," he said, "thy brother's mused upon
The tales thou tellest of thy kindred's ire,

And much it grieves him thou art forced to shun,
Thy well framed wigwam-thy familiar fire,
And sleep in wilds afar amid this tempest dire.

LXXII.

"Hear brother now what Waban has to say,

The night is cold and fast the snows descendHere round thy sleep will howl the beasts of prey, And scarce the flames will thy repose defend; Will not my brother to my wigwam wend?

It smokes hard by, deep in the sheltered glen ; There may my brother this drear season spend, And shun the wrath of Chepian's angry men, Until Sowanui's breezes scatter flowers again.

LXXIII.

Right welcome to the red man's lodge shall be,
His pale-faced brother safe from Sachems pale;
Waban's nausamp and venison shall be free,

When hunger craves, and when his store shall fail, His dart is true, and swift and far will he,

Pursue the bounding deer o' er hill and vale— When melts the snow we may together raise, On Seekonk's banks, our common field of maize."

LXXIV.

Williams replied, " my brother sure is kind,

But his red friends are doubtless with him here, And they may show my kindred left behind, To track my footsteps through the forest drearTo journey homeward I have little mind; My course is with the sun to wilds afar—

There would I form, with leave of Sachems red,

A tribe which ne'er should stake or fagot dread."

LXXV.

"Alone is Waban," was the sad reply,

"His wife and child have to that country gone, Where go our spirits when our bodies die,

And left thy brother in his lodge alone:

He goes by day to catch the beavers shy,

And sits by night in his still house to moan,

And much 'twould please him should the wanderer come, And tell him where the spirits have their home."

LXXVI.

"Brother, I thank thee-thou art kind indeed,"
Our founder said-" and with thee I will go,
Would that my brethren of the christian creed,
Did half thy charity and goodness know!
Waban thou wilt thy brother's purpose speed,

And all the boundaries of those countries show,
Which lie around famed Narraganset's bay,
And name the chiefs that over them hold sway."

LXXVII.

"Waban can do it"-was the answer quick

And Williams followed as the hunter led;

With blazing brands they moved through boscage thick;
The wolves around them gathered as they sped;
But Waban often raised the mimic shriek

Of the fierce panther, and as oft they fled;
And now the ground, descending swiftly steep,
Told they approached the hunter's valley deep.

LXXVIII.

Then Williams noted, through the deepest night,
The sparkles rising from the roof unseen,
And, by the glancing of the fire-brand's light,

Above him marked the thickening branches skreen;

For denser here, and of a loftier height,

Rose the broad cedar and the tapering pine;

Their still boughs bent beneath the burden hoar, And further off was heard the hollow tempest's roar.

LXXIX.

The undressed deer skin closed the entrance rude
Of the frail mansion of our founder's friend;
"Brother," said he, "this is my poor abode,

But thou art welcome-it will thee defend
From this cold storm," and as he spoke he showed
The open pass, and both did entering bend-
From 'mid the room the blazing fagots sent

The smoke and sparkles through the low roof's rent;

LXXX.

And glancing around did for the ceiling show

The braided mat of many colors made, Veiled here and there, where hanging in a row, The beavers' hides their silvery coats displayed; And oft the antlers that once armed the brow

Of bounding buck, were round the room arrayed; And here and there the hunter's gear among The dusky haunches of his venison hung.

LXXXI.

Hard by the blazing hearth, raised from the ground
Three braided pallets, with their furs bespread,
Shewed where red Waban's family once found
The humble settle, and still humbler bed;
But now, alas! within a narrower bound,

Two of the three on colder couches laid-
The wampum girdle, that his spouse once wore,
Gleamed on her garb of furs the settle o'er.

LXXXII.

Warm was the room, and plenteous was the cheer Which generous Waban did our founder bring; In trays the nocake,* and the joints of deer,

And in the gourd-shell water from the spring; And all the whilst he made our founder hear,

* A corruption of the Indian Nokehick-parched meal.

'How he had pierced the wild duck on the wing ; How westward lately he the moose pursued,

Until he struck him far in lone Mooshausick's wood.

LXXXIII.

Slightly our founder tasted the plain fare,

For toil and chill far more than hunger prest, This Waban noted and with tender care,

The vacant pallet shewed, and urged him rest ; Waban he said would still the fire repair,

And comfortable keep his pale-faced guest, "And may the Manitto of dreams," he said, "The happiest visions on thy slumbers shed.

LXXXIV.

'Upon this pallet once was wont to lay

Her active form, whose spirit now is gone; And may that spirit to thy visions say

Where now she dwells, and where my little son; Whether on that bleşt island far away*

O'er the blue hills beyond the setting sun, They with their kindred joy, or nearer home, They wait until the sire and husband come."

LXXXV.

Williams replied, that he would speak at morn,

Of that far journey which the spirit takes; And name the guide, who never soul forlorn,

Whilst passing through death's gloomy night, forsakes.

His brother then, on fitting day in turn,

Would name the bounds, by rivers, bays and lakes,
Of neighboring chiefs, and how each sagamore
Might stand affected to his purpose pure.

LXXXVI.

Our founder slept; and on that night I ween,
Deep was the slumber of that pallet low,

Calm were its dreams as was his breast serene

Such sleep can persecutors never know; He slept, until the dawning light was seen

Down through the dome to glance upon his brow; Then Waban woke him to his simple cheer

*

Of the pure fount, nausamp, and savory deer.

*The word samp is a corruption of the Indian word nausamp, and has the same meaning.