' ONONDIO

'I honor you, and the warriors that are with me all 'likewise honor you. Your interpreter has finished your 'speech, I now begin mine. My words hasten to reach 'your ears, pray listen to them.'

'Onondio, you must have believed when you left Quebec, 'that the sun had burnt up all the Forests which render our 'country inaccessible to the French, or that the Lakes had ' overflowed their banks, and surrounded our Castles, so that 'it was impossible for us to get out of them. Yes, Onondio, 'you must surely have dreamt this, and curiosity to see so 'great a wonder has brought you so far. Now you are undeceived, since I and the warriors here present are come to as'sure you, that the Senekas, Cayugas, Onondagas, Oneidas ' and Mohawks are yet alive. I thank you, in their name, for bringing back into their country that Calumet, which your ' predecessor received from their hands. I congratulate you 'for your good fortune in having left under ground that murdering hatchet, which has been so often dyed with the 'blood of the French. Listen, Onondio, I am not asleep, I 'have my eyes open, and that sun which enlightens me, discovers to me a great Captain at the head of a Company of 'soldiers, who speaks as if he were dreaming. He says that 'he only came to the Lake to smoke on the great Calumet, 'with the Onondagas. But Garangula asserts, that he sees 'the contrary, that it was to have destroyed them, if sick་ ness had not weakened the arms of the French.

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'I see Onondio raving in a camp of sick men, whose lives 'the great Spirit has saved, by inflicting this sickness on 'them. Hear, Onondio, our women had taken their clubs, our children and old men had carried their bows and arrows into the heart of your camp, if our warriors had not 'disarmed them, and kept them back, when your messenger Oquesse came to our castles. Enough, I say no more on 'this subject.'

'We may go where we please, and carry with us whom we 'please, and buy and sell what we please. If your allies be 'your slaves, use them as such, command them to receive 6 no other but your people. This belt confirms my words.' 'What I say is the voice of all the five nations; hear what they answer, open your ears to what they speak: The 'Senakas, Cayugas, Onondagas, Oneidas and Mohawks

that when they buried the hatchet at Cadaracqui, in the presence of your predecessor, in the centre of the Fort, they planted the tree of peace in the same place, to 'be there carefully preserved, that in place of being a re'treat for soldiers, it might become a rendezvous for mer'chants; that in place of arms and ammunitions of war, 'beavers and merchandize should only enter there.

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'Hearken Onondio, take care for the future, that so great a number of soldiers as appear there, do not choak the Tree of Peace planted in so small a fort. It would be a great misfortune if after it had so easily taken root, you should stop its growth, and prevent its covering your coun'try and ours with its branches. I assure you in the name ' of the Five Nations, that our warriors shall dance to the 'Calumet of peace under its leaves, and shall remain quiet on their matts, and shall never dig up the hatchet, till their brethren Onondio, or Corlaer, shall either jointly or sepa'rately endeavour to attack the country which the Great Spirit has given to our ancestors. This belt confirms my words, and this other the authority given to me by the Five "Nations.' Then addressing himself to the French Interpreter, he said—' Take courage Oquesse, you have spirit, speak, explain my words, omit nothing, tell all that your brethren and friends say to Onondio, your Governor, by the mouth of Garangula, who loves you and desires you to accept this present of beaver, and take part with him in 'his feast to which he invites you. This present of beaver ' is sent to Onondio on the part of the Five Nations.'

This speech may be compared with the celebrated message of the Scythians to Alexander in Quintius Curtius, and it affords materials, which, if they were drest in the style of the great Roman Historians, would vie with any that they have transmitted to us; indeed, its figurative language, pungent sarcasm, and lofty tone can hardly be surpassed.

Perilous and romantick adventures,* figurative and eloquent harangues, strong contrasts and important interests,

The early history of our country furnishes many characters, adventures and incidents of the strongest interest. Prominent among the former is Capt. John Smith, whose common and familiar name, is the only thing pertaining to his history, which is not elevated and heroick. His life is now very rare, and the book commands a high price, but a very able abstract of it may be found in Dr. Belknap's American

are as frequent in this portion of history, as the theatre on which these actions were performed is abundant in grand and beautiful scenery. There are many inferiour circumstances that might contribute appropriate materials for poetry. The armorial bearings of the Indians, their Hieroglyphick

Biography. And there is hardly a marvellous tale on the shelves of any circulating library, that can surpass the real adventures of this extraordinary man. From his very infancy, to his death, which happened in the middle period of life, his whole career is a series of daring and romantick achievements in many different parts of the world. His reputation appears without stain, and he is a genuine hero of romance, being equally distinguished for the gallartry of love and war. He gave to the northern Cape of Massachusetts bay, the name of a Turkish lady who interested herself in his fate, when a prisoner of the Turks; but Cape Tragabizanda, afterwards got the name of Cape Ann, which it will no doubt retain, though the other out of regard to Smith might be used in poetry. His name is best known in this country, from his encounters with the father of Pocahontas, and the devoted affection of that interesting Indian princess towards him. The character of Standish among the Plymouth colonists; of the Sachem of Mount Hope, and the wars which ended in his destruction: the singular and heroick character of Madame de la Tour, of whom some account may be found in Hubbard's history recently published by the Historical Society from an ancient Ms. the religious fanaticism and Intrigues of Mrs. Hutchinson, and her supporter in Sir Henry Vane, which caused as much trouble and commotion in the colony of Massachusetts, as the Mystical doctrines of Madame Guyon occasioned in Paris and to the Court of Louis 14th. These and many others are interesting materials. The incident mentioned by President Stiles, is very striking, of Dixwell one of the regicides, suddenly emerging from his concealment, and by his presence animating an infant settlement, when suddenly assailed from the Indians, to repel the savages, and then returning unnoticed to his retreat; which made many of the people who knew nothing of his concealment regard him as a mysterious being, a good angel sent for their deliverance. If remarkable characters and actions are to be found in our history, the scenes where they lived or occurred, must be interesting from association of ideas. There are many such, though they have been too much neglected. We have all felt the interest excited by Scott for the scenery he describes in the Lady of the Lake. Its natural beauty is doubtless great-yet, give a bard of equal genius, the spot described in the last volume of the Historical collections, as the one chosen by Gosnold in his first voyage-on one of the Elizabeth Islands, there is a small lake, in which there is a rocky islet, where is still to be seen the foundations of the first dwelling erected on these shores by Europeans. The remarkable security of this situation, its natural beauty, the interest attending this attempt to colonize a country which has since played such an important part in the world, make this secluded spot more interesting than the Highland Lake; the time will come

writings, and some of their superstitions may be made subservient to poetical effect. For instance, there is in Lake Champlain a high rock, against which the waves dash with vehemence, and the spray is thrown to a great height. The Savages believed that an ancient Indian resided under this rock, who had power over the winds; to propitiate him they always threw over a pipe, or made some other oblation in passing. A man of distinction among the early Dutch inhabitants of New York, by the name of Corlaer, who was held in such high veneration by the Indians that they treated with him as the Governor of that Province, and ever after called the Governor by his name; while on his way to visit the Governor of Canada, ridiculed this Indian Eolus. He was drowned directly afterwards by the upsetting of his canoe, which the Indians always attributed to his disrespect for the old man who had the control of the winds. This at least is not more extravagant, than Homer's account of the present made by the monarch of Eolia to Ulysses, of an assortment of winds secured in bags, which being untied by his sailors, a tempest was created, that drove them on the coast of the Lestrigons.

There is an ingenious device of Epick poetry, that might be here used with great effect. This is the prophetick narration, a prophecy after the facts have occurred. Such is the celebrated Ode of Gray, in which the last of the Bards

when this spot will be visited with as much interest, as the traveller at Rome goes to the Fountain of Egeria.

It would be encroaching too far to dwell longer on these topicks. No prejudice is more common, none more unfounded, none will more certainly be hereafter destroyed, than the one which supposes the early history of our country to be deficient in interest. To a person totally unacquainted with it, the mere mention of the leading circumstances on which it is founded, would prove on very slight reflection, that it was indeed impossible it should be so. Even saints and miracles may Lettres

be incorporated in it, if such be the taste of the poet. In the edifiantes* published at Paris in 1807, there are the letters of Father Charlevoix and the other Jesuits in Canada, relating all the minute circumstances of the deaths of some holy Indian Virgins, who died in the odour of sanctity, and at whose tombs miracles were performed duly attested and sworn to by divers honourable men. Those who wish to investigate this department, may consult, Smith's Life, Belknap's Biography, Hubbard's history, Colden's history of the Five Nations, La Hontan's Travels, and the histories of Virginia and Massachuscits. Charlevoix Nouvelle France. Lafitau's Mœurs des Sauvages, Adair's American Indians.

In the Library of the Athenæum.

predicts the misfortunes of Edward's posterity; such are the adventures of Ulysses in the 11th book of the Odyssey, and of Æneas in the 6th book of the Eneid, in which those heroes are told among the shades, the future fortunes of their race. The poet might introduce the expedient as his fancy suggested. It may be supposed that a French and English Officer, and an American Colonist should accompany an Indian Sachem deputed by his tribe, to consult some Indian sorcerer or divinity; the scene may be in one of those islands of Lake Superiour, which some of their traditions represent as the abode of the blest, on shores perhaps untrodden by the foot of man, lone, distant and obscure as those Cimmerian climes, in which lay the opening to Tartarus. In seeking for a knowledge of destiny, what wonderful events would be unfolded.

The prescient expounder of fate would declare to the Chieftain of the Five Nations, the alliances, contests, triumphs and utter extinction of his race; that they should disappear with the animals they hunted, and the forests that sheltered both-they should vanish before the spirit of civilization, like the mist of the Lakes before the morning sun, and leave no trace of their existence, but in the records of the white men-To the Englishman he would foretell the civil war, the death of Charles on the scaffold, the fanatical austerity of the times, the usurpation of Cromwell, and, at his decease, the restoration of Royalty, and the licentious gayety that ensued-the final expulsion of the Stuarts and extinction of that family-the lustre of arts and arms during the reign of Anne; with the subsequent increasing splendour and grandeur of his nation, till their empire should extend over both the Indies, To the American Colonist, would be foretold the American Revolution, the fame of its heroes and statesmen-he would announce to him the first of these, the man who should be first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen; the successful issue of the glorious contest for Independence would be predicted, and he would be shewn the future greatness, happiness and glory of his country. To the Frenchman he would narrate the conquests, the splendour of the arts and of literature, the bigotry, disasters and miseries of the reign of Louis 14ththe profligacy and corruption of the regency, the loss of their possessions on this continent, and in the last conflict