He had been deputed l)y the Great and Good Spirit, Ha-wa-
ne-u, to visit the streams and clear the channels from all ol)-
structions, to seek out the good things of the country through
which he intended to pass, that they might be more generally
disseminated among all the good people of the earth — espe-
A li-x;i-:ni) of calumet island. 43
cially to point out to tlu'in the most excrllcnt tisliino- tii'oiinds,
and to bestow upon them other aceeptahle ji'ifts. Al)ont this
time, two young men of the Onondaga Nation weiv listh^sly
gazing over the ealm l)hu' waters of the Lake of a Tliousaiul
Isles. During their reverie they espied, as they thought, far
in the distance, a single white sj)eek, beautifully dancing over
the bright l)lue waters, and while tliev watched the ()l)ject
with the most intense anxiety, i^ seemed to increase in magni-
tude, and moved as if a])i)roaching the j)hu'e where they were
concealed, most anxiously awaiting the event of the visitation
of so singular an object — for at this time no canoes had ever
nnide their appearance in the direction from whence this was
approaching. As the object neared the shore, it ])roved in
semblance to be a venerable looking man, cahnly seated in a
canoe of pure white, very curiously constructed, and much
more ingeniously wrought than those in use among the tribes
of the country. Like a cygnet upon tlu' wide bhu^ sea, so sat
the canoe of To-oun-ya-watdia. upon the Lake of a Thousand
isles.
.\s a frail braneli drifts towai-ds the rushing cataract, so
coursed the white canoe over the rii)pling waters, i)ropelled by
the strong arm of the god of the river. Dee}) thought sat on
the brow of the gray headed mariner; ])enetration marked his
eye, and deep dark myster^' pervaded his countenance. With
a single oar he silently paddled his light trimmed bark along
the shore, as if seeking a commodious haven of rest. He soon
turned tlie }>row of his tVagih' vessel into the estuary of ihe
"double river, " and made fist to the western shore, lie ma-
jestically ascended the steej) l)aid<, nor stopjx'd till he ha
gained the loftiest sunnnit of tlie western hill. 'Idien silently
ga/.ing around as if to examine the c(»unti'y. he became en-
chanted with the view, and drawing his stately form to its
44
A LEdEND OF CALUMET ISLAND.
Utmost height, he exehiimeii in accents of the wildest enthu-
siasm, Osh-wah-kee, Osh-wah-kee.
He approached the two young hunters, recounts Dr.
Hough, gained their coniidence, and having drawn from them
a knowledge of the difficulties under which they labored, dis-
closed to them the spirituality of his character, and the object
of his mission. He invited them to attend him in his passage
up the river, and they witnessed many tilings which could
only be accounted for as miracles, or be described but in the
wonders of Indian mytholcgy. He ascended to the lesser
lakes, placed all things in proper order for the comfort and
sustenance of man, taught them how to cultivate corn and
beans, which had not before been grown by them, made the
fishing ground free, and opened to all the uninterrupted pur-
suit of game. He distributed among mankind the fruits of
the earth, and removed all obstructions from the navigable
streams. Being pleased with his success, he assumed the
character and habits of a man, and received the name Hi-a-
wat-ha, (signifying " very wise man, " ) and fixed his residence
on the beautiful shores of C'ross Lake. After a time, the coun-
try became alarmed by a Imstilc invasion, wlien he called a
council of all the tribes from (he (_-ast and the west, and in a
long harangue urged upon them the imi)ortance of uniting
themselves in a league for their common defense and mutual
happiness. They deliberated upon liis advice, and the next
day adopted and ratified the league of union which he recom-
mended. Hi-a-wat-ha, having brought this council to a,
close, and as the assembled tril)es were about to separate, on
their return home, arose in a dignified manner, and thus' ad-
dressed them :
" Friends and Bi'others :— J hav(^ now fulfilled my mission
upon earth; I have done everything which can be done at
A LK(;i:xr) ok caumkt island. 4o
])i-('st'nt for the a,()od of tliis i^rcat people. Atic iiitinnity and
distress, sit heavily ii|)oii iiie. Duriiiu- my sojoui'ii aiiioni;- you
1 liave removed all oltstrnetious from your streams. Canoes
can now pass everywhere. 1 have given you good tishing
waters and good hunting grounds, I have tanglit you how to
eultivate corn and beans, and havt' learned you tlie art of
nudving caldns. Many blessings 1 have li1)ei'ally l)estowed
upon you.
Lastly, 1 have now assisted you to foi-m an everlasting-
league and covenant of strength and friendshi)), for your fu-
ture safety and protection. If you j)resei've it without the
admission of other people, you will always 1)e free, numerous
and mighty. If other nations are admitted to your councils,
they will sow jealousies among you, and you will become en-
slaved, few and feeble. Remember these words: they are the
last you will hear from tlie lii)S of ]Ii-a-watdia. Listen, my
friends, the (Ireat-^NIaster-of-Lreatli calls me to go. I have
patiently waited his summons. I am ready : I'^arewell. "'
As the wise man closed his speech, there l)urst upon the
ears of the assend)led multitude, the cheerful sounds of the
most delightful singing voices. The whole sky seemed filled
witli the sweetest melody of celestial music; and Heaven's
high arch echoed and I'.'-echoed the touching strains, till the
whole vast assembly was completely absorbed in rapturous
ecstasy. Amidst the general coid'usion which now jn-evailed,
and while all eyes were turne(l towards \\w etherial regions,
ili-a-watdia was seen majt'stieally seated in his canoe, grace-
fully rising higher and higher above their heads through the
air, until he became entirely lost from the view of the assem-
bled throng, Avho witnessed his wonderful ascent in mut(^ and
admiring astonishment — while the fascinating music grad-
ually became more plaiuliye and low, and liually sweetly ex-
46 A LEGEND OF CALIMET ISLAXl).
pired in the softe^^t tones upon their ears, as the wise man
Hi-a-wat-ha, the god-like Ta-oun-ya-wat-ha, retired from their
sight, as m3^steriously as he first appeared from The Lake of a
Thousand Isles, and. cont'ludes Dr. Hough, quietly entered
the regions inhabited only hy the favorites of the great and
good s})i ri t II a- wa 1 1 -n e-u .
That the reader may the better understand the legend of
which these pages treat, a portion of Longfellow's " Song of
Hiawatha " is here reproduced :
TPIE PEACE PIPE.
On the Mountains of the Praii'ic,
On the great Ked ri])e-stone <^i:iiTy,
Gitche Manito, tlie mighty.
He the Master of Life, descending,
On the red crags of the quarry,
Stood erect, and called the nations,
Called the tribes of men together.
From his footprints* flowed a river. f
Leaped into the light of morning.
O'er the precipice plunging downward
Gleamed like Ishhoodah, the comet.
And the spirit, stooping earthward,
With his finger on the meadow
Traced a winding pathway for it.
Saying to it, " Kun in this way ! "
From the red stone of tlic quarry
With his hand he bi'oki' a tVagmcnt.
Moulded it into a pipediead.
Shaped and fashioned it with ligures ;
From the margin of the river
Took a long reed for a, pipe-stem,
* The Great Lakes. + The St. Lawrence.
A LJ:(ii;XI) OF CAUMK-r ISLAND.
Witli its (lark orceu leaves upon it ;
l-'illed the pipe with bark of willow,
With the bark of the red willow ;
Breathed ui)Oii the Jieighboriiit;- forest,
Made its threat boii^hs ehafe tou-ether,
Till ill flame tliey burst and kindled ;
And erect upon the mountains,
Gitche Manito, the mighty,
Smoked the Calumet, the Peace-Pipe,
As a signal to the nations.
And the smoke rose slowly, slowly.
Through the tranquil air of morning,
Fir.st a single line of darkness,
Then a denser, bluer vapor.
Then a snow-white cloud unfolding.
Like the tree-tops of the forest.
Ever rising, rising, rising,
Till it touched the top of heaven,
Till it broke against the heaven,
And rolled outward all around it.
From the Vale of Tawasentha,
From the Valley of Wyoming,
From the Groves of Tuscaloosa,
From the far-off Rocky Mountains,
From the Northern lakes and rivers
All tlie tribes beheld the signal,
Saw the distant smoke ascending.
The Pukwana of the Peacc-Pipe.
And the Prophets of the nations
Said : " Behold it, the Pukwana !
By this signal from afar off.
Bending like a wand of willow,
48 A LEGEND OF CALT'MET ISLAXD.
Waving like a liaiid that beckons,
(iitche Afanito, the mighty,
Calls the tribes of men together,
Calls the warriors to his conncil ! "
Down the rivers, o'er the prairies,
Came the warriors ot the nations.
Came the Delawares and Mohawks,
Came the Choctaws and Camanches,
Came the Shoshones and Blackfeet,
Came the Pawnees and Oniahas,
( 'ame the Mandans and Dacotahs,
Came the Hurons and ()jil)ways,
All the warriors drawn together
By the signal of the I'eaee-Pipe,
To the Mountains of the Prairie,
To the great Ped Pi[)e-stone Quarry.
And they stood there on the meadow,
With their weapons and their war-gear.
Painted like the leaves of Autumn,
Painted like the sky of morning.
Wildly glaring at each other ;
In their faces stern dehance.
In their hearts the feuds of ages,
The hereditary hatred,
The ancestral thirst of vengeance.
Gitche Manito. the mighty.
The creator of the nations.
Looked u|)on them with com])assion,
A\'ith ])ater]ial love and ])ity ;
Looked u])on their wrath and wranglin.
But as cpiarrels among children.
But as feuds and lights of children !
A Lr<;(4END OF CALUMET ISLAXD.
4!)
Ovei- tlu'iii lie stivtt'lu'd his riolit liniid,
To sulxluc their stuhhorn natures,
Toalhiy their thii'st and fever.
l)y tlie sha(h)\v ofliis riolit hand ;
Spake to theni with voice niajestic
As the sound of iar-off waters,
Fallino- into deep al)ysses,
Warnino-, eliiding-, s])ake in this wise: —
" () my ehildi-en ! my ])oor ehildreii I
l.isteu to the woi'ds of wisdom.
Listen to the words of warninii-.
From the Hps of the Great Spirit,
From the ^faster of Life, wlio made you :
" I liave given you lands to luuit in.
I have given you streams to Hsh in,
I have given you bear and ])ison,
1 have given you roe and rein(h>er.
I have given you hrant and heaxcr.
Filled the marshes full of wild-fowl,
Filled the rivers i\\\\ of fishes ;
Why then are you not contented?
Why tlK'U will you hunt each other '.^
" 1 am weary of your (piari'ds.
Weai-y of your wars ;nid Wloodshed.
Weary of your pi'ayei's for vengeance,
Of your wranglings and disst'iisions ;
All your strength is in your union,
All your dangt'r is in discoi'
Therefore he at peace heneeforwanl.
And as hi-olhers li\c together.
" I will send a prophet to you.
A Deliverer of the nations,
A LE(;EXD of ('ALUMET JSLANl).
W\u) shall guide you and shall teacdi you,
Who shall toil and suffer with you.
If you listen to his counsels,
You will multiply and prosper ;
]f his warnings pass unheeded,
You will fade away and i)erish I
" I)athe now in the stream before you,
A\'asli tlie war-paint from your faces,
Wash the blood-stains from your fingers,
Bury your war-clubs and your weapons, '
Break the red stone from this quarr}'.
Mould and make it into Peace-Pipes,
Take the reeds that grow beside you.
Deck them with your brightest feathers,
Smoke the calumet together,
And as brothers live henceforward ! "
Then upon the ground the warriors
Threw their cloaks and shirts of deerskin,
Threw their weapons and their war-gear,
Leaped into the rushing river,
AVashed the war-paint from their faces.
Clear above them flowed the water,
Clear and limpid from the footi)rints
Of the Master of Life descending ;
Dark below them flowed the water.
Soiled and stained with streaks of crimson.
As if blood were mingled with it !
From the river came the warriors.
Clean and washed from all their war-paint
On the ])anks thrir clubs they buried,
Buried all their warlike wea])ons.
Gitche Manito, the mighty,
A LK(;ENI) Ol' (AI.r.MKT ISLAND. .') 1
The (xreat Spirit, the creatoi",
Smiled upon his helpless children I
And in silence all the warriors
Broke the red stone of the quari'v,
Smoothed and formed it into Peacc-Pijx's.
Broke the lon^- reeds l)y the rivei'.
Decked them with their hriuhtesl leathers,
And departed each one homeward,
While the Master of Life, ascending,
Through the opening of cloud-curtains,
Through the doorways of the heaven,
^''anished from before their faces.
In the smoke that rolled around him.
The Pukwana of the Peace-Pipe.
The Indian name for French creek, in the village of
Clayton, was Weteringhra-Guentere, the " Fallen Fort, " or
perhaps more literally, "the place where the hills fell down. "
An ancient and rude fortification at the mouth <»f French
("reek was the traditional l)Oundary line between the Iroquois
and Algonquin nations whom the first white navigator of the
St. Lawrence found engaged in a war which Ix^gan l)efore
time was fixed even by uncertain tradition.
The war was said to have originated with a hunting par-
ty composed of a half dozen young men of each nation. One
party followed an elk many leagues and returned witbout
game whatsoever. The other party then set out and meeting
with immediate success the lately van(|uish(Ml party was com-
pelled to do squaw work — skinning, dressing and cooking.
The jealousy of the latter was now aggravated by humiliation,
and a feud was engendered wliich tlieir few living descendants
secretly cherish to this day.
This feud was precipitated long after the advent of Ilia-
o2 A LEGEND OF CALUMET ISLAN'D.
WEitlm, the river ,uo(l, and in violation of liis admonitions. Af-
tci' tliis murderous war had been carried on many years the
land was taken from the INIississaguas by the (xreat Spirit who
was more than ever displeased with his eliosen whom he liad
placed in the Manatoana, this (Jarden of Eden, only to have
the compact of })eace rudely violated.
An island in the St. Lawrence, opposite Clayton, presents
in the contour of its shores, and general topography, a won-
derful resemblance to an Indian pipe, and for this reason long-
ago it was called Calumet. This island it is claimed is no
other than the Calumet, the gigantic Peace-Pipe, smoked by
(dtche Manito, the mighty, "as a signal to the nations, " the
ascending smoke from which attracted the attention of the
Proj)fiets of the nations n})on Avhose interpretation the tribes
of men were immediately called together at Manatoana, the
Carden of the (Jreat Spirit, the Mille lies of the French yoy-
ageurs, tlie Thousand Islands of today.
(litche Manito sent messengers to bear away the country
of the Mississaguas and they came with a great skin blanket
which was let down by the f )ur corners. Into this blanket
.Manatoana. the (iarden of the Great Spirit, with its rivers,
lakes and mountains, was carefully placed, the great Calumet
in the center. The l)lanket with its l»urden was borne away
sk\-ward, but as the wondeiing Mississaguas gazed u})ward
they were territied at discovering that the messengei's had
broken their liobh The gai'den and the gi'eat blanket came
tumbling down and was 1»roken iido a tliousand fragments —
and thns oi-iginalrd th<' Thousand Islands, 'i'he Calumet was
faii'ly ))ulveri/.(Ml, a token tliat the covenant Itetween the Great
Spirit and the nations was no more. The Mississaguas were
no longer the chosen peoph' 'I'hev had liroken the }>ledge to
keel) ix-acc anioim- themselves and (utche Manito had made
A LKdKNT) OP ('AL^^rKT ISLAND. Oo
his ano'er niaiiitV'st l>y tlic sii^niticaiit l)rcakiii,u- of the ('aliiiiict.
the |)i[)e of }H'ace.
Hence, ^\'eterill^h^a-( iuciitere. "the plaec whci'e the hills
fell
Daniel nillikin, American.
Your graiidiather and I settled in this neighborhood in
180H, making the h:)ng journey from Connecticut witli one
horse and a pair of oxen, camping by the way wherever night
overtook us. We were married but a few days before setting
out, and you may be sure it was not a hixurious wedchng
journey, but stout hearts and bright hopes kept us good com-
l)any.
Our new liome overlooked Lake Ontario, wliicli seemed
to me l)road as the ocean, for no trace of the farther sliore
could be seen. Full five years we worked from daylight to
dark, and then had really less than we brought with us. Your
father, no, grandfather, was a tanner and currier and had
often talked of returning to his trade, but lie could not read-
ily get such employment vwn in this new country. Ojie day
lie came from La Famine, and turning the horse loose at
the (h)or, came in and sat by the fireplace in silence a long
time. My heart sank M'lien he did speak. A\\» were to leave
our home and my parents, who had followed us, and go to
Canada, where he had contracted to work as foreman in a
DAXIKL MILI.Ik-IX, AMERICAN'. OO
tannery, and was to receive eight dollars in gold oxwy wcck
f<>r his services. It was a bold stroke whicli to oui- niiiids
foretold great wealth, and yet we were rehictaiit to lea\e our
littU^ clearing and go among a sti'ange jii'Oj)h'in a i'orcign land.
Besides, the thought of hving \\ithin the king's doinain> was
not jileasant.
Humors of trouble l)etween the young rciiublic anddrcat
Britain had reached us from time to time, l)ut the single news-
])aper that came fortnightly said England dare not hght again,
besides should there be war, Canada Nvould side with us and
it, too, become free. At length our fears were put asi(h' and
we left by saib there were no steamers then, and two days
later landed far u]) the Canadian shore at a little village con-
taining a church, a few log houses and the tannery store.
For a while we saved money, but with the ugly war news
the times grew harder and harder until we were compelled to
take store pay entirely. Wdien war was actually di'clart'd your
grandfather, and the four Americans he had brought with
him, decided to return home since in the heat of argument
tliey had already gotten into trouble with the tannery hands.
They were good workmen and had ol)tained such favor with
the contractors that, to induce tlu'Ui to stay, the pay in gold
was resumed and they were assured that should they remain
they would be exempt from military duty. TluMi eamethe
re])ort that the British had burned IJoston. That decided our
l)eople that they must go l)aek and defend their homes, but
they tarried a few days in the ho])e that it was a fah;e reiioit
made to encourage loyalty in the ('anadas.
One morning we heai'd the booming of cannon at \n\k,
now Toronto, and our men made no cllort to conceal theirjoy
at (ieneral Pike's bold atta(d< and suliseijuent capture of the
citv. .\11 Canada was in hiuli dudgeon, and our little colony
56 DANIEL MILLIKIX, AMKHICAN.
suffered its share of abuse, and we were given to understand
that we must repress our feehngs or suffer the consequences.
Although the season was advancing and lake navigation dan-
gerous, the Americans hegan at once the secret construction of
a large bateau in which we were all to return. Every man in
the village was ordered to arm and report at the church whence
they were to march to the recapture of York You may be
sure haste was made in the construction of the boat, the build-
ers paying no heed to the warning to eiiuij) for war. It was
completed two days after the militia had departed, -and our
hopes ran high while loading it with stores for the return to
home, friends and country.
AMule thus engaged six mounted redcoats appeared upon
the rise above us and demanded a surrender. Our men were
armed and had agreed to fight if the officers came to press
them into the service, but your grandfather was the only one
to stand his ground and fire. His shot was returned with a
volley, and he fell with a Indict in his arm. Springing to his
feet be began to reload, and as the soldiers were preparing to
fire another volley I ran in front of him and dannl them to
shoot a woman. Blood trickled from his hand, and as I tried
to bandage his wound the brutal soldiers closed about us and
your grandfather Avas bound to a saddle before I could dress
his arm whicli hung limp at his side. They started away and
I attem[)ted to follow, but the soldiers threatened to shoot me
also if J made further ado. My husband bade me return to
1lic house and mind the children, and as they galloped away
I saw a pistol held to his head for shouting to me that he
would be back that very night.
I watcluMl them out of sight, and then with a breaking;
heart entered the cabin. There I found Kuth Sophronia and
Thankful Amanda armed with table kniycs in emulatiotj of
DANIKI, MII.I.IKIN, A M K K KaN". 0<
the Spirit of Anu'rica. while little Asa Kheiie/.cr was jxmriii^-
])()W(ler from the horn into his milk.
Tlie vision of theii' poor woniuled father, home away to
an unknown fate was hefore me day and ni^ht, and 1 nearly
worried myself into insanity. Week aftei- week wore away
and yet no word eame to relii've my distress or conlirm my
fears. Frequent stories of huteheries liy Indians employed in
the British service kept me in constant alarm lest such a fate
overtake me and my helpless children. Often I took them
into the woods when Indians were in the nei^hhorhood, and
came back only when compelled by cold and hunger. There
were few neighbors left, and tli:::e I dare lu.t trust tbi- there
were among them those whom I believed had informed the
officers of our intended departure. As the winter eame on a
sense of my utter loneliness bore me down, and to return to
my parents became the whole subject of my thought. it
would soon be a physical necessity since tlie provisions were
low and the money reduced to a single gold coin. In the feai"
of being massacred the few ]>eo])le in the village were ]ire-
l)aring to leave, and at this 1 was determined to face any dan-
ger than remain entirely alone.
To recross the lake at this season was next to imi)ossible.
even for experienced sailors. I knew the St. Lawrence river
must be frozen over at Kingston winch was slron^iy gai'ri-
soned l)y the British. A wounded soldier brought me word
that your grandfather had been taken to that post tbr ti'ial.
and that settled a ])urpose to return that way in the hope of
seeing my husband, if but for a moment. .\ farmer was en-
gaged to carry us to Kingston, and aftei' nearly a week's trav-
el in d(>ejt snow wo reaclie
iiKjuiry for my husband and was told that he had been taken
to Montreal and siiot for treason.
58
DANIEL MILLiKIX. A>rERICAK.
I did not faint — women did not have the liabit then — â–
neither was I greatly sur])rised, for 1 had already learned
sometiiing of the severity of martial law. '{'here was no time
to shed hittci' teai's over our utterly forlorn condition, and to
make the situation e()mj)letely dismal, the river at this point,
where I iiad hoped to cross, was a sea of floating ice. Home
seemed as far aw;iy as at the outset.
We were kindly cared for at a log tavern by the landlady,
herself American l)orn, until the lirst fair day, when I reso-
hitely set out with my three children to hud a crossing farther
down the River. It was said there was firm ice from shore to
si lore at Brockville, fifty miles distant, but the task did not
a])pall me for the hoj)c of getting my children to their grand-
])arents gave me courage. Bravely, then, we traveled a coun-
try filled with hostile Indians and soldiers, to my mind one
fully as wicked as the other, remaining over night with the
settlers exce|)t once when the distance between neighbors was
too far to l)e covered in a day. We passed that night by
the remains of a fire not thi-ee hours deserted, and ate a little
(h'ied venison which a farmer's wife had })ut in the hand of
one of the children as we left. One morning a great hullaba-
loo was raised about the house of some kind })eoi>lc» who cai'ed
for us by making a bed on tlie floor in front of the fireplace.
A loud ra]) at the door, then a gruff' voice shouted :
" Open and surrendfr or we will fire the houst' I "
In alarm the door was thi-own o])en and twenty dragoons
were discovered about the little hut. An officer looked about
the liouse sharply and said inrorundion liad reached him that
a female spy was harbore(l within and must go with him to
the barracks, as well as the farmer whose loyalty he said they
now had reason to suspect. I ])resented myself and children
and told the story of my travels. Ou)' pitiful condition mu.^t