Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 10.djvu/399

 Chamflain. 3^3

��CHAMPLAIN— A BALLAD OF 1609. By Mary II. Wheeler.

The Hiirons were on the war-path,

For around their council fires They had vowed to revenge on the Iroquois

The "wrongs of themselves and sires. The Hurons were on the war-path,

And from Ottawa river down, On the tide of the broad vSt. Lawrence

They came to the new French town.

In the ears of their new-made allies

Their plans for the march were told, While armed with their bows and arrows

Stood the waiting warriors bold ; And the hawk's and the eagle's feathers

Did the well trained scalp-locks deck Of the Indian braves and sachems

On the war-path from Qiiebec.

Then down by the Soi-el river,

Champlain and his chosen few Followed the guiding red men.

Till the great lake came in view ; And on fair Saranac* water

They rowed in the sunset glow, Ere on its green shore landing

To fight with a savage foe.

Fierce were the fighting Mohawks,

And the Iroquois were strong : With the Hurons and Adiroudacks

They had been at warfare long : But fearful was the slaughter

And furious was the flight. When first the white man's fire-arms

Were heard in the Indian fight !

From their hunting-grounds the Hurons

Have passed away forever. And never a tribe of the Iroquois

Roams now by the Hudson river. And no monument remaineth

To tell of the warriors slain ; But the long lake still retaineth

The name of the good Champlain.
 * Saranac, Indian name of Lake Champlain.

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