mselves in their neighbourhood. That
haughty people refused the request, but they gave them leave to pass
through their country, and seek a settlement farther towards the land
of the rising sun. The Lenapes accordingly began to cross the
Mississippi, when the Allegewi, seeing that their bands were very
numerous, outnumbering the birds on the trees or the fish in the
waters, made a furious attack upon those who had crossed, threatening
all with destruction, if they dared to persist in coming to their side
of the river. Fired at the treachery of these people, and maddened
with the loss of their brothers in arms, the Lenapes retired to the
thick covert to consult on what was best to be done. It was
deliberated in council, whether it was better to retreat in the best
manner they could, or put forth their utmost strength, and let the
enemy see they were not cowards, but men--brave men, who would not
suffer themselves to be driven into the woods, before they had tested
the strength of the enemy, and seen the power of their arms in hurling
the spear, and striking with the war-club, and the truth of their eye
in levelling the bow. It was determined, that brave men never turned
back, that the Lenape were brave men, and must steep their mocassins
in the blood of their enemies. The Mengwe, who till now had only
looked on while our nation had done the fighting, offered to join our
warriors, if, when the country was conquered, they should be allowed
to share it with us. The proposal pleased our councillors, and the two
nations renewed the faith of the calumet, resolved to conquer or die.
The next sun was fixed on to attack the Allegewi in their
intrenchments.

It was night; the bands of the confederate nations were sleeping in
their cabins, dreaming dreams of victory and glory, when Wangewaha, or
the Hard Heart, sleeping in his tent, was aroused by the tread of a
light foot on the earth at his side, and the music of a voice sweeter
than that of the linnet or the thrush. Looking up he saw, by the beams
of the moon, a tall and beautiful woman, straight as a hickory, and
graceful as a young antelope. She wore over her shoulders a cloak made
of the tender bark of the mulberry, interlaced with the white feathers
of the swan, and the gay plumage of the snake bird and the painted
vulture. Wangewaha started from his sleep, for he knew her to be the
beautiful maiden whom he had seen in his dream, ere he quitted the
land of his father's bone