, became very numerous. There was
not a pleasant spot on the island, from which did not arise the smoke
of a cabin fire; nor a quiet lake, in which, in the months of flowers
and fruits, you would not see Indian maidens laving their dusky limbs.
The wild duck found no rest in his sunny slumber on the banks of
Menemshe, the _pokeshawit_ could no longer hide in the sedge, on the
banks of his favourite Quampeche, and the deer, that went to quench
his thirst in the Monnemoy, found the unerring arrow of the Indian in
his heart.

But to Moshup the increase of the Indians seemed to give pain--none
knew why, since the only enjoyments he appeared to covet were still as
numerous as before. Whales were still plenty, _poke_ was still plenty,
and sleep and sunshine as easily enjoyed as ever. Though he never
harmed the Indians, he grew discontented and unhappy, cross and
peevish in his family, and sour and unneighbourly to all around him.
He would beat his wife, if she did but so much as eat a falling scrap
of the whale; toss his sons out of the cave, if, in the indulgence of
boyish glee, they made the least noise while he was taking his nap;
and box the ears of his little daughter, if she did but so much as
look at an Indian youth.

Once upon a time, he bade his children go and play ball upon the beach
that joins the hill[A] of White Paint to Nomensland, telling them that
he would look on and see the sport. When they had played awhile, he
made a mark with his great toe across the beach at each end, and so
deep that the water followed the mark, leaving them surrounded with
it, and in great danger of being drowned. When the tide at length
began to flow across the beach, covering with water the whole space
between the two high lands, the brothers took their little sister, and
held her up out of the water, while Moshup, seated on the high cliffs,
looked on. He told them to act as if they were going to kill whales,
which they did, and were all turned into the fish called _killers_, a
fish which has ever since been an enemy to whales, and is its greatest
terror; As the sister was always a gay girl, painting her cheeks of
many hues, and loving many-coloured ornaments, he commanded her to
become, and she became, the striped killer. He bade her brothers be
always very kind to her, and they have obeyed him.

[Footnote A: Gayhead, which has a chalk cliff.]

When Moshup's wife learned the transformation of her children, she
grieved very muc