but had been recognized as Head-Chief for a long time. He
could speak some English, and was far above the average of white men
in native shrewdness and intelligence. He was thoroughly posted in the
traditions and legends of his people.
The Ojibways have for many years been cursed by contact with the worst
elements of the whites, and seem to have adopted the vices rather than
the virtues of civilization. I once spoke of this to
"Hole-in-the-day." His reply was terse and truthful--"_Madge
tche-mo-ko-mon, madge a-nische-nabe: menoge tche-mo-ko-mon, meno
a-nische-nabe._--Bad white men, bad Indians: good white men, good
Indians."]
[Footnote 37: _Nah_--look, see. _Nashke_--behold.]
[Footnote 38: _Kee-zis_--the sun,--the father of life. _Waubunong_--or
_Waub-o-nong_--is the White Land or Land of Light,--the Sunrise, the
East.]
[Footnote 39: The Bridge of Stars spans the vast sea of the skies, and
the sun and moon walk over on it.]
[Footnote 40: The _Miscodeed_ is a small white flower with a pink
border. It is the earliest blooming wild flower on the shores of Lake
Superior, and belongs to the crocus family.]
[Footnote 41: The _Ne-be-naw-baigs_, are Water-spirits; they dwell in
caverns in the depths of the lake, and in some respects resemble the
_Unktehee_ of the Dakotas.]
[Footnote 42: _Ogema_, Chief,--_Oge-ma-kwa_--female Chief. Among the
Algonkin tribes women are sometimes made chiefs. _Net-no-kwa_, who
adopted Tanner as her son, was _Oge-ma-kwa_ of a band of Ottawas. See
_John Tanner's Narrative_, p. 36.]
[Footnote 43: The "Bridge of Souls" leads from the earth over dark and
stormy waters to the spirit-land. The "Dark River" seems to have been
a part of the superstitions of all nations.]
[Footnote 44: The _Jossakeeds_ of the Ojibways are soothsayers who are
able, by the aid of spirits, to read the past as well as the future.]
DEATH OF WINONA.
Mr. Gordon has taken for his theme the love of the beautiful maiden
Winona for Du Luth the explorer. He leaves her to continue his
travels, and she, driven to desperation at the thought of marriage
with Tauedoka, whom she loathes, takes her life.
[Footnote 45: The Dakota name for the Mississippi.]
[Footnote 46: Wild geese.]
[Footnote 47: Lake Pepin: by Hennepin called the Lake of
Tears.--Called by the Dakotas Pem-uee-chah-mday--Lake of the
Mountain.]
[Footnote 48: The rock from which Winona leaped was formerly
perpendicular to the water's edge and
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