e rocks
of the great salt sea, his eyes green as a meadow in spring, his mouth
of enormous size, and his ears like those of a buffalo, stands her
persecutor and ravisher, the Fiend of the Cataract. And thus he wooed
the fair helpless being that lay upon the couch of dazzling stone:

"Mekaia, beauteous Mekaia, the mighty Manitou of Oniagarah asks thy
love. If thou wilt give it me, I will give thee in return all the
treasures of earth and flood, the diamonds which lie in the depths of
the cataract, and the bright ore, which, in other lands, buys both the
bodies and souls of men. The thing that thou wishest shall be within
the reach of thy hand as soon as wished; and, to please thee, my form
shall again take the shape and appearance of him thou lovest. I go
now, fair maiden, but soon will I return to thee and love. But, if
thou again refusest me, the Manitou shall come to woo thee like
himself, and, in his own proper form, of more hideous seeming than
that which he now wears, and invested with thrice his present terrors,
enforce his claim. His wishes gratified, he will spurn thee from him,
and cast forth thy corse to the torrent."

With this heavy threat the Manitou vanished. And now seize, seize, ye
lovers, the happy minute! 'Tis a moment of fate. Fly, fly! and look,
the aerial messenger of Him who governs all things beckons them on.
They obey the mute appeal, and with the fleetness of the mountain goat
rush from the cavern. Their way is dark and dreadful, but fear lends
them wings. They know from the lips of their beautiful guide, the
Spirit-bird, which at length has opened its mouth to impart to them
words of kind encouragement, that with the dawning of day the fiend of
the flood is but mortal--that with the crowing of the cock his power
is at an end; and they are urging their limbs to their utmost speed,
for see, the gleam of red tells that day is nigh. The little messenger
from the Great Spirit still points the pathway, and under his care and
guidance they speedily gain the mid-height. Alas for the lovers!
Heaven preserve them in this their hour of extreme peril, for see, the
horrible fiend is on their track, straining every nerve in pursuit;
and so rapidly does he gain upon them, that, unless aid be sent from
some superior power, they will be soon in his grasp.

But the brave Moscharr still clung to hopes of escape, and still
exerted himself with almost superhuman power to accomplish it. With
one arm encircling th