limb of a decayed tree in front of their
hiding-place sat an old white owl.

[Footnote A: See the Tradition of the Fall of the Leni Lenape.]

Nothing said the owl, it was not time yet, and he suffered the
treacherous Mengwe to approach within two bowshots of the sleeping
warriors. All at once, with a voice that penetrated every glade of the
forest, this great sentinel over mankind shouted "Up! up! danger!
danger!" All the birds of the species were alert at their posts, and all
within hearing of the shout of their chief repeated the words of alarm.
"Up! up! danger! danger!" rung through the hollow woods, and
reverberated among the hills. Up sprung the Unamis, and sallied
cautiously out to find the cause of alarm. They were just in time to
discover the backs of the flying Mengwe, from whose treacherous spears
they were saved by the timely cry of their vigilant and grateful
sentinel, the old white owl.

Since that time, the hunters of the Delawares never harm this wise and
good bird(3). When in the night it is heard sounding its notes, or
calling to its mate, some one in the camp will rise, and taking some
_glicanum_, or Indian tobacco, will strew it on the fire, that the
ascending smoke may reach the bird, and show him that they are not
unmindful of his kindness to them and their ancestors.

NOTES.

* * * * *

(1) _Scorned to tell a lie_.--p. 61.

The Indians pay a most scrupulous attention to truth, not because they
attach any peculiar moral virtue to it, or think the breach of it will
be punished, but because they esteem the telling a lie a mark of
cowardice. Civilized nations view lying as both unmanly and criminal;
the Indian, as indicating the fear of the liar to meet the consequences
of disclosing the truth. It has been adduced by more than one writer to
prove the existence of an _innate_ love of truth in the human breast.

(2) _Manitou of Dreams_.--p. 66.

The life of an Indian is regulated by his dreams. There is not a single
enterprise of any importance undertaken till the Manitou of sleep has
been consulted. When a child is born, the nature of his future
occupation is taught by dreams; when he arrives at manhood, the name by
which he is in future to be known is given in consequence of what is
seen in the dream which follows the feast of initiation into manhood.

There is nothing in which they have shown more superstition and
extravagance, than in what regards their dr