d the corn, for her hands had never been
hardened in tasks like these, nor her shoulders bowed in her father's
house to the labours of the field, or forest, or cabin. "She had been,"
he said, "the darling of her father's household, and knew not labour but
by name."

The Wahconda's son smiled at the words of the old chief, and told him
"that services, like those he had mentioned, were never required of
women in the Wahconda's dwelling. The people of the happy vales and the
spirits of the mountains fed not," he said, "upon bison's meat, nor
pounded corn; and the sun, which was the same at all seasons, beamed so
warm, that they kept no fires. It was a lovely land, far pleasanter than
that which the Ottoes abode in, nor was it subject to those dreadful
storms and tempests which terrified and annoyed those who dwelt upon the
banks of the Great River." And then, mounting his noble horse, and
taking his little wife behind him, he again bade them farewell and rode
away.

He had been gone two moons--the third was in its wane, and the parents
had become consoled for the loss of their daughter. It was upon a clear
and beautiful evening in the Moon of Harvest, when the forest was losing
its robe of green, and putting on its garment of brown and scarlet, and
cool and steady winds were succeeding to the hot and parching breezes of
summer, that the Ottoes assembled to dance and feast in the cabin of
their chief. It was one of the most beautiful nights ever beheld.
Nothing was heard to break the stillness of the hour, save the rustling
of the branches of the cedar and pine, the slight music of a little
rivulet, and the mournful singing of the wekolis,[A] perched in the low
branches of the willow. The feast was prepared, the Master was
propitiated, and they were sitting down to partake of the good things of
the land and water, when suddenly the earth began to move like the
waters of lake Huron, when agitated by winds from the regions of the
frozen star. Upon every side of them, above them, and beneath them, the
earth thundered, with a rattling sound. In vain did the Ottoes attempt
to leave the cabin; they rolled about like a canoe launched upon a
stormy river, or a ball tossed upon frozen water. The rocking of the
earth continued throughout the hours of darkness. When light came, it
was frightful to behold the disfigured face of the earth. In some places
lakes were scooped out, and mountains piled up on their brink. Trees
were rooted