preserved
till 1822 and considered inexplicable, till their mnemonic signs and a
manuscript song in the Lenni Lenape language, obtained from a remnant of
the Delaware Indians, were translated by Professor C.S. Rafinesque "with
deep study of the Delaware and the aid of Zeisberger's manuscript
Dictionary in the library of the Philosophical Society."

In this, a dynasty of Lenni Lenape chiefs and the events of their reigns
are successively named, and from the first mention of their encounter
with the warlike Tallegwi or Cherokee to the discovery of Columbus there
is necessarily implied the passage of many centuries. Even the time that
has elapsed since the Tallegwi were overthrown by them is estimated as
somewhat more than a thousand years, thus placing this defeat in the
ninth century. Professor Cyrus Thomas in "The Cherokees of Pre-Columbian
Times" states that he thinks it would be more nearly correct to credit
the event to the eleventh or twelfth century. He quotes in support of
his theory from the _Walam-Olum_ as translated by Dr. Brinton, who
giving the original in parallel pages, with the mnemonic signs, does not
use in the English version the Indian names of the chiefs.

This record of the _Walam-Olum_ is really very curious. After passing
the account of the Creation, the Flood, the Migrations, and entering
upon the Chronicles, the _Walam-Olum_ reads much like a Biblical
genealogy, save that in lieu of scions of a parent tree these are
military successors, war-captains. The following quotations are from the
version given by Squier:

47. _Opekasit_ (East-looking) being next chief, was sad
because of so much warfare.

48. Said let us go to the Sun-rising (_Wapagishek_) and
many went east together.

49. The Great River _(Messussipu)_ divided the land and
being tired they tarried there.

50. _Yagawanend_ (Hut-Maker) was next sakimau, and then
the Tallegwi were found possessing the east.

51. Followed _Chitanitis_ (Strong Friend), who longed for
the rich east land.

52. Some went to the east but the Tallegwi killed a
portion.

53. Then all of one mind exclaimed war, war!

54. The _Talamatan_ (Not-of-themselves) and the Nitilowan
all united (to the war).

55. _Kinnehepend_ (Sharp-looking) was their leader, and
they went over the river.

56. And they took all that was there and despoiled and
slew the Tallegwi.