bough floating on the water near her, she
leaned out to catch it, as the canoe passed on. It was decayed, and
broke in her hand. Throwing it from her, she looked eagerly about for
some other means of reaching the shore. At length, passing under the
shadow of an immense tree, that overhung the stream, she seized a branch
that almost dipped into the water, and drawing herself in to the bank,
sprang on shore.

Slowly and doubtfully the timid girl threaded the thick forest,
scarcely knowing which way to turn. Hoping to find some friendly wigwam
near, she sounded the shrill call of her tribe. The call was instantly
answered, but not by a friendly voice. Two stern and stalwart warriors
of the Pawnee tribe, who were deadly enemies to the Iteans, chanced to
be passing that way, and, recognizing the call as that of an enemy,
sprang from the thicket, seized the trembling maiden, and bore her away
in triumph. Many a weary league she travelled on by the side of her
merciless captors, ere she reached their distant encampment. Worn,
exhausted in strength and desponding in heart, she fell to the earth in
the midst of the throng that gathered around her, and besought them to
kill her at once, and let her go to her poor infant brother.

The Pawnees were not only hostile to the Iteans, but were, in some
respects, the most savage tribe in the great valley. They alone, of the
North American Indians, continued, down the present century, and far
within it, to practice the savage rite of sacrificing human victims on
the altar of their gods. With them it was a propitiatory sacrifice,
offered to the _Great Star_, or the planet Venus. This dreadful ceremony
annually preceded the preparations for planting corn, and was supposed
to be necessary to secure a fruitful season. The victim was always some
prisoner, who had been captured in war, or otherwise; and there was
never wanting an individual who coveted the honor of making a captive
from some hostile tribe, and dedicating the spoils of his prowess to the
national benefit.

The captors of Monica were in quest of a victim for this sacrifice, when
they wandered away alone, and prowled for several days, about the
encampment of her tribe. With this view, they bore her away in triumph,
deaf to all her entreaties and tears, and gave her in charge to the
priests, to be made ready against the return of the season.

The best wigwam in the village was assigned for her accommodation.
Cheerful companion