The west shore., December 01, 1886, Page 361, Image 9

THE WEST SHORE.
301
1 would tint t could ahow tu rm
Tlie grace of moUun all hia own
Tall how each guttural amtenoe grew,
Anil, amlling iato monotone,
Waa chanted aa one should rehearee
Low fragment of Umhio vera.
He endr ixncnt, nd wnrp nf lmnil
Bhnwed wher t trail foraook tint ahora i
He then, u if It wer command
For ua to follow, wont before
Through narrow pnea, tluit enemed iw if
A Hlwr atroke lutd cleft Uie cliff.
It reached hlf eunny apot,
Wher Bra In primal verdanc grew,
Wall graaeed to ba a village plot,
Anil hlmniar with lha morning dew
Than, 'aeath lha wall of mountain aliatU,
Tha tribal lodgaa wm arrayed.
Wc cUwUilwl on. ill Indian hie,
Hull higher, whan a rocky ahelf
Hurfaced tha Jutting crag, tha whila
Tha mountain leaned to aee llaalf
Reflected on tha aullen Dow
In ahadow pictured far Wow.
Tha tahar' rock hung far beneath l
Tha flaher'a lodge waa fair la vlw
Tha mlat Hung Ilka a bridal wreath
Of whila UmI thona Ihaaiura through I
And whara cliHa roaa praciplbiua
fAatml waler-falla Ik;', bowed lo ua,
liown (ar below tin rueli id timet
Hrtit U lla amlaaliug plaint.
And aa thua pinnacled wa atood,
It with our accent minglnl feint-
A wainl-lika choral iihanl that ewepl,
And meaaur with our meecnre kept.
My people onon wera many at the Iwnded heada of clover I
Tha ml man and their children wera like learea Uia foraal over
Thuy flllod the hilla and valluyn, aa tha ml oonaa dot tha pirn t
And tholra wera all tlie aunny plalna where mountain alreame entwin.
Their lodgea roaa in cluatara on nuh river bank ami ahora.
For everywhere tha (I real Tii't had given a bounlaoua aUira
Tha antlerwl alk Uiey hunted where tha higheat rangea stood l
Thar ohaead tha mighty hiaon Uirough the valley and the wood
For tliem the ahaggy buffalo w a paatured on tha plain,
And marohoil In Uiunilaring oolumna aa they never will again.
They foarad nor man nor mortal, and worahtped that Tree,
BeliullahJ and Oraat Hpirit, who made tha land and aaa.
He Bent warm breath from far Chinook, to melt tha winter 'a anow,
lla drove the aalmon up tha atream aa far aa they could go
He gave them alk and biaon, gave them apringa ao Bold and clear,
Anil lent them ouitona '; ao awitt to chaae lha fallow dear.
Tlie aalmon alill are many, and they ollmb the it roam a each year t
lut tha Hiwaih and the mowlteh.'l how faat they diaaiiimr !
It eeema aa if my people were all fated aoon to go
To the ailent, diatant hunting gronnila where wont tha buffalo,
Tlie rlvere atill flow anawanl, and the moontaina aland tha aama
Tha Indian followa on tlie trail whara went the vaniehed game.
Back in Uie early daya of all tlie Hiwaah were few
llefore they dwelt in all the land aa far aa falla tha dew
Tha anowy peaka Uiat north ami eouth now riae hi eummita grand
HUioil here the river'a How beside, and watched it near at hand.
The Hpirit of tlie Hlorme kept one, and when hia robe he ahook.
Tha roar Uiat awept tha clouda along waa heard lo far Chinook l
Ilia waa the anowy peak, far eouth, whoee name with yon la Hood
Mount Adams, whiter than the anow, ax roes tha river atood i
Twaa tliera Uie aplrit dwelt whoao Urea Haah from Ilia mountain 'a elimuil
In lightning etrokea that aigual when ahall peal tha atormy aloud-
Dread pint, born of gloomy power, whoaa anger aumetimaa wok
In Jeeloua wrath, and then would Haah tha lightning 'a ftery atroka
Then thunder, with ita muffled roll, would anewer, peal on peal.
And Hrea would light the mountain aula, like blowa of Hint on etael.
Far-reaching then, from mount to mount. In one broad native a pan,
A rook-hewn arch, or bridge, waa thrown, 'nceth which tlie river ran
And with iu flow tlie light flanne went down the tramiull atream,
While underneath tlie darkling arch tlie river gave no gleam ,
A pilgrim to lliia mountain arch oft'tlmaa the hunter came.
And on Uie atone of Merino meda offering of hia game
The ohoioeet aalmon of the etreama tha ttaher brought and gave,
To yield the Hpirit rather berk a tribute from Uie ware.
And often joining In Uie throng two etrangera would appear.
Tufted in eagle fnathera long, and dnaand in ekina of dear,
All braided with each rare device aa Indian never wore
Thia aid the happy hunting ground upon the farther ahora.
And her waa held high carnival when many tribea war met,
For festival and worahip Joined. The legend linger yet
That, circled on Ui river'a arch, Uie tribea looked on each on
While faireat maida laid aacriflr upon Uie altar a ton.
Bod flame leaped up from moaay log bigh piled the arrb along,
And by their glar Uie aged prleet doled vat hia chanted aorig.
Hi child, to prieataa of tlie arch, of Indian mania moat fair,
On altar atepa with heade out-otretched. and with wlile-flowing hair,
Aa on entranced by viaioo, etoo.1, all etala.ike and still
A broaa uleal votaraaa who knew no aelf nor wilt
From wher lb ereeneal ahap alow ellmhrcl lb ramp far away.
The moonlight, cleaving through lb ky, proclaimed to waalag day
DefUy Ita gleame earn atruggling Ibroagh tha rurae-lil gorg below l
Hlowly lb evening atara am down lo glial lb river'a tow
Tb aombr eliwbw of nigbl bad crept Into the twlllght'a haah.
The soughing wind and raetliaa leaf baaed lb dsrk river'a nab
A weird eeiUavi that ealtad weU Um bawdy ehanled rile,
A deep-voiced wood or km an awwlbi blend la lb far-off Bight.
i Oaf. TUIIiaW. Koreas. timli
Th braveet of the hravee loved Menhmea, who fed lb eacrad Ham,
And hoping lo deaerve her lute, they sought for Behla of fain
And when Uiey launched Ihe light canoe, or ewepl the lowbwd plain,
Or scaled to heighte of aummar anow, Ibey hnpnl her love hi gala.
And one there waa of nohleat deeib, and of a ahleftain'a Una,
Who loved fair Mentonaa from far, and worahtped al her shrine.
Ha uttaml never word of lore i He wuoed no oilier maid I
Hut, vuiceleee, al her vestal feel, gift from th eliaae he lal.l.
No vole lo thought gav utterance hi aoul'a one deep ileal re
He watched and worahlped aa afar ah fnl her altat'a are.
Vigils by night would guard bar beige If iUng hovered nigh,
And Ida Uie Irueat arm Uiat e'er let feathered arrow fly.
And aha waa price! aaa of the arch, Hhe fed her enured Are
Uniaaaioned by n mortal Uirob, untell love's awifl dcetr.
Mlowly lb waiting month came round -aurely Uie falea earns Iru
Hwift come ot alow, Uiey ever found her lots lo Heaven atlll due.
And pleading al the aarreil shrin. her chanlnl prayer aroe
To aak no boon of human hue, but halm for human wins.
No vnatal ever fed Uie lamp with aoul mora ehaalely fair I
No altar of earth' wurahlien ww tenibal with euch cere,
Ae, etandlng by Uie altar ' glow, we Hal Uie prleet'a low aong,
Tlie genii of Um anowy mouuta go gliding through Um throng.
Her vole keep time. beat with Ilia Kama that claim her eaerile.
With m ratio presence by her ante the apirlu aeek ilevle
To win from her a word, a look. Now aummar lightning Haah
Now through Ilia gloom of nearer hilla w bear lha thumb eraah I
Tlien riaing Into form of shad, thaea Jealoua eplrlta grow
To gianl height on either bawl, and lerrar flaehee glow.
Her rile Ilea em lad ret alia Manila Uiere Malue-llae and atill.
Unheeding all th ilemim etrlfe -no Ihoughl of coming III.
On one lawk dart Uie living ire, ua iKlier baml a eloutl,
Aad anewerlng back Uie boll of flame, Uie Uiumler peala ahw.1.
Amid Uia glaamtnga of lb tra a flame-wraNl form la ami,
And rolled In eliadowa of Uia aloud la ehef of angry mien,
They elrove, and 'nealh Uealr earthiuak tread tall plae aad ellff ehom
Th bitty foraM pneHral fell, Tlie aaMlravk Uilas foraook I ahook I
Tlie iiulvering arch, wbww mtghgi ! roekl o'er U wuulerlng Uile,
Till every heeling near! Ibereu with fear oaeum! palrlrled
Heve two, and on bail aeed lo beat i be form sua reft in? Ufa,
Kvea a eh worahlped ah bail dial alala In the demiw elrlfe.
Niar died eh Uiere alon nor helluh elrlfe not earUeiuak ehork
Haik fear hi Tamalla' great love hi drive him from IM rock.
Fir ana warn) lr from moan lain high, (load enewerad paJ lo eloaal,
TIhi great arch hang la pae awhile, aad lb It tottering bowed l
Ami aa fell Uie gleaming high of eeerlaetal flame
IM up the maid' imploring form, UuU bd I lUeth Ik aim -
Her head uplift, her arm apmuaal, ami bar hi hig ey-
Weet down lo meet Um whelming war It I a Ihe alghl'a ilaeo akt.
Awl he, ao mala of Um ia Ufa, who kamrt aaek allene kept.
Hhe4 by and laawal Um llfele fiwm a ibiwawertlly Uvy wepl.
We watch lb grand (aaeade bMlay whet ua Utal arek apru.
And yonder, wber ww foneaa on, now itaBp lb river Iowa I
Htill I lent tranka, beneath In wave, mark whet Um foraal etond.
Ami, mimamenl of age town, are a Inetaaul uf wwel.
No more the eaowy moantalmi atand aad guard Colamhta'a war
No mor Ihe aplrlte of la height alma lb power llaav gav.
Th Ureal Haliallab'a angry head, 'gal eat which wa dar rebel,
lla aet Um anowy peak apart, awl bale the fat Iu dwell.
Frtaoaed in each, for aje aad aye, deep la lb eaalm of ar,
The angry epirlle altar still lb reaUage etlliel lr
Wlem Hood II aalphry vapot baana apt lha wlalry alt.
Whew Adam from II derail depth rami gnawing of ilea pair.
When falla lb twilight ef that day -aae mot In every rear-- '
That fell Um ana, II mane aaai i again tb In la appear
Then anowy moawte aad aMdraa ape look a Calambt ' turn.
While gleaming Irea of avenace ea walllag worahip ghrw.
Aad efcam ad kneb aad myetl epeli dwell lb kaaalaal air
The while lb aaieelam land ba flra ar wwl eaaeU her nrarar.