Birch Bark Legends of Niagara

Birch Bark Legends of Niagara

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Title: Birch Bark Legends of Niagara
Author: Owahyah
Release Date: March, 2005 [EBook #7783] [This file was first posted
on May 16, 2003]
Edition: 10
Language: English

Character set encoding: US-ASCII
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, BIRCH
BARK LEGENDS OF NIAGARA ***

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BIRCH BARK LEGENDS OF NIAGARA
FOUNDED ON TRADITIONS AMONG THE IROQUOIS, OR SIX
NATIONS
A STORY OF THE LUNAR-BOW; (Which Brilliantly Adorns
Niagara Falls by Moonlight),
OR,
ORIGIN OF THE TOTEM OF THE WOLF
DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF JOINSTAGA, FROM WHOM
MANY LEGENDS OF THE ALMOST FORGOTTEN PAST WERE
OBTAINED BY THE AUTHOR OWAHYAH

PREFACE
My preface will be a few citations from reliable authorities to introduce
to my readers the people of whom I write:
GOV. CLINTON, in a discourse delivered before the New York
Historical Society, says: "Previous to the occupation of this country by
the progenitors of the present race of Indians, it was inhabited by a race
of men much more populous and much farther advanced in civilization;
that the confederacy of the Iroquois is a remarkable and peculiar piece
of legislation; that the more we study the Indian history the more we
will be impressed with the injustice done them. While writers have
truthfully described their deeds of cruelties, why not also quote their
deeds of kindness, their integrity, hospitality, love of truth, and, above
all, unbroken fidelity?"
WASHINGTON IRVING says: "The current opinion of Indian
character is too apt to be formed from the degenerate beings, corrupted
and enfeebled by the vice of society, without being benefitted by its
civilization. That there are those, and a large class of them that have

with moral firmness resisted the temptations, with which they have
been surrounded, and command our highest esteem."
VOLNEY, the French Historian, pronounces the Iroquois "The Romans
of the West."
W. H. C. HOSMER, "The Warriors of Genesee."
ORSEMUS TURNER, in his History of the Holland Purchase, says.
"The existence of the IROQUOIS upon the soil now constituting
Western and Middle New York, is distinctly traced back to the Period
of the discovery of America.
"Their traditions go beyond that period. They fix upon no definite
period in reference to the origin of their confederacy. Their Councils
were held along the southern shores of Lake Ontario, and upon the
Niagara River, before the first adventurers, the Dutch, and French
Jesuits appeared in the valley of the Mohawk; and there are evidences
of a long precedent existence that corresponds with their traditions."
And their Council Fires are still kindled though they burn not as
brightly as of yore. Nor do the young braves listen to the wisdom, or
ever now in their Councils witness the allegorical or figurative
language so beautifully illustrating the discourses of Red Jacket, Corn
Planter, Farmers Brother and other Chiefs, thus eulogized by PRES.
DWIGHT: "In strength and sublimity of their eloquence they may be
fairly compared with the Greeks."
The INDIANS say: "We listen to your stories, why do you not listen to
ours? Although civilized, you use not the rules of common civility."
OWAHYAH

BIRCH BARK LEGENDS OF NIAGARA
FOUNDED ON TRADITIONS AMONG THE IROQUOIS OR SIX
NATIONS
Within sound of the thundering cataract's roar once worshipped the
roaming sons of the forest in all their primitive freedom. They
recognized in its thunder the voice, in its mad waves the wrath, and in
its crashing whirlpool the Omnipotence of the Great Spirit--the
Manitou of their simple creed.
Also in the rising mist, the flight of the soul, and in the beautiful
bow--the brilliant path followed by the spirits of good Indians to their
Happy Hunting Ground.

With this belief came the custom of yearly offering a sacrifice to the
Great Spirit, or whenever any particular blessing was to be