Blazing the Way; Or, True Stories, Songs and Sketches of Puget SoundDenny, Emily Inez
History
Blazing the Way; Or, True Stories, Songs and Sketches of Puget Sound
Denny, Emily Inez
Indians of North America -- Northwestern States; Oregon Territory -- History; Washington (State) -- History
Before the advent of the whites, mats served as sails.
I told him of having seen the public part of Black Tamanuse and they
both laughed at the heathenism of long ago and said, "We don't have that
now."
Yutestid denied that _his_ people ate dog when making black tamanuse,
but said the Sklallams did so.
"If I could speak better English or you better Chinook I could tell you
lots of stories," he averred. Chinook is so very meager, however, that
an interpreter of the native tongue will be necessary to get these
stories.
They politely shook hands and bade me "Good-bye" to jog off through the
rain to their camping place, Indian file, he following in the rear
contentedly smoking a pipe. Yutestid is industrious, cultivating a patch
of ground and yearly visiting the city of Seattle with fruit to sell.
THE CHIEF'S REPLY.
Yonder sky through ages weeping
Tender tears o'er sire and son,
O'er the dead in grave-banks sleeping,
Dead and living loved as one,
May turn cruel, harsh and brazen,
Burn as with a tropic sun,
But my words are true and changeless,
Changeless as the season's run.
Waving grass-blades of wide prairie
Shuttled by lithe foxes wary,
As the eagle sees afar,
So the pale-face people are;
Like the lonely scattering pine-trees
On a bleak and stormy shore,
Few my brother warriors linger
Faint and failing evermore.
Well I know you could command us
To give o'er the land we love,
With your warriors well withstand us
And ne'er weep our graves above.
See on Whulch the South wind blowing
And the waves are running free!
Once my people they were many
Like the waves of Whulch's sea.
When our young men rise in anger,
Gather in a war-bent band,
Face black-painted and the musket
In the fierce, relentless hand,
Old men pleading, plead in vain,
Their dark spirits none restrain.
If to you our land we barter,
This we ask ere set of sun,
To the graves of our forefathers,
Till our days on earth are done,
We may wander as our hearts are
Wandering till our race is run.
Speak the hillsides and the waters,
Speak the valleys, plains and groves,
Waving trees and snow-robed mountains,
Speak to him where'er he roves,
To the red men's sons and daughters
Of their joys, their woes and loves.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account