Children's Stories in American HistoryWright, Henrietta Christian
History
Children's Stories in American History
Wright, Henrietta Christian
America -- Discovery and exploration -- Juvenile literature; United States -- History -- Juvenile literature
Two or three days passed very peacefully, and it seemed they had only
come to that beautiful place for quiet and enjoyment; but one evening,
just as the dusk was creeping over the lake, they saw the dark faces of
the Iroquois looking down at them from the leafy heights above. The
Canadian Indians gave a shrill cry at the sight, and all that night the
two tribes shrieked defiance at one another, and waited impatiently for
the sunrise, which was to be the signal for the battle to begin. At
break of day the Iroquois stood ready for battle, awaiting the attack of
the Canadians, who all this time had kept Champlain and his friends
hidden from the sight of their enemies. Now they formed in ranks, still
keeping their white friends concealed, and marched slowly toward the
Iroquois, who were eager for the fight. But before a single arrow was
shot the ranks of the Canadians opened, and Champlain came coolly to the
front and fired his gun. The Iroquois were terrified, having never
before seen such a weapon, and when they saw that two of their number
were wounded, they became still more afraid; and thinking that Champlain
was a god, and held a magic instrument in his hand against which it
would be useless to fight, they turned and fled into the woods, pursued
by the Canadians, who were delighted at the success of their trick, and
shrieked out their joy over their easy victory. But the Iroquois went
on, not heeding their enemies' triumphant cries, and did not consider
themselves safe until they reached their own peaceful valleys, hidden
away among the Adirondacks; and years and years after that the children
of the tribe, as they gathered the water-lilies from the beautiful
mountain lakes, or wandered among the woods plucking dainty flowers and
waxen Indian pipes, would tell with wonder and awe the story of the
great white god and his magic weapon, and how by his aid the brave
Iroquois, always before victorious in battle, had been defeated on the
shores of that distant lake which lay beyond the slopes of their
snow-capped mountains.
But the Canadians went home rejoicing, and Champlain went back to
Quebec, and told of his discovery, and placed the new lake on his maps
with much pride, and wrote in his journal an account of his journey
thither, which, when the French people at home read it, pleased them so
much that they were more determined than ever that the whole of that
beautiful region should belong to France, and to no other country. And
Champlain lived in honor at Quebec until his death, in 1635; but his
name will never be forgotten, for it is heard year after year, and
echoed again and again, among the trees that fringe the shores, and the
mountains that overlook the beautiful lake that he discovered.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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