When another day had expired, the council again met. Hiawatha entered the assembly with even more than ordinary attention, and every eye was fixed upon him, when he began to address the council in the following words: "Friends and Brothers:--You being members of many tribes, you have come from a great distance; the voice of war has aroused you up; you are afraid of your homes, your wives and your children; you tremble for your safety. Believe me, I am with you. My heart beats with your hearts. We are one. We have one common object. We come to promote our common interest, and to determine how this can be best done. "To oppose those hordes of northern tribes, singly and alone, would prove certain destruction. We can make no progress in that way. We must unite ourselves into one common band of brothers. We must have but one voice. Many voices makes confusion. We must have one fire, one pipe and one war club. This will give us strength. If our warriors are united they can defeat the enemy and drive them from our land; if we do this, we are safe. "Onondaga, you are the people sitting under the shadow of the _Great Tree_, whose branches spread far and wide, and whose roots sink deep into the earth. You shall be the first nation, because you are warlike and mighty. "Oneida, and you, the people who recline your bodies against the _Everlasting Stone_, that cannot be moved, shall be the second nation, because you always give good counsel. "Seneca, and you, the people who have your habitation at the foot of the _Great Mountain_, and are overshadowed by its crags, shall be the third nation, because you are all greatly gifted in speech. "Cayuga, you, whose dwelling is in the _Dark Forest_, and whose home is everywhere, shall be the fourth nation, because of your superior cunning in hunting. "Mohawk, and you, the people who live in the open country, and possess much wisdom, shall be the fifth nation, because you understand better the art of raising corn and beans and making cabins. "You five great and powerful nations, with your tribes, must unite and have one common interest, and no foes shall disturb or subdue you. "And you of the different nations of the south, and you of the west, may place yourselves under our protection, and we will protect you. We earnestly desire the alliance and friendship of you all. "And from you, Squaw-ki-haws (being a remote branch of the Seneca Nation), being the people who are as the _Feeble Bushes_, shall be chosen, a Virgin, who shall be the peacemaker for all the nations of the earth, and more particularly the favored Ako-no-shu-ne, which name this confederacy shall ever sustain. If we unite in one band the Great Spirit will smile upon us, and we shall be free, prosperous and happy; but if we shall remain as we are we shall incur his displeasure. We shall be enslaved, and perhaps annihilated forever. "Brothers, these are the words of Hiawatha. Let them sink deep into your hearts. I have done."